Student Traveling: Hacks and Deals to Get You By

Everyone wants to see the world, especially at this age. But as a student, booking a vacation isn’t the easiest financial decision to make. Between flights, stays and the experiences booked at the destination, finding affordable adventures is a project on its own. After doing our research, we found some ways to make traveling more accessible to students.

Transportation

1. When booking vacations, flights tend to be one of the hard-hitters when it comes to finding an affordable vacation. Student Universe makes this easier by isolating more affordable flight options in addition to their flexible calendar view. In this window, you can see departure and return flights in a grid so that you monitor the rates changing and book the most financially fitting decision for you.

2. If flying isn’t your thing, FlixBus offers a generous discount following a StudentBeans registration. It is completely free to sign up and gives college and university students discounts almost anywhere. Whether it be your favorite clothing store or a yoga studio, you’d be surprised how many discounts are available to students universally. FlixBus in particular offers 20% off all bus fares for students, which could cut travel costs significantly

Stays

1. Where you stay might very well be one of the most important parts of your trip. Some even consider it to be make it or break it. Luckily, there are a few websites making vacation housing options more accessible to students. Hotels.com, widely known for their large selection of third-party booking, offers a 10% student discount also through StudentBeans. Ten percent might not seem like the biggest difference at first, but when planning a vacation what we’ve learned is that it all adds up, which is why that 10% might be bigger than you think!

2. When going abroad, hostels are also a great alternative. Designed for students, youth hostels are a great way to not only affordably house but also to meet new people, and are often located in the middle of town right where the most attractive tourist spots are located. Some even start at as low as $20 a night. Wherever you go, looking into a hostel is highly encouraged.

3. Although not a traditional hotel experience, AirBnbs are an affordable and unique option when split amongst friends. Some homes are quaint while others are dome-shape or built in the trees. If you’re looking for something affordable yet interesting, this is definitely the place to look.

Experiences

One great way to seek out experiences is by doing your research! Location dependent, there are always local spots that tourists don’t always necessarily know about, making them not only the more affordable alternative but the more native one as well. We always find visiting the tourist hot spots are never what they are built up to be, so venturing off the beaten path is the way to go. Whether it be a cafe with new drinks or a beach that not many go to, there is always something that hasn’t quite made it to the public’s eye that is worth seeing. By asking locals, watching travel vlogs on YouTube, or asking friends and learning from connections, there are many ways to seek out these experiences to ensure your best vacation yet.

Although this didn’t cut your vacation down to free, it’s all about the little things. Traveling as a student is difficult, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible or shouldn’t be enjoyable; so keeping it financially friendly to those in school leads us one step closer to experiencing what life has to offer.