Unable to afford to take a gap year? You’re not alone

A rite of passage for many young people a gap year travelling allows students to gain experience and learn new things whilst roaming around the world, with many taking a gap year before or just after university. Potential employers look favourably on applicants who have taken time out to go and see the world, spend time within other cultures and also taken time to fit in some form of work whether paid or for charity. However according to recent research, many young people want to take a gap year to travel, but just can’t afford to.

Online money saving voucher code website, My Voucher Codes surveyed students to find out whether they wanted to take a gap year, if they were planning on or if they had. They found that least 78% of young people are interested in taking a gap year, or already have, however a large portion unfortunately cannot afford to. When asked, 37% admitted they could not afford to take a gap year either before or after university, with 20% stating they would have to wait until they were older and in a better financial position.

Travel is great to broaden the mind, it’s also easier to do when you’re younger and have less responsibilities, but unfortunately you do have less money. Either saving to go to university or debts accrued after, there is no surprise that when tuition fees and other expenses increased, the number of young people not affording to take a gap year increased also. Soon as you turn 18 you start a lifelong attachment to debt, however it’s not all doom and gloom.

It’s estimated the cost of taking a gap year is £3,000 to £4,000 which might seem a lot for a young person to raise but there are a number of options available. You can always use the bank of mum and dad, like a fifth of children do, or look at partnering with a charity to fund part of your trip. Working with charities who pay for your accommodation, food and drink normally for part of your trip. You could always look at working whilst travelling taking odd jobs or as some people have done looked at crowd funding to pay for your trip.

Waiting until you are older and hoping you will be in a better financial position, may not be a good idea though either. As you get older for many people you get more responsibilities, such as a job, home, family and even pets. Would you be able to take up to a year out to go travelling when older or would you have more responsibilities to consider? Don’t forget costs will also increase, so even if you have a job you still may not have enough money. And speaking of a job, not all employers let people take sabbaticals from their job, especially not of a year so could you risk leaving and then not having a job on your return.

For more information on this study go to Breaking Travel News.