How to stretch your budget on your first trip to Europe
Prioritize staying in hostels or guesthouses with kitchen access and commit to using local grocery stores for at least two meals a day. Use regional train passes or bus networks like FlixBus instead of last-minute regional flights to keep transportation costs predictable.
- Master the grocery store breakfast and lunch. Stop eating out three times a day. Visit a local supermarket like Lidl or Aldi. Spend 10-15 USD on fresh bread, cheese, fruit, and deli meats to cover breakfast and lunch for two days.
- Use public transit apps. Delete Uber and Bolt. Download Citymapper or Google Maps. Use local subway, tram, and bus systems. Buying a 24-hour or 72-hour transit pass is almost always cheaper than single-ride tickets if you plan to move around more than three times a day.
- Leverage 'Free' walking tours. Look for local 'Free Walking Tours' which operate on a tip basis. Budget 10-15 USD per tour to tip your guide. It provides a full city overview without the 50 USD price tag of a professional guided bus tour.
- Book trains in advance. Book your inter-city rail tickets at least 4-6 weeks out. Use platforms like Trainline or Omio to compare prices. Booking 24 hours before a trip can cost you triple the early-bird price.
- Is a Eurail pass worth it?
- Only if you plan to visit more than 4 countries in a very short period. If you are staying in one or two regions, point-to-point tickets are almost always cheaper.
- Should I exchange money before I go?
- No. Use a debit card with no foreign transaction fees to withdraw cash from local bank ATMs once you land. Airport currency exchanges have the worst rates.