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80 Comments. Leave new
Great tips! It always amazes me how much I can save when I just spend a bit of time planning ahead.
Awesome post. Im sure il hang around your blog more often. Planning for the trip this July!
Hope you dont mind answering questions via email? 🙂
It was a good read! I hope my EU plans will soon come true!
Great tips you got there Aleah! I’m seriously saving for this trip and I am pushing for my Euro goal this year or the next. Thank you!
Very helpful tips and thank you. Indeed it says all and detailed. Insurance is a must really. Like you said you don’t know what’s going to happen. Also aside from insurance planning and booking way ahead of time is a practical thing to do. My friends and I enjoys traveling much. And since its one of our passion its also expensive. However we’ve done Couch Surfing the last time we travel, it was fun and no expense at all. We still got some extra money for the next destination.
Hi Ms. Aleah you got so many helpul tips. Thanks for sharing! Planning for a trip to Venice someday with my boyfriend and hopefully by next year I can visit India(Kochi) with him to meet his family din. 🙂
Hostels are not too bad. Hitch hiking? Eeeek! Stay safe when travelling in Europe please! Might be ‘western’ but it sure can be dangerous in places.
Wow what wonderful information that you posted! I plan on putting these tips to good use on my next European vacation this year. Thanks for the great information!
Great list! We randomly decided to do three months this fall in Europe and I can’t even begin to plan what we are doing or what our budget will be…but you confirmed that booking airfare in advance as beneficial has I had hoped and that buses may be a viable option also! We are hoping to house sit combined with some airbnb like you suggested, and hostels if we have to. Huge ”thank you” for the reminder about the free walking tours!
Taking note of all these tips Aleah, very helpful and very inspiring! :))
Hey! Your blog is awesome. I’m actually travelling to Europe this coming September. Though I opted to go on a travel package via Topdeck Tours. I’m not yet that adventurous to do backpacking alone. I do have a one week stay in London. Keep writing!
@ Kat: Safe travels!
@ Ken: Feel free to share!
Nice sharing, I strongly agree on the cost saving of the restaurant.
Thanks also sharing the Budapest Free Walking tour, I should join it my second visit. And also let’s me know that Rome do not allow walking tour, I will tell my friend who will go there this coming May
@ DJ: Yep, that’s the idea!
@ Kat: I booked via Qatar, and the return ticket to Brussels cost $1,200 (whew!).
Thanks for the info, Aleah. I’m back reading your posts and I’m feeling the itch to travel even more. Keep blogging! =)
Hi Aleah. Been reading your posts on Europe. You have inspired me to stop dreaming and to start planning my own dream vacation. May I just ask what airline you booked going to Europe? How much was the cost? =
Great tips…”Europe” and “cheap” rarely collide in the same sentence, but these ideas can certainly lessen the pain!
@ Wandering Educators: Nice tip! Will check that out next time.
@ Micki: It was already expensive traveling alone, what more with kids?? I agree, cooking is the best way to go when you’re traveling as a family.
Thanks for the great tips, Aleah. As a family of four, we really love apartment stays, as they give us some privacy and a kitchen to make our own meals. Dining out is very expensive with all four of us!
excellent tips! try tripping.com for connecting with locals/homestays, too.
@ Cat: Oooo, free hot choco?? I should have taken that instead! Haven’t been to Romania though 🙁
@ Jaslyn: Thanks for checking out this post. Do feel free to share!
Thanks for the suggestions! It means a lot because going on a European tour means I have to save so I could take care of all the travel stuff that I need. Great help indeed.
Great tips, A! I’ve used Orange Lines for traveling around Eastern Europe and rec them, too. Not only cheap, but you get unlimited hot chocolate and two seats to yourself!
I’d also say to look for destinations a bit off the beaten track. I spend next to nothing in Romania and found parts of Croatia and Spain to be dirt cheap.
@ Lisa Marie: I used Chartis in Cubao. Check out my post on how to get a Schengen Visa. I mentioned it here https://www.solitarywanderer.com/2012/01/how-to-apply-for-a-schengen-visa-in-manila/.
Hi Aleah, from which company did you get your travel insurance?
@ Beth: Thanks for dropping by. Feel free to share!
@ Clarence: Will keep that in mind for next time. I didn’t take them because it was winter when I was there and riding the open buses didn’t seem to be a good idea 🙂
Ho-ho buses (hop-on hop-off buses) are usually the way to go to save money and move around tourist places in europe! It’s very worth it specially in Paris, France since there are heaps to see.
Great info! I love your blog 🙂 Your post on dating a girl who travels is awesome.
