Cheap on vacation? Here's how to do it
Vacation. Just the word instantly makes you crave cocktails, sunscreen, and a suitcase that's just a bit too full. But let's be honest: life is already expensive enough, and a vacation won't increase your bank balance. Taking a trip without living on rice cakes by day three? This is your ultimate guide to a budget-friendly vacation.
Score those flight tickets like a pro
First up: Flight tickets can really be the biggest expense of your vacation. But there's a trick that feels like cracking the Da Vinci Code, and it works.
Set your browser to incognito mode, open Google Flights, and change the option “return” in the top left to “one-way”. Sounds crazy, but bear with me. Enter your destination, click on “Discover” and tadaaa: you get a handy overview per day with the prices for that flight. If you're a bit flexible with your planning, you can book your outbound and return flights separately and sometimes save dozens of euros compared to a standard return. Smart, right? Just keep in mind the baggage… check the video below.
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You can sleep on the train....
Yes, really! Nights in a bed are overrated. Just kidding – sort of. But seriously: if you travel by night bus or night train, you save on accommodation AND you arrive at your destination the next morning. Two birds, one budget-friendly hit. And with a travel pillow, a sleep playlist or white noise in your ears, and a sleep mask, you'll easily sleep through it.
Leave that suitcase at home (or at least: keep it small)
Okay, this tip isn't for everyone, but travel with only carry-on luggage. It saves you both money and hassle. Seven smart clothing items = at least 21 outfits. Mix, match, wash once in between, and voilà: stylish every vacation day. And oh: bring a foldable backpack for your day trips. Here's how to pack like a pro.
Go free, baby
Museums are fun, but not always budget-friendly - unfortunately. Go for free activities: city walks, outdoor festivals, free entry on certain days at museums or special churches, parks, or markets. Just Google before you go and your agenda will fill up with low-cost (and often completely free) fun.
Skip your private chauffeur
Yup: skip the taxi and go for public transport. In many cities, it's super cheap, faster than you think, and much more environmentally friendly. And yes, you might find yourself sitting across from a guitar-playing local or a crying baby, but that's part of the charm.
Chef on location
Okay, not literally hire a private chef… You are just your own chef. Cooking on vacation? Yup: it's budget-friendly and romantic. Pick up fresh groceries at a local market – think burrata, a baguette, a good bottle of wine – and you have a dinner on your balcony that no star restaurant can compete with.
If you're away for a week, try to cook for yourself two or three evenings. It easily saves a hundred euros per person. You can also opt for a walking breakfast, which I always do on vacation. Don't sit down somewhere extensively, but grab a sandwich from the bakery and eat it while walking to the beach - insta story worthy and… yes, cheap.
Travel like a local: off-season
If you can and are flexible, book in May or September. The weather is often still lovely, the tourist crowds have left, and prices are lower during these months. Plus: you won't have to edit out the masses of people in the background of your photos.
Go where your euro is worth a lot
A cocktail for 2 euros? Yes please. Dare to look beyond the usual suspects like Spain and Italy. Think: Albania, Georgia, or for example Vietnam. Countries that may not have been at the top of your list, but where you can dine, sleep, and shop for less than forty euros a day as if you're in a luxury boutique resort. Think: massages for six euros, a beautiful hotel for twenty, and a three-course menu for the price of your standard lunch salad at home. Your euro feels like a VIP there, and so do you.
Looking for cheap vacation countries? Check them out here.
Leave that souvenir shop for now
We know it: that one bag, that maxi dress, or that ceramic cup is so cute. But often those things end up in a drawer at home. So hold back a bit on shopping - sorry.
Cocktail time
A piña colada on the beach is lovely, but bringing your own cocktail in a thermos is just as handy. Or are you more of a mixer? On the beach, you quickly pay 14 euros for it. Better: buy a bottle and soda yourself and mix it beforehand with some ice cubes in a bottle. Cheers!
