Are you planning a vacation or a trip to Europe soon? Have you been dreaming of a visit to Europe but can’t see how you could ever make it affordable? Surprisingly, there are many areas in Europe that are not expensive to travel to. If you take some extra precautions and plan your trip creatively you will find many areas where you can save money while still having a wonderful vacation.
Protect Your Investment
One important way to make sure that you don’t spend more money than you should is by protecting your trip investment. Travel insurance is one way to protect your investment. You should also carefully evaluate things such as refunds for TUI flight cancellation, hotel room cancellation policies, and reimbursements for any other expenses.
Change up Transportation
Consider choosing alternative modes of transportation while you are in Europe. Instead of flying between countries and cities, it’s often cheaper to take a train or bus. This will also allow you to see more of the country and its culture, villages, architecture, and people as you travel. Unfortunately, f you travel by train or bus your travel days could take longer, and you might not be able to visit as many places as you would if you were flying. On the other hand, you will get to know the places you do visit more intimately, and you will be able to travel at a more relaxed pace. Flying can also mean delays and waiting in the airport, so it makes sense to evaluate all transportation options for cost and time and choose the method that works best for your situation.
Travel During the Off-Season
Consider booking your next trip during a less popular time of year. Traveling during the off-season, when demand is lower, can result in lower prices for flights, hotels, and activities. If you don’t have children who need to be in attendance at school, try not to travel during school breaks. Summer and school holidays are the busiest time of year for most vacation destinations. Other destinations may have their own peak seasons. Ski resorts are obviously busy during the winter, as are tropical locations. Areas that have a lot of autumn color or special harvest activities may be busier in the fall.
Avoid Overpacking
Many airlines now charge for any and all checked luggage. Others charge for overweight, large, or extra baggage. When you travel, you can avoid paying extra fees if you don’t check your bags. By packing only the essentials you can avoid overloading yourself with unnecessary items, avoid delays in the airport and train stations, and make your trip easier and less stressful.
Also remember that unless you are going somewhere very remote, common items will be available locally. It is often cheaper to purchase things like over-the-counter medications, toiletries, and other necessities than it is to pay baggage fees. And once you have traveled this way a few times, you may be surprised at how little you actually need.
Look for Unconventional Places to Stay
Consider alternative accommodations: furnished houses, couch surfing, and house sitting can all be cheaper alternatives to traditional hotels. This is especially true if you are traveling with more than 3 or 4 people, or if you would for any reason need to stay in more than one hotel room. When you stay in a furnished house or suite, you can also save money by cooking some of your own meals or snacks and keeping drinks on hand. Also, consider staying in a hostel. Hostels can be a budget-friendly alternative to hotels, especially if you are traveling alone or with a group of friends rather than a family with children. Many hostels offer private rooms as well as shared dormitories.
Don’t Dine Like a Tourist
Instead of eating at tourist restaurants, try to find local, family-owned restaurants or markets where you can try traditional, home-cooked meals at a lower cost. Besides being cheaper, more casual, and more fun, you will also get a better sense of the culture and cuisine of the area you are staying in. You can also try street food and delis for quick midday meals between tours or activities. If you have children with you, these casual and quick meals may be much easier and more relaxing than attending more formal dining each day. Of course, you will probably still want to visit these tourist dining establishments at least once during your stay. By saving money on your food during the rest of your trip, you will be able to be more extravagant for a few special meals.
Plan Early
Plan your trip in advance by booking flights, hotels, and activities early. Booking in advance can often save you money and you will be better prepared for your trip. This is also the best way to ensure you are able to book all of the tours or tickets that you want. In some places, these tours and activities can fill up fast so if they’re important to you, make sure you book them early. If you do book early, consider buying travel insurance so your expenses can be reimbursed if you cannot travel as expected for any reason.
Shop Around
Shop around before you reserve or book anything. There can be big differences in price between various hotels, flights, and activities. In many cases, you can get much cheaper hotel rooms if you are willing to stay a bit farther out of the center of town or away from the main tourist area. You can also save money on flights by avoiding baggage fees.
Also, look for deals and discounts. Sign up for newsletters from airlines, hotels, and other travel companies to stay updated on sales. You should also search for deals on travel booking websites. Yearly sales such as those on black Friday and other standard sale days can also be good times to find deals.
Cook Your Own Food
If you can find a way to cook some of your own food, you will save a lot of money. Cooking for yourself is cheaper even than fast food or street food. Renting a suite or furnished house instead of a regular hotel room can be one way to make it easy to cook your own food. With a kitchen or kitchenette available in these accommodations, you will have what you need to make at least some of your meals yourself. You can also plan ahead and bring sack lunches if you are going to be gone all day. Even if you don’t have a kitchen, a hotel room with a refrigerator and a microwave can allow you to store the ingredients you need for sack launches and easy snacks.
Look for Free or Frugal Activities
When you are planning your itinerary, look for free or frugal activities. Many cities in Europe have a wealth of free activities and attractions, such as museums, parks, and churches. Research and plan your trip to include as many free activities as possible. If there are a few pricy tours or other activities that you know you want to do, balance them out with frugal or free options. No one wants to miss that once-in-a-lifetime museum or tour, and by adding in more free options for each expensive one, you can save money overall and still have the trip of a lifetime.
Conclusion
No matter where your travels in Europe take you, or how long you are there, you can find plenty of ways to save money and make your trip more economical. As an added bonus, if you can manage to save enough money on your trip, you may even be able to stay longer and visit more destinations than you would otherwise.