How To Travel : Tips From a Wanderlust Broke College Student
Traveling is an exciting and adventurous activity. It exposes you to different cultures, experiences, and places that can leave lasting memories. As a college student, it can be difficult to budget for travel, but with some planning and creativity, you can make your next trip a memorable one. In this blog post, I will share my tips on how to travel as a budget-conscious college student. With the right planning and a little bit of effort, you can make your next trip an enjoyable and affordable experience.
1. Research the cheapest flights for your destination. Don’t forget to look at budget airlines and compare prices.
We don’t want to break the bank! If you are a budget-conscious (aka broke-ish) college student like myself, or maybe just looking to experience travel without a huge hit to your credit card statement, this one is the most important!!!! Arguably the most expensive part of booking a trip is the flights. Once you arrive, finding affordable experiences, food, and accommodations is simple.
With that being said I use the following websites to find budget-friendly flights:
Skyscanner is a travel search engine and app that allows users to compare and book flights, hotels, and car hire from all major travel providers. With Skyscanner, users can browse the cheapest flights, compare prices and book directly, all from the same platform. It is available in over 30 languages and is used by millions of travelers around the world.
I used Skyscanner to book my most recent trip to Costa Rica. This site helps you scan multiple airlines at once to find the best deals on both domestic and international flights. If you are booking with a destination already in mind, use the search feature and tons of airlines will pop up with budget-friendly flights. Another way to make the most out of this site is to use the “Explore Everywhere” tab. This will show you the current cheapest flights!
This might be controversial, but when I travel, the flight determines the destination, not the other way around! Yes, everyone has a “Dream Destinations” list in their Notes app, BUT finding the most current deals will save you money! In my mind, I’m going to see it all one day, this is one trip of many.
Many people book trips like this:
1. Select a location.
2. Select the dates you want to travel there.
3. Look for low-cost flights to that location.
INSTEAD, DO THIS:
1. Find flights from the airport(s) you normally fly into.
2. Choose the destinations that appeal to you the most from the low-cost airfares you see.
3. Choose times that fit into your schedule.
It searches hundreds of websites to find the best prices and lets users compare different airlines, times, and prices to find the best deals. It also provides helpful travel tips and destination guides.
Expedia is an online travel company that provides hotel, airline, car rental, cruises, and vacation packages. The company offers customers the ability to search for and book travel services online, as well as the ability to read reviews and ratings of hotels and attractions. Additionally, Expedia also offers travel-related services such as travel insurance, visas, and passport services.
CheapOair is an online travel agency that specializes in providing customers with discounted prices on flights, hotels, rental cars, and vacation packages. CheapOair offers customers access to over 450 airlines and more than 1 million hotels around the world. They also provide access to car rental companies such as Avis, Hertz, and Budget.
Kayak is an online travel search engine that helps users compare prices on flights, hotels, rental cars, and more. It searches multiple online travel sites and returns the best prices, allowing users to compare and book their travel plans without having to visit each website individually.
Orbitz is an online travel company and metasearch engine. It enables customers to book flights, hotels, car rentals, cruises, and vacation packages. Orbitz also offers price guarantees, rewards programs, and other travel-related services.
Consider your dates and be flexible with your departure time. Aim to depart on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays as they are typically the cheapest days to fly, as well as the cheapest days to reserve. Instead of focusing on specific dates or one week while looking for flights, consider the entire month. You'll gain a better understanding of what a cheap flight is and whether you're overpaying for a flight if you consider the entire month. Depending on the location, leaving a week earlier or later could result in significant savings.
2. Book in the shoulder season!
Booking in the shoulder season refers to booking travel during the transition period between peak season and off-season. Peak season is usually the most expensive time to travel, while off-season is usually the least expensive, but prices in the shoulder season are typically lower than peak season but higher than off-season.
If your origin is the United States, try finding a country that has opposite seasons as we do. For example, while it is winter in the United States, it is summer in cities like Durban, South Africa, Tasmania, Australia, Auckland, New Zealand, and Montevideo, Uruguay.
In most of Europe, the months of June through August are regarded as high season (peak season). It is the busiest travel season of the year due to the sunny skies. This means prices increase! If you're on a tight budget, you might want to skip this and think about traveling during the shoulder seasons of September through November.
3. Look for student discounts wherever possible. Many museums, attractions, and transportation services offer discounted prices for students.
4. Consider hostels or couchsurfing to save money on accommodation.
While I have a few trips under my belt, I do not know everything when it comes to hostels! One of my favorite bloggers, and biggest travel inspiration, She Travelled the World made a post with her reviews of over 30 hostels.
5. If you are traveling alone, look for group tours and activities that offer discounts for solo travelers.
6. Prepare meals at home or in your accommodations instead of eating out.
Save on breakfast, and splurge on Lunch and Dinner! If that means bringing a box of instant oatmeal in your carry-on, DO IT.
7. Look for cheap entertainment options, such as local events, outdoor activities, or free walking tours.
8. Pack lightly and do not bring too many possessions that you won’t need.
9. If you are staying for a longer time period, consider looking for a part-time job or volunteer opportunity to help cover your expenses.
10. Most importantly, have fun and make the most of your trip!
Stay Curious, Humble, and Kind!
With Love,
