Like many teenagers, I crave exploration. There are innumerable countries and cities I have yet to visit and many adventures to check off my bucket list. After gaining a taste of wanderlust from NUin, my desire to travel has only grown stronger. On NUin, I was lucky enough to visit a wide variety of places during my time abroad, including Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, and beyond. These are some tips I used while abroad to keep traveling affordable for the average student.
- Travel in a Group
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This not only makes activities and transportation cheaper, but also a lot more fun. For example, sharing a hotel room or Airbnb with several friends drives down costs immensely because you will be splitting the bill. Even the little things, such as splitting the costs of taxis or Ubers helps stay on a budget. I traveled across Europe with some of my closest friends and made life changing memories while seeing the most amazing places. Traveling solo is another option, giving you the freedom to make all of the arrangements in the interest of cost reduction without being hindered by others in a group. Venturing alone is less advantageous, however, in the sense that you will be handling all the costs on your own, as well as putting yourself in more danger if you encounter unsafe places.
- AirBnb
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Finding good accommodation deals for a larger group of people may be complicated and expensive, but again, dividing the total price is helpful. I found that Airbnb’s or similar kinds of accommodations were my go-to. These are very easy to reserve, and often have additional amenities that a standard hotel room lacks. There are hundreds of Airbnb options in nearly every city, and I can guarantee you that you will find what you need. Airbnb has a great website that allows owners to list all of the details about their home and proximity to specific destinations. Additionally, they provide an amazing messaging system that enhances communication between the customer and owner regarding check-in, check-out, and any questions in between. Some Airbnb’s have kitchens fully equipped with stoves, dishwashers, and stocked with cutlery. Also, I have found that laundry facilities are available depending on where you go. While Airbnb is not the traditional hotel experience, it provides the same comforts, if not more, for a lower price, especially when split among others.
- Hostels
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Hostels are another excellent option to reduce costs. From personal experience, the hostels I have stayed in were clean and provided just what I needed. Prices range anywhere from $20-$50 per night, depending on the amenities, neighborhood location, and country. Hostels are designed to accommodate many solo travelers, so rooms are furnished with multiple single beds, personal lockers, bedside tables, and lights. Most have shared bathrooms separated by gender and have common social areas such as bars or game rooms. If you are concerned about the security of your belongings, I highly recommend packing a padlock to attach to the lockers. One of the hostels I stayed at provided complimentary breakfast, which saves the cost of one meal per day. Another possibility is to reserve a room exclusively for you and several friends, which grants the comfort and security of staying with people you know as opposed to strangers.
- Go to Europe
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If you are looking to travel to several places at a time at a low cost, I highly recommend arranging trips throughout Europe. For me, living in London was beyond ideal for traveling to other countries. Within a few short hours, I could be in Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam, or any European country by either train or plane. The European train system is a highly accessible and relatively inexpensive resource. Depending on the timing of a booking, train rides can be cheaper than flights. Although trains may limit your initial destination and are more time consuming, doing some travel by train can save a lot of money, and may make flights less expensive later on. Even flights within Europe are frequently very inexpensive if booked early enough. Flights can be as cheap as $40, depending on the destination and timing. Sometimes the cheapest flights are the most inconvenient, but that is a sacrifice you have to make when traveling on a budget!
- Explore!
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My last tip is simply to go out and explore! Traveling should be about discovering the ins and outs of a country, not all about photographing Insta-worthy tourists sights. I find that simply walking through a city on my own is much more exciting and enriching than a classic hop-on hop-off bus tour, not to mention the money saved. If you are a sucker for the classic tourist experience, then I suggest guided tours and famous landmarks. However, I cannot emphasize enough the benefits of individual exploration — go out, get lost, and immerse yourself. You can do the same things that are done on tours but for zero cost and zero pressure. Simply doing your research online saves the cost of a tour guide, and encourages you to become more educated.
College is expensive, and with many students drowning in loans, travel seems more like a dream than a reality. However, if you are tactful and do enough research and planning, I can assure you that traveling on a budget is not only possible, but also enjoyable.