The Euro has become very strong against most other currencies during the past couple of years, pushing up the cost of traveling in Europe tremendously. Following the tips below will help you to save a small fortune while traveling in Europe.
1.Buy yourself a good budget travel guide before you leave. There are a number of very good ones on the market right now. This will not only help you to save money on accommodation and food, but it will also help you to plan your trip better and thereby save on transport costs.
2.If you are traveling on your own, try to find a travel partner. Sharing a double room will in most cases slash 30% to 40% off your accommodation cost.
3.Use buses to get from place to place, rather than flying. Someone once said that flying is the best way not to see a country. Taking the bus is not only much cheaper, but you will also see much more and meet many interesting people.
4.Invest in one of the good quality ebook readers available on the market right now. Without one of these you are most likely going to get bored at night. If you stay at the hostel two or three nights a week, you will save a lot of money. Spend the time reading up about the countries you still plan to visit during your trip.
5.For the fitness conscious among us, make sure to take along your vitamin tablets, your health drinks and your kirkland glucosamine. All these will most likely cost a lot more in Europe than in your own country.
6.If you can get a couple of travelers together, renting a mobile home instead of staying in hotels can save you a fortune. There are many petrol stations with facilities where you can refresh and even take a shower for free or very cheaply. You could also overnight in the parking area if you want, once again saving a lot of money.
7.Sign up for a Skype or some other type of instant messenger account before you leave home. You will save a small fortune by using one of these to contact the people back home rather than phoning.
The advantages of traveling on a shoestring are numerous. Many travelers swear that this is the only way to really get to know a country. It’s difficult to debate the point: staying with a lovely old lady renting out rooms and buying your food at the local market every day will certainly give you a much better look into daily life in any country than staying in a 5-star hotel and eating caviar every day. This way you won’t have to rob a bank and you can keep your nintendo stock.