We can only dream of traveling these last months, most countries are closed to visitors and tourists. But we believe that sooner or later all this will be over, and people will again be able to travel freely in the world. In the meantime, it’s time to find out how and on what a student can save money when traveling.
Where to start
It is possible to travel inexpensively. his is said not only by fashionable travel bloggers, but also by students who have been able to visit many countries in Europe and the world, while saving money on PaperHelpWriting. So how do you start your first inexpensive trip?
With gathering information
Carefully research everything you find online about other people’s travel to the destination that interests you. Most young people are happy to share in their blogs and social networks the tips that helped them save money and see something interesting. Such information can come in handy and suggest possible savings options.
In this article, we have also selected for you some universal tips that will help you save money, no matter where exactly you are going: Europe, Asia, or America.
Departure time
The first rule of travel is to choose the right time to travel.
What does this mean? As a rule, you can save money on travel if:
- Go on a trip out of season.
- Choose regular travel dates, not holidays.
- Seek out the hot deals.
Unfortunately, traveling out of season is not suitable for all countries and destinations. While you can go to Europe at any time of the year, it would be strange to go out of season for a beach vacation. But if your goal is to visit cities, experience culture, go to a museum and gain new impressions, be sure to consider going out of season.
Savings are not the only plus of such a trip. There will be far fewer tourists on the streets and in public places, too.
Traveling on non-holiday days is also not an option for everyone. And schoolchildren and students can travel without prejudice to study only during vacations, and this is usually the peak season and, accordingly, the peak price.
But the hot deals and hot tours are relevant for everyone at any time of the year. There are really good deals even for popular destinations in the high season. In order not to miss such a gift of fate, you need to constantly monitor the appropriate sites and applications.
Airline tickets
In the case of an independent trip, without buying a ready-made tour with airfare, airline tickets become the biggest expense of the trip. But even on them, you can save significantly if you use the tips of experienced travelers.
Here are the most valuable of them:
- Buy plane tickets online. Tickets in the sales department are always a little more expensive than tickets on the official website.
- Use a special search engine for cheap airline tickets. This is a special platform, which collects ticket offers from many airlines. So there is no need to open a bunch of sites, all the information is in one place.
- Use the advanced search for cheap airline tickets. This function is useful for those who do not care where they are flying to, as long as the price is cheaper. For the system to show the best deals do not include a destination, departure city (only the country), and specific dates (only month or year).
- Be flexible so you are not tied to specific days of the week. Or plan to take off in the middle of the week. Tickets for Tuesday to Thursday are usually cheaper. The reason for this is that people prefer to return home on Friday through Sunday, so Friday tickets are often the most expensive. The same goes for the departure time of the plane. Night and morning flights are usually cheaper than afternoon and evening flights.
- Always try to buy tickets in advance (2-3 months before your flight) – it’s always cheaper and the difference is usually substantial.
- Saving by buying cheap airline tickets from low-cost airlines. Keep in mind that extra luggage on the plane may cost more than the ticket. If you are traveling light, however, this is a great chance to buy a plane ticket at a very good price.
- Try not to fly on holidays. During the holidays, prices are higher on everything, including airfare.
- Use the advanced search for cheap airline tickets. This function is useful for those who do not care where they are flying to, as long as the price is cheaper. For the system to show the best deals do not include a destination, departure city (only the country), and specific dates (only month or year).
- Be flexible so you are not tied to specific days of the week. Or plan to take off in the middle of the week. Tickets for Tuesday to Thursday are usually cheaper. The reason for this is that people prefer to return home on Friday through Sunday, so Friday tickets are often the most expensive. The same goes for the departure time of the plane. Night and morning flights are usually cheaper than afternoon and evening flights.
- Always try to buy tickets in advance (2-3 months before your flight) – it’s always cheaper and the difference is usually substantial.
- Save by buying cheap low-cost airline tickets from low-cost carriers. Keep in mind that extra luggage on the plane may cost more than the ticket. If you are traveling light, however, this is a great chance to buy a plane ticket at a very good price.
- Try not to fly on holidays. During the holidays, prices are higher on everything, including airfare.
- Be sure to pay attention to the “fuel surcharge” item. It often happens that the airline company displays airfare without an amount for the fuel surcharge. And, at first glance, a reasonable price is not at all unprofitable, because the cost of the fuel surcharge is sometimes half the cost of the ticket.
- Try to buy roundtrip airline tickets. The total cost of a round-trip ticket is usually cheaper than buying a one-way ticket. Also, some countries may not let you in without a return ticket.
- To save money, you can split your flight: international flight + local airlines. Often such tickets are cheaper than nonstop flights.
- If planning a vacation carefully and buying tickets in advance is not about you, look for last-minute and charter airline tickets. There are special sites for this purpose. The cost of such tickets is much lower than usual.
- Do not exclude the possibility of buying tickets for transit flights and stopovers. Many countries can have considerably cheaper airline tickets if you don’t mind changing planes. Transit stops can last anywhere from a day to a day and a half. This time is usually enough to rest and take a short tour of the city. Stopovers – transfers that last up to three days. A great option to see an additional city for the same money.
- Buy tickets in bulk. If you’re going on vacation with a group, this is a great reason to save money. Major airlines have discounts for bookings of 5 or more seats.
- Pay for flights with miles if you use the same airline frequently. Don’t forget to check in after your flight on the airline’s website. Airline tickets
- In the case of an independent trip, without buying a ready-made tour with airfare, airline tickets become the biggest expense of the trip. But even on them, you can save significantly if you use the tips of experienced travelers.
Accommodation
Another major expense item in travel is the accommodation fee. Traditionally, the high cost of living – in Europe, the U.S., and developed Asian countries. But even here, experienced travelers are happy to help with advice on how to save on housing.
Where to book lodging
It is necessary to book a hotel in advance. It is best to do this at specialized services, which collected all proposals of large and small hotels and inns. Experienced travelers usually use several services at once. Some offer better prices, some have many reviews, and some offer detailed descriptions and photos of hotels.
Camping is another budget way to stay. But this statement does not apply to all countries and campgrounds. Camping in most countries of Europe, for example, is not about saving money, but about a comfortable holiday in nature, which will not cost less than staying in a good hotel. However, in the Scandinavian states with the same conditions as in Europe, staying at the campsite will cost much cheaper. Also, few people know that around the world there are so-called “hospitality services”. Registering in these kinds of communities allows you to stay for free with other people in the community, by prior arrangement.
Some of them are completely free:
- CouchSurfing;
- HospitalityClub;
- Global Freeloaders, etc.
Meals
No matter what country you are visiting, remember: buying food in supermarkets and cooking it yourself is much more economical than eating in cafes.
Depending on the country and city, you can find information on the Internet from experienced travelers about where to eat tasty, plentiful, and inexpensive food, as well as other interesting tips. For example, in Europe there is a service “Foodshedding”: bakeries, restaurants, and hotels give people the food that has expired. In India, you can always eat for free at Sikh temples. The doors of their dining halls are open to everyone.
As you’ve realized, there are plenty of ways to fulfill your travel dreams and save money at the same time. Be bold! Plan your trip and make it a reality.
