For many young people, the months following graduation from high school or college are spent searching for employment, temporary or otherwise. For some, however, there is the lure of adventure and discovery, and the next stop after school ends is to begin seeing the world and traveling. Whatever the theme of the trip, whether for volunteer work, exploration or simply a chance to spend time in a foreign country, the first successful long term trip or gap year that a young person undertakes begins with proper planning of the budget.
Planning a Gap Year Budget
Though there are certainly exceptions, generally young people who have just graduated from high school or college do not have a great deal of money to spend, on travel or otherwise. That does not mean that a gap year is an impossibility; taking steps to map out the trip and prepare for all monetary needs, as well as emergencies, will ensure that the trip is memorable for all the right reasons.
Use online travel sites, blogs and guides to learn as much about the destination or trip as possible; also take advantage of review sites and traveler blogs, particularly if the contributors are gap year travelers as well.
