These 5 tips will help you travel smartly as an international student

Traveling abroad is a grand idea. While the perks are plenty, they do not come for free. There are many heads of expenditure for an international student; one of them being traveling itself. From booking a flight ticket from your home country to returning to your home country, you would have spent a sheer amount of money, regardless of whether you are on a scholarship. But, face it, traveling is unavoidable so you will have to find ways to deal with it smartly.

I am not going to tell you anything out-of-the-world yet it is something that many international students take for granted. In order to save money on travel without having to compromise too much, there are many things you will have to do. Stay here a while and you shall know what kind of tips I have for you to handle this matter.

1. The cheapest way is the longest
   You should consult a number of travel agencies before booking your flight ticket–and you should do that well in advance. However, you should know that it is generally the longest-hour flight which is generally cheap. Yes, we all want to avoid too many layovers but you cannot save money by being picky. A flight ticket is one of the most sizeable expenditures you will end up making and you might want to adjust a little to save money. Also, when I say well in advance, tickets should be booked at the earliest. You will find yourself scrolling down a list of highly expensive flights in the last few weeks before the trip. So, make sure you rope in a good travel agent in case you are unsure whether you can manage on your own.

2. Student discounts are lifesavers
   I can’t thank student discounts enough! From flight tickets to grocery shopping, you can avail of these discounts. Many countries such as the United Kingdom and the United States of America run many kinds of student discounts in public transportation. When you are in the country of education, you should carefully read through the terms and conditions of these discounts because there can be restrictions based on the time of booking, nature of transport, and services availed of. Public transportation will save you money, but you have to watch out for the terms. With time, you will know them on the tip of your fingers!

3. Carpooling is cool
   Carpooling is going to be such a huge breather for you, especially when you are not living on campus. Private taxis can be really expensive, and public transportation may not be accessible all the time due to any constraints. However, if you happen to know someone who drives to university and is willing to split gas money, then you should just go ahead with it. Ask people you know who might be able to chip in so that your share gets reduced. The more people carpool, the better it is. Moreover, it is generally a quicker way to transport.

4. Slice a share for travel
   Maintaining bank accounts during international education is critical. While you are at it, it is advised that you take a share of your money and save it in a separate account for travel and other expenses unrelated to education. This will be a highly efficient way to keep tabs on your expenses. You should consider making a budget for travel and try maintaining it as much as you can. One suggestion, though: do not be too strict with the budget because expenses can be unpredictable at times.

5. Get a bicycle
   If you are going to study in countries such as the Netherlands, the United States or Japan, you should consider buying or renting a bicycle. Over there, the transportation network is biker-friendly and is quite systematic. Moreover, you should be able to save a lot of money otherwise spent on traveling short distances. You may never know but these pocket expenses on short-distance travel accumulate into a big pile. A bicycle is a one-time investment but it is going to prevent unnecessary expenditure. Also, it is going to be a good exercise for you while you travel on a bicycle.