Before I left everyone kept asking a very simple question: "What are you going to London for?"
I didn't have a great answer. The truth is I was planning to go to London to visit friends, especially my best friend who was studying abroad. Originally, though, I would be going over Thanksgiving Break, a much more practical time to take an overseas vacation. Except, Why Don't We announced Europe tour dates for October and I was booking my trip based around them.
Suddenly, "What are you going to London for?" turned into "What are you doing in London?"
Or at least that's what Mr. Daniel Seavey said when he saw me. Valid question, but like he should know better by now.
This was my third trip to London and not my first time traveling alone. It also wasn't my first time traveling a ridiculous distance to end up seeing a boyband. However, it was my first time traveling alone to another country and landing in Heathrow was slightly terrifying.
Going to London for a boyband was a new level of crazy, even for me. Luckily, I had the traveling process down. But also... I'm a college kid, so I'm kind of broke. The other dangerous part? I have recently been approved for a credit card, so you know I was swiping it along the way.
The biggest thing I had to learn this trip was how to make travel cheap. Candidly, I didn't do a great job of accounting for random expenses, but guess what? My credit score will survive. In fact, I paid it off as soon as I touched back down in New York and my score up (score!).
So, here are some travel tips from a boyband obsessed college groupie:
1. Check with your bank before you go.
You're going to want to put a travel notice in with them any time you leave your city and especially if you're going to another country. The last thing you need is to end up with no access to cash at that cute cafe that your friends said you just had to check out. Plus, you'll want to ask ahead of time what their foreign transaction fees are like. If the fees are too high, search for other card options that might be lower or free. Travel cards are common to keep on hand. When in doubt, you can always go to the bank and exchange some currency for cash ahead of time!
2. Decide what you refuse to cut corners on.
We all have our boundaries and some are different than others. From my perspective, I don't mind roughing it a little and don't need first-class treatment. I'd rather make a trip cheaper and go on more vacations than ensure I get a luxurious treatment every time. If you're the type of person who needs luxury in your life, but still has a budget, decide ahead of time what you're willing to give up. It'll be next to impossible to have five-star treatment in every aspect of travel (transportation, lodging, excursions, luggage), but if you choose one that you are hard-pressed for then that's typically fine. Personally, though, I'll recommend nixing the mentality of the expensive and pretty vacation because you'll get a lot more culture and your dollar will spread a bit further if you're willing to make sacrifices.
There are vacations and then there's traveling and they don't always mean the same thing.
When you need to relax, a luxurious experience may be where you put your money toward, but if you want to travel and make it count, cut back on the luxury and put your money toward an experience that will show you the most and teach you something.
3. Leave on weird days and times.
I'm proud to say that my roundtrip to London was only $350 in airfare. I hunted tirelessly for the best way to make this work. That being said, I left on a Wednesday night from Newark Airport and got back on a Monday night. Part of the reason my flight was so cheap was that the times were inconvenient for most people and therefore the demand was lower.
4. Understand how your tech impacts your pricing.
I checked the prices for my flights daily, but I also know that the more hits those flights are getting, the higher that the fares will get driven up... basic supply and demand. So, I did my best to use incognito browsing to look at prices. While I'm not 100% positive it made a difference, my flight only randomly sky-rocketed once and ironically it was on a day when I was in a regular browser and trying to book it before last-minute deciding to wait. After I decided to wait, the prices jumped by $200+ only ten minutes later. Also, I used Google Flights to monitor prices on possible flights and trips that I liked. Google Flights will bookmark a flight and email you an alert when prices go up or down on it.
