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Advice

Exploring the states on a budget

BY CHARLOTTE COPELAND

Posted: 2nd August 2016 09:36

America, the land of opportunity: the opportunity to spend a lot of dollars. While a trip to the US can get a little pricey, never fear, there’s a bunch of ways to budget your way through the states - you’ll get that corn dog yet! 

Travel 

Consider the universal rules; weekday flights will cost less than weekend flights, flying at 2am will be cheaper than flying at 2pm, and avoid school holidays. You’ll find that the cheapest months to travel to the US are January-March and November, while sites such as studentuniverse.co.uk and statravel.com are great places to find bargain flights. In terms of travelling within the US, Megabus and Greyhound coaches are low-priced alternatives to getting from state to state.   

Accommodation 

America has some wonderful hostels, and since they’re usually occupied by other budgeting travellers, they’re also a good place to get some tips on cheap restaurants, bars and things to do around the area. If you’re struggling to find a hostel in the location that you want to stay in however, there’s also a multitude of budget motels, and you’ll usually find a tonne by any major destination hotspots. They won’t be as sociable, but it might be worth checking whether a motel could actually offer you a similar price for a better location, depending on your priorities.   

Restaurants & Bars 

For maximum money saving, there’s always the option of cooking for yourself - almost all hostels will offer a fully equipped kitchen for its guests to use. Due to the huge amount of choice, you’ll generally find it pretty easy to find cheap places to eat and drink in the US. However, if you’re eating or drinking in a bar or restaurant with table service, remember that it’s common practice to leave a minimum tip of 10% of your total bill, so you may want to include this when planning your budget. 

Activities 

There’s no escaping it, while there’s limitless fun to be had in the US, most of it will come at a cost. With this in mind, it might be worth researching things to do and deciding on which look the best, before rushing to spend money on the first thing you come across. Equally, take a day to just walk around; get a feel for the city, they’ll be plenty to see, and it won’t cost you a sweet dime!

About Charlotte Copeland

Charlotte is an eager traveller whose adventures include working in America and interrailing around Europe. Her most beloved destinations to date include Dubrovnik, New Orleans and Pennsylvania, whilst her happiest travel memory is visiting Elvis Presley’s Graceland, on behalf of her grandmother. She has plans to continue on her journey to discover new and exciting parts of the world that she is yet to explore.

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