1. Food markets: As great as it is to head to wonderful foodie cities such as Naples or Bordeaux, it can sometimes be quite expensive to dine out. Naturally, some cities such as Paris or London are going to be more expensive to eat out in than in Lisbon or Budapest but if you do your research you can always find budget cafes or restaurants along the way in any city. A great way which can save tons of cash for other activities is to head to local food markets where you will experience the real local fresh cuisine. In nearly every city there will be parks or beaches where you can stop for a picnic or even a BBQ! which we highly recommend.
2. Apartments / Hostels: Staying on the theme of food, apartments & hostels is a great way of saving money when it comes to cooking. Sometimes you may not be able to get your hands on a disposable or travel BBQ, maybe the weather outside is too wet for a picnic, meaning if you’re in a hotel your only chance of a hot meal is dining at a restaurant. If your apartment has a kitchen you can still pick up food from local markets or even budget shops such as Lidl or Aldi and eat in. Nearly every hostel will have a communal kitchen where you can make yourself dinner and maybe get some cooking tips off other guests. Not to mention hostels, B&b’s, and apartments are nearly always cheaper than hotels.
3. Free attractions: Every tourist city in the entire world will have free attractions. Some of these might include, parks, hikes, museums, beaches, or even guided tours. Whatever city you are planning to visit make sure to make a list of all the free attractions before you go. Some museums constantly have free entry but others might have free entry for certain days of the week or certain times of the day so be sure to make note of each one. Generally, every tourist city will have a free walking tour, be sure to get yourself on board as you will witness everything the area has to offer along with maybe getting some extra helpful tips off the guide such as which cafes or pubs are popular or budget-friendly.
4. Travel accessories: Water bottles, travel BBQs, mini weighing scales, power banks, collapsable food containers, anti-theft wallets are all travel accessories that will save you money and that’s just to name a few. You will be amazed by the amount of money you will save if you have a reusable water bottle instead of spending money in shops every time you become thirsty. Power banks will save you time and money so you don’t have to sit down in a cafe waiting for your phone to charge along with spending money on a coffee. Think about where you are going, will it be raining? then bring a rain poncho or umbrella or if its sunny bring sun cream and a hat which can be expensive in tourist towns.
5. Travel options: In general traveling by bus is the cheapest mode of transport, but be sure to check every transport option before you set off. If you are traveling short distances your options are to walk, rent a bike or electric scooter, bus, taxi, or even Uber. Just because you think renting the bike is cheapest it might actually be the same price as an Uber so be sure to consider every option before you travel. For long-distance travel, you may try to get an overnight train or bus and sleep on it to save money on a night’s accommodation. Sometimes you might also be inclined to try to save money by getting a bus to Milan from Paris when in fact flying could be the cheapest option. With budget airlines such as Ryanair you can find flights for just €9.99, During a sale, I even managed to get one for just €2.
0 comments on “How to travel on a budget”