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5 Money-Saving Tips For Young Travel

5 Money-Saving Travel Tips
Jordan Freud
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The real world can be expensive and with university starting up, it’s a little bit too easy to get overexcited with your spending. While we can’t stop the inevitable moment of realising you’ve spent half your student loan on junk food, we can help you save your money elsewhere.

With British railways the most expensive in Europe, one of the biggest hits to your wallet can be travel. There’s always a reason to travel; a lost love somewhere up north, friends at other universities where the nightlife looks slightly better, or just because you still don’t know how to use the university washing machines. Since no-one one wants to get themselves into debt over some dirty laundry, here are some tips to help you save money on travel:

Money Saving Travel Tips
Make the most of them while you can: Railcards(01 of05)
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Rail cards are useful. Rail cards are incredibly useful. Rail cards are so useful that even if you only look at pictures of trains you should have one, because it’ll probably still save you money. While the initial registration fee of £30 may be annoying, rail cards can pay themselves back in a single journey, making investing in a rail card a seriously good idea: you’ll save at least a third off the price of every journey. However, be sure to plan ahead on which route and train company to use: some providers, like Virgin, apply different discounts depending on the time of day, but will be scrapping this from the 6th of September.You can find a full list of travel card options here. (credit:Hans Punz/AP)
Save a bundle on long-distance travel: BlaBlaCar(02 of05)
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Sometimes, driving is just the best option: you don’t have to trek to the train station, you can control where you pull over for snacks, and you don’t have to hang around ticket offices and packed train platforms.Ridesharing is one of the best ways of saving you money on travel, whether you’ve got your own car or not. BlaBlaCar, the world’s largest ridesharing community, connects drivers with paying passengers who are looking to travel the same way. As a passenger, you can save 79% of what you would spend on an off-peak single rail ticket, while as a driver, you make back a third of your fuel for every passenger you take with you: either way, the money saved could buy you an entire week’s worth of food.Drivers and passengers select travel companions based on their profiles, which include their preferences, such as if you'll accept smoking or pets in the car, and past ratings, so you can make informed decisions about who you’re going to be travelling with. BlaBlaCar provides free additional insurance on all rides shared, and also offers a ‘Ladies Only’ service for added peace of mind. (credit:Robert Deutschman via Getty Images)
Lower the cost of long train journeys: TicketySplit(03 of05)
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For longer train journeys, a great way to save money is with TicketySplit, which lets you split tickets across the entirety of the journey. Rather than buying one ticket at a fixed price, you can buy a ticket for each different part of the trip. You’ll be taking the same route that you would have normally taken, but for a lot less money. It also takes the effort out of shopping round for a deal, as the service does it for you, leaving you to relax and be on your merry way.Be careful, though: if your train doesn’t stop at the exact stations named on your split tickets, they will not be valid, and you could face a hefty fine. In addition, be aware that if your train is delayed and you have a time-specific ticket, you may need to pay extra in order to continue your journey. (credit:Ian YVR/Flickr)
Got a car at uni? Make huge savings on parking costs: JustPark(04 of05)
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Car parks can be soul destroying; the bays are tiny, the prices are high, and someone always parks so close to you that you can’t even open your door. This is where the beauty of JustPark comes in: people rent out spare space in their driveway or garage, offering spaces that are 70% cheaper than parking on the street. What’s more, you don’t need to worry about fighting for space. You’ll need to book your space in advance, but the beauty is that once it’s reserved, you’ll have none of the hassle of finding a spot when you reach your destination.
Get home or go out quickly and cheaply: Uber(05 of05)
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Looking to get home after a night out but can’t face the thought of shelling out for a taxi? If you’re at a big city uni, Uber’s app can be a much cheaper – and much quicker – alternative to a black cab. Plus, for every friend you recommend, you’ll both get £10 off your next journey, meaning you can save a fortune on the trip home by getting your mates involved. There’s also a setting that lets you split the fare between friends, and as it’s totally cashless you won’t need to worry about not having cash on you at the end of a night out. (credit:NOAH SEELAM via Getty Images)
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