It’s difficult for many people to find the means and time to travel. This is especially true for busy college students—work, homework, and studying often times take highest priority. But if you’re burned out and sleep deprived with an endless list of obligations, your mental and physical well-being can take a substantial hit.
Mini getaways or weekend trips are an excellent option to detox your body of mental burdens and rejuvenate your energy levels. Unfortunately, traveling in and of itself can be a major source of anxiety. The cost of plane tickets, hotel accommodations, and rental cars can put a massive damper on travel plans, especially when you’re on a budget. These obstacles can be extremely counterproductive if your main purpose is to unwind. Luckily, there are a number of loopholes to bypass spending the bulk of your trip budget on the mundane necessities, so you can splurge on the local goods of your choice.
Couchsurfing
If you don’t want to pay $100+ for a single night at a hotel, the idea of Couchsurfing should be an option to consider. The decision to stay with a stranger in a potentially unknown location may seem daunting, but it’s a smart choice if you’re looking to stay within a small budget because it’s FREE*. There’s no cost to sign up, (although paying a small fee via credit card to verify your identity can help you find more hosts who are willing to let you crash at their place). Once you’ve signed up, you can search for hosts by typing in the city that you’re planning to visit. Keep an eye out for hosts with more positive references—they’re the pros of the game. Once you find a host that you think will fit your needs, send them a formal couch request. If they approve your request, you’re golden. Couchsurfing provides you with the unexpected benefit of staying with locals—people who have an intimate understanding of the area. You automatically have a built-in guide who knows the gems of the town, the sketchy neighborhoods to avoid, and current events and attractions. The Couchsurfing website also allows you to create and join groups that interest you. There are specific groups for emergency Couchsurfing requests, city-specific activities/outings groups, and even carpool groups that allow you to find people who’d be willing to split the cost of gas if you’re both headed in the same direction or location. You can also find people in your local area who are active members of the Couchsurfing community. These people regularly come together and host activities, parties, and meetings to encourage new friendships and increase membership in the community.
When you’re Couchsurfing, your safety should always be your biggest concern. If you’re still hesitant, seek out couples, older hosts, or families to host you. Don’t be afraid to message surfers who’ve stayed with the host that you’re interested in to get more information, and make sure to have a backup plan in case your host is suddenly unavailable to host you. You don’t want to be stranded in an foreign place with nowhere to stay.
*Technically, you don’t have to fork out any money to stay with a host; the vital essence of Couchsurfing that separates it from the rest is the implied understanding that there is no exchange of money. However, it’d be considerate to leave a small gift or note as a token of appreciation for your host. Brownie points lead to a good reference, which results in more willing hosts if you decide to couch surf in the future.
Ride Sharing
The concept of ride sharing has enjoyed a recent revival thanks to companies like Uber and Lyft. Set up is a breeze—download the mobile app, sign in with Facebook, and enter your credit card information or sign into your Paypal account. Once your account is complete, set your pickup location and request a ride. You can view various fare quotes by entering the address of your destination. The actual cost will depend on factors like traffic, time, and total distance of the ride. Uber gives you various choices of vehicle, depending on the price you’re willing to pay. UberX sends a normal four door sedan, and is the most economical choice, but you can also choose to upgrade to a pricier black town car or SUV. Lyft doesn’t give you the option to choose a specific car type, which means you’ll pay the same price no matter what kind of vehicle shows up.
One benefit of using a ride share service is the cashless transaction. Once your ride is over, you’ll receive an email receipt of the total cost of the ride, minus any promotion credits, and your credit card or Paypal is automatically billed. First time Uber users can receive $20 of promotional credit to their account by entering code: E4X4T into the promo page in the app. If you want to try out Lyft instead, a simple Google search can easily score you a free ride since codes are posted online constantly.
It’s a common misconception that travelling is an impractical hobby to endulge in regularly because of the total cost of expenses. With some preparation and planning, you can easily cut costs. For example, airplane fares are generally cheaper if you buy in advance, as prices fluctuate due to seat availability, as well as the demand for seats. If you’re hoping to score a good deal, avoid purchasing your ticket on the weekend; the optimal time frame to purchase tickets is between Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday morning. If your schedule is flexible, flights departing during the middle of the week are also cheaper than flights that depart on Monday or Friday. Finally, keep in mind that round trip tickets can sometimes cost more than booking two individual one-way tickets to and from your destination. Take the time to check and compare prices—you’ll have a heavier wallet for it, at least until you get there.