So you’re back home! And you have nothing to show for in your pockets and you will have to miss your beloved international bank used so frequentiy and lovingly drew money out throughout your travels. This situation you find yourself in, you thought to yourself wouldn’t come to this when you first went on your travels, has become a reality.

The Bank of Mum and Dad has dried up and in pursed lips, they tell you to get a job as they finally have primally screamed after seeing your 5,407^th photo from the beauty of Australia! They simply hold out their hand and ask you for money towards housekeeping.

‘What? Didn’t you miss me? Didn’t you want me back?’

Your pleading Bambi eyes doesn’t work and with their eyes narrowing, ‘that was 2 months ago!’

Okay, as you rummage round in your backpack for loose change, it suddenly dawns on you. You need money. And FAST. Christmas is approaching, and the relatives need to be placated from the fact that you forgot to get a souvenir from them, and there’s no way you can whip out a weekend trip at the most expensive spa around. Unless you follow these 5 amazing tips that I, myself, managed to get some money quickly before you decide what’s next to do in your life.

1) Sell, Sell, Sell – yes, you thought you sold everything for yopur travels but really in fact, there’s still loads to do. Ebay them all particularly on a weekend as there’s no insertion fees. I’m now selling my beloved Star Wars novels collection (money only to save for a rainy day) and millions of other things and I’m definitely getting more money than I thought I would get for them!

2) Talk to your bank – There’s plenty of banks out there who are willing to help you out with interest rates and many features. I hear from fellow travellers that Lloyds TSB International is pretty good even if you decide to go back out travelling again.

3) Brush off your Tools – Offer your services as a Handyman. Even if you don’t know what one end of a hammer is, you will learn and these skills will do you in good stead when you grow up and become responsible and buy a house (shudder).

4) Cut out your spending habits – yes, as much as you tried to save as much money as you could on your travels, you end up getting spending habits to fund your travelling lifestyle that perhaps doesn’t matter now that you’re back home. Do you really need to go to MacDonalds..no you don;t, you can get wifi from home. Do you need to get more and more drinks? A cup of Yorkshire Tea will do you nicely. Do you need more cheap T-shirts? It’s cold home, pull out that woolly jumper.

5) Get a Xmas/Temporary Job – there’s loads around. Even if you have to dress up as an elf for the local santa grotto. Thankfully, I managed to get a job at the town centre as a retail assistant helping out the local kiddies and their yummy mummies to decide on clothes. I could be a kidswear fashion buyer in the making!

So there you have it. I got a steady income now to support myself through the few months until I decide what I would like to do in the new year. But first, I need to get xmas out of the way…only 14 sleeps left and meanwhile, I still need to learn how to navigate icy paths. I’m like Bambi on ice…only cuter.