With traveling, the trick is to think logically: break down the trip into four aspects and consider each one in terms of a budget continuum. The first and most important aspect is location. As a general rule, the more popular, bigger and wealthier a destination is, the more expensive it will be to get to, stay in, and eat there. For the budget end of the scale, think lesser known countries and smaller towns and villages within them. Make sure to do your research – those cliché ‘hidden gems’ you hear about do actually exist, often near their more famous equivalents, if you know where to look.
Once you know where you’re going, you’re going to need a place to stay. The accommodation continuum will always have hostels, Airbnbs, and even campsites on its budget end – Booking.com and Hostelworld.com are some easy sites to find and compare. Prices will of course vary depending on conveniences such as privacy, services, comfort and quality, as well as travel connections and proximity to attractions. Be warned that though smaller towns and cities tend to be cheaper, smaller destinations will have less of a range of accommodation options, including budget ones.
The third sliding scale is really important for trips and can have a significant impact on overall cost: transport. Affordable options tend to be coaches, flights and sometimes trains – again though, location plays a big part in this. Normally it is cheaper to travel less far and to lesser known places, but not necessarily. Make sure to choose the cheapest alternative for your mode of transport – you don’t need me to tell you to go for, say, Ryanair over KLM. Travel and wait times also need to be taken into consideration; unfortunately, the more inconvenient (such as very early morning departures), the cheaper.
Luckily, what I consider the most exciting part of travel – exploring new places – is completely free. I love to walk and walk around a new city, soaking in all the sights, until my feet drop off. You can rest at home in a place you know already. Maybe I’ll throw in the odd bit of window shopping and reading on a park bench. If you’re not careful though, the cost of your holiday activities can add up too. Food can be kept very basic if you only buy essentials at a supermarket, but it’s also important to try some local specialities – a quick Google search on where to find the most affordable version should help you. Sometimes you’ll have to forego buying entry to things like attractions, famous monuments and museums and just be content to see it from the outside – simply being there is good enough.
A final thought, which for me is the most difficult, is planning. The further in advance you book, the lower the prices will be. You’ll be able to book the cheaper slots before they get snatched up. So if you fancy a budget-friendly break this summer, get researching now. In any case, it’ll be a good distraction from the mound of uni work you’re trying to run away from.
All the continuums considered, it’s now a case of selecting the cheapest option you feel comfortable with. The hard truth is that you will need to make compromises to make your trip affordable, and you will need to accept this. But these sacrifices are entirely worth it for that beautiful feeling of taking in the sights, culture and people of a completely new place.