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Wanderlust when you’re a student can be tricky to indulge. On the one hand you have long holidays and plenty of time, but on the other, you’re probably feeling pretty skint.
Here are a few student travel tips to help you assuage your need for adventure without having to spend all your student loan.
Student discounts
Coach cards, railcards, student bus passes – there are plenty of discounts available if you have the time to do some research. Apps like Totum, Unidays and Student Beans also have regular offers on travel, from money off at Expedia and Hotels.com, to bargain National Express tickets and reductions at various regional rail companies. Also, it’s worth flashing your student card if you are booking tickets in person, just in case there are any discounts available that you couldn’t find online.
Be organised
Probably the best thing that you can do to bag cheap student travel is to book your journeys well in advance, and that’s true if you’re travelling locally or going long haul. Find out when new tickets become available and try to make sure you are there ready to pounce – even if it’s the middle of the night. The cheap fares are often the first to sell out.
Travel off-peak
Travelling during anti-social hours is almost always the cheapest option. Mid-week, middle of the day trains, sleeper ferries or gruelling 5am flights aren’t necessarily the most convenient, but if you have the time to recover or the energy to go on regardless, then they will save you plenty of money, so you can easily afford a few coffees to get you back on track the next day.
Look closer to home
We understand the need to get away and change your outlook, but it doesn’t have to involve a plane journey and another country to keep your wanderlust sated. Challenge yourself to visit a couple of places within two hours of your home, and we guarantee you will be able to find somewhere fun, interesting and / or beautiful (ideally all three). Using Leeds as an example – you could take an hour-long train ride to Sheffield, an hour’s drive to the North York Moors National Park, or a couple of hours by train to Blackpool. Edinburgh is three hours from Leeds by train, and if you need to see the sea then there are a few beaches that are a drive away.
Work for your accommodation
If you fancy something a bit longer term but you feel restricted by your student budget, our advice is to think about working abroad. Teaching English as a Foreign Language (or TEFL) courses are widely available online and relatively inexpensive. With that qualification on your CV the whole world opens up. Alternatively, you could consider au pair work, or volunteer work such as fruit picking and gardening jobs in return for free accommodation and food. There are a few websites that can pair you up with willing employers, and you could try your university’s career service for help.
For advice on student life, tips on how to manage your money, and for some of the best student properties in Leeds, have a browse of our website or call us on 0113 487 1573.