You all know that I LOVE to travel. Unfortunately, with my work, I am not bringing home the big bucks. I always hear students/young adults say that they wish that they could afford to travel. I remember thinking that myself when I was in undergrad. One of the main reasons I wanted to start my blog was to use it as a platform to teach people the tips and tricks of traveling on a budget. So without further ado, here are five ways to save money on your next big trip:
Flights
This is the big one that used to stop me from traveling. I would look at flights to Europe and think that the flight alone was more than I was able to spend. I wish when I was younger, someone would have told me about these sites that help you find tickets at a discount price.
- StudentUniverse – This website is for students, teachers, and youth (26 and under), and offers tickets at almost half the price of buying directly! I definitely recommend looking here before you buy tickets.
- STA Travel -Similar to StudentUniverse, this website will offer discounts for students, teachers, and youth (31 and under). It also offers ways to work/volunteer abroad.
- Hopper – This is an app you can download on your phone that will track flights for you, and can help you figure out the best time to buy your ticket.
Hostels
Some people choose to save money on lodging by staying in an Airbnb. I have always preferred to stay in hostels because they are a great way to meet fellow travelers, and they always have different events and activities each night.
- HostelWorld – This is a website and an app. You can find hostels all over the world, and are able to filter your search based on rating, price, location and more! I typically do not pay more that $20-$50 a night for a hostel.
- Book Direct – Before you book your desired hostel, check their website to see if they have special offers for booking directly. Sometimes hostels will offer free breakfast or early check-in for booking direct.
Tours
I usually like to book a tour on the first day I arrive in a new city. This allows me to get the lay of the land, which helps me plan out the rest of my trip. While I always suggest doing free walking tours, just remember that it is nice to tip the guide when they are done. Because free walking tours are “pay what you think it’s worth” I find that the guides seem more interesting and share more local/insider information, like cool spots to go to after the tour.
- SANDEMANs NEW Europe – This company offers free and paid city tours all over Europe. They are usually pretty good, and if you ask for a stamp card, you can collect stamps in each city, which will earn you a discounted price on one of their paid tours.
- Free Walking Tours – Literally Google “Free walking tour [insert city name]” and you will likely find multiple options. I usually look at the itinerary for each of the different options and choose the one I like best or choose the one that has a starting location closest to me.
Personal Travel Agent (kind of)
I know how hard it can be to plan a trip to a new city. There are so many things to consider to ensure that you make the most of your time. One easy way to help reduce the stress of planning a trip is to let someone else plan it for you!
- Weekend Student Adventures (WSA) – WSA hosts “fly-in” trips meaning that all you need to do is get yourself to the city you’ve chosen and they take care of the rest! Most packages are 3 days, 2 nights and include hostels, tours, and activities. Typically you would pay about $150 for the package (although some of the trips can cost up to $350 depending on which option you pick). Each package comes with a full itinerary that you can adjust based on your flights.
Living Abroad
If you’re like me, once you take your first trip, you will find yourself Googling “how to move abroad.” Here are some options I looked into before I made my move to Berlin.
- AuPairWorld – This is basically like a dating app for au pairing- You and host families enter your preferences (i.e. country, start date, duration, etc.) and get matched up with families that fit your profile. This website will guide you through the process of finding families, and what to know before your move. When it comes to matching with families, making a decision, and creating a contract- that is all between you and each family.
- WorkAway – This site is great for finding people all over the world who are looking for some help and are willing to provide free lodging (and sometimes meals) in exchange for work (i.e. running a bed & breakfast, farming, fixing up a house, etc.)
- Teaching English – Literally type “Teach English in [insert country name]” and you are likely to find a company that will sponsor you to teach abroad. Typically you need to have a bachelors degree to qualify, but it does not usually have to be in education.
I am always looking for more ways to save money on my trips. Be sure to keep checking back, as I will update this post as I find you all more tips/tricks to save you money on your next trip!