We always hear great things about traveling from our friends and family. Those who study abroad always come back with amazing stories about their experiences overseas. Rarely does anyone come back from a trip and say, “That wasn’t very fun, and I regret taking that trip.”

In college, students are at a perfect juncture in life to travel. There won’t be many more times in our lives that we have more freedom to pick up and go somewhere. Most are not tied down to a full-time job, a family or the responsibilities of post-college life.

College is also a time where we have the freedom of living on our own and the ability to make our own decisions.

The Editorial Board urges you to consider a trip this Spring Break or summer.

Unfortunately, while traveling is easy to do because we don’t have many time constraints or responsibilities, it’s not cheap, and money is something college students never seem to have enough of. Budgeting for a trip may be the hardest but most important step when planning a vacation.

Travel

When traveling to a single destination or overseas, flying there on an airplane may be the easiest way to go. After dealing with the hassles of security lines and baggage checks, traveling by air is safe and convenient.

To get the best deals, look at many different flights for many different days. It may be cheaper to fly on a weekend than mid-week. Buying tickets well in advance instead of waiting until the last minute will save on airfare, too.

Even though connecting flights are a pain, it often is much cheaper, and that extra cash can be spent on a special daytrip at your destination. Consider the pros and cons and don’t write it off right away.

Maybe road-tripping is the best option for your travels. Check out gas prices online in different cities so you can find the cheapest place.

If you have family or friends throughout the United States, consider bunking it with them en route to your destination(s). This could be a vacation spot by itself.

Food

Eating every meal out every day can add up pretty quickly. Researching restaurants before going out can lead to finding the best tasting food at the cheapest price, instead of just taking a gamble at the first place you find. Cooking in can be fun too —  checking out the local supermarket could be just as much of an adventure as a local restaurant.

Try eating more for lunch than dinner. An expansive or fancy lunch costs much less than the same meal would be in the evening. Plus, eating a big breakfast and lunch and then a light dinner is healthier.

Though it’s important to indulge on vacation, sometimes it will be financially responsible to just order some fast food meals or get some sandwich ingredients for quick lunches. Eating delicious food is an essential part of vacation, but having enough money to buy groceries when you get back is more important.

Lodging

Even though roughing it in your car for a night is the cheapest option, it’s not the most comfortable. Hostels are an option for some adventure, and shopping around to find smaller, local hotel chains is often cheaper as well.

Staying at a hotel outside of a big city (if that’s where you’re going) will also be less expensive too. If you don’t mind the drive in to the city, find a room off the beaten path for half the price.

Traveling is eye-opening and exciting, and it’s important to do it now when you have the time and the freedom. Just plan on a budget, so the return trip home is spent laughing over pictures and not stressing about how to pay the credit card bill.