Traveling As A ‘Broke’ College Student
Traveling is fine, but traveling as a broke college student isn’t. Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to travel as a college student, and not entirely break the bank. On top of that, with the many ways I listed below that can help, there are also other ways, such as apps like Hopper, which can track hotels, and flights. It also can predict when it will change in the future, and tells you whether or not you should buy it or wait.
Credit Cards
Credit cards mean extra fun. When traveling as a college student, the plan is to not use as much money as possible especially when you’re on a budget. If possible, getting a credit card can be a tremendous help because you can split everything you’re paying for between your regular debit card and your credit card. If you are able to get a traveling credit card, go for it!
A traveling credit card can help for future trips due to the points that add up and you might even be able to get free trips as well. The trick to using a credit card when traveling is only use it when you are actually on the trip. If you used your debit card to book everything, then use the credit card to buy while you’re traveling, this way you don’t have to worry about using money that you didn’t want to or plan on spending. It is also a lot more safer using a credit card then to use your debit when traveling as well because you never know what can happen. You may lose your card, or you may be pickpocketed, and there’s nothing worse than losing money you worked hard for.
Backpacking
The world of backpacking. Backpacking is exactly what it sounds like. You take a backpack, one that is comfortable and sturdy for hours of use and you fill it up with whatever it is capable of holding and you use that the entire time you are traveling. Although this may be one of the cheapest options you can do, it can easily turn into one of the most dangerous. If you don’t know what you are doing, you can be completely miserable the entire time. As I said, you must bring everything you need with you, but you have to do it strategically because your backpack is your house, kitchen, bathroom and living room, so you have to choose wisely.
The best thing about backpacking is that you can bring multiple people to do it with you, and you meet multiple people like you that are doing it as well.
One of the best places to backpack is in Europe. This is due to their public transportation being able to take you through multiple countries since the countries are well connected and because Europe is known to being safe and diverse.
Extra Job Means Extra Money
If you want to be able to do a little more traveling, and be able to purchase some meals on your trip, the only answer to that is to either get a second job, or work more hours. Both sound like the end of the world, and the short end of the stick, but it is truly worth it, especially when you are capable to have a little more wiggle room when traveling.
The best thing about having a second job is that you don’t have to work there for a long time. You may need to only work there for, at minimum, three months. The trick to having a second job and saving the money for traveling is to not touch the paychecks you get from this job at all! This may sound easier than it actually is, but it isn’t that hard at all. It would be quite redundant to get a second job and not save this money at all, and in the end can barely afford a bus ticket when it comes down to traveling.
The checks you get from your second job should go straight to your saving account. It may not have to be all of its, but 3/4 of it should, and the check from your first job should be the only check that you are using for an everyday basis. You can also, if possible, save $100-$150 from your first job check as well, and add that to the savings.
Although getting a second job was an option, it may not be feasible for everyone, especially if you don’t have the means of transportation to have two jobs, or your schedule doesn’t align with having two jobs, you can simply ask for more hours, or ask a coworker to work one of their shifts. This may be a lot more easier for those who aren’t able to get a second job, but still want money for traveling.
How Much Money Should I Bring When Traveling?
At the end of the day, that is entirely up to you. Even if you are on a strict budget, you still want to be comfortable just in case anything was to happen, especially during certain times of the month when it is known for being typhoon and hurricane season, in which your flight may be cancelled and you have to pay extra to board another one. You should also be aware of how much you are to bring depends on where it is exactly you are traveling to. If you are traveling to certain parts of Asia, like South Korea, Japan or Taiwan, you won’t have to bring a lot of money or worry about money when it comes to food. If you think about it, a good chunk of money while traveling is spent on food, and countries like these that are known for some of the best street food, something you may pay in the US for $15, you can get on the streets of South Korea for $5!
Know Your Months!
Unless this is the only option, never travel during the holiday months! If you know you are going to be traveling during these months make sure to purchase your tickets 6 months to a year prior. Reason being, many people, including yourself like to travel during the holidays because it’s the perfect time of the year, but that may mean double, or tripled the amount you would be paying during regular months. This is why this is extremely important to pay attention to if you’re on a budget.
