by Nomi Goheer While we may be going through the severest recession of our generation, itis always important to take a break from the realities of life and get away. With that in mind, I present five tips that allow you to travel while still being able to pay your rent at the end of the month. Going Local One of the least expensive trips I ever took was during spring break of my senior year of college. Me and two friends drove (always a cost saver considering gasoline prices are back at reasonable levels) from Atlanta to Miami and rented a studio condominium one block from the beach in Miami Beach for $60/night. Craigslist’s “Vacation Rentals” have always been a great source for inexpensive condo rentals. While cramming three 20-somethings in a 350 square foot condo was not what most people would call luxurious, all we needed was a place to sleep. Between spending the day on the beach and the nights in South Beach, the condo provided an inexpensive option for those on a budget. For extended trips, condos also have full kitchens which allow you to save even more by making your own meals. A little prior planning and a trip to the grocery store beforehand keep costs to an absolute minimum. Bus Trips In the past few years, several bus companies have popped up connecting the relatively close cities of the northeastern U.S. for a fraction of the price of a plane ticket. While many people are familiar with the infamous Chinatown bus (connecting Chinatowns between Washington, DC and New York City), there are several nicer options available for a similar price (many with Wifi connections). Buses now operate to connect DC, New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Toronto, and several other cities surrounding New York and Chicago. Bus junction and GotoBus both serve asexcellent search engines similar to Kayak or Bing Travel to help you find the lowest fare. I personally recommend Megabus for their use of double-decker buses which allow for extensive legroom. Couch-surfing Couchsurfing.org is an online community whose mission it is to “internationally network people and places, create educational exchanges, raise collective consciousness, spread tolerance, and facilitate cultural understanding." In other words, people offer up their couches (or floors, futons, etc.) to other people who are traveling for free. With over 1.3 million road-trippers and hosts, it is not hard to find a place to stay in the U.S., let alone other countries, including such far away places as Iraq, Niger, and Mongolia. All that’s required is that you set up a profile. However, it is completely up to the host whether or not to accept your request to stay with them. As a result, it’s important to have a complete profile in addition to building up a history of pleasant visits with other hosts and even hosting others like yourself.
Hostelling Living in the U.S., we frequently overlook the hordes of international tourists visiting the country. This includes young people on a budget who frequently look to youth hostels for inexpensive housing. However, we often suppose there is an unwritten rule saying that you must be from a different country in order to stay at a youth hostel in the U.S. Considering how nice many of them are in the U.S. and the price of other lodging in major cities where they are located (try finding another place where you can stay in Santa Monica, California for $25/night), hostels are clearly a viable option for those who are mainly looking for a place to sleep. There are many options at the biggest cities in the country, and probably a few even in the smaller ones. Many of them also have private rooms at rates usually significantly lower than hotels and, as an added benefit, staying in one almost feels like you are doing more significant international travel since the majority of guests hail from abroad. Hostels also frequently organize events where it’s easy to meet and make friends with fellow guests. Central America While the previous tips have concentrated on methods to save costs rather than particular destinations, I believe Central America deserves a special mention as a cheap, exciting, and beautiful place to travel. Not only is it possible to find roundtrip tickets to countries like Costa Rica and Nicaragua for around $300 (depending on your location), but cheap, clean, and simple lodging is easy to find in almost any location. Lonely Planet operates an excellent forum for travelers all over the world to share experiences and tips if you are not comfortable searching for lodging after you arrive. Knowledge of Spanish (while always helpful) is not a prerequisite. The people are very friendly and willing to help a lost tourist find their way. Many of the beaches are undeveloped and provide an excellent place to get away while eating amazing food at locally-owned restaurants. There is much to be said for walking right off the beach and directly into a restaurant that will serve you fresh food and drink while you sit in sling chairs with your feet in the sand. Using even one of these tips should cut enough costs to make a long weekend more than an extended lazy Sunday while providing you with a sense of accomplishment that you can now expand your mind without breaking the bank. Safe travels.
