Traveling as a college student can be tough! I know this personally, so planning trips requires careful planning ahead of time. Find my 6 tips for students travelers below and check out my post on the Best Destinations for Budget Travel!
Budget Accommodation
You have a few options to check when looking for a place to stay! If you’re like me and love to explore, the place you lay your head at night doesn’t have to be luxurious. You can find plenty of great places to stay that don’t cost your whole life savings!
- AirBnb- I always check here first. I love AirBnb and you’ll typically find the options cheaper than a hotel! Finding a place where you can use the kitchen to cook in is more budget friendly as well!
- Consider a hostel and keep in mind that many hostels offer private rooms as well. This a great way to make friends if you are traveling solo!!
- Book a room at Homestay.com and truly live like a local!
- If you want to stay in a hotel, looking for one further out of the city will give you cheaper options! The closer you are to everything, the more it will cost.
Transportation
Transportation can get expensive, especially if you choose to take a taxi everywhere! Find a great city that is walkable or with a Metro system. Metros are usually the best way to get around in major cities! Another option is to bike! Lots of cities have a bike share program where you can rent a bike and drop it off when you’re done.
TIP: Google Maps can help you with public transit in most cities! Type in where you want to go and it will tell you exactly what lines and busses you need to take to get there.
Volunteer
Get your accommodation for free by volunteering abroad! Not only will volunteering save you money, but it’s an amazing experience. Staying with a local could provide great insider tips during your stay and you’ll help give back to the community! What could be a better experience??
Here are some volunteer programs you can look into: Room to Read, International Volunteer HQ, Global Water Brigades, or GoEco.
Plan Ahead
Flight prices change daily and finding the perfect flight at the right price takes a lot of research and planning! I managed to snag a flight to Munich for $715 which included insurance and decent routes!!! I used Student Universe to find this flight and more. Booking to soon may not always give you the best price, but don’t wait until last minute either.
Check out other resources like Skyscanner and get alerts when prices change, or Hopper to see when the best time to fly is! Research what is a good price for your destination and buy those tickets when you get a low price alert.
Find Student Discounts
Who doesn’t love a student discount?? Student Universe offers a lot of discounts throughout the year and they are just for students!
Get the International Student Identity Card (ISIC) to guarantee a discount around the world! You can search for discounts on their website. Even get a discount on Eurail passes!
Choose Your Destination Wisely
While $100 may not last you a day in London or France, consider a destination in Southeast Asia or even Eastern Europe and $100 can get you very far! I use Budget Your Trip to find what the average daily cost is for certain cities or countries. You can choose what type of travel you are doing: budget, mid-range, or luxury!
I have not personally backpacked before, but this is a great option for budget travelers as well! I have been wanting to backpack for a while now, but it just hasn’t happened for me. Visit travel bloggers such as The Blonde Abroad or Taverna Travels for helps tips and info on backpacking.
When considering how much it will cost to travel to a particular destination consider the costs of transportation, accommodation, and activities. Be flexible with your days and even leaving a different day can change the cost as well.
Overall
Budget traveling is not always easy to do! It takes tons of research and time to plan a budget friendly and safe trip. Getting the best prices takes a lot of searching and waiting while watching the flight prices change. Don’t let just the airfare prices affect your decisions. Many places that are cheaper to fly to are much more expensive once you get there, and destinations that are more expensive to fly into can be very inexpensive once you’re there! This is based on the extensive travel research I’ve done.