“Your 20’s are your ‘selfish’ years. It’s a decade to immerse yourself in every single thing possible. Be selfish with your time and all the aspects. Tinker with sh*t, travel, explore, love a lot, love a little, and never touch the ground.” – Kyoko Escamilla
Traveling is one of my favorite things to do, I count it as my hobby! Any opportunity I get to see new things, try new food, or do something I wouldn’t do at home I hop on it! Traveling to different places has opened my eyes in so many different ways and I believe everyone should have the opportunity to travel the world! That being said being a college student it can be difficult to travel while paying for school or bills. Whether you’re a college student or in your twenties or none of the above I have some helpful tips on how I save during travel!
Airline tips
Book flights in advance – I know sometimes last-minute trips come up or you don’t know when you’ll buy your flights but try your hardest on buying a flight in advance. The earlier the better! One time my family and I went to NYC and our flights were $180 round trip flying American airlines because we booked it so early. Also, American airlines will hold your seat for 24 hours so if you get paid on Friday and the seats are filling up fast book it on Thursday and pay Friday!
Penny pincher flight – I just found out about this and I am kind of obsessed! So this company has an email subscription for $30 a year and they will send you CHEAP flights (about once or twice a week) from the airport you select to anywhere around the world. International or domestic! They’ve found a flight to Rome for $350, Paris for $280, Tokyo for $560, and so much more! Check them out!
https://www.instagram.com/pennypincherflight/
Lodging:
Airbnb > Hotel:
Staying at hotels can be very pricey and sometimes out of your budget. Cheap hotels mean fewer stars and let’s face it we don’t want to stay in a motel either. Airbnbs are the way to go! I've stayed at an Airbnb for my trips to Denver and San Francisco, they didn’t disappoint. (hotels in San Francisco were $1000+ and my Airbnb was $630) Also when I go to Tulum for my birthday next month I will be staying at an Airbnb as well. They host has already contacted me and sent me a brochure of her little resort. Airbnb also allows you to immerse in the city rather than staying at a hotel with all the other tourists. Also, some Airbnbs come with amenities and you get the whole place to yourself! To me, it’s a no brainer just read reviews!
Timing
Know your school schedule:
Being a college student it’s not as easy to miss classes like it was in high school. So when booking your trip remember your class schedule or how many days you can miss. For example, if I travel in the fall I’ll have classes M/W and one class T/TH and I am only willing to miss one class I’ll leave on a Thursday and come back either Sunday or Monday. So the trip will mainly fall on the weekend. Missing less class time will be better!
Off-season:
If your willing to travel not in the summer and during the off-season there will be fewer people and it could be cheaper as well. So if you’re planning on going to the beach maybe try going the end of August – November. Hurricane season ends around September and the weather will be so much better!
Saving money
Student discounts:
If you’re a college student it’s no secret that you can get discounts so why not look for some when you travel? They give student discounts at some museums, theme parks, food places and more! Don’t waste money that you could spend on something else look for student discounts and use them!
Spending money:
Saving for spending money can be hard and you might get stressed about saving. What I do is I save $100 from each paycheck (the timing of the trip depends on how far out I start saving) and withdraw it from my bank account. When I take it out of the ATM I know not to touch it and it’s so much easier to save. Also, I have a little piggy bank of all my change, so I save it until it's full to cash it. You’d be surprised at how much you save!
These are some of the Tips I have and how I try my best to save while traveling! Don’t forget to check out penny pincher flight and have a great day!
Sending love – Megan Carolina