For my first 8 months of living in Rome I was ballin’ on an intern salary. I was grateful for that, don’t get me wrong, as my organization is the only one in the UN that pays interns anything at all! But it did mean that if I wanted to explore, I was going to need to spend as little as possible. Since being here I have been able to explore some corners of Italy, Spain, France, and Croatia, and I am looking forward to when it is safe to mark more countries and cities off of my bucket list!

But how did I do it while keeping my budget so tight? I’ll give you a few of my best tips for keeping the wallet happy while satisfying your wanderlust.

Tip 1 – Plan and research your accommodation  

If you are looking to travel while tight on money, planning ahead of time will 1. Usually include cheaper rates, and 2. Give you plenty of time to organize yourself and understand how much you are going to spend.

A crucial part of this is research. I will spend DAYS sometimes looking for an Airbnb or hotel that is in my budget and comfortable. That being said, although I enjoy staying in awesome hotel rooms and Airbnbs, it isn’t really my priority when I need to save. I would much rather look for an affordable place to safely keep my belongings and to get a good night’s sleep. I am more focused on doing things outside of the hotel room like sightseeing and exploring during the day.

Sometimes you get lucky like me and have friends in cities that you want to explore…so that means free place to stay AND a travel buddy all in one! Shoutout to Chloe Dawson and our Barcelona adventures ❤

Tip 2 – Don’t eat out every meal

I absolutely LOVE food and I always love trying new foods from different cultures so eating out when traveling is definitely important to me. But on a tight budget, plan out which meals you are going to eat out and which ones you are going to make yourself. There’s no shame in pulling off to the side of the road and whipping out some packed sandwiches to sit and enjoy a view… I have done this so many times and it’s such an easy way to save.

Tip 3 – Look for the free/low cost things to do

9 times out of 10 there are going to be free or super cheap & fun things for you to do while you are traveling.

Some examples could be:

1. Exploring the beaches
2. Go to museums
3. Go hiking
4. Have a picnic
5. People watch and get to know the culture
6. Explore off the beaten path
7. Window shop
8. Look at monuments

Just to name a few!

Tip 4 – Skip the taxis

Yes, taxis are convenient, but they are expensive and there are so many other ways to get around that will save you lots of money.

1. Public transportation. If it is available where you are traveling, use it! I have done this many times and if I can do it in Italy before I could speak a little Italian, you can do it! It is cheap and with just a little more patience, you will get where you need to go.
2. Rent a car or scooter. A lot of the times that I have used taxis as my mode of transportation, it would have been cheaper in the end just to rent a car. Especially when you are traveling with friends and you know there will be parking, it can be super inexpensive to split the cost. For example, my friