If you have ever wanted to travel the world but always thought it would be too expensive or complicated, then this article is for you! Overseas travel is not as complicated or expensive as you may think, and I’ll use my upcoming trip as an example.
Born and raised in Oneonta, NY, and now attending college in my hometown, I haven’t had an opportunity to see much beyond this town and New York in general. (Except a couple trips to Florida) So, when my best friend asked me if I wanted to go to Europe and Spain with him for 12 days over Winter Break, I jumped at the opportunity. Then I thought, wait, that’s going to be expensive, and as well all know from experience—college students are broke.
As I started to do research, I realized that international travel wasn’t as unattainable as I first thought. I booked a trip which included a plane ticket from NYC to Dublin, Dublin to Amsterdam, Amsterdam to Lisbon, Lisbon to Barcelona, and Barcelona back to NY, for only 600 dollars. Then, I booked two Air B&B’s and two hostels for a total of 175 dollars. Now, 775 dollars seems like a lot, but to be able to travel to four different countries and have a safe place to stay in all is worth all of that and more!
Planning this trip has opened my eyes to the many ways someone can affordably travel abroad:
1. Plan ahead! Planning in advance is crucial, because prices on hostels, Air B&B’s and plane tickets tend to go up as it gets closer to the booking date. My friend and I bought these tickets in late June—almost six months before our trip, and even that’s cutting it close! I know it may be hard to make a commitment so early in advance when you don’t know what your work or personal schedule might be like, but it works out in the long run. It also gives you ample time to save money back up before you actually leave for the trip.
2. Travel in the offseason. A plane ticket price in July, peak tourist time, from JFK to Dublin is 579 dollars. In January, when I booked it, the price was 189 dollars. In July, a plane ticket from Barcelona to JFK is 498 dollars, but I spent just 150 dollars. Although the weather might be cold, everything will be less busy and crowded, allowing you to experience a different side of the countries you visit, one you might not have been able to see during the busy summer months. You also won’t have to worry about long lines, expensive prices, and crowds!
3. Don’t be afraid to sacrifice some luxuries. My friend and I booked two Air B&B’s and two hostels at almost half the cost of hotel rooms. A hostel “provides budget-oriented, sociable accommodation where guests can rent a bed, usually a bunk bed, in a dormitory and share a bathroom, lounge and sometimes a kitchen. Rooms can be mixed or single-sex, and private rooms may also be available.” So, while you may not have a large bed, your own bathroom, a maid, and a continental breakfast, you will have somewhere to sleep, cook, use the bathroom, shower, and eat! A hostel is easily comparable to a dorm room—something we’re all accustomed to. By cutting the costs of where you stay, it saves a ton of money.
The same idea goes with planes too. We booked our flights on Norwegian Air—an airline unheard of to both of us, but extremely cheap! They don’t have some of the luxuries that Delta and American Airlines do (free meals, pillows, reclining seats, TVs, etc.) but that’s okay! Just sleep on the plane, and you won’t even notice.
4. Creatively save up money. Something that was super helpful for me was putting away a set amount of money a week either in an envelope or a jar or even giving it to someone to hold. I saved money for about two months before booking all the rooms and plane tickets and ended up saving close to 300 dollars!
5. Most importantly, have a reliable travel partner. Traveling to another country can be intimidating and scary, so that’s why you should make sure you have no doubts about who you are traveling with. If you split the costs evenly, and share the planning, it will make booking a trip that much easier!
Those are just some of the helpful things I picked up from planning my first trip abroad. If you decide to book your own, make sure to check out www.lonelyplanet.com. They even have a section called “Best free things to do in _______” for every single country on their site. Traveling abroad at first seems unattainable, but a little hard work will lead to amazing rewards when you get to experience the trip of a lifetime without wiping out your bank account!