My friend recently asked me how I spent my money while I was abroad and if I did anything special to save money in the process. It got me thinking about how clueless I was about saving money going in to my European adventure. I had saved money from two summer jobs, so come August, I was sure that I had enough money to last more than four months. Like any excited newcomer, I spent money like it was my job. I failed to pay attention to the fact that four months was actually a very long time. On average, I had to put money towards dinner seven days a week, a place to stay for three days on the weekends, airfare and any extra activities I wanted to do. That being said, I made a weekly plan for myself and stuck to it. Here's how:
Groceries:
The first few weeks of my stay in Luxembourg, I wanted to explore the cafes and restaurants the country had to offer. As the days went on, I realized I wanted to spend my money on the weekends for travel rather than spending it on food during the week. If you are staying at a host family's house, like I did, most are required to provide breakfast. Some, as my friends experienced, would provide dinners a few times a week as well. If you are left on your own for lunch and/or dinner, the cheapest option is to head to the nearest grocery store and stock up on non-perishable items for the week. The grocery store I used normally had good deals. I would buy boxed pasta, rice and canned vegetables for my meals. These items were cheap and could last me more than a week, which was good for my bank account. I would go to the grocery store to buy products like chicken, bacon, fruit and yogurt only when I knew that I was going to eat those products that day or the next, that way I knew I wouldn't waste the food or my money. As for eating out, I kept it to a minimum while I was home for the week. We did find student deals, however, at some local restaurants. We took advantage of these deals once a week, when we wanted to hang out and socialize outside the campus grounds. At my university, lunch was provided Monday through Thursday. Since we would leave for trips Friday afternoon, grabbing something quick and cheap was our best option for lunch. Our local eateries usually served grab and go pizza, pasta and sandwiches, which were relatively under five euro.
Travel:
Before I left for my time abroad, I purchased a train pass, which is available for non-European residents, the Eurail Pass, that was good for 10 train rides over two months, starting from the time you first use it. This saved me a ton of money. For example, a one-way ticket to Switzerland is typically 200 euro. The price of the train pass I used was around 500 USD, but there are plenty of options to choose from depending on how much you will travel. In the long run, this pass saved me money and allowed easy travel. Airfare, however, is a different story. Flight prices can rack up quickly, which is why it's important to book in advance. The long days of planning for weeks in advance were worth it once we were able to experience the trip we had put so much time into planning. You can, however, take a train to most places. But depending on how much time you have or how cheap it is, flights might be the better way to go. Ryanair and easyJet were two airlines I used the most. They don't provide certain luxuries you may want or need, such as taking a suitcase along with your carry-on, free drinks and extra leg room. But, it does get you where you want to go without burning a hole in your pocket. On average, if booked in advance, the price for a one-way flight was around 30 euro.
Places to stay:
Weekend travel was almost a must for everyone I went to school with. We would plan our trips about a week in advance. But, sometimes we knew prices would be lower if we booked two to three weeks in advance, so we would plan accordingly. The most common places to stay while traveling in Europe are at hostels. Depending on the area you are staying in, a hostel is either a win or lose situation. HostelWorld and Hostels.com are two websites that provide good options for hostels in the area you are staying. Hostels come in many different forms. The cheaper route is to stay in a large room. This is typically around a 10 person room. The smaller rooms, such as a four to six person room, are typically private but a little bit more expensive. These rooms usually range between 20 and 30 euro per night. Another option is Airbnb, which lets people rent their homes, apartments and rooms to guests. When renting a home or apartment, your group typically rents out the entire place. If divided between enough people, this option can be the same price as a hostel or even cheaper, at times. Renting a room in someones home or apartment is another choice. Two friends and I rented a room in London, which was a cheaper option since London is relatively an expensive city to travel to. Those renting out their place will most likely provide sheets, pillows and towels.
Activities:
Each place you travel to will have a vast amount of museums, sightseeing opportunities and even some fun outdoor activities. It's sometimes hard to avoid these costs, especially for something you've been dreaming of doing or seeing. My best advice is to save money during the week -- maybe skip out on that extra scoop of gelato or cup of morning coffee, that way you'll feel better about spending money for fun adventures on the weekends. I had my fair share of spending money on activities while abroad, but I also took advantage of the free ways to enjoy a city. In Interlaken, Switzerland I spent over 100 euro to go canyoning, a combination of climbing, jumping and repelling down canyons. Although I spent a lot of money on this three hour adventure, I spent the next day hiking up a mountain instead of spending money taking the tram uphill. This allowed for extra sightseeing and extra money-saving. While in Paris, France I ended up enjoying the Louvre Museum for free by showing my proof of stay in Luxembourg. Valid proof of residency will allow you to enter at no cost. Visiting on the first Sunday of the month, between October and March, will also get you in the doors for free. Paris is also home to a Big Bus tour, which is a hop-on, hop-off bus that takes you to some of the most famous and historic places in the city. At 30 euro a ticket, this is a bus worth taking. Not only do you receive facts and information while on the bus, but you also get a ride around town which saves you time that can be spent at each sightseeing stop.
Every abroad experience is unique. Different places are seen and different things are done. Along the way, you'll discover ways to save that fit your travel style. But if you remember these simple tips in the back of your mind, you'll be sure to master the art of saving abroad sooner in your trip rather than later.
