Just because you’re in the middle of your studies, there’s no reason that you shouldn’t be making the most out of your Christmas season by going on holiday.

Lack of money should also not be a major factor in your choice of destination or activities; you’ve only got a few more years of freedom before you find yourself locked down in full time work! If you think that student life is getting in the way of your enjoyment now, you haven’t seen anything yet.

Fortunately, with the right planning, and a measured set of expectations, it’s entirely feasible to get away this festive season, and enjoy something a little different while it’s still easy to do so!

Decide what you can live without

If you go into the holiday planning process fully aware that you might have to make compromises, the process becomes considerably easier. At the end of the day, the only limit to the destinations that you can visit, or how much fun you have over the course of the holiday, is how much you are willing to do without. For example, cutting back in terms of accommodation from a luxurious, or even middle of the road hotel, to instead staying at a youth hostel, could save you the money that it takes for you to get there in the first place – or keep enough money spare to ensure that you can go out drinking on a few nights! Backpacking is also a viable option, reducing accommodation costs to a far smaller amount.

Other sound advice in this regard is to cut back on the cost of eating while abroad. By purchasing food from local supermarkets and market stalls, rather than incurring the often extortionate expense of eating out every day/night, you can potentially save yourself a ton of cash. However, if you absolutely MUST eat out, as a general rule of thumb, the further the shop you choose from tourist focussed areas, the cheaper the cost should be.

Cut back on transport costs

One of the most obvious ways to reduce Christmas holiday costs is to cut back on the price of travelling to your destination in the first place; travelling around Europe can be achieved in your own vehicle, through the use of InterRail train tickets, or through hitchhiking (the cheapest option!). All allow you to better enjoy the finer things in life, while simply extending your journey to a slightly longer duration. In the same way, using the services of budget airlines, such as EasyJet or Ryanair, can quickly reduce the costs; though your expectations in regards to quality of service and refreshments should be reduced accordingly.

Pick the perfect Christmas location

Depending on how much you’re willing to spend; your choice of destination can be incredibly varied. From looking for a more traditional Christmas break in a more seasonal, snow-covered location; to looking for something a little different in a much warmer destination. While notorious ‘sunny Christmas’ holiday destinations, such as Australia, may be a bit too far afield to be considered for a cheaper winter break, North African, Southern European or central American holiday destinations can all be quite affordable to reach, while also offering warmer climes in which to enjoy Christmas.

The more traditional amongst the ‘budget Christmas holiday’ crowd may instead be drawn to the Winter wonderland of Lapland, or the festive brilliance of the world-renowned Christmas markets found across Germany, all of which are easily, and cheaply, accessible; with the right planning.

Destination is sorted, but what about the gifts?

Christmas is the time for giving – and many of you might be thinking about heading abroad to visit family or simply enjoy the festive season with some mates. Consequently, if the destination is sorted, you might be thinking about how to save money yet also secure the best present possible.

Fortunately, there are many affordable, yet brilliant, gifts to get fellow holidaymakers, ranging from journals to neck wallets. Alpha Travel recently created an ultimate gift guide and this might be worth a read to get some inspiration.

While you’re there, you might also want to browse their travel insurance section and ensure that you’re appropriately covered for your winter break. After all, you wouldn’t want your trip to end in an expensive medical bill!