Several students have to pay off a huge debt as soon as they step out of college. However, if you take stock of the situation and manage your debt, it is possible to go on a vacation without breaking the bank. Read on to know some ways in which you can travel even when you have student loans to pay off.
Evaluate your student loans
Begin by assessing how many student loans you have and the annual percentage rate (APR) on each of them. Refinancing your loan might be a good option if you want to get a lower APR, but you run the risk of losing the benefits of a federal student loan, like deferred payments, loan forgiveness, or customized plans for your income. However, with a lower interest rate, the money you save can be used for traveling.
Keep money aside for traveling
If you have large student loans, consider putting aside money every month just for traveling. Create a travel fund and put it in a separate account that you can access easily. Even $100 every month adds up, and you’ll be traveling in no time.
Get paid to travel
It is true that you can make money while you travel. For example, you can take up a job on a cruise ship. The money is good, and all your expenses are covered. Moreover, you’ll be able to see some great places. There are other options like teaching English abroad. Some popular countries are Taiwan, Vietnam, UAE, and South Korea. They give you the opportunity to travel and also offer competitive salaries.
Minimize your costs and set a budget
Another great way to travel is by minimizing your costs, planning ahead, and preparing an economically viable budget. A road trip doesn’t cost too much, and it has a great pay-off. If you don’t mind sleeping in modest accommodations or using apps to find affordable accommodation, you can manage quite well on a shoestring budget. Make use of your contacts and spend the night at a relative’s house or on your friend’s futon.
Look for loan forgiveness
The government forgives your loans provided you meet certain standards, which are listed below:
- You’re employed full-time in a non-profit job or in an eligible public service.
- You’ve made at least 120 payments on your federal student loan.
Moreover, your federal student loan affords you the opportunity to apply for income-based repayment, wherein if you do not earn a high salary and have no prior balance on a federal student loan, the government caps payments at 10% of what is referred to as your discretionary income. With the extra money you have, try to save up and travel.
Take up a part-time job
Another great option to earn some extra money is taking up a side-gig. It could be freelance work like writing or designing based on your interests and skills. These are flexible and allow you to make a fair bit of money within a short period of time.
Overall, it’s important to realize that debt is something most Americans struggle with, and there are always ways to get around it. Don’t let debt obstruct your dreams follow these tips and travel as much as you like!
