A student guide to travelling on a dime

Like many, I love traveling. And for the first time in a year, I feel like it is somewhat within reach. However, my wallet does not enjoy traveling quite as much as I do. And since we are all students here, I would assume that is not unique to me. Over time however, I have found some things that can really help decrease the costs. And today is the day I share those tricks with you.              

Try doing a work exchange!

A work exchange is when you work at a hostel, farm or someplace else in exchange for free accomodation, often free food, and sometimes extra benefits. Not only does this save you money, but it can also be a great way to get close to locals. There are many websites that facilitate the search for a suitable host, and even though you have to pay a one-time fee for the most popular sites you save so much more than the fee costs! I have done one myself and it truly is one of the fondest memories I have from my travels.

Stay at hostels!

We all know of hostels. We all know hostels are cheap. We have all heard hostels can be super fun. Yet not everybody feels eager to try out hostels. But trust me, hostels are the ultimate place to get to know interesting people while saving money at the same time (and thus a must if you are ever solo traveling). There are surf-hostels, party-hostels, hostels in the middle of beautiful nature.. There is something for everybody!

Download good apps!

Oh, sweet algorithms. Today there is an app for pretty much anything - so take advantage of that! And with free wifi becoming increasingly common in cafées and restaurants around the world, they are more accessible than ever. Don’t know what to do or where to eat? Tripadvisor! Want to find cheap flights? Skyscanner, momondo! Don’t know where to stay? Hostelworld, Airbnb, Want to take a long-haul bus? Google what app best suits the area you are in! And a personal favorite is maps.me

Cook a bit yourself!

While it may be tempting to eat out every meal when traveling, that is something that can really make the costs pile up. Food can be a huge part of traveling to some, and I definitely do not discourage you to try out the local cuisine. However, going to the local market and getting some fresh produce and cooking yourself a nice meal is a nice experience that you can opt for sometimes!

Take overnight buses!

Do you have several stops on your journey? If the distance is long, take an overnight bus! Not only are buses often the cheapest mode of transportation, but you also save yourself money on not having to pay for accomodation for the night. And while it may take longer, you may actually end up saving time since you do not have to spend your precious days transporting yourself. Plus, it is more environmentally friendly than flying!

Google, google, google!

The internet has the answers to all your questions and to all the questions you did not know you even had. Google what fun things there are to do cheaply or for free in the area 

Do NOT forget your student ID

Your good old mecenat-card is not just something good here in Sweden, but my tip is to get yourself a physical one if you only have the online one, as many are much more familiar with physical cards and may be suspicious of accepting the online one.

Travel closer to home

When we think of traveling we often think of going to places as far away from home as possible. And while you can find some good deals on long-haul flights, going across the world will inevitably be expensive. Plus, it is really time consuming which can be a problem for many. Look into places closer to you, and often you will find that there are many amazing places you have overlooked. Ideally this also gives you the opportunity of traveling by car, bus or train - which is much more environmentally friendly than flying! It is the future of traveling!

Stay flexible!

Often we get so set on specific things that we forget all the other options there are out there. When checking flights, maybe expand your search to a bigger area than just one country for example! This can also give you the opportunity to see some less tourist-y attractions.

Couchsurfing

I will be honest, I have been a little too scared to try this one myself, but I just felt like a list about cheap traveling would not be complete without it. If you don’t know what couchsurfing is, it is when somebody opens up their home for you and allows you to stay with them for free. Those I have talked with who are frequent couchsurfers explain that it is a great way to really get all the local tips and often some nice company as well! 

Soon we will be on the road again. Hope is on the horizon. So safe travels to everyone (once the world opens up a bit more, of course)!