I have always been a believer of working hard, but also spoiling ourselves in exploring this world as much as possible. I would much rather work towards saving for a plane ticket, than high end, materialistic items. That does not mean I never spend money on fancy clothes, shoes, or bags, but it is definitely not the priority of where my money goes. Whenever I travel, I have to figure out what I want to save on vs what I do not mind splurging on. I like to save on stay because I will be out exploring 80% of the time, so airbnbs in a great location that are clean and have good reviews work best for me.
First comes first, we work, we pay bills, and then our left over money goes toward whatever we want it to. What is YOUR priority? After your bills are paid, what do you like spending your extra cash on? You can travel if you make it a priority, and traveling does not need to mean spending thousands of dollars each trip. There are ways to save, and here are my tips on how..
1. Pick a place you are interested in traveling.
2. Make a spreadsheet with your budget, and organize expenses for stay, gas/uber, excursions, flight, food, etc.
3. Search airbnb vs hotels to figure out what the best deal is. My airbnb code will give YOU $40 toward your first trip: here. Boom, theres $40 right there, enjoy!
4. Search Kayak or Sky scanner for cheaper airfare, and research the best month to travel and also which days to book travel. Usually Tuesdays and Wednesdays are cheaper when booking airfare, so keep that into consideration.
5. Decide whether you need to rent a car or uber - staying close to the city may be more pricey on hotel/airbnb, but you'll save on uber/car rental vs staying farther from the city might be cheaper on airbnb/hotel, but you'll have to factor in uber/car rental.
6. Find restaurants for brunch, lunch, dinner, drinks - then categorize in areas of the city so you aren't running from one side to the other. I also like looking up happy hours, why spend more money when you do not necessarily have to?
7. Plan your days accordingly, but leave room for being spontaneous. I like to make a basic itinerary by organizing the restaurants with activities I would want to do that day, and make my day by searching one part of town, then the next day searching another. That way I am not wasting time going back and forth and all over. Time is money, too. Spend time wisely.
8. Search groupon for deals on a show, tours, concerts, etc.
9. Airbnb hosts normally post their travel guides. Live like the locals do, they always have great advice on ways to save, and their favorite less crowded and more affordable bars/restaurants.
Questions:
Could you address from a college students point of view on how to budget for travel?
When I was a college student, I wasn't traveling as often as I do now. I try not to let things stop me or hold me back from traveling, but obviously we have priorities, a job, school, etc. We also have a choice, to either 1. stay content with where we are, and tell ourselves “later” or 2. Live in NOW, and tell ourselves we will make that choice to make a goal and execute. School can be expensive, I have done it before, and paid my way through college and attended a university full time while working full time. Traveling does not need to be extremely expensive when you look at the bargain deals. If you are a college student, and you want to see the world, you start making traveling a priority. You can achieve anything, and make that choice if you set your mind to it.
Favorite app to save on travel?
Airbnb is one of my favorites. It is very easy to use, and I can really sort through houses/apartments/condos/etc that fit my exact budget.
I also like Skyskanner and Kayak to search for cheaper airfare. They always have deals. I found a round trip from LA to London under $750 all because I searched on Kayak.
Hotel Tonight is another good one for finding deals on hotels last minute.
Smartest way to pay for travel? Do you save for it or pay with credit card?
I save each month for booking travel, and put aside $X amount until I have reached my goal. I have also used a credit card, but I pay it off as soon as possible, and I do not like to charge too much on it.
What sacrifices do you have to make financially in order to travel often?
Limit the amount of times you go out to dinner, and save by buying groceries and cooking at home. Wait on buying those new pair of shoes, and put that amount toward a flight. Purge some old items you may have tucked away in your closet, and use that money toward your hotel/airbnb stay. Basically figure out what is important to you, after all your bills are paid, what are you willing to spend your extra cash on? All of our situations are slightly different, but our urge to want to explore the world is about the same.
Hope these tips helped! What are some ways you budget/save for travel?
If any of you need advice on places to visit, best times to go, how to organize a trip, etc.
Would you want me to help plan your affordable trip? Don't hesitate to email me!
xo
Steph
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