At one point or another in their academic career, every college student dreams of traveling the world. However, with mounting student debt and expensive fees for study abroad programs, traversing the globe isn’t a practical reality for most students. But money doesn’t have to be a barrier, and with careful planning and creativity, it is possible to bring your reveries of adventure to life.
First and foremost, before you begin planning, it’s important to recognize that even under the best of circumstances, travel can be extremely stressful. Flights may get delayed, museums and monuments may be closed unexpectedly and people may not speak the same language as you. Take a deep breath. Being flexible when things don’t go as planned will allow you to fully enjoy wherever your journey takes you. Some of life’s best moments happen when they are unplanned.
As for some concrete steps you can take, the most obvious piece of advice to follow when traveling on a budget is to begin planning as soon as possible. Not only will you start saving money early, but you will also find better deals on everything from flights to hotels.
If you can, map out a schedule of all the things you need to prepare for, starting backward with the date you want to leave for your trip. Using this technique will help ensure you have plenty of time to get all the details in order and save as much money as possible. Typically, prices rise with demand, especially during “on-season.” Planning early means you can beat the rush to your dream destinations and get the most bang for your buck.
Something else to factor into this early planning stage is the amenities you refuse to go without. Let’s be realistic here: not everyone is cut out for the living-out-of-a-backpack lifestyle, and that’s okay. Ask yourself, “What are the things that I refuse to compromise on and therefore need to allocate more money towards?” For example, even though I love traveling, I tend to be an introverted person. So I know that I won’t get the rest I need after a long day of sightseeing if I’m staying in a hostel with a bunch of random people. Therefore, I put more of my budget toward an expensive hostel room (for hostels, prices usually rise inversely to the number of people in the dorm) or even a hotel room. However, that means you may have to lower your funds for other parts of your trip depending on your priorities. Ultimately, it’s about what you need and how you envision your travel experience.
Once you have those elements factored into your budget, it’s time to start searching for other ways you can save money. Two of the best ways to achieve this outcome are to cook for yourself and to utilize public transportation. Oftentimes, hostels will have some sort of a communal kitchen where you can prepare your own meal; you might even make some new friends that you can bond with over a nice dinner! If you’re planning on traveling with a large group, everyone should pitch into renting an Airbnb so that you can divide the money for groceries and share cooking responsibilities. For an extra fun challenge, try making a dish native to the country that you’re staying in.
As for public transportation, researching what kind of transit system is available in the region you’re traveling to is extremely helpful. While taking Ubers everywhere may be more comfortable, it’s not the most cost-effective option. By using public transportation, you can navigate any city quickly and efficiently; plus, you’ll save money on travel by paying lower prices than those offered by rideshare services. If you know you’re going to stay in a certain place for more than a few days, it’s beneficial to look into purchasing a week or month-long pass. That way, you don’t have to pay an individual fare every time you want to go somewhere.
Traveling as a broke college student does come with some advantages, though. Countless companies offer great student discounts on things like airfare and housing accommodations, so it’s definitely worth it to see what different places offer.
Furthermore, tons of museums and other popular attractions offer discounted rates or are free for students to attend; some are even free to the general public. Researching what fun cultural activities are available at a discount or, even better, gratis, will allow you to enjoy your time without breaking the bank.
All in all, travel is what you make it. While this level of preparation may seem daunting, I promise it’ll pay off in the long run. Putting in a little extra work to save yourself some money is nothing compared to the priceless memories you’ll make during your adventure of a lifetime.
