If you love to travel and want to extend your journeys, one of the most important things to do is trim your expenses. Extending your trekking time by stretching your budget is a matter of balance, being smart and knowing what your priorities are. Major travel expenses are typically lodging, transportation, food, and activities—below are some ideas to help you reduce costs for each of these in order to maximize your travel time.
Lodging for Less
Depending on where you go, lodging is likely to be the largest daily expense you incur. In many places in Europe, the minimum for a very basic private room is about 20–30 Euros a night. Other areas can be considerably higher and some are lower. Do your research before you go to get an idea about prices in the area for different levels of accommodations.
Avoiding large chain hotels, searching out private rooms and pensions, talking to locals in the area, traveling off season, couchsurfing or using these online resources can help you find inexpensive places to stay. Lower your expectations because you will generally compromise quality in return for a lower price. Focus on security and comfort—this is shelter, a safe place to sleep. Remember you’re not traveling abroad to spend time in your room; lodging is a necessity and does not have to be a luxury.
Determine Location and Estimated Prices with Internet Research
Initial research is essential for determining where to book your room. There are usually clusters of inexpensive places to stay near ferry ports, bus stops, and train stations. This is convenient because after you arrive you can scope out a few before making your decision. You may even be able to negotiate a better price by letting the staff know you are comparing nearby options.
Hostel Dorms are a Cheap Alternative
Staying in a hostel is a great way to save money while traveling. Hostels provide rooms that you share with other travelers. Typically 3, 4, 6 or even 12 people share a dorm room and bunk beds are pretty common. You’ll have to consider if you are ok with less privacy, a shared bathroom, decreased security and possibly lower quality sleep. Visit my post about staying in hostels to learn more about the hostel experience and if it is right for you.
Saving on Transportation
While traveling, it is foreseeable that a large chunk of your budget will go toward getting to your destination and the surrounding area. Plane tickets, Eurail passes, trains, ferries, car rentals, taxis and bus travel all add up. Here are some tips to reduce your total cost of transportation.
Frequent Flyer Programs & Rewards Credit Cards
The last three tickets I’ve gotten for Europe have all been almost free because of my frequent flyer program. That’s about $1,500 each I’ve saved, for a total of about $4,500. I am a loyal fan of my United Miles Credit card. I put all my regular monthly expenses on the card and watch the miles rack up. Plus, there are other opportunities for getting more miles: shopping at your favorite store through their website can multiply the miles you earn, you can get miles for taking surveys, and just signing up for the credit card you get 30,000 miles. There are many ways to quickly accumulate the miles you need for a free ticket.
I think the best part of this mileage program is that United is part of the Star Alliance. You can get a ticket to just about anywhere with your miles because United or one of its partners will take you there. This is especially useful if you want to fly between smaller cities rather than the major transportation hubs.
Bus Travel, Bicycles or Walking is Cheapest
In many countries, busses are cheap and convenient.
Bus travel is one of the most inexpensive ways to get around. Renting a car allows you more flexibility, but at a much higher price. Generally, there are frequent busses between major cities and hubs, so most of the time can easily get where you want to go. Depending on what town you are in, busses could be a good way to get around as well.
If you can, walk. In Paris I took the metro everywhere until I learned how close the stops were together. By walking everywhere, I saved money, saw more of the city, and got great exercise. Unless you have physical limitations, walk. What’s the hurry?
Bicycles are another great option. In many places it’s cheap to rent the for the day and it is a fun way to cover a lot of ground.
Travel By Long Distance Train
Train travel can be inexpensive, relaxing, fun, and a wonderful way to see the countryside. Major cities are connected with stops in smaller cities and towns along the way. Traveling this way can be very affordable, but costs do vary by class of train, distance, and location.
There are high speed, overnight, regional, and local trains. Some are segregated into first class and second class seating areas. In the Czeck Republic I had a very cheap train ticket, but the car was made for commuters with bicycles so there were only a few places to sit. Consider your priorities before purchasing your ticket. Would you prefer to pay more for an overnight trip and have a whole day in your new destination, or would you prefer to pay less and look out the window as you go?
Frequency cards, time block or regional passes could save you fare money if you plan to use the train mainly in one area. The Eurail Pass has many options for those who wish to explore Europe by its extensive rail network. Carefully consider your travel plans before purchasing because the price can varies considerably from inexpensive 1-country passes to multiple month, whole continent passes.
