People ask me all the time how I fund my travel. The honest answer is not a strict budget or a spreadsheet I check every night. It is a handful of savings habits that run in the background while I live my life.
That matters even more in this chapter. Many of us are empty nesters, starting over, or finally saying yes to trips we put off for years. We have the freedom to go. What we need is a way to pay for it that doesn’t feel like a second job.
Right now, my Acorns account is funding my return to Kazakhstan and Türkiye in fall 2027. Here are the four low effort ways I recommend to fund my travel, and yours.
Note: This article contains affiliate links. This site earns from qualifying purchases.
1. Let the Acorns app invest your spare change
The Acorns app is the backbone of how I fund my travel. It is a micro investing app, which means you invest small amounts, and Acorns places the money in a diversified portfolio of ETFs for you. You can start acorn investing with as little as $5, with no account minimum beyond that first deposit.
How I use it:
- Weekly recurring deposits. I started with $25 a week, roughly $100 a month. I think of it as one nice lunch out each week, and I honestly don’t feel it. Acorns lets you automatically invest as little as $5 every day, week, or month.
- Round Ups. When you link a card, Acorns rounds each purchase up to the next dollar and invests the spare change once your pending Round Ups reach $5.
- Budget surplus boosts. Whenever my monthly budget ends with extra, I add part of it.
So far I’ve earned 6% on my money overall. (Past performance does not guarantee future results, and your returns will vary.)
What it costs: Acorns charges a flat monthly fee: Bronze is $4, Silver is $8, and Gold is $12, per Acorns. Because the fee is flat, it takes a bigger bite out of small balances, so steady weekly deposits matter.
Know the risk: Investments are not FDIC insured and may lose value. This works best for trips at least a year or two out, like my fall 2027 return to Kazakhstan and Türkiye.
Get a $30 bonus: New Acorns customers get $30 when they deposit $5 or more and set up a recurring deposit. Claim your $30 Acorns bonus here
2. Automate transfers into a separate high yield savings travel fund
One of the simplest ways to fund my travel without thinking about it is to pay the trip first. Set an automatic transfer from checking into a separate high yield savings account the day after payday, and give the account a name like “Central Texas Getaways.” Seeing a trip on the account name makes it much harder to raid.
This is the perfect partner for Acorns. Savings at an FDIC insured bank are protected up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank, for each ownership category, according to the FDIC. Your balance won’t drop with the stock market, which makes it the right home for money you’ll need within the next year, like deposits, airfare, and final payments.
Tips:
- Shop around: rates change often, so compare current APYs before you open an account.
- Confirm the bank is FDIC insured (or NCUA insured for a credit union).
- Start small. Even $10 a week builds the habit.
3. Earn travel rewards on spending you already do
Groceries, gas, utilities, and subscriptions are going to happen anyway. Putting them on a travel rewards or cash back card, then paying the balance in full every month, turns everyday spending into points, miles, or cash you can put toward flights, hotels, and cruises.
The one rule that makes this work: pay your statement balance in full and on time. The CFPB explains that on most cards, you avoid interest on purchases when you pay your full balance by the due date. Its research also found that people who carry a balance from month to month paid 94% of the interest and fees major card companies charged but earned just 27% of the rewards, per the CFPB. If you tend to carry a balance, skip this one and focus on ways 1 and 2.
Tips:
- Set autopay for the full statement balance so you never pay interest.
- Only use the card for things already in your budget.
- Compare annual fees against the rewards you would realistically earn.
- Redeem points for the trip you’re saving for, so they stretch your travel fund.
