There’s no better time for travel than during your college years. Most students have yet to start a career or family, not to mention take on financial burdens like a mortgage, so you have very little holding you back.
Okay, there is one little problem. Travel can be expensive and college students are notoriously short on cash, what with the cost of tuition, books, and living expenses to contend with and school taking up time you might otherwise spend working and earning money.
The good news is that you can find ways to save money on travel when you’re working with a budget. Here are a few budget-friendly travel tips every college student can take advantage of.
- Airline Miles
If you’re using a credit card as a means of building your credit rating while you’re in college, you might as well get the most from every purchase by choosing a card designed to help you travel.
Obviously, you need to behave responsibly when it comes to utilizing credit – if you overspend you really won’t save money because you’ll pay extra in interest. However, if you’re using a credit card for items you’d otherwise pay for in cash, get more from every dollar spent by earning points that can be used toward airline tickets, hotel rooms, or other travel expenses.
The money you spend on tuition, books, and other living expenses could help you to pay for visits back home or even trips overseas. With proper planning, you can find the right credit card and use it accordingly.
- Student Discounts
Did you know that there are travel websites that cater specifically to student interested in travel? Sites like StudentUniverse and STA Travel are geared toward providing the best rates on flights, hotels, and more to students.
Not only will you find great prices year-round, but you may also get special deals for holidays and spring break, just for example, and some sites even offer mobile apps to make booking and tracking travel easy. Before you arrange your trip, seek out websites that are geared toward student travelers if you want to find the best discounts.
- Flexible Dates and Locations
If you want the opportunity to cut your travel costs significantly, one of the best methods is to keep your dates flexible. Prices can fluctuate by month and even day, and a willingness to shuffle dates can lower costs by an incredible margin.
Being flexible about your location can make a difference as well. Keep an eye on your favorite travel websites to see what kinds of specials they’re offering and you could end up traveling to an amazing locale you never even thought of visiting.
- All-inclusive Packages
The cost for all-inclusive travel packages can seem steep, but when you start adding up what you’ll spend for travel, lodgings, transportation, food, and entertainment during your trip, you’ll see how much you stand to save by paying a fixed price up front.
- Study Abroad
There’s almost no better way to travel in college than with a study abroad program. You should first check to see if the University of Cincinnati (or your school of choice) has a program in place, complete with sister schools around the globe.
Often, this type of program means that you continue to pay your regular tuition while you’re overseas. You may stay in dorms or with a host family, you’ll have an entire semester to explore a new city, country, and culture, and you’ll keep working toward a degree in the meantime. For students that want to see the world, there are few options that are more beneficial and cost-effective.