Frugal Traveling on the Cheap is Easier than it Looks

This article was written by KC Owens, college student and frugal traveler.  He has many stories to share on how to travel on a shoestring budget.

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Being in college is fun, but it isn’t always easy. Balancing a double major’s worth of classes, friends, and a handful of extra-curricular activities would be hard enough; but throw in a job, the constantly growing pile of student debt accruing on my credit report and college can be downright stressful! I’m not complaining, lots of people would kill to have my problems. What I’m saying is that I’m always on the lookout for a release. Luckily for me, I discovered early the excitement of travel. Luckier still, through some good advice and little bit of trial and error, I’ve figured out that traveling on the cheap is easier than it looks.

The first step towards any vacation is financing it properly. If you have a job and can afford a vacation, great; otherwise, you will have to find another way to scrape together some cash. Do some research and find a student credit card that can work well with your needs. Specifically aimed at younger people, not only do many of these cards feature really good benefits, it is also really easy to apply for them. Since picking one with a couple of added perks for travelers, I have been able to pay off each of my vacations a little at a time, without ever depleting the rather meager funds I have stashed away at the bottom of my pockets.

Just to be clear, I’m not advocating charging up a mountain of debt. In fact, I’m a firm believer in the benefits of a well-planned work/play vacation. I’ve had a job since I started school, transitioning from waiter into a bartender at one of the local restaurants when I turned 21. Early on, I supplemented my on-the-job training with some of the basics I found online. It didn’t take long before I was more than serviceable, and after applying for a work visa on my latest trip to Europe, I was able to put the skills I learned to use which allowed me to travel longer.

Bartending for a couple of days at a place I know in Paris, I realized that while my French wasn’t great, since the place is frequented by a lot of tourists, my English was actually a plus. Long story short, I made a few extra Euros and saved some cash by eating on the job. It was a great gig, and one I’ll probably do again, just one word of advice – they don’t really tip in Europe. Bartenders over there are paid really well compared to here, and many actually see tipping as an insult.

In addition to the extra cash, one of the best parts about bartending is meeting new people. Europe is fun by itself, but doing it with others is a blast. With that said, another way to meet people, while avoiding the always busy hostel option, is by joining Couchsurfing. An older website, but still a great one, Couchsurfing is free to join and allows people to find a home to stay in while traveling. Just remember to tell your host your coming before you show up at their door!

KC Owens has written and submitted this article. KC is a college student who loves traveling, college life, fitness and a good survival kit. He enjoys studying different cultures, meeting new people and leaving his footprint somewhere most people only read about.