@ Doi: Yes, she is 🙂
@ Mishc89: I didn’t have that when I went there, too bad. Yeah I agree about RyanAir. If I didn’t check in any luggage, my ticket would have cost only 15 euros from Italy to Belgium! So cheap!
Nice tips! You can also try reading the travel book Europe on a Shoestring by Lonely Planet for touring the cities for free. Also, Ryan Air is like the Cebupac of Europe with seat sales amounting to 20 euros. I’ve also found that buying from markets in europe are quite cheap (especially if youre splitting with a group, perhaps people you just met).
by any chance, di naman si emila yusof ang artist noh? hehehe. love her work and similar ang design! 😀
@ Doi: Thanks, Doi. These tips are from my own experience backpacking in Europe, so they should work 😀 I only spent a fraction compared to other people who traveled in Europe for a shorter period of time 🙂 And yeah, I love my new header too! It’s by a Malaysian illustrator.
great info you got here Aleah! Will definitely bookmark this and hopefully I can travel to Europe too. by the way, great header you have there! sino gumawa? cute! 😀
@ Ayn: I did that A LOT in Europe. I often got lost too hehe. Thanks for the additional tips!
@ Vicky: Yeah, oftentimes they are cheaper than the train. If you’re not in a hurry, bus trips can also be nice.
Great post. I’ll have to check out the Eurolines bus – I’ve never heard of it but if it’s cheaper than taking the train count me in!
if you wanna save up on your transportation expenses in Europe. WALK! walking is the best way to get around. it’s cheap and you get to see the sights a little longer. you can also stop wherever and whenever you want to. last year went to Europe with my parents. what i did was i booked them in one of those hop-on/hop-off buses since they’re both in their 70s and i wouldn’t want them to walk at my pace for miles and miles while i walked from one attraction to the next. we ended up saving a lot from that and i ended up having so much fun strolling briskly in the streets of europe while marveling on the different sights these countries have to offer. A good pair of chuck taylors would do the trick. Enjoy Europe and remember…Be a traveler, not a tourist. Dont stick to the itinerary. Get LOST once in awhile(or maybe often) especially in Venice. You just have to, it’ll be experience you won’t soon forget…
@ Nicole: Don’t forget to look at my other Europe posts 🙂 Thanks for dropping by my blog!
Thanks for sharing this. I will follow your tips when I get in Europe. 😀 Thanks again! 🙂
@ Marita: Yeah, I agree with 100%. That’s why we have to exert more effort to make this particular dream come true. Still, it’s very doable now 🙂
I;m glad I saw this before I began planning a trip to Europe. Coming from a developing nation can put a heavy tax on making such trips work, just because of the high exchange rates. This was very helpful!
@ TheFrugalWanderer: Backpacking Europe is very doable nowadays, yes, even for solo women travelers! I’m sure you can do it too 🙂
Wow. na-inspire naman ako magbackpack sa Europe sa mga tips mo. Kudos to you! To think na solo female backpacker ka, that takes a lot of guts! Maybe someday though. You are inspiring. 🙂
@ Online Hotel Booking: Yup, insurance is a must. We never know what will happen on the road!
@ Loraine: I tried eating only sandwiches but I really grew tired of it soon. The trick is in eating a variety of food. Will go back to Greece next time I’m in Europe. Love it too!
Reading this makes me want to go to Greece! Target ko din yan! I survived my Europe trip by eating sandwiches and splurging on the dinners once in a while – say once in every city lang. Looks like you are having a blast there! Enjoy! More posts and more pics! I love reading about Europe. 😀
@ May: Thanks! Safe travels for you too!
@ Jasmine: Good tip about the student card. You can use it for anything too, from getting discounts in museums + other activities. The only reason I didn’t add that here is that I’m no longer eligible for that. Maximum age is 26 hehe
Excellent travel article you have here….your tips and advice are really practical and doable..really coming from someone who have done so many trips and travel abroad.
I particularly liked your advice on getting an insurance…its the one thing that most of us forget or choose to ignore.
I definitely agree with Couchsurfing, even though I have not couchsurfed on anyone’s couch yet. But, I’ve met several fun like-minded people through Couchsurfing while travelling.
Just another few tips:
– If you want to travel by train, book the tickets a few days in advance. You can often get cheaper deals that way.
– If you are a student, you might find it cheaper to get a travel money card. I used a travel money card to avoid exchange rate volatility/commission charges. Depending on which country you are from, the travel money card could possibly be issued free as well. (Of course, always have a backup credit card with you.)
