Tips on Planning Eurown Eurotrip

I recently graduated from college and I was fortunate enough to have the opportunity to travel to Europe for a graduation present. I was accompanied by two of my friends, who also recently graduated from college. Since we were relatively limited on funds, we decided to plan our own Eurotrip and bypass the travel agents. Looking back, I have no regrets... only tips for the next trip.

First of all, if you don't already have a passport, get one a.s.a.p. Without this you can't leave the country and considering the extreme amount of passport requests, it's better to be safe then sorry. There is always the option of paying double your money to have your passport delivered quicker, but is it really worth the extra 100$ when passports already cost 92$? Learn from my mistake and take the time instead of the money- it's cheaper and you can use that money on your trip.

Next, when booking flights it is almost always cheaper to fly on a Tuesday or a Thursday. You can see this for yourself if you compare flights online. Which brings me to my next tip: use the Internet. It is almost always cheaper to book flights and hotels online (sorry, no advice for hostels because we didn't stay in any...of which we know). Next, compare the prices from different websites and be cautious of websites such as Expedia.com, Cheapflights.com, and other misleading websites. Also, remember to book in advance. The more in advance you book the better price you will receive. My friends and I booked our flight with Travelation.com and we paid a little over 1,000$ for a round trip to Europe. We left on Tuesday, July 31 and returned on Thursday, August 16^th of this year. Compared to the aforementioned websites, we saved a few hundred dollars. It is always best to search for yourself though.