Hello!
Now! The summer break is among us and almost every student wants to be able to embrace the freedom they are given away from those important exams, group projects and modules!
I love the summer breaks! I really do… it’s that important time of year (next to work of course!) that I can sit back and begin to go on a holiday or two and to be able to see the world… now the only problem is… how are you going to be able to afford the pricey holiday packages without giving up and singing a sad rendition of the classic hit ‘If I Were a Rich Man’ (and trust me… that is never a pretty sight nor noise).
BUT fear not my friends, I will share you a few tips that have been passed down to me by the World Wide Web as well as my dear mother to ensure that YOU will have a great summer break.
Do YOUR Research (duh?)
Okay, that was a bit of an obvious one but there are many people out there who are more than happy to pop down into a travel agency, and come out with a holiday package at the cost of five months of student accommodation rent. Don’t be that person. The internet exists for a reason and if I were you… I would utilize it to your own benefit. The website that has especially helped me for whenever I need to plan a trip is MONEY SAVING EXPERT (www.moneysavingexpert.com/travel/).
Honestly Martin (the guy who runs the website) is fantastic, he has never failed to save me money when it comes to shopping, and taking out an insurance… you name it. He’ll give you all the facts you need, personal recommendations and most of all little tips and tricks (which are always helpful).
Another fantastic place to look at deals for is TRAVEL SUPERMARKET (www.travelsupermarket.com). Travel expert Bob Atkinson will point you towards the best deals with this this awesome travel comparison site. I mean, I am not making this up… I managed to grab a deal for TWO WEEKS in Florence from Birmingham for a whopping £181,96 exactly (including tax)! That’s not even a month’s worth of student accommodation rent and gives you two weeks to enjoy the beautiful city of Florence!
Shop smart and reap the rewards.
Bed & Breakfasts > Hotels
When it comes to accommodation then B&Bs are the way to go. Not only are they cheaper but majority of B&Bs are family run, giving you the true cultural experience. The rooms themselves are beautiful and will allow you to physically feel as if you have been transported to a different world than you are used to.
Did I also mention that grub is free? Home cooked traditional meals? For FREE?.
The websites I use personally when it comes to looking for accommodation are AirBNB (www.airbnb.co.uk) and Booking.com (www.booking.com).
Utilize YOUR Student Discount
You think those Student ID’s around your neck are there to just embarrass you? Of course not… they have a greater purpose than embarrassing you and allowing you to have all-nighters at the Library. That student card you have is also a NUS card.
If those of you who are not familiar with NUS (or National Union of Students), they are a fantastic organization that is a collaboration of hundreds of student unions right across the UK to bring you support, equality and of course entitle you to Student Discounts.
You can also go one step further by getting an NUS Extra card or NUS International card. Every student at Staffs can get these amazing discounts from deals such as a free burger or McFlurry when buying a medium meal to of course £10 off on all flights with StudentUniverse. Those aren’t the only two discounts you are entitled to, there are hundred discounts, even international discounts you are entitled to as a student so DO check out NUS Extra (http://www.nus.org.uk/en/nus-extra/discounts) for more info!
I hope these tips do work for you, just like they have done for me!
Now off you go! Make those awesome memories that you’ll be able to reminisce to in days to come.
Peace.
Leave a Reply