Students use travel and hotel hacks to reduce living costs

Students in the United States and the United Kingdom are utilizing unconventional travel and lodging strategies to manage high living costs associated with university and internships.

In the United States, Sophia Celentano, a student at the University of Virginia, opted to commute from her parents' home in South Carolina to her marketing internship at Ogilvy Health in New Jersey. Because the role only required one day of in-person attendance per week, she flew approximately 2,000 km round-trip every Wednesday. While the 10-week travel and Uber costs totaled roughly $2,250, this was significantly cheaper than the estimated $4,250 required for local rent in New Jersey.

In the United Kingdom, Tigerlily Taylor, a student at the University of Northampton, avoids university dormitory fees by staying in hotels only on days when her schedule requires overnight stays. By booking a Travelodge for one night a week rather than paying for a monthly student room, she reduces her monthly expenses from approximately £620 to around £260, including travel costs, resulting in substantial annual savings.