How to Finance Your Trip
Being a volunteer is a wonderful experience, but many volunteers worry about how to support their activities for as long as possible, without breaking the bank. Here are a few suggestions from CRYP to help you organize your finances before you decide to volunteer.
Step One: Check your personal finances
Saving money is definitely a part of planning to volunteer. Volunteering is hard work and sometimes you just need to give yourself that little gift or an ice cream at the local Dairy Queen to reward yourself. CRYP estimates that the average volunteer will spend around $250 per month, if they are careful with their money, on food, hygiene products, travel and keep-sakes or rolls of film - so having a little money saved can help to cover those costs. If you know far enough in advance that you want to volunteer, try to put away just $5 -$10 per week. That should help you get through and ensure that you have a great time!
Step Two: Check what resources are available through your University or Service/Church groups in your area.
Many of our volunteers have financed their trips through applying to University or Service grant programs. Applications usually involve writing a short text to explain your eligibility and sometimes a statement of need. If you can identify a grant source and you need some assistance in filling it out, please contact us.
Step Three: Ask other Volunteers!
CRYP is on Facebook. Join up and ask our other volunteers for advice on how they made their service trips possible. It’s also a great way to ask questions and get an idea of what the job is like from the people who know best.
