Budget travel tips: how to travel as a student

When it comes to budget travel tips, there can be a big variation based on the target group. In this instance the focus will be on students, a group who often rule out travelling for either budget reasons, or the budget reasons of friends, meaning no one to go away with. I am going to show you that if you are motivated and can prioritise at times, then regular trips as a student are viable.

1. Get a job at uni

I’ll start with the most obvious suggestion. If you’re able to work alongside your studies, you’ll be generating your own income and so have a larger budget to work with generally. While this might be the obvious suggestion, it is also one that a lot of students are reluctant to engage with. Putting it bluntly, if you feel that you have no money so can’t afford any travel ventures, then get a job. Retail, bars or restaurants are always looking for students to employ, as they’re cheaper than older people demanding higher salaries because of their experience.

I do appreciate that in some cases, students will have a job but still have very limited money. This is when budgeting and having priorities make the difference. Some people move a certain amount into a savings account and try not to touch it, others keep all money in one account and try to spend less, it is down to what works for each person. I am someone who seems to spend whatever money is in my account in the build up to payday without even trying. If this sounds like you then I would recommend moving money into another account. I’ve recently been using an app called Chip, which uses an algorithm to work out how much you can afford to save every few days. I was sceptical at first too, but it has worked well for helping me save.

2. Avoid school holidays

Prices are going to be highest at the times where there is the most demand, so school holidays. Summer holiday at the end of July and through August will be the main time, but it’s worth trying to go away during term time at other times of year too. The price differences caused by going during term time can be major, potentially halving the cost of travel and accommodation and in some cases it could be even bigger savings. The main factors affected by this are flights and accommodation, beyond that with things such as food costs, they’ll remain consistent based on wherever you’re going. If you’re unsure of when school holidays are through the year, you can use the government website to find out.

3. Plan in advance

Some people will say that booking last minute for bargains is a better option, which can work. But you wouldn’t be able to plan a specific destination with this method, as it relies on there still being availability on flights or at hotels. So if you like a bit of a lucky dip option then sure, go for last minute deals, but if you have a location in mind then plan in advance.

Forward thinking can save money on travel, accommodation and activity costs. Travel and accommodation costs start at the lowest price point and then increase as they fill up. With activities it depends what you’re looking to do, for example if you wanted to go to a music festival whilst away in Croatia, early bird tickets at a significant discount could be available well in advance. Being aware of savings like this are key, as it relies on your organisation and having an agenda well in advance.

4. Choose cheap destinations

Certain countries have a reputation for being expensive, Switzerland or Norway for example. Accommodation and food within the country are likely to be high compared to what you’re used to. Using Mcdonalds as a ‘cheap’ comparison, in Switzerland a Big Mac meal would cost 11.70 Swiss Francs (£10.51), then in Poland the same meal would cost 16.9 Polish Zloty (£3.15). Other fast food outlets are available, but you get the idea of the price difference.

You might not be aware of whether countries are cheap or expensive, so google any places you are considering to get an idea about prices. Typically it is the more developed or “richer” countries that are more expensive, such as the UK, Scandinavia, USA and Canada as a few examples. Then it is the less developed countries that are often  more affordable, such as countries in South America, Africa and Asia. Keep in mind there are still going to be variations in costs from country to country, so do your research and don’t go off of assumptions.

You could base the term ‘cheap destinations’ on where it is cheap to get to, but that doesn’t mean it will be cheap once you’re there. You might save enough on flights to be less worried about the other costs, but it’s for you to keep in mind. If you look below, you can see some results from skyscanner for flights from London. I searched for return flights for a 4-7 day trip any time in the next three months. Return flights for less than £40 should always be seen as a bargain, but with the options being Denmark, UK, Spain, Sweden and Germany, none are typical ‘cheap’ places. This is where it’s important to consider how long you are away for, are there specific activities you hope to do, accommodation costs. From a student on a budget point of view, it could work out as spending less overall by spending a bit more on flights to somewhere like Prague, where the cost of everything is  less than places like Denmark. Again, it is down to the budget you are working with.

5. Manage your loan well

I’ve put this last as it’s not necessarily an option everyone has. At university most students will get a maintenance loan. In some cases this loan won’t even cover the rent, based on where you’re living, which is shocking. In other cases it will easily cover rent and then there will be money left over. Some students could even be in the very fortunate position where they have had some help with rent, meaning they have a fair chunk of the maintenance loan left for food, drink and general living.

Anyone in one of the scenarios where they have some of their maintenance loan to support their living can use that money. This is where, yet again, it comes down to budgets and priorities. It’s possible to embrace the student life without going crazy and spending loads of money. Student nights, drink deals or group socials can reduce night out costs. Drinking cheaper drinks generally, if you’re on double rum and cokes every time you go out then it will be harder to save money compared to those who are on the cheaper lagers or ciders.

Sticking to a food budget is another way to work towards saving. Focus on the cheap foods like fruit and veg, bulk buy meat for a lower price and bread is always a budget winner.

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Holidays come down to having spare money. Some people manage this with very little effort, but others like myself have to plan out where to find the funds. Whether this is through savings or working, I hope some of these tips can help you to travel on a student budget.

For more travel based tips check out the rest of my blog here.

Find out more about Wood’s Wanders here.