How to Travel for Cheap: Tips for College Students
As some of you may know, I go to college at The University of Southern Mississippi. I stay off campus in an apartment and have a part-time job, therefore, I consider myself a broke college kid. I cook most times, I eat Ramen noodles on nights when I'm too lazy, I've used body wash as shampoo, and I don't have cable (but, who needs cable when you have Netflix, am I right?).
Living in this day and age, I have found myself struggling to find ways to travel without it costing an arm and a leg. Ever since I could remember, I've always loved seeing and experiencing new things. With that being said, I didn't let being a broke college student stop me from my traveling. In this blog post, I will be giving awesome tips and ideas for people like me who just want to travel, but seem to be stuck in the mist of college expenses and bills. I hope you guys use these, as it has helped me save so much money!
TIPS AND IDEAS:
When you're wanting to travel, planning ahead is extremely necessary, especially if you're on a low budget like I am. Before heading out for your trip, try to map out how many miles it takes and where you're actually going. With the expense of gas, it all depends on the type of car you have to make it more efficient for you. For some people, this is what makes or breaks them with traveling. If you're planning a trip that's 700 miles away and you have a gas guzzler, you already know gas is going to be the main expense of your vacation.
Tip ONE: Try to ask your family members if you can borrow their car. Your mom, your dad, your aunt, your second cousin, whatever car gets better gas mileage means more money you save. With me, I take my mom's car on road trips (she gets 36 MPG compared to my 20 MPG... talk about efficient!) Trade out cars, promise them you'll be careful, and go on that 700 mile road trip while saving. Also, download GasGuru on your phone if you're able. This app locates the cheapest gas stations surrounding you, and can save you some cents on gas while you're traveling!
Tip TWO: On your trip, look at all of the cities and places you pass through. See if there are any national forests, parks, or trails that you pass by. These are great ways to save and to have fun in the outdoors. As most of you know, U.S national parks and forests are completely free, and they offer awesome views, trails, and wildlife. There are 58 national parks, 154 national forests, and 20 national grasslands in the U.S... Trust me, you will pass AT LEAST one on your way. Heck, you might find out that your destination might be IN a national forest. (This happened to me when I stayed in North Carolina!)
Tip THREE: If you know the trip will take several hours, plan ahead what you'll bring! You don't want a bunch of clutter in your car, so only bring what you NEED. Like snacks, for example. This will save you money on food for the drive. Pretzels, granola bars, Spaghettio's, crackers, anything that won't spoil on the way. Hell, add a frozen pack in your snack bag and bring some apples, grapes, pickles, sandwich meat, whatever is easy to eat for you. This has saved me so much money and time, just by packing whatever I have in my cabinets and fridge. No more stopping for Mickey D's on the way, so packing snacks saves you those minutes you would be spending in the drive through. If you're planning a long road trip, this will help you get rid of the food in your fridge so it won't spoil while you're gone!
Tip FOUR: If you're a heavy water drinker like I am, bring a water cooler filled with water for the drive. This will also save you time and money on drinks! The cooler that I bring on my roadtrips lasts me the entire trip and was roughly $12 at WalMart (Igloo brand, and they have colors to choose from!). It's portable, fits perfectly on the floor in the back seat, and has a spout for refilling my water bottle on the drive. For those who don't like water that much, bring flavor packets with you as well! This is also really beneficial if you're stopping at places to hike on the way, that way you have plenty of accessible water in your car.
Tip FIVE: If you're looking for a place to stay for your trip, use AirBnB! This app has great prices on places to stay for almost every city. It beats hotel prices, and you get to experience staying in a home away from home. Most of the time, AirBnB places have amazing things to offer that hotels can't beat. Whether it be amazing views, in the heart of a city, or secluded in the mountains, AirBnB has it all. With my past trip, I stayed in an AirBnB in North Carolina right in the heart of the Nantahala National Forest. The room had a balcony, your own bathroom/shower, and a coffee/microwave station with tons of space for two people. The views from the balcony were jaw dropping! Every morning, I would make myself coffee (that the owner provided), sit on the balcony, and just look at the mountains that were ahead of me. Want to know the best part about it? IT WAS $65 A NIGHT. That's it. The closest hotel cost way more than that, and didn't even come close to the views that this room offered. AirBnB is such a cheap and efficient way to travel, and it makes it so much easier for students like me to travel on a budget.
Tip SIX: Do research on the town that you're staying in. Find local diners, places, and shops in the surrounding area that you can explore! Make note of these places, and visit. Most of the time, a local diner can be cheaper and better than a Waffle House or an IHOP. They provide local food, hospitality, and you get to experience the town like the locals do. Around seasonal times, local shops usually have a bunch of sales going on too. (I bought two homemade jams for 50% off because it was New Year's!!) Rather than benefiting a huge corporation, benefit someone local in the town by shopping at their shops. If you're into homemade jams, jellies, fudge, soaps, and food, you'll love shopping locally.
Tip SEVEN: SAVE YOUR MONEY. No, you do not need that $40 walking stick that you're never going to use for a souvenir. Get a magnet or a sticker if you're wanting to get something to remember your trip by. If it's for a National Forest or Park, get a post card! Collect them, that way you have a true souvenir that represents the trip you've made. For magnets, make your goal be to cover up your whole fridge with different places. For stickers, make your goal be to cover your whole car in stickers showing all of the different places you've been (or a scrapbook!). There are several ways to make your money last longer on your trip, starting with souvenir buying. I can't count how many pointless souvenirs I've bought. Now, I stick with post cards, magnets, and stickers that say where I've been. :)
TIP EIGHT: Travel with friends! This makes such a difference in the cost of the trip. Grab a couple of your friends who would enjoy the same trip, and split everything down the middle. Gas, snacks, places, anything! It really does save you money, and it also gives you a chance to experience new things without having to worry about the expenses.
These are my eight tips and ideas on how to make traveling a little cheaper for people like me, who are drowning in college expenses and bills. I hope you guys found some use in these tips, and let me know if they work for you! And of course, if you have any questions about where I've traveled to using these tips or just anything in general, just ask! Thank you for reading, and I hope you come back for more helpful words!
XOXO,
Hannah