College is a time for fun, exploration, and broadening your horizons. At least one time during your college career, you should try to travel to a place you have never been. Whether this means going to New York or California, or going to Hong Kong or Brazil, you should absolutely branch out and experience a new place or culture. However, this can be very difficult on a student budget, so here are my recommendations on how to make your trip a cheap and successful one.
Plan far in advance
Planning your trip 8 weeks, 6 months, or even a year ahead can be very beneficial. It not only gives you time to save up money, and plan how much you will need to spend, but most things will be cheaper the earlier you buy them. Planning will also help ensure that your trip goes smoothly and will give you plenty of time to plan your other engagements around it. Remember that planning is crucial, especially when certain seasons and times of year may be cheaper than others.
Consider the cost of every single thing
Trips like this can be expensive if you don’t give yourself a strict budget. You may want to consider where you choose to travel because some places are much cheaper than others. You will also want to find cheap places to sleep like hostiles, an Air B&B split between friends or some cheap hotels. Also, consider student discounts. Many places give discounts to university student; all it takes is a little research. The biggest expense when it comes to travel is airline tickets. The best way to fly cheap is by using a website like Student Universe. They are a great budget travel resource for all students. Some final tips when it comes to costs are: don’t eat out very much, don’t waste all of your money on souvenirs, and walk instead of paying for transportation (but if you do need to use transportation, use the cheaper public transportation like subways and busses).
Bring a Friend
This will cut the cost of many things, and will make your trip much safer. Because if there are two of you, odds are you won’t get lost, you can encourage each other to spend less, and you will have more fun overall. Just choose your friend wisely, because who you bring can make or break the trip.
Consider alternate ways of traveling
Volunteering, studying abroad, and doing travel internships can be a great way to travel in a cost-effective way. There are many volunteering opportunities that require international travel. Studying abroad can also be pretty cost-effective because most school programs will find the cheapest places and resources for their students. Doing travel internships, or being hired to travel and promote a brand, can also be a very fun and beneficial way to make money while traveling. All of these options will save your wallet a lot of stress, and still make your trip enjoyable.
Think of this trip as an investment
Think of this trip as an investment in yourself and your life. With this trip, you will learn a lot (maybe even more than you would in an entire semester-long course). You will grow as a person, and you will have incredible memories and stories to share for the rest of your life. As you travel, don’t forget this fact and you will feel much better about the money you are spending.
Traveling is usually seen as an expensive (and maybe unnecessary) venture, but it doesn’t have to be. By planning ahead, considering costs, and remembering the benefits of travel, you can make your adventure affordable and unforgettable. Honestly, no matter how much you spend, odds are your trip will be worth every penny, and in the end, you will be grateful that you did it.