Putting That Student Loan To Use: Top Tips For Travelling on a Budget 

By Kerryann White

Second semester has well and truly arrived, bringing with it environment of optimism and enthusiasm – now time to consider spending all of our hard-earned wages and student loans on the perfect summer holiday. Days are spent ignoring lecturers as we prioritise crafting itineraries rather than coursework. Required reading moves even further down the to-do list and our evenings are purely for experiencing visuals of frolicking through the streets of Italy or letting loose on the Albufeira strip. It is undoubtedly time to turn these dreams of sun-soaked adventures into a reality, yet it is impossible to ignore the only hurdle standing in the way – cost. Before we start flirting with our overdrafts, here is a list of my very best tips for travelling on a student budget without sacrificing the trip of a lifetime!

1. Pick Your Poison 

The first step to planning any holiday or trip is to decide where it is you actually want to go. If you fancy diving into a city rich in history and culture – Rome or Paris may have just what you are looking for. If you are more of the adventurous type – pack your hiking shoes and head to the Dolomites! Perhaps neither of those sound appealing and you desire the sweet spot between relaxation and a little bit of evening fun – Greece, Portugal or Spain has got your back! However, the ultimate hack for picking your destination lies in the research of the price of pints – a cheap drink truly is the cornerstone of an incredible yet affordable trip.

2. Dream Big, Fly Cheap

It’s easy to become preoccupied with the more glamorous elements of travelling; but I can assure you that the flights are one of the main components that will save you lots of cash! Don’t book any flights without checking Skyscanner (Skyscanner 2014) – it’s the holy grail of deals for those of us who stubbornly refuse to pay more than necessary for our transportation.

If this research sounds tedious, it might be easier to head straight to the very trustworthy Ryanair app – if their incredible online marketing doesn’t already have you, their prices certainly will. You can also choose to drop your friends on random seats to avoid over-spending on tickets, after all, why splurge on seat selection when you’ll have the entire holiday by each other’s sides?

3. To Hotel or Not to Hotel? 

There are two ways to tackle the stress that comes with the overwhelming options of accommodation available, whether that be a hotel, a hostel or an Airbnb.  Option one: research all until your heart cannot take it any longer. Try to imagine the space that will give you the utmost joy as you are pampering yourself for the day ahead. You might even consider creating a PowerPoint presentation to weigh up the pros and cons of each choice. Option two: care very little and view your accommodation simply as a place to rest your head at the end of the day. 

Whether you are option one or two, both groups will share the same goal of keeping within the student-friendly budget. The most effective way to go about this is to regularly go through these websites: Booking.com, Expedia, Hostelworld, KAYAK and Airbnb. Each of these websites have their own perks, all working towards the common goal of setting you up with the best yet affordable place to stay.

4. Never Leave Home Without Your Secret Weapon

My final words of wisdom for you all might seem like a no-brainer, but I couldn’t write this without acknowledging the secret weapon that we students carry with us daily. The student cards. It is an absolute necessity to remember to keep this on us at all times and continue to hunt for the discounts and deals that we are entitled to – even if they are buried deep within the checkout process of an online purchase. You would be surprised how many companies offer student discounts yet don’t advertise nearly as much as they should. So, never hesitate to ask at every opportunity you get – even at foreign cafés or restaurants. If it feels awkward, remember that it is worth it to save the extra pounds, or euros! Your student card is far from the boring piece of plastic that gets you into the McClay, it is the key to unlocking the treasure chest of savings. 

Now, go forth with these enlightening tips in mind and drive forward these daydreams into actuality. Happy travelling! 

Sources:

Skyscanner. 2014. “Skyscanner | Find the Cheapest Flights Fast: Save Time, Save Money!” Skyscanner.net. August 28, 2014. https://www.skyscanner.net/.