Inexpensive Local Flights
An alternative to long distance train or ferry is a cheap local flight. Do some research as you may find the costs can be comparable. Check easyJet or Ryan Air for inexpensive flights, which can be as low as 40-50 Euros. Many countries also have their own airlines for regional travel. Consider the time and costs for flying versus taking a ferry or train. It may be worth it to you to pay a little more to have more time in a place, or the money you save could mean two more nights lodging.
Eating on the Cheap
Live to eat or eat to live? Your attitude can determine the amount you spend on food, but if you are like me, a big part of traveling is sampling the local cuisine. You can have it all without breaking the bank.
You Don’t Have to Eat Every Meal in a Restaurant
The first lesson is that eating in restaurants costs more. At home, do you eat every meal in a restaurant? No. Neither do the locals. It’s entirely possible to sample the area’s cuisine without eating out every time.
Explore the local grocery stores. Get a pastry for breakfast in the local bakery. You just saved 4 or 5 Euros. Buy fruit from the stand on the street. Go to the local grocery store and get a yogurt or pick up some bread and cheese for lunch. You just saved a little more.
Many hostels, pensions and hotels include breakfast with the price of your room. Eat breakfast at the hotel and take an extra roll and some meat for your lunch. Bring plastic ziplock bags with you just for this and you just saved the cost of two meals.
Go where the locals go. Talk to people and ask them where they like to go. Eating outside of a tourist area will reduce your prices drastically and you will eat what the locals consider to be good. Street food costs a fraction of restaurant meals do. Watch where the lines form and try the currywurst, Döner Kebap, crêpes, and burek.
If you do eat at restaurants, save your leftovers for lunch the next day. If your room doesn’t have a fridge, the pension or the hostel may let you use theirs if you ask nicely. You can save a lot of money (and stick to your diet) if you don’t eat every meal in a restaurant.
Other Miscellaneous Ways to Save
Ouch, those prices are in Euros! The local coffee is a lot cheaper and much more authentic!
Eating, sleeping and transportation are the major travel expenses, but saving on the other little things can help stretch your cash.
Travel Off Season
There is a tourist season for just about everywhere. It’s when the weather is optimal and usually when the kids are out of school. In Europe, it’s summer time and August is especially busy because many Europeans take the month of August off.
Find out when the high season is for where you are going and travel outside of that. Prices for lodging and airfare can be 300 percent higher during the busy times. Do your research and choose a time when the prices are lower. The crowds will be smaller, it will be easier to find a room, and you will have more negotiating power.
Do You Really Need to Pay to See Every Attraction?
Last time I traveled I decided that I didn’t need to see every ruin, castle and church up close and personal. Let’s be honest, many ruins are just that… the interesting contents are locked up in a museum somewhere. Many of the castles I visited were more interesting on the outside and I was somewhat disappointed when I paid to look at the desolate interior. Some are definitely worth the price of admission, do your research and choose carefully.
Same with museums. I got tired of looking at similar pot shards and random tools even though I have strong interest in archaeology and ancient cultures. So now, before I pay admission, I research the museum and save my money for the ones highly rated for their interesting contents.
Finally, some attractions and museums have free days or discounted prices. If there is really something you want to see, try to visit it on a day when you do not have to pay for it.
I met a guy on my travels who used to climb over fences to see the things he didn’t want to pay for. Once the guards caught him and threw him out, only to take him around back and let him in for free. While I don’t recommend climbing over fences, I do suggest you talk to the locals in the area, because maybe they know some money saving tricks.
Know the Going Price and Get Three or More Quotes
Get the know the reasonable prices for items in the area. I spent two hours walking up and down the street getting prices and details from everyone about car rentals. The range of prices was shocking, and eventually I found the best deal. Higher prices are always found in tourist areas, so venture a little farther to save. I suggest sites like numbeo.com to get a general idea of how much things should cost while planning a trip.
About Souvenir Shopping
Personally, I’m kind of disgusted with all the tacky tourist shops in a line near popular attractions, everyone selling the same crap that is all manufactured in China. Personally, I prefer to support a local artist or get something unique to the area, not a refrigerator magnet or cheap t-shirt. Think carefully and compare prices before you purchase; many times you can find a unique gift in a bazaar or a grocery store at a more reasonable price than in a “tourist shop.”
Enjoy the Next Journey
As mentioned before, take the above advice and tailor it to your tastes. You won’t enjoy the journey if you scrimp so much there is no fun left. Choose your priorities and save on the rest. A long and pleasant journey awaits!
If you have any suggestions or other money saving ideas, feel free to post them below!