My deepest desire is to travel. As a teenager, I use to prepare itineraries and schedules for trips to Italy, France, England, and Spain. As I became older my geography knowledge expanded to Turkey, Russia, Romania, Denmark and Ireland. Ultimately my goal in life is to see the world. I believe it is one of the only things that no one could ever waste money on. In every country there are places to explore, history to be learned, and cultures to experience.
While all of this sounds fun and adventurous, money quickly becomes an issue for many. As a college student, I know I can’t afford to spend thousands of dollars on a few days’ trip. However, here are three hacks I have found that will help those who have a bad case of wanderlust.
1. Make KAYAK your best friend
From every "money saving" flight site I have been to, KAYAK is by far my favorite. Not only will this site find flights, hotels, and rentals, but they will also put together packages for you. My advice for the cheapest ticket? Google "cheap flights from [insert home airport here] to Europe KAYAK" and the site will bring you tons. I did this last night and I was able to find a roundtrip five day ticket to London for $450. So worth it.2. Explore Pinterest
The majority of my itineraries came from other people who had already gone to Europe. Pinterest is the best place to look for these because they are condensed AND you can save them all to one board. While there are definitely some museums and sites worth paying for, the majority of beautiful places in Europe are free.
3. Airbnb over Hostels
Airbnb has some nifty search tools which allows you to find cheap rooms and houses. It has proven to be a safer, cheaper housing situation for college students than hostels have. Plus if you have your itinerary done you can go ahead and book your rooms. Chances are you can get them even cheaper!
What hurts college students the most for traveling is procrastination. Spring break is around the corner and prices have jacked up because of it. So to all the college students out there wishing they could travel cheaply, here is my advice. Don't procrastinate. Start looking now for a great summer adventure. You won't regret the rich learning experience you will gain from visiting other countries.