5. Share space.
Lodging and hotels can get PRICY. I'm thankful because I only had a hotel room for one night of my adventure. If you can learn to share space, you'll save tons when traveling. For myself, that meant staying with a friend who just so happened to be studying abroad. Honestly, though, I have friends all over the world, which is a big part of what inspired me to travel. If you have those connections, use them! A spare couch to crash on can make a big difference in your bank account. If that's not an option, hostels are a great choice. I stayed in a hostel for the first two times I was in London and definitely didn't mind the experience. While you'll be sleeping in the same room as, oftentimes, 7 other people, you'll still have some personal space. If you're not planning to be in the room much anyway, it makes sense that you'll only really need your bunk. If you are staying in a hotel (as I did one night), split the room cost with friends. While I was traveling alone, I was meeting up with a few girls that I knew. We booked a room and split it four ways, bringing the price down significantly. Be careful, though, some hotels have rules about how many people can stay in each room and might be strict. However, in all my time of travel, I have yet to have a hotel enforce it, especially because they won't be monitoring who's coming in and out at all times and you very well could have guests over.
6. Travel light.
Everyone always says this, but seriously... travel light. If you only bring a carry-on, your flight will be so much cheaper. You'll typically be able to bring a carry-on suitcase and a backpack. Put all your clothes and things you don't need right away in your suitcase, but all your essentials and what you need for your flight in your backpack. I know it's annoying to have so much on you and checking a bag is so easy, but I have a solution. Once you're through security, go to the gate attendant and ask if they will be looking for anyone to volunteer to check their carry-on to save overhead space. Oftentimes, they'll be grateful you asked because overhead space is extremely limited. They'll take your rolling suitcase, tag it, and then put it with the checked luggage. You'll then be free of worrying about it while you wait or wander the airport. Plus, this will put the gate attendant on your good side. I've often found that they will help move your seat around (if you ask) or give you priority boarding. It doesn't work out every time, but it is definitely a great option.
7. How badly do you really need souvenirs?
Most of the time, they're going to become clutter or you can order them online when you're back home and have paid off the rest of your trip. What's definitely
more important is being able to spend your money or making memories. As a New Yorker, I promise you that entering tourist traps are a waste of time. My recommendation is to either avoid souvenirs altogether or buy ONE really nice piece to take with you and make sure it's something quality or that you can't get anywhere else.
8. Don't be afraid to eat.
If there's one place I'll tell you not to cut corners... it's food. That doesn't mean you need to destroy your bank account. First, understand that you don't need to eat at a fancy or sit-down restaurant for every mean. Some of my favorite meals while traveling have been random stumble-upon street food. Not only is it often cheaper, but you'll probably get a different perspective of the city that you're visiting. When you are eating at a more expensive restaurant, share your food. You're only visiting for a short time, so make the most and taste test what you can with your friends. Finally, be sure to check yourself. Your eyes are going to be way bigger than your stomach. Understand this and be careful to only order what you can finish. While you might want to buy everything, it's all a waste if you end up feeling sick a bit later. At the end of the day, though, eat well and be happy about it.
9. Public transportation sucks, but you need to suck it up.
If there's anything I learned from my 24 hours trip to Boston, it's that Ubers add up quickly without you realizing it. So, you'll need to learn how to use the pesky public transportation. As a New Yorker, it's often easier for me to pick up on new underground systems, but it may not be as easy for everyone. Ask a local if you can. They'll typically be willing to help you understand where to go as long as they aren't in a rush. Also, pay attention to on-peak versus off-peak times, which cost different fares in some systems. Learning the subway system may be annoying, but after your week of traveling, you'll also have a deeper appreciation for the city.
No matter what you do, travel will never be cheap. It's all about saving up for what you want and before traveling you have to make sacrifices. I'm not the type of person to go out on the weekends with friends and that's okay. My priorities are just totally different. What irritates me to no end, though, is when people tell me (in an obviously judgmental tone) that they'd never be able to afford this when I know how often they splurge on a new manicure, shopping spree, or a night out at the bar. My nails
are almost always bare and I only buy clothes (and from the sale rack) sparingly. I won't judge you if you don't judge me. If you make traveling a priority in your life, it'll take sacrificing. While not everyone will be able to afford it due to elements of their life or socioeconomic status if you have the chance and are privileged enough to be able to have a few extra dollars in your bank account, budget your way into the trip of a lifetime.
I may not be flying first class, but I'm flying and making memories that I'll never forget.
Until I write again,
xoxo alex