Cheap Fun

Student Survival Guide To...

by Heba Keshk on 27th of February 2008

Living foot loose and fancy free

So finally it's come to an end. The final student loan of the year is around the corner, but we all know that's going to be gone at the blink of an eye.

Going on holiday at your own expense might be considered impossible. However with much hunting online you can truly have a brilliant time even if you're broke.

Come Fly With Me

Budget:£150
No. Of People: 4
Nights: 4

Website: RyanAir.com
Destination: Venice, Italy
If you're after a short holiday with your mates as a well deserved rest, then flight tickets could be bought for as little as 1p to places like Venice and Tours Loire Valley, thanks to Ryanair.com.

Obviously you have to pay for the taxes etc, which still leaves you paying as little as £20 for a return ticket to some of the nicest cities in Europe.


The average hotel cost of four sharing would be £50 per night, which includes breakfast.

In total expect to pay an average of £73.46 person.

The Maths:
Flight: £20 for four nights
Hotel: £53.46 per night
Having a budget of £150, means you are left with £76.54 to spend on any additional transport from and to the hotel and dinner.

International Seas

Budget: £250
No. Of People: 4
Nights: 4

Website: Cheapticket.co.uk
Destination: Los Angeles, USA

If you have a little bit more than £150 saved up and want to travel outside of Europe, then cheapticket.co.uk is your best bet.

It is very simple. You chose the location and the date of travel and they compare all airlines for you, finding you the cheapest tickets.

Through Cheapticket.co.uk I found seven nights in Los Angeles for £85 on Northwest Airlines and KLM, which meant it would leave me with extra money for hotel.

If you don't have the patience to shop around then hotelclub.net is the best option to help narrow down your choices of cheap hotels in your holiday destination.

I managed to find very cheap hotel prices for a four star hotel located in Pico Rivera, £132 for four nights.

However, if you don't mind traveling to and from your hotel, the go for Goodnight Inn. It is most conveniently located in San Fernando Valley.

You will be saving a total of £30 on top of the additional £33 out of your budget, which leaves you more money to get gifts for friends and family… or a few drinks.!!

The Maths:
Flight: £85 for four nights
Hotel: £33 per night
Having a budget of £250, means you are left with £63 to spend on any additional transport from and to the hotel and dinner.

Around my Hometown

Budget: £100
No. Of People: 4
Nights:3

Destination: United Kingdom
So you don't have as much money as expected but still want to make the most of the money you do have. But lets face it, with a budget of £90 the likelihood is that you're not getting further than Scotland. But who said local is a bad thing?

Many of us don't really get to see parts of Britain, so this can be a brilliant place to start.

For transport nationalexpress.com is by FAR the best option. Locations like Perth, Edinburgh, Manchester and another 47 destinations are as little as £1 for a one way, so yes a return will be £2.

FunFare is a scheme that allows students to travel cheap. So if you don't mind a few extra hours on a bus with your iPod or a friend who has verbal diarrhoea, then it is definitely an offer to grab with both hands.

As for accommodation, the UK is known for its over-priced everything, so expect to pay around £90 for the full three nights.

However, it's work keeping up to date with the latest cost via cheaperthanhotels.co.uk. If you have a bit of dosh left over then do what most people do when visiting another city. Walk around with a map and a ticket for the tour guide bus.

The Maths:
Bus: £2 returns
Hotel: £44 per night (double room)
Having a budget of £100.

You are left with a potential £15, which means going to a fancy restaurant might be out the question, but we all know in any corner of the world a very welcoming McDonald can be found.