The travel rewards cards I use most:
- Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. It earns 5x points on Chase Travel purchases, 3x on dining, and 2x on other travel, and it has a $95 annual fee, per Chase. Through my referral link, you can currently earn 75,000 bonus points with Sapphire Preferred or 100,000 bonus points with Sapphire Reserve® (Reserve has a $795 annual fee). Apply with my Chase referral link
- Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card. It earns 3x miles on purchases made directly with Delta and 1x on other eligible purchases, and it has a $650 annual fee, per American Express. The perks and rebates on this card offset that annual fee for me so I reap the value every year. As I write this, the referral offer is currently 50,000 bonus miles after you spend $10,000 in purchases on your new card within the first 6 months, plus two round trip Delta Comfort flights valid for travel to the U.S. 48, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands after you meet the same spending requirement. Terms and conditions apply. Apply with my Delta Reserve referral link
Referral offers change often. Check the current terms, annual fee, and spending requirement before you apply. Only go for a sign up bonus if you can meet the spending requirement with purchases you were already planning and still pay the balance in full.
4. Stack shopping rewards with Capital One Shopping
The Capital One Shopping browser extension is free, and you don’t need to be a Capital One customer to use it, per Capital One. It automatically tests coupon codes at checkout, compares prices, alerts you to price drops, and lets you earn rewards you can redeem for gift cards. Those rewards are separate from your credit card rewards, so you can earn both on the same purchase.
My best Capital One Shopping tip: don’t buy right away. When I shop online, I usually leave items in my cart for a bit. Capital One Shopping often emails me rewards reminders, and sometimes special one time come back offers. Two of my favorites:
- $20 back at Office Depot. I bought printer ink online and picked it up in store.
- $60 back on my First Wine Club order.
Patience earned me $80 back on purchases I was making anyway. In the past year, I’ve earned over $400 using the extension.
Get the free Capital One Shopping extension
Bonus tip: First Wine Club
If you enjoy wine, First Wine Club is a great way to get premium wines mailed to your door at a sharp discount. Pair it with Capital One Shopping, as I did, and the savings stack up. Before you join, check whether the offer starts a recurring subscription and how to change or cancel deliveries.
How to use all three together
Each method does a different job, so they work best as a team.
| Method | Effort after setup | Risk | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acorns app | None, it runs automatically | Can lose value with the market | Trips a year or more away |
| High yield savings | None, with automatic transfers | FDIC insured up to limits | Money needed within a year |
| Travel rewards card | Pay in full every month | Interest if you carry a balance | Free flights and hotel nights |
A simple rhythm: let Acorns grow your long term travel fund, move money into savings as a trip gets closer, and use rewards to cut the price of flights and hotels.
Your fund my travel setup checklist
Do one step a day this week and your travel fund will run itself.
- Day 1: Pick your dream trip and a target amount.
- Day 2: Open your Acorns account, deposit $5 or more, and set a weekly recurring deposit to earn the $30 bonus.
- Day 3: Link your cards and turn on Round Ups.
- Day 4: Open a high yield savings account and name it after your trip.
- Day 5: Schedule an automatic transfer for the day after payday.
- Day 6: If you pay your card in full every month, move recurring bills to a rewards card and set autopay for the full balance.
- Day 7: Put a monthly check in reminder on your calendar.
FAQ
How much should I save each week to fund my travel? Start with an amount you won’t miss. I started with $25 a week, about the cost of a nice lunch out.
Is the acorn app safe? Acorns says it is SEC registered, and its brokerage is a member of FINRA and SIPC. SIPC protects investments up to $500,000 if the brokerage fails, but not against normal market losses, per Acorns.
Should I keep all my travel money in Acorns? Not if your trip is soon. Investments can drop right before you need them, so move money you’ll need within a year to savings.
How do I get the Acorns bonus? New customers who deposit $5 or more and set up a recurring deposit get $30. Use my link here.
Start funding your next adventure
You don’t need a perfect budget to fund your travel. You need a few habits that run on autopilot. Mine are taking me back to Kazakhstan and Türkiye in fall 2027. Where will yours take you?
Open your Acorns account and get your $30 bonus
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate and referral links. I may earn a commission, points, miles, or rewards if you sign up, at no extra cost to you. I’m not a financial advisor, and this article is for informational purposes only. Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal. Acorns pricing, card offers, annual fees, and bonus terms are as of November 2026 and may change.