It’s the end of January exams, it’s about -20 degrees Celsius and you’re thinking you need a nice, warm and toasty vacation… Who can blame you? Problem is, after paying for rent, revision biscuits and numerous Starbucks coffees, your bank balance isn’t screaming ‘Go and blow hundreds on a fancy holiday!’. Well, I’m here to help you with that desperate need to escape for a few days to bask in the sun or to ‘find yourself’ in some far off city…
Flight comparison sights
Of course, you can spend hours looking for cheap flights across a gigantic mass of travel sites or you can do it all in about 5 minutes on sites such as ‘Kayak’ or ‘Skyscanner’. These websites are the ideal way to work out where you can afford to fly from and to and, if you sign up to receive emails, you will get the best deals of the week sent right to your inbox! Flights are quite often the most expensive part of the holiday, so work out if you can travel without hold luggage, as hand luggage is usually free. Another great tip is to use ‘incognito mode’ on your web browser, as companies will watch to see when you come to look at the same flight again and up the price, the cheeky devils!
No Hotels
If you’re looking to travel cheaply, then hotels are not your friends. With sites like Airbnb so popular nowadays, you can find a decent room almost anywhere in the world and, even better; experience cities as a local would. These kind of sites attract those that are open-minded and worldly who want to meet fellow exciting and interesting people, making staying with them way more of a cultural experience than sleeping in a bland, Premier Inn-esque hotel – you’re getting both local culture and a bed for the night for a decent price- what’s not to like?!
Do it for free and make some friends
If travelling for you is all about immersing yourself in a new culture and meeting new people, then head to sites such as Couchsurfing, where you will not only be put up for free (as long as you don’t mind sleeping on a sofa), but you’ll gain an insider’s knowledge of the local area, as hosts are often quite happy to show you around.
Self-Catering
When booking your accommodation, find somewhere with basic cooking facilities, whether it be shared or private (depending on price), as this gives you the option to save a bit of money on meals: eating out all the time can rack up a biiiiiig ol’ bill by the end of your holiday, significantly reducing your budget. Suss out the local supermarkets for some great deals; it’s always a laugh discovering the weird things sold in foreign supermarkets!
Take your trip out of season
Praise the universities for giving us long holidays! Check out when school holidays are and DO NOT travel then, as flight companies and accommodation providers tend to jack up the prices at these times of the year. How about those free few weeks at the end of summer exams, or when the school holidays end in September? Booking a holiday at these times can really save you a few bob, without compromising on quality.
Edited by: Tia Ralhan
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