Winter is a great time to plan a vacation, especially somewhere far away. Students are all done with their semester, holidays are just around the corner, and you don’t have to worry about anything! Well, almost anything, as most learners still have to worry about their budget and how they spend their money on vacation.
Plan a Memorable Student Trip
This is a huge concern for many young travelers, as most of them have to live on a tight budget. It might be a little easier for you if you already work to support yourself financially. Still, there are many important things that students need to spend money on, like their college books, clothes, gifts for the holidays, and so on. Vacation might not be in their budget for the year.
But what if you could have a great student trip without blowing your budget? Just like when you pay for paper online, EssayPro will help you to hire essay writers you and look for the best deals and choose the most affordable option. The same logic can be applied to your trips. You don’t even have to leave your country to have some good holiday fun! After all, you can make precious memories anywhere.
So, are you planning a student trip on a tight budget? In this guide, you will learn how to plan a memorable vacation without spending all your money.
Step 1. Understand your budget
It’s not enough to know that you don’t have enough money for some huge trips or overly touristy destinations. On the other hand, you need to have a clear understanding of how much money you can spend on your vacation and other things. This can include the following spending points:
- housing and accommodation;
- presents and souvenirs;
- food;
- tourist attractions;
- tickets.
All of these spending points will take all of your budget and more if you are not careful. Try to create a spreadsheet that will outline all of these expenses in one list!
Step 2. Choose your destination wisely
This choice can make or break your vacation. A destination is a huge factor when it comes to overall costs of your student trip. Choosing a place with a lower cost of living, like Southeast Asia or Central America, will automatically stretch your budget further. Of course, you can still find some great yet inexpensive places in the United States as well, but you need to do your research.
You can also research destinations known for budget-friendly travel, such as Thailand, Vietnam, Guatemala, or Costa Rica. While living in such countries for a short period of time will be extremely cheap, the tickets might be expensive for a student. This will be the next point of discussion in this guide.
Step 3. Travel during the off-season
Speaking about tickets, it can get pretty expensive to fly to another country or even to another corner of the United States. This is why you can monitor different sales or discounts on ticket websites. This is one of the greatest tips for students who like to travel during peak seasons. However, even if you manage to get cheap tickets, it will be pretty expensive during this time.
For this reason, traveling during the off-season is a great tip for those students who are on a tight budget. Your destination will still be enjoyable, but you will get fewer tourists, fewer expenses, and so on. In general, you will be spending less on accommodation as well, so you will definitely enjoy your vacation without breaking the bank.
Step 4. Look for budget-friendly accommodation options
The next item on your itinerary after buying tickets is to look for housing. Airbnb is a pretty popular option for students, but it’s getting more and more expensive to rent an apartment on this website. This is why you should look into hostels, which are a great option for budget-conscious travelers. You will get dorm rooms, shared kitchens, and common areas.
Some learners need to spend some money during their semester. Don’t feel bad for spending and not saving up for your vacation! Even when you use the best paper writing service, you can save some money with your student discounts. This way, you will have excellent grades and still some spare funds for your holidays.
There are other options for those learners who don’t want to spend a lot of money on housing. Here are a couple of them:
- couchsurfing, which means that you can spend some nights with the locals for free;
- house-sitting, which means that you can stay with locals for free in exchange for help with chores or pet-sitting.
Step 5. Cook your own meals
You won’t believe how much money you can waste on take-outs or other eating-out options. Hostels and guesthouses usually have shared kitchens, and you can easily find affordable ingredients at local markets. This is the best way to save money in another country while also experiencing local cuisine. You can still visit local restaurants for some signature food.
Step 6. Use public transportation
You can’t believe how much money you can save by using public transportation instead of taxis to get around a new city. It’s usually the cheapest and most efficient way to get around your destination. Walking and cycling are also great options for exploring the city and getting some exercise. But of course, you can see much fewer attractions on your own two feet.
Step 7. Look for free activities at your destination
Lots of popular tourist destinations have free walking tours around most attractions. You can also find many free things to see and do if you don’t want to walk around all day. Here are some of the examples where you can discover hidden gems off the beaten path:
- museums with free admission days;
- parks and gardens;
- free concerts and festivals.
Most of these places also offer student discounts! This is one of the most important tips for those learners who are on a budget. For example, you can invest in an International Student Identity Card (ISIC) to unlock even more savings.
To Sum Up
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to be more mindful of your expenses during your dream vacation. There are also many travel apps and websites available to help you plan your trip on a budget, offering many discounts and deals! Students don’t have to spend their holidays at home just because they don’t have enough budget for a fancy vacation.
