Voice of London

Travelling on a budget is perceived as annoying sometimes. Voice of London will help you to make the most out of your trip while spending less money. This does not mean that you will be staying in poor areas or hostels with bad reputations. You can even stay in a five-star hotel while on a budget –depends on the country-.

Editor: Marwa Khalifa | Sub-Editor: Adrian Vasilescu

All you need to do is research and think about where you really want to go, and about the type of holiday you want. Look for websites and travel agencies that offer cheap packages. Also, there are lots of websites that have student discounts, so take advantage of it. It is not easy to find cheap flights, but if you take your time while researching, you will find cheap flights all over the internet.

As for the accommodations, there are a lot of options waiting for you out there. For example, Airbnb is a famous website where you can rent a room, flat or even a house from property owners. Hostels and motels are also a cheap option –depends on the time you are planning your trip for and the location- Hostel World site is the place to start. You can also find the help you need on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter, and you can always ask your friends if they know a good but cheap place where you can stay in, or if they know anyone in that country who might help you. Couchsurfing is an app that lets you stay on people’s couches for free! While it may not seem that safe; it has gotten a lot of positive reviews and people made a ton of new friends using it.

Always plan ahead, three to four months in advance to make sure you find good offers. There is an organisation called WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms) which gives travellers the opportunity to work on farms in exchange for food and a place to stay.

Here are some real life experiences about travelling on a budget. Each one of them had a life changing experience with the least amount of money. They went outside their comfort zone and went to see the beautiful world. Take advantage of the opportunity you have, you are young, go out and explore.

Yassmin, a 20 years old went to Santorini, Greece for seven days with a budget of 250 euros. She stayed in a three-star hotel, she booked her package online in March and went there in July. The package included flights from London to Santorini and back. The package included the hotel with breakfast and pick-up from the airport to the hotel. As Oia was the most expensive place in Santorini, she stayed in Kamari. Her budget was perfect for her plans.

Abdelrahman Aly, 22 years old who visited more than one city in the United States this summer. He went to New York, Washington DC, and Orlando. The ticket he bought was very cheap. A round trip flight from Cairo, Egypt to New York cost him around $500-£390. Abdelrahman stayed for four nights in New York, he rented a room for about $120-£90 using Airbnb and then stayed in a three-star bed and breakfast hotel. He shared a room with a friend and they both paid $120. During his trip, he saw famous spots by just wandering around places such as Time Square, the Empire State Building, and Central Park, which were all for free. In Orlando, he bought a package for $200-£150 that included the entry to Universal Studios, Adventure World, and the famous WetnWild Aqua Park.

Ahmed Tarek travelled to five countries in 15 days with £630 including flights, visa, accommodation and food. He went to Spain, The Netherlands, Austria, Portugal and the Czech Republic. Ahmed spent four nights in Spain, two in Amsterdam, four in Prague and four Vienna. He visited most of the iconic places in the countries he went to and his budget was more than enough for him to do almost everything.

Haytham went to Bali, Indonesia, with his friend and stayed there for 18 days. His budget was around £420-£500 for the whole stay and it included everything he did there, the accommodation and transportation. He jumped from island to island and from one hostel to another. As for transportation, he had a motorbike rented throughout most of his stay. He went to Seminyak, Kuta, Uluwatu, Gili Trawangan and many other islands in Indonesia.

Travelling on a budget is easier than you expect it. Why don’t you give it a try and see what happens next.