They say that travel is the best education… and they’re absolutely not wrong. For those who were lucky enough to travel overseas in childhood, some of our fondest and most vivid travel memories were of holidays we enjoyed with our parents, experiences we shared as families, people we met (including but not limited to bittersweet teen holiday romances), places we saw and cultures we sampled. When we reach young adulthood, the call to adventure is strong, tempting us away from the familiar and the mundane and towards new places, new experiences and new people.
Unfortunately, the economic realities of life as an undergraduate can curtail our lofty ambitions to live it up in far flung realms. But that’s not to say that you can’t or shouldn’t explore the world while you’re in your prime. Your student years are all about learning, growing and figuring out what kind of person you want to be inside and outside of your studies.
With that in mind, here are some travel tips for cash-strapped students which will allow you to meet your goals without burying you in debt that you’ll be paying off until you hit the big 3-0.
Save rather than borrowing
Borrowing is (understandably) very appealing to students, especially when banks seem tripping over themselves to give you great offers on overdrafts, loans and credit cards at what seem to be preposterously low interest rates. However, while these may be tempting they can also be a trap that gets harder and harder to escape over time. These great interest rates tend not to stay great, and will usually climb sharply when you graduate. As time goes by you can end up paying more and more in interest making your debts harder and harder to pay off.
As such, saving is certainly preferable to borrowing. Of course, saving is easier said than done. Especially when the pressure to lead an active social life as well as keeping up with all the books and materials you need for your course place a strain on your bank account. If you’re looking for practical money saving tips, check out this article How Can Students Save Money? Through a combination of careful budgeting, part time works and switching essential services you may be surprised by how easy saving can be (as long as you stick to it).
Work around your holidays
Undergraduate students tend to get more generous out of term allowances than schools, and much more generous allowances than their salaried counterparts. As such, there are numerous half terms and reading weeks within which students can find a sweet spot between their time off and the school holidays where prices skyrocket. Cross referencing your calendar with local school holidays can help you to identify the cheapest dates on which to fly. Remember also that the cheapest dates on which to fly are almost always weekdays. While everyone likes to fly out at the start of the weekend, it may be much more practical and cost effective for you to travel midweek.
Use student-focused travel agencies
We’ve been conditioned to believe that the cheapest travel deals are always found online. And while the internet is often the source of great deals on holidays and backpacking experiences alike, they’re not always the best option for cash strapped undergrads. Student-focused travel agencies like STA (Start The Adventure) have presences both on the highstreet and online and can put together awesome and cost-effective travel packages based around your needs and goals. Putting together a comprehensive package online by yourself can be a bit of a chore, especially if you’re also managing other items like car rental along with your flights and accommodation. Student travel agencies can help put together a comprehensive and cost-effective package built around what you want from a travel agency.
Oh, and don’t worry if you’re a mature student (i.e. over 25). Many student travel agents like STA offer great student deals for passengers aged 30 and under.
Location, location, location
The world is a big place. And while all travel is a great learning experience, some destinations will get you more bang for your buck than others. £200 spending money isn’t going to last you very long at all somewhere like Paris or Rome even if you manage to keep yourself on a shoestring budget. However, that same amount can help you live comfortably for the better part of a week somewhere like Thailand or Vietnam. Of course, longer haul flights are more expensive and will absorb more of your travel time. However, you may well find that the cost of the flights further afield is offset by the lower cost of living and the wealth of exotic places to visit that are either free or practically free.
Volunteer
Many of us go on holiday to relax and sip cocktails on a far flung beach as we gently toast ourselves under the sun. And while that’s fine for most, you have the rest of your life to enjoy these kinds of sedate holidays. While you’re travelling as an undergraduate, it’s likely that your focus is more on adventure and excitement than relaxation. So, if you plan on being active and engaged while you travel, why not spend at least some of your time volunteering? It’s a great way to mitigate the cost of travelling while also lending your time and effort to a worthy cause, meeting awesome new people and coming home enlightened and fulfilled. No matter where in the world you want to see there are awesome opportunities to travel at a modest cost (or in some cases no cost at all) by volunteering your time.
Don’t be afraid to treat yourself every once in a while
Finally, a lot of student travel involves staying in hostels and munching on Pot Noodles. And while it’s great to economise while you travel, don’t be afraid to splurge every once in a while. Dining at a nice restaurant rather than wherever you see golden arches will help to give you a dose of luxury and add to your growing bank of wonderful memories.