I read your article Date a Girl who Travels, and I was..Holy cow! It hit me! haha! CS is soo great! I just tried CS when I went to Amsterdam for a training and I met wonderful hosts! Thanks for your trip. Will surely keep this in mind when I’ll be able to travel back in EU. 🙂 Have safe travels Ms. Aleah! 😀
@ Lagalag: Yeah, the first step for us is to get a visa. I also have a post on that 😉 Afterwards, it’s easy enough to buy a ticket (as long as you’ve the money) and plan on how to travel cheaply.
@ Jenny: Thanks! Feel free to share. Others may also find these tips helpful 🙂
That’s just not money-saving, it’s adventurous, too! Imagine hitchhiking and sleeping at other people’s flats. What a great article!
Amazing guides and tips. It’s like a reader would think that “oh next time I’ll travel to Europe I will do all of these”. In reality, he/she has yet to travel Europe. But because of your very informative and detailed post, they would get to spend less and avoid unnecessary expenses. Thank you for this. Bookmarked it already 🙂
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@ Shawi: Germany’s very big on carpooling. Tried it in Rome but there weren’t too many members.
@ Helen: Hope you can use my tips! Do share when you do 🙂
I always find it essential to be practical. I can see a lot of valuable tips here. Aside from saving money, I could use the experience especially that there is a lot here that I have yet to try such as joining hospitality exchanges.
Well said. 🙂
I didn’t know they have carpooling there also. Akala ko sa US lang. Good to know. Thanks for sharing!
@ Nicole: Thanks 🙂 Feel free to share as well!
@ Romantic Bed and Breakfasts: Yup, very practical too.
Some of the great and cool tips. I like the concept of saving transportation expenses it’s really different and cool.
Great post! I will be pinning this for sure!
@ Nicholas Marks: Yes, Europe can be really expensive. If you stay at hotels, you will have to pay a minimum of 50 euros per day. Imagine how much you’d have to spend for a month’s stay??
@ Erik: Dumpster diving? Never mind haha I’m not that desperate! 😉 Free camp is nice, but you’d need to bring your own tent. Not feasible for me 🙁
Other ways to save money:
Dumpster diving. Food costs = 0.
If you do plan to buy food then self-cater, even cheaper than buying sandwiches and gyros (which are still quite expensive).
Free-camp. Accommodation costs = 0.
Libraries usually have free internet.
P.S. Those people who advise not to hitchhike are those who have never done it. In over 1000 hitches I’ve never had a bad experience and even had a few adventures.
Really helpful advice. I loved europe but i definately turned out to be a very expensive adventure, maybe with your helpful hints I could have kept the cost down.
@ Edna: You’re welcome. I sure hope this will help!
@ Melvin: Yeah, that’s why I try to budget my food. Otherwise, ang mahal talaga.
ok din naman pala ang rates ng hostels diyan.pagkain talaga problema.swerte mo naman nakapunta ka greece
We are planning for a vacation in Paris on June and your tips may be very helpful to me. Thank you for sharing this.
@ Grasya: Thanks! Don’t forget to come back and read my other posts 🙂
@ Arvin: Yeah, but even if you’re not rich like them you can still come here 🙂
madalas diyan ang mga artista…
great tips! noted. bookmarked. shared. ^_^ i second the motion on the breakdown of costs, thanks thanks
@ Grace: Yes, but I can already see that my most expensive trip is the one here in Santorini. Already spent 300 euros including the plane to Rome! I had actually debated whether to push through here, but I thought that I’ve been very frugal for the past month, so I deserve this break. hehe
Nice! This is great info Aleah. Grabe super tipid ng Euro trip mo. I’m going to do the same for my Euro trip next year. Thanks for the inspiration! May budget breakdown post ka ba in the future? =)
@ Reiza: Thanks! Let me know once you’ve joined CS. hehe
@ Mary: I can imagine how expensive eating in Europe can be when you’re a family! Renting apartments like through AirBNB or Roomorama will certainly help.
Great and practical tips! I really admire how you’re getting through your solo backpacking adventure through Europe. Traveling as a family to Europe gets pricey too so we’ve learned to rent apartments. It cuts down on eating costs. We also love visiting the foreign grocery stores, street markets and the food halls underneath department stores. So much variety and a whole lot cheaper. Wishing you safe travels!
You have just motivated me to join CS! Looking forward to your next post, Aleah. I’m taking down notes. 🙂
@ Mica: Go for it! I’m sure you can easily do it 🙂
@ Aaron Dave: Will be in Amsterdam first week of April. Will look for a walking tour too.
Thanks for these helpful tips. I’ll be in Amsterdam next week, I’ll try to find Free Walking tours around the city. Very informative post po. 🙂
Thanks for sharing writing about this, Aleah! Hopefully mid this year makagala na rin ako sa Europe 😀