Living large on budget travel. New York, New York. Travel, Backpacking. Times Square.
Okay, So I wanted to build out a post on travel I did last year. This would be back in March of 2013.
Not a lot of people know this as I don't flaunt or talk about it often but I was raised without a father. I also lost my key parental support in my high school years as my solo parent turned to bad addiction. I've done a lot in raising myself. I haven't done a lot of travel on anyone's budget (other than my own).
I remember being in high school and asking neighbors for returnables so I could fund a trip to Chicago for my french class. It cost $450.
I've had to come up with strategic ways to travel on a budget. So, this post can apply to anyone from minimum wage workers, to college students, to single parents, or anyone in general who wants to travel somewhere cool (without breaking the bank).
This is where to tune in.
I had some friends driving to Chicago. They wanted to spend their spring break in the Windy City.
Rather than stay the entire spring break, I decided to take the trip and stay for a day. I looked up tickets out of Chicago to New York. I flew JetBlu airlines. The total round trip ticket price was I think $167.
Before booking the flight, I was on a whim. My major hurdle was lodging. Hotels are impossible to come by for less than $40/night.
I looked up a Brooklyn room on the website Airbnb. (I found this website in the magazine Fast Company.) In total I think I spent around $15/night
The rental was a three bedroom apartment. Two of the bedrooms had multiple metal bunk beds, sleeping up to six people per room. The living room was large and had two or three couches. It was a large 1,100 square foot place. Open kitchen, shared bathroom. It was also less than one block from a subway and a short (40 minute) ride to Time Square. Most of the travelers were from European countries. They said it was rare to have an American.
Saving money and living out of a cheap Airbnb place, I was able to stay for about three nights for a comparable cost of one night in a cheap $45 hotel. I also didn't lose any ground in heading in to Time Square or Manhattan. Brooklyn is pretty cool itself.
For food, I saved money by preparing my own meals. I would buy lunch meat, eggs and whatever else I needed (milk, cheese, snacks) from local deli stores. It provided cash for small business (helping the urban economy) and saved me money from going out to eat. I was able to live off of a low total budget and stay in New York for my entire Spring Break.
I must admit that although I was living on a budget and I do preach saving money, I also have a credit card. Do not take this as discrediting but reality has set in that I was able to shop for clothes and occasionally buy coffee etc.
$20 ground Transportation from Marquette - Chicago, $167 flight Chicago - New York, $27 bus ride from JFK to Time Square, $2 subway ride to Airbnb rental, $4/day subway ride (to and from Time Square), $15/night in rental at 4 nights. + food, (prepping own meals) $15/day.
I also, took a bus from New York to Boston and stayed with friends ($30 bus ride each way, free couch surf stay) in the middle of my trip. I rode back to New York after 3 days and stayed in an AirBnb rental (one without bunk beds). I had my own private room and bath for $30/night. Bedford Stuyvent. I'll post on this later.
In total, without shopping for clothes or buying extras the core of the trip was ~$500. This is without taking a side trip to Boston or switching Airbnb rentals. At the end of my stay I took a $30 taxi ride (nice GMC Denali) to the Airport (JFK). In returning to Marquette from Chicago I hitched a ride with another MBA student who was heading home from break. (This cost me $40 in gas).
The moral is, no matter what one's income source is - or life situation is, travel is possible. There's always a way to see new places and do so on a strategic budget.
My Philosophy: It is exciting to take something seemingly uncertain and solidifying it.
. Some Photos from the experience:
Not a lot of people know this as I don't flaunt or talk about it often but I was raised without a father. I also lost my key parental support in my high school years as my solo parent turned to bad addiction. I've done a lot in raising myself. I haven't done a lot of travel on anyone's budget (other than my own).
I remember being in high school and asking neighbors for returnables so I could fund a trip to Chicago for my french class. It cost $450.
I've had to come up with strategic ways to travel on a budget. So, this post can apply to anyone from minimum wage workers, to college students, to single parents, or anyone in general who wants to travel somewhere cool (without breaking the bank).
This is where to tune in.
I had some friends driving to Chicago. They wanted to spend their spring break in the Windy City.
Rather than stay the entire spring break, I decided to take the trip and stay for a day. I looked up tickets out of Chicago to New York. I flew JetBlu airlines. The total round trip ticket price was I think $167.
Before booking the flight, I was on a whim. My major hurdle was lodging. Hotels are impossible to come by for less than $40/night.
I looked up a Brooklyn room on the website Airbnb. (I found this website in the magazine Fast Company.) In total I think I spent around $15/night
The rental was a three bedroom apartment. Two of the bedrooms had multiple metal bunk beds, sleeping up to six people per room. The living room was large and had two or three couches. It was a large 1,100 square foot place. Open kitchen, shared bathroom. It was also less than one block from a subway and a short (40 minute) ride to Time Square. Most of the travelers were from European countries. They said it was rare to have an American.
Saving money and living out of a cheap Airbnb place, I was able to stay for about three nights for a comparable cost of one night in a cheap $45 hotel. I also didn't lose any ground in heading in to Time Square or Manhattan. Brooklyn is pretty cool itself.
For food, I saved money by preparing my own meals. I would buy lunch meat, eggs and whatever else I needed (milk, cheese, snacks) from local deli stores. It provided cash for small business (helping the urban economy) and saved me money from going out to eat. I was able to live off of a low total budget and stay in New York for my entire Spring Break.
I must admit that although I was living on a budget and I do preach saving money, I also have a credit card. Do not take this as discrediting but reality has set in that I was able to shop for clothes and occasionally buy coffee etc.
$20 ground Transportation from Marquette - Chicago, $167 flight Chicago - New York, $27 bus ride from JFK to Time Square, $2 subway ride to Airbnb rental, $4/day subway ride (to and from Time Square), $15/night in rental at 4 nights. + food, (prepping own meals) $15/day.
I also, took a bus from New York to Boston and stayed with friends ($30 bus ride each way, free couch surf stay) in the middle of my trip. I rode back to New York after 3 days and stayed in an AirBnb rental (one without bunk beds). I had my own private room and bath for $30/night. Bedford Stuyvent. I'll post on this later.
In total, without shopping for clothes or buying extras the core of the trip was ~$500. This is without taking a side trip to Boston or switching Airbnb rentals. At the end of my stay I took a $30 taxi ride (nice GMC Denali) to the Airport (JFK). In returning to Marquette from Chicago I hitched a ride with another MBA student who was heading home from break. (This cost me $40 in gas).
The moral is, no matter what one's income source is - or life situation is, travel is possible. There's always a way to see new places and do so on a strategic budget.
My Philosophy: It is exciting to take something seemingly uncertain and solidifying it.
. Some Photos from the experience:
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