Punxutawney Phil saw his shadow...Six more weeks of Winter.
We just hate to be little "Debbie Downer's" here at Savvy Student, so instead of fixating on the bad news, let's refocus on the upcoming winter break. Now, is as good of an opportunity as any to visit friends. Hopefully, you have friends in warmer areas than Massachusetts, but you can also take advantage of the skiing and snowboarding Vermont, Maine and New Hampshire have to offer, if your friends are just North of here. Unfortunately, traveling inside the U.S. can be quite costly. After reviewing many websites it seems clear that $89 is the going rate just for bus tickets to Vermont.
So, with winter, spring and summer breaks just around the corner, we want to know if it's really possible to travel on a budget, a college student budget? Below we have listed some tips to get you planning for your dream destination with some ideas on ways to save:
1. If traveling by air, consider booking a weekday flight, Monday through Thursday. The flight prices for weekend travel are significantly more expensive, so if you can avoid it you will be saving money.
2. Book in advance! The earlier the cheaper.
3. Book online! Travel agencies will charge additional fees for using their services. AirfareWatchdog.com, Expedia.com and Travelocity.com are good places to begin your research.
4. Sign up for a frequent flier card online. It is free and you will start collecting reward points with your first trip. The trick is to chose the airline company you travel most with. Miles and More is a good one if you plan on visiting Europe.
5. Studentuniverse.com and smartertravel.com have deals on trips for specifically college students.
6. International Study Abroad Programs: Studying abroad gives you the opportunity to travel to a foreign country while earning college credit.
7. If you do not mind sharing a bathroom and want to meet more young travelers from around the world consider staying in a hostel. Hostelworld.com has proven to be a good source that also provides up to date reviews by previous visitors.
8. Feeling even more adventurous? Couchsurfing.com is an opportunity to have a completely free couch to sleep on and a bunch of stories to tell to your friends later. All you need to do is register on their website.
9. Consider purchasing an ISIC (International Student Identity Card) card. For an initial investment of about $20 you will be able to receive discounts all around the world. It is one of the most popular student discount cards that can also serve as an ID.
10. And last, but not least, you can always use credit cards with rewards programs to earn air miles. Individual airlines offer their own credit cards too, but please be aware of the interest rates, surcharges, daily rates and annual fee's before applying. Also, credit is universally accepted which works well when abroad. If you must withdraw cash during your trip consider taking out a larger sum of money to minimize your loss do to ATM fee's.
Happy Trails!
Savvy Student
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