What have all of the experts said?

• Introduction
• Budget Travel Basics
  • Budget Travel Basics Part 2
  • Budget Travel Basics Part 3
• Accomodation
• Budget Destinations
  • Budget Destinations Part 2
  • Budget Destinations Part 3
• Party Hotspots
• Low Cost Tips
  • Low Cost Tips Part 2
  • Low Cost Tips Part 3
• Travelling Light
  • Travelling Light Part 2
  • Travelling Light Part 3
• Travelling Alone
  • Travelling Alone Part 2
  • Travelling Alone Part 3
• Group Travel
• Gap Year
  • Gap Year Part 2
• Volunteering
• Spring or summer break
• What to do
• Conclusion
• Expert Advice
  • Expert Advice Part 2
  • Expert Advice Part 3
  • Expert Advice Part 4
  • Expert Advice Part 5
  • Expert Advice Part 6
  • Expert Advice Part 7

Traveling can be a little 'full on' to say the least. "Daunting" can indeed be a little bit of an understatement. Although a few helpful tips from the best of the best travelers can put you mind at ease (or at least help).

Family Travel Forum :"While traveling for a semester abroad is very exciting for students of any age, it can often be a worrisome time for parents and guardians who remain at home, sometimes far away."

" BigO is a great place for students to let their creative voices flow. We offer scholarships and other prizes for travel essays."

Lillian Marshall: Around the World with "L" "Think carefully about whether you want to take an entire YEAR off to travel. Remember that as a college student, you have nearly 3 full months of summer vacation, and for me, that was the perfect amount of time for my first half-dozen voyages.

"A major concern I have about young people without full-time work experience traveling is MONEY - specifically the capacity to have enough self-created savings. Trust me: it is a whole lot more satisfying to travel knowing you earned all your funds your own self, and that's hard to accomplish for a full year's voyage unless you have been working full time for several years, which most people under 21 have not."

Erica Johansson: Travel blissful: "The first thing that comes to mind is making a budget before you travel. When you have a daily or weekly set amount for accommodation, food, transport, sightseeing and entertainment, everything will go that much smoother, plus there's no need to worry about running out of money before your trip ends".

Johnny Jet

• PROTECT YOURSELF

• Always pay with a credit card so you are protected. The Fair Credit Billing Act provides an appeal mechanism for consumers who were charged for goods or services they never received. If you paid for a future cruise on a credit card and the cruise line then went bankrupt, you can file for a refund. There is one very big catch to this procedure: It is active for only 60 days after the charge was made.

• CHANGING MONEY

• Don't change money. Use ATMs and/or credit cards. They offer the best exchange rates. XE.com is a currency converter and will tell you how much U.S. dollars equals in local currency and vice versa.

• FINDING AIR FARES

• Air Tran has a program for college age travelers; anyone between the ages of 18 and 22 can fly standby for just $69* per segment. $99* for long-haul segments. You don't have to be a student. 50 destinations are offered but it's not good for Cancun or San Juan.

Vanessa Van Petten:RadicalParenting: "Traveling can be addicting AND expensive! How can students manage to explore the world without breaking the bank? There are a few alternatives many young people do not think of when they travel. Here are some cool options:

• 1. Short-Term Rentals Sometimes it ends up being cheaper to rent apartments or houses for short amounts of time. This way, you can cook a lot of your meals and have a couple people stay with you to share the cost of a house rather than a hotel room. Plus you really get to see what it is like to live in a place if you stay in a home.
• 2. Voluntourism There are many organizations that will cover your housing and food expenses if you come and volunteer abroad. This is an amazing way to see the world and help people!
• 3. Couch Surfing Couch surfing is a great group of people that rent or give away their couches for free. You often can meet interesting people and have little-to-no cost. Be sure to stay with people who have been approved on the site previously, to stay safe.
• 4. Apartment Swapping If you have an apartment or house in your hometown, you might be able to swap with people far away. There are many services to do this for free.
• 5. House and Pet Sitting I know of many young people who will go to Australia, China or even Chile to house or pet sit while people are away. They often can stay for free and see the place they are in while helping the people they are working for.

There are always ways to travel, just think outside the box and it does not have to cost a fortune.