Gap years are something that we often hear about, whether it is a result of seeing those elephant print trousers plastered all over Instagram, or whether you're listening to somebody tell you about how they've come back from Asia, after 'finding themselves'. Whilst it can all get quite cliche sometimes, there are some great benefits of the gap year, from helping you to grow in confidence, to allowing you an insight into how other people live. If you want to take the plunge and do some exploring for yourself, follow these simple tips.
 |
| Source |
Sort Out Your Finances
One of the first things you need to think about before you go on a gap year is your finances, and every traveller does this differently. Many work whilst they travel - in bars, in vineyards, or even as bloggers - and others save up beforehand, and use all of their time to explore instead. However you decide to do this, you should look at how much it's going to cost before you head out, because it's not great to be stuck somewhere with no cash.
Think About Your Commitments
Before you hop on that plane, you need to sort out some of the boring stuff first. For example, can you get out of your contract yet for your rent, and do you have anybody (or anything) who is dependant on you? By this we mean, you're probably going to have to drop off your four legged friend and some dog products at your parents for a while. We're not suggesting that you would forget about this, but it's worth thinking about well in advance.
Look For Good Deals
If you're going to have the best gap year possible (and your money is going to take you pretty far) then you need to look out for those great deals. It's an old-age trick to delete your cookies after you've been searching for flights, as some airlines have been known to hike the prices up. It's also a good idea not to just buy the first flight you see, or book the hotel that looks amazing but will cost you thousands. Be more economical!
Choose A Well-Thought Out Route
Before you decide to go to China, and then to Australia, and then to Vietnam, costing you a lot of money and taking up a lot of time too, think about your route properly. Even if you haven't made any big mistakes here, you could be missing out on something better, just because you haven't done your research. For example, could you get a boat or train somewhere, instead of a flight? Look into these things thoroughly.
So, if you're looking to go on a gap year, there are many things that you need to think about. From sorting out your finances and thinking about existing commitments, to getting the best deals and choosing clever routes, don't miss out on these simple tricks, and you'll save yourself time and money, whilst still having a great experience. Good luck, and happy travels!
*This is a collaborative post
No comments
Post a Comment