May 17, 2022
A student vacation is wonderful thing. You get to know the most beautiful places in the world, meet interesting people, taste delicious food and get away from stressful college life.
Plus, as a student, you have a lot more time to travel than “adult” vacationers. Semester breaks or the time between the end of your bachelor’s degree and the beginning of your master’s degree offer plenty of opportunity to check off your desired countries on your bucket list.
But traveling as a student has a catch: it costs money. A lot of money.
Even if you sleep in a dorm room, cook in an Airbnb kitchen, and take free tours, your vacation expenses can quickly skyrocket.
So it’s important to know how much money you have available and how to create a budget for your trip. This way you know in advance how much you will spend and you won’t end up with an empty bank account at the end of your student vacation.
What type of traveler are you?
Every student has a different budget available. That’s why we want to introduce three types of student vacationers: the Budget Punisher, the Modest Traveler and the Budget Buster.
Take a look at our three examples, find out what type of traveler you are and learn how to best save for your next trip.
All three sample vacations will take place from August 6-20, 2022 and depart from a city in Central Europe.
The Budget Buster
If you are a budget buster, you have an above average amount of money available for your vacation. That budget comes from money you earn yourself in a side job, support from your parents, or a scholarship.
As a budget buster, you like to travel far away and seek a mix of adventure, comfort and culture.
Airbnb in Melbourne, AustraliaYour destination this summer is Australia.
You will fly for two weeks to the fascinating city of Melbourne. There you will sleep in a cozy apartment in a hip neighborhood and plan various trips to other cities and to the sea.
Accommodations 14 Nights at 50 EUR 700 EURTravel Outbound flight from Vienna: 765 EUR1530 EURRestaurants 10 Days at 50 EUR500 EUREat-in 4 Days at 30 EUR120 EUR Spending cash 14 Days at 60 EUR840 EUROther expenses 14 Days at 14 EUR200 EURTotal cost 14 Days at 278 EUR3890 EURThe Modest Traveler
As a modest traveler, you don’t have a lot of money at your disposal, but you still want to see the world. You save money for some time until you have enough funds to go on a two-week student vacation in Southeast Asia.
Private hostel room in Ho Chi Minh City, VietnamYour destination this summer is Vietnam, a country you’ve always wanted to visit. You booked a private room in a hostel in Ho Chi Minh City.
Accommodation14 Nights at 17 EUR233 EURTravel Outbound flight from Frankfurt: 350 EUR700 EURRestaurants 14 Days at 15 EUR210 EUREat-in14 Days at 8 EUR112 EURSpending cash 14 Days at 10 EUR 140 EUR Other expenses 14 Days at 6 EUR 84 EUR Total cost 14 Days at 106 EUR1479The Budget Punisher
As a budget punisher you don’t have a lot of money at your disposal.
But that’s okay because a student vacation is not the highest priority for you. That’s why you choose a destination that is not so far away. Your requirements are to enjoy the sun, the beach and good food and drinks.
Airbnb in Byala, BulgariaThis summer you fly to Bulgaria. You will sleep in a cozy condo where you can prepare your food and drink a few beers on the shared terrace.
Accommodation 14 Nights at 11 EUR204 EURTravelOutbound flight from Prague at 79 EUR158 EURRestaurants7 Days at 17 EUR 119 EUREat-in7 Days at 12 EUR84 EURSpending cash14 Days at 15 EUR210 EUROther expenses14 Days at 6 EUR84 EURTotal cost 14 Days at 61 EUR859 EURHow to save money on vacation
You want to go on vacation this year, but you don’t know how to pay for it?
There are a few tricks you can use to save money before and during your travels.
- Take on a part-time job or extra hours at your current job to supplement your travel budget.
- Visit friends. This way you save on hotel costs during your student vacation.
- Consider options other than a hotel. There are some very nice hostels and Airbnbs that cost much less than a hotel room.
- Be flexible with your travel dates to find the best deals or travel off-season.
- Choose a budget-friendly destination.
- Pack light. This allows you to travel with hand luggage and not have to pay money for checked luggage.
- Don’t be afraid of public transportation.
A rental car costs many times more.
- Cook some of your meals yourself. Opt for accommodation with a kitchen.
- Work or volunteer abroad if you’re taking a longer trip.
- Don’t forget your student ID. It can score you discounts on all kinds of travel-related expenses.
