By Mya Maloley
Traveling the world can often be tied to wealth and status. But, it is absolutely possible to explore the world on a budget. Better yet, it’s even possible to do so as a college student.
I won’t deny the fact that traveling can be much easier if you have loads of money to spend on food, activities, flights and hotels. But, regardless of the potential obstacles traveling brings, it is possible to see the world on a budget while in college. It just takes a little extra planning. But, in the end if your goal is to travel and see the world, a little extra budgeting is worth the memories and experience.
My trip destination was to Berlin, Germany. While I was there I also planned a small trip to Amsterdam, Netherlands and Paris, France. My trip including travel time totalled 13 days. This trip was just planned in August, so I had only about two months to plan my stay, and it was absolutely possible to do it.
Choosing your destination
My destination was chosen for me, since the reason I was visiting was to see my boyfriend, Blake, who is studying abroad in Berlin. But, once you get to Europe, the flights and transportation are much cheaper to get around. So, if you plan to travel somewhere in Europe, plan to go to a few surrounding places as well. Blake and I chose Paris because it seemed like a staple place to go at least once in your lifetime and Amsterdam because we wanted to see the pretty leaves in the fall.
Preparing before your trip
If you plan to travel out of the country, you NEED to make sure your passport is not expired. Something I learned was that even if your passport is valid for the duration of your trip, you have to ensure that your passport is valid at least six months after you return from your trip. According to the U.S. Department travel website, it states; “Some countries require that your passport be valid at least six months beyond the dates of your trip. Some airlines will not allow you to board if this requirement is not met. Check our Country Information to learn about entry and exit requirements for the country or countries in which you are traveling.” If you realize your passport will not be valid for enough time, make sure to allow yourself enough time before your trip to renew your passport, as it can take up to 10 weeks or longer if you apply to renew it during a busy season.
It’s important to understand what currency is used, and how you plan to pay for things once you arrive at your destination. Any local bank will offer to exchange American dollars for different currencies for the most minimal cost. It’s also important to ensure that the credit card you are using has very small international fees. You cannot just bring your card to another country and expect it to not charge you any interest fees or flag your account. Notify your bank that you are traveling abroad and opt for a card that is made for international travel. It may seem obvious but with all the smaller details that go into planning a trip, it can be easy to forget.
The factor of being in college can make this planning a little more difficult. I am not encouraging you to blow off your classes to galavant around Europe. But, I am saying it is possible to manage your time right so that you can align your classes with your trip. Try to schedule a semester with classes you know you can be successful in. If you are bad at math, maybe opt out of scheduling it until next semester. Work ahead, read the syllabus and plan accordingly to complete your assignments before you leave. And most importantly, communicate with your professors and let them know your plans. Ask them if they offer any extra credit, or if there was any room to work ahead in the class. Communication is key when it comes to juggling both school and travel.
While You’re There
Budgeting food expenses is a huge way to save money. Planning to book a hotel that offers breakfast in the morning can really help you save. Also, I packed over 10 of my favorite breakfast bars and it helped me save a lot of money on airport snacks.
Taking public transportation will be your best friend. It is affordable and arguably one of the easier ways of transportation. Some tickets are as low as two euros one way. Compare that to an Uber or Lyft in Miami as high as $50 for a 20-minute trip and two bucks is looking much more appealing. Using Apple Maps or Google Maps made navigating so easy. All you do is type in where you want to go and switch the method of transport from driving to transit, and it will tell you all the stops and stations to get off at and hop on to get to your final destination.
Learn the language. Although English is the world’s standard language, it’s important to learn a few key sentences for the place you plan to visit. When I went to Paris, if you didn’t at least try and make an effort to speak to locals in French, your interaction could be a little cold. I noticed a 180 in interactions when I approached someone and asked them in French, “Excuse me, hello, do you speak English?” versus walking up and asking them right away in English, “Do you speak English?” It truly made a huge difference in conversations, and people love to see you making an effort to respect their culture and learn their language.
If you really set your mind to it, you can do it!
I do not come from money, my family has gone on a spring break trip two times in my life and I am grateful for those trips alone. But, it isn’t something that my family does. I knew if I wanted to travel, I had to make it happen myself. Nobody can make it happen other than you. I picked up a ton of extra shifts at work, created multiple side hustles and babysat on weekends to save up for the trip. For a thirteen-day trip, including travel, hotel rooms, food and transportation, my trip totaled around $1,424. I did purchase around $200 worth of souvenirs and shopping as well, but that number can vary depending on the person. I genuinely believe I could have shaved down that number even more if I planned to stay in hostels more often than hotels, and I splurged on overpriced airport food on the way back. But, my point is, that if you plan accordingly, traveling doesn’t need to be as expensive as people can make it out to be. Choose your destination, find a friend as crazy as you, and go do it!
