Traveling the world as a poor twenty-something

As a 21-year-old heading into her senior year of college, I have come to understand what it feels like to look at your bank account and be disappointed – or even horrified. But I refuse to let the state of my savings, however low it might get, stop me from making travel plans.

I have lived in France and NYC, traveled to Scotland, The Netherlands, England, Scotland and more! I’ve gone on road trips across the country, I’ve flown to L.A., and I’m in the midst of planning a trip to Iceland and Asia. In fact, this Sunday I will be heading over to London for a week with a close friend.

Most of the time when my friends and family hear about my never ending plans, they usually have one question for me: how are you able to afford all of these trips?

To them it seems impossible, and perhaps to you too. But I am here to tell you that it is not impossible, it’s very much a reasonable thing to travel in your twenties, even without an amazing salary.

These are just some of my tips for how to afford to travel, no matter who you are!

Work, work, work until you just can’t 

I work as much as possible between my trips to save up and pay off any debts. At school I work as a security monitor and pick up as many shifts as I possibly can. It may mean I get far fewer chances to party on the weekend, but it’s the sacrifice you must make to be able to go on some pretty amazing adventures.

In the summer I work 55 hours a week as a camp counselor while picking up weekend shifts at a wedding venue for even more cash to save up. I work as much as possible while I can because I know I will likely have no income while traveling.

Be hyper aware of your spending

I almost never go shopping. No random trips to the mall, no browsing Forever 21’s website, nothing. I usually only splurge on things like books and clothes while  traveling.

I’m not saying you can never spend money – because I do enjoy going out to dinner with my friends – but you just need to be very aware and say no as often as possible. Most of my weekly spending at home is to go out to dinner or get my morning coffee.

Some of my friends even keep spreadsheets of their spending to really keep themselves on track.

Budget airlines

If you are traveling around Europe, use budget airlines such as RyanAir. They are known for their sketchy planes and their tendency to charge you for any small infraction, but they offer flights for as low as 15 euros and can be a great choice as long as you are careful and follow all their regulations.

Be flexible

If you are more flexible with the days you want to travel, you will be able to choose the cheapest tickets to get you there! Try checking for tickets (plane, train or bus) about four months in advance, that’s when they are generally the cheapest!

If you’re going on a long road trip, don’t be afraid to change things up as you go, it makes for a more exciting adventure and can give you more for your money. We gave ourselves extra time when travelling cross country and decided last minute to make a pit stop at Mount Rushmore to fill it in!

Workaways

Here is my biggest helping tip! Check out “Workaways.” They are a way to travel and experience culture in exchange for work instead of money. You can go almost anywhere you want in this world and find a workaway location. Each one is different, but generally you will work a few hours a day for the host, and in exchange they will feed and shelter you during your stay!