How to Travel on a Student Budget

I know it’s cringey and everyone says it, but travelling does not have to be expensive and is certainly not impossible on a student budget. Here are my top 10 tips to carry on travelling, even when money's tight!

1.      WORK, WORK, WORK

Okay this seems like an obvious one but when I read posts about travelling on a student budget, no one talks about where the budget is coming from. In order to build up my money, I work in a supermarket when I’m at home and am also lucky enough to have a job at the union bar which is term time only. I know it depends on your work load and stress level but there are so many ways you can work without committing to too many hours. Some of my friends do online tutoring which they find really easy and flexible, so that works for them. Whatever it is, try and find a source of income so you can start building up savings for travelling and other big expenses.


2.      BUDGET AT UNIVERSITY

The next important thing is to make that money (or your student loan) work as hard as possible. I could do a whole other blog post about budgeting at uni, I’m a bit of a tight wad. My mind set is that I’d rather save money for bigger things than spend on extra clothes, eating out and take away coffee. Although I do spend money, I limit myself to only buying things that I need (or have wanted for a long time.)

3.      DESTINATION IS THE MOST IMPORTANT

When deciding where you want to go to, think about all of the costs involved. Although getting to France from the UK is significantly cheaper than outside Europe, it has very high living costs. And although flights are expensive, once you’re in South East Asia, living costs are extremely low. A weeks’ worth of accommodation in Paris might end up costing the same as a flight to Asia!! There are places with a good balance (east Europe is a great place to go on a budget!) and obviously it depends where you’re travelling from. But don’t just focus on the price of getting there. Shop around and you can get some cheap flights to most places if you’re flexible with the dates.

4.      STAY WITH PEOPLE YOU KNOW

I don’t mean impose yourself on someone without asking politely first but USE YOUR CONNECTIONS PEOPLE. If you have family in Australia, a best friend is working in Germany or a flat mate from Argentina, go and stay with them (with permission!) Not only does it normally mean free or relatively cheap accommodation, it’s also a chance to experience a country with someone who knows a bit more than you and can show you all the good spots. It’s also a really good excuse to catch up with those people while you’re visiting. 

5.      PACK LIGHT AND SMARTLY

These days, especially on cheap flights, the price of luggage can sometimes be as much as your flight. If you’re on a weekend trip or 2 weeks away with a friend, try to minimise your luggage as much as possible. Try to just use hand luggage or split the price of one suitcase and share it. Not only does this save money, it’s also a lot easier travelling with less stuff (half of which you probably wouldn’t have worn anyway!) By smartly I mean taking things with you to avoid costs later on.


6.      CONSIDER THE LENGTH OF YOUR STAY

For some holidays, it makes sense budget-wise to keep it as short as possible. If you’re tight on money but would love to go to Turkey or Spain, it would make sense to go on a shorter holiday. However, if you fancy a long trip away, consider somewhere with low living costs, such as South East Asia or South America. Although the initial flight is expensive, once you’re there you may as well see as much as you can, as it doesn’t cost much to be there. I really regret not going to Indonesia at the same time I went to Thailand and Vietnam. I’d already paid the money to get to the other side of the world so I wish I’d made the most of it a bit more. Also consider the price of moving about. If local flights, trains and buses are cheap, it makes sense to move around and see everything that you want to!

7.      SLEEP CHEAP

In a lot of places, accommodation and food are also big costs that you need to budget for. Do this by hunting around a bit. A lot of the time Airbnbs are significantly cheaper than hotels, and hostels are normally even cheaper than that! Don’t stay anywhere that you don’t feel safe in, but these days, competitive pricing means you can normally hunt around to get a good deal. If you’re feeling really brave, look into companies and apps that are specifically designed to help people save money while travelling. Coach surfing is popular and a good way to meet local people.  

8.      BUDGET YOUR ACTIVITIES AND FOOD

Travel blogging and journalism is amazing these days. For everywhere you can go, I can guarantee there’s guides on best eats and things to while you’re there! Before you set of, search for the best things to do for free/cheap and best cheap places to eat, there’s bound to be loads of amazing recommendations that will probably steer you away from the expensive tourist traps. If you budget well, this will probably allow you to splash out on a few things that might cost a bit more but are worth it. An amazing meal or visiting a unforgettable sight is priceless in the long run.

9.      CONSIDER WORKING/VOLUNTEERING

If you’re planning a longer trip, consider working/ volunteering to help fund your travels. A lot of people try this when going to Australia, but don’t leave it to last minute because it’s a hefty process! This is similar to doing a ski season, we worked 6 days a week and got paid next to nothing but the company we worked for paid for our accommodation and ski hire/passes for the season. It was hard work but an amazing experience. There’s no way I could ever afford to ski that much, possibly over my whole life. I also met my amazing friends (and boyfriend) on my ski season, so I guess that was worth it as well.


10. STAY LOCAL

If you want to go away with friends/partner or family more for the experience of going somewhere new with them, rather than with a specific location in mind, then save money and stay local! Why not go to a city in your country you haven't been to before? Manchester? Leeds? Have you been to Dublin yet? How about a beach holiday in Brighton or Bournemouth? If you fancy a bit more history, what about heading north to York or Edinburgh? (Sorry for a very UK focused list!) The point is, these places all have so much to offer and would be a fab place to go for a few nights with friends during the holiday. It saves money, time and is more accessible for everyone. It always seems a shame to me, I've been to all of these places as I'm from the Britain. But I have friends that have flown across the world travelling but haven't even explored their own country. It's not as lame as it sounds, I promise. Especially with the heat waves we've been having!

*The only reason I haven't said London, because of course it's an amazing place to go and actually my closest city, is the PRICE. If you're on a budget, there are so many other big cities to go to with good shopping, nightlife and food for literally a third of the price.* 
*Cough LEEDS cough


I hope this helps some of you and you get the opportunity to see as much as possible! I'm sure I'll think of some more tips soon so look out for the sequel...

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