So, it’s that time of the year again. Facebook and Instagram are flooded with vacation photos and memoirs. Sally went to Venezuela to study abroad, Tyrone headed to Rome for an incredible summer internship, and how about you? Maybe you’ve been saving up for a summer getaway with your friends for the past few months, maybe not. Regardless, I’m here to tell you that there is no better time for you to take that trip you’ve been fantasizing about. It’s worth every penny, but I’m going to discuss how you can save those pennies later.
Everyone has heard that old cliché about your college years being the best of your life. Why, you ask? Because these are the last years where you’ll be able to be ‘independent’ on someone else’s dime without significantly affecting anyone else’s time. Whether it’s your parents or good ole Sallie Mae, take FULL advantage while you still can. And even if you’re supporting yourself, you won’t regret splurging on a trip to the Barbados instead of paying your cable/internet bill when you’re looking back 10 years or so from now. Love and Hip Hop Atlanta can wait, boo!
First thing first: planning. You’ll get the best bang for your buck, if you plan early. Like three months in advance early. According to Forbes, the best day of the week to book a flight is Tuesday, 50 to 100 days in advance. That’s about one and a half to two and a half months in advance, but for us less math friendly folks we’ll just round up to 3 to be on the safe side. This will give you ample time to prepare for the semester ahead or schedule time off from work. Take your time and be sure to compare flights. There are plenty of discount sites for you to compare prices on including TripAdvisor, Expedia, Priceline, and Orbitz, to name a few.
Next, you’ll need to find somewhere to stay. You’ll want to determine how many people are going to be in your group, how long you’re staying, and what area is ideal for your trip’s purpose. The latter is crucial so you can determine if you’ll be driving, cabbing, taking public transportation, or walking to all of your destinations once you arrive. Don’t even get me started on the cab fee nightmares I incurred when my besties and I went on an impromptu weekend vacay to Virginia. Trust me, you don’t want that drama, so think about these things in advance. Check out Airbnb for some discounts on luxury-style lodging in prime locations.
Once you’ve figured out how you’re getting to your destination and where you’ll be staying when you get there, there are just a few minor details to attend to. Such as, whether or not you’ll need your passport (here’s a link about how you apply for one, if necessary), how much spending money you’ll need (consider food, transportation, etc.), if your cash will have to be converted, and last, but definitely not least, safety. If you’re traveling to a different country, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with the basic laws, common crimes or schemes to avoid, and ways to contact the authorities in case of an emergency. You’ll also want to check out this Huffington Post article about how to ward off creeps.
The bottom line is that travel is one of the most life-affirming things any person can take part in, but you’ll want to do it right so that you can enjoy it fully. If that means sticking to a certain budget, draw a realistic one out and stick to it, but don’t make any excuses when it comes to seeing the world if you desire to. Just do it!