Traveling is expensive. Traveling Europe is exceptionally expensive.
So how did you do 10 countries in 40 days with only $6K?
For starters, I don't have a trust fund or rich relatives that sent me abroad, and I don't have the luxury of traveling for work. I didn't study abroad on student loans, or teach english in exchange for accommodation. I set a goal, worked really hard, saved money, and a made a few thousand dollars go really far by planning ahead and making smart decisions.
Six months before my trip, I began researching how to optimize my route in ways that were both time and cost effective. I started by picking destinations from the bucket-list I created over the years, and estimated traveling costs from one city to the next. While there are plenty of routes you can find or create depending on where you want to go, the one below worked well for me and my personal schedule/budget:
The greatest way I was able to save money on this trip was by booking transportation months in advance. I was able to save more than the price of my entire trip by doing so.
While this might restrict you from staying somewhere you love, longer; it allows you to maximize your itinerary and take note of places you can revisit with more time, later.
And if you leave room toward the end of your itinerary for improvisation, or decide to extend your trip, like me, you can always explore neighboring countries as Europe is incredibly dense!
How I managed a (rough) $6000 budget:
HOSTELS: $1600
I budgeted $40 a night- though you can get hostels for much less.
Depending on where you are in Europe, hostels typically range anywhere from $15 (very basic accommodation) to $50 (luxury hostels that are comparable to hotels). Hostels in Eastern Europe are far cheaper than Western Europe.
By booking nicer hostels that offer breakfast and central location (close to city centers & attractions), I saved money on food and cab fares as tourist attractions/nightlife were within walking distance.
Use hostelworld.com to research hostel reviews, but use the direct websites to book reservations. Booking directly through a hostel's website can save hundreds of dollars by the end of your trip!
VERSUS
TRANSPORTATION: $2000
Yes, I only spent $2000 on all flights and major railways. I booked major flights up to 6 months in advance to avoid last minute airfare spikes.
I created my itinerary based on locations that were cheapest to get to next by comparing route prices on Google Flights and Rome2rio.
I found Google Flights to be the most efficient flight search engine as it compares daily fares side by side. Building your itinerary based on cheap travel dates will save you tons!
When deciding whether it was cheaper and more efficient to catch a train or flight to my next destination, I used rome2rio.com to weigh my options. Rome2rio is a really helpful website that generates various routes through different modes of transportation, while simultaneously estimating prices and commute time .
SPENDING MONEY/FOOD: $2500
My rule of thumb for daily budgeting was this: $60 per day- $30 for food/$30 for spending. Sometimes I used more or less depending where I was, as certain cities are more expensive than others.
I rarely spent $30 on food as I saved money by cooking/utilizing the hostel kitchen. To make sure I was still experiencing culture through the local cuisine, I treated myself to a few nice meals at every destination
Take advantage of student discounts, research free activities offered in every city, and look out for days of the week that offer free or discounted admission to museums, churches, etc.
Avoid paying for tours as you can book ahead for free in most major European cities through Sandeman.com! Sandeman's tours are awesome.
+ EXCURSIONS: $1000
While you can estimate a baseline budget before your trip, I highly suggest setting aside an additional cushion-fund for excursions and emergencies. A lot of activities, especially the expensive ones, are more enticing once they're in front of you. Instead of restricting yourself from experiencing a once in a lifetime opportunity, plan accordingly so that you have some flexibility. And in case something goes wrong, like falling ill or getting injured, you'll be thankful you saved and planned ahead.
Please note that the excursions I tacked on along the way were not planned activities and therefore not factored into my projected $6000 budget. You can still have an amazing time without choosing to splurge!
Stay tuned for upcoming individualized price guides for:
London, Paris, Switzerland, Barcelona, Portugal, Italy, Greece, Croatia, Montenegro
Thanks for reading :)
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