Many in their early twenties dream of a European vacation. To pay for this, you can either do some homework and be flexible or put it on a credit card and still be paying for it long after you’ve forgotten most of it. Fortunately, it has never been easier to find low-cost flights and accommodations.
A study of a year’s worth of flight-price data showed that the cheapest flight plan is to: fly out on a Wednesday and return on a Tuesday. Then begin scanning prices 6 months out and book before 50 days away from traveling. Target your travel in early summer or late summer, avoiding the expensive travel peak season of July and August. Many websites and apps give you alerts for cheap deals: Kayak.com, ScottsCheapFlights.com, Momondo.com, and many others.
Once in Europe, there are many discount airlines to jump between cities like RyanAir, or go by train with a Eurail pass, or ride sharing with BlaBlacar.com
For accommodations, of course there are hostels and AirBnB. But there are cheaper ways with CouchSurfing.org, RoomoRama.com, or camp in someone’s backyard through CampInMyGarden.com.
There are so many options to save money on European travel; these links offered above are just a start on what is available. Whatever you do, please do not follow the bad money managers to financial ruin by:
- Spending your student loan money needed for tuition and books
- Charge it all on a credit card and spend +10 years trying to pay it off