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Budget Travel Tips
Don't Waste Your Money
Experience a great vacation without having to max out the credit cards!
The trick is to plan ahead and budget, budget, budget. With our tips, you’ll do just that and have a fabulous time!
Travel on a Budget and Have a Blast
The arrival of August means you’re back in class – a perfect time to figure out where you want to go when vacation rolls around. We know that you’ll be looking for a lot of fun for as little money as possible because you don’t have a lot to spend.
Follow these 10 “commandments” and you won’t break the bank:
1. Plot your course.
Grab your travel mate(s), a map, and start plotting. Deciding where you want to go now is the key to figuring out how much money you’ll have to spend once you get there. Don’t get us wrong - we’re all about spontaneity. For instance, deciding to stop in Florence on the way from Venice to Rome is great. However, deciding to go to Venice as you’re leaving Florence on the way to Rome = bad spontaneity. You’ll end up spending a lot of extra money.
| Book your Flight |
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| Learn More about the exclusive STA Travel Blue Ticket™! |
2. Get the best value in airfare for your money. Book your airfare using STA Travel’s exclusive Blue Ticket. It’s competitively priced and extremely flexible, so when you need to change your flight (you meet that incredible someone and don’t want to leave yet or you just love it abroad and need more time to explore), you can do so for a small fee. Book directly with any major airline and they are going to charge you $$$ to change your flight. Ouch.
3. Don’t pay full price when sightseeing.
You’ll need an International Student Identity Card (ISIC) to get the great student airfare with the Blue Ticket. You’ll WANT to have an ISIC because it will save you $100s when you do stuff! When you’re traveling you save on museum admissions, taking tours, and going to the theatre. When you’re at home you’ll save money when you order pizza and go to the movies. Show this card to save some cash! Using ISIC today = beer money tomorrow.
4. Take the train!
Get to your destinations quickly, see beautiful scenery, and meet a lot of great people by taking the train. If you have at least three legs to your journey, buy a rail pass. It will save you big bucks and, with the variety of passes available, you’ll find one that suits your needs. If you’re traveling one-way between cities, say from Paris to Rome, just buy a ticket at the train station. Train travel alleviates the stress of renting a car in a foreign country. Not fun.
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| Check out our wide selection of hostels around the world. Save money and meet people at the same time! Hostels and Budget Hotels |
5. Sleep cheap!
Sleep on the way to your next destination – trains are great for this and very economical. Since you’re going to make the trip anyway, kill two birds with one stone. Reserve a bed in a six bed compartment (a couchette) for $20-40. That’s about what you’d spend for the night in major cities. When you wake up, you’re there!
If you don’t have a rail pass, just remember that you’ll have to pay for the cost of the couchette plus the cost of your train ticket. Or, you could sleep in a regular train car for no additional cost. The seats fold into a cot-like bed. Keep in mind that if the train is full and all of the seats are taken, you’ll have to sleep sitting upright.
For all other accommodation needs, you have to plan ahead of time. Places fill up quickly so, if you leave it to chance, your options may be a toss up between the street and a hotel that will blow your budget. Don’t want that to happen.
Hostels are cheap and occupy everything from an old church to a boat to a castle. You’ll get a good night’s sleep and you’ll meet a lot of great people. You’ll want to book early and your STA Travel Advisor can help you with that. Most hostels sleep at least 12 to a large room. If you’re looking for something smaller, like 4 to a room, you may want to consider a budget hotel. These are a great option because you sleep pretty cheaply and enjoy your own room and, usually, an en suite bathroom.
6. Pay less for great food.
Enjoy local cuisine without paying too much for it. You’ll get great recommendations on places to eat and great tips for eating cheaply from Let’s Go and Lonely Planet guide books as well as any STA Travel staffer.
Also, you can stretch your money by grocery shopping instead of eating out for every meal! Buy a bottle of water, bread, cheese, meat, and fruit in the morning. Your daypack is ideal for carrying this stuff. When it’s time to eat, find a spot to have a picnic. Imagine telling your friends about picnicking in the shadow of the Eiffel Tower! SPEND the money that you saved (by grocery shopping for breakfast/lunch) on a really nice dinner or souvenirs!
7. Consider a tour!
You can really get your money’s worth out of a trip by taking a tour instead of traveling
“a la carte.” You’ll know exactly where you’re going, what you’re doing, and how much it will cost. Plus you’ll meet a lot of people! Just remember that tours include a lot of activities but they also offer a lot of activities for an added cost. Plan what you’ll want to do when you’re booking your tour to avoid spending more than you expected when you're on the tour.
8. Use the ATM.
You’ll get the best possible exchange rates using an ATM instead of travelers checks. Keep in mind that you will be charged the transaction fee so you’ll want to make a few large withdrawals instead of several small withdrawals. Distribute the money among secure places like your money belt and an interior pocket of your backpack.
9. A guide book and map: don’t leave home without them!
Guide books are full of suggestions for FREE or cheap activities during your travel. Pocket-size pop-up maps are perfect because they’re easy to use and easy to store. Your STA Travel branch will have a great selection of books and maps to choose from.
10. Tell us all about your adventure!
We want to hear about all of the fun you had on your trip. We even GIVE you money if we publish your story/photo on our website. Check out the guidelines on our website.
| Happy Travels! |
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| These 10 “commandments” can help you save a lot of money when traveling, no matter where you go. STA Travel Advisors are always available to answer questions and book your trips! |
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*Additional taxes/fees: sample fares posted on www.statravel.com are per person and include the booking fee. Fares are subject to additional charges including, but not limited to: September 11th Security Fee of up to $5.00 for each flight segment originating at a U.S. airport; Passenger Facility Charges of up to $18, depending on itinerary; Federal Segment Fees of $3.50 per segment; and foreign and U.S. Government-imposed charges of up to $400 per international round-trip flight, depending on routing and destination. STA Travel is the world's largest student, youth and budget travel organization specializing in cheap flights, hotels and hostels, student travel insurance, and the International Student ID Card (ISIC).
