Sabbat­ical: How to save money for your career break

Even though many employees dream of taking a sabbatical only a few of them actually put their dream into action. There is one significant point that lets them shy away and that gets in the way of realizing their dream: financing. There are a lot of possibilities how to finance your sabbatical, but there are even more tips on how to save a bit of money before and during your sabbatical.

Financing options for your sabbatical

There are different ways how to finance your sabbatical. A popular option is to forego a certain percentage of your salary that is put on a value account for you. You might, for example, start a year before your sabbatical and renounce 40% of your salary, which you later get paid during your break.

If this is too much for you, you can also only save special payments, like e.g. Christmas bonus or overtime hours. These two options have the advantage that you still have health and nursing insurance during your break. This isn’t the case if you choose unpaid leave for the time of your sabbatical. In this option your contract skips for the break.

Preparing for your sabbatical

Even though you get paid during your sabbatical you should still save up money in order to be able to afford such a long break. There are often little things in your everyday life that you can change to save a bit. A good idea is to start a budget book in order to get an overview of your finances and expenses. This way it is easier to identify certain things in everyday life you can try to save. Another good idea is to start a special account for your sabbatical savings. You’ll feel less tempted to spend your money otherwise and you can immediately see how much money you already saved up.

It is also advisable to pay cash instead of with your card. You’ll have a better feeling of how much money you already spent and how much is still available. Otherwise it can easily happen that you spend more than you actually wanted.

Quit contracts and subscriptions for the time of your sabbatical

Check your contracts: Do you really have the cheapest electricity supplier? Do you actually need that mobile phone contract with the most extras? Switch to the cheaper option or just quit what you don’t need, e.g. unnecessary insurances, magazine subscriptions, or streaming services. If you’re traveling during your sabbatical you should remember to quit things like gym or club memberships that you can’t use during that time anyway.

Reduce additional costs during your sabbatical

Try to be economical when using water, electricity, and gas – this way you not only do something good for the environment, but you also save a bit of money for your sabbatical. Turn off the lights when you’re not in the room, lower the temperature of your heating a bit, take a short shower instead of a bath, and switch off the devices you don’t need instead of having them on standby.

Watch your diet

You can also save a lot when changing your eating habits. Cook something yourself instead of eating in the canteen or the restaurant, or ordering the delivery service. In the long run, you’ll notice how much money this saves you. Try to go food-shopping more consciously, that means, think about what exactly you need beforehand and make a list. Also follow the long known tip: never go to the supermarket when you’re hungry!

Sell things you don’t need

You have old stuff, like e.g. clothes, books, or something else that you don’t need anymore? Then try to turn them into cash! Tidy out your apartment and take everything you don’t need to the flea market or to the garage sale. There is always someone who can make good use of your old things.

Borrow things

You don’t need to buy everything; a lot of things can be borrowed cheaply. Pay a visit to your local library or to the video rental store. You can also swap books, films, or CDs among your friends. Just ask your friends whether one of them owns the book that you really want to read before buying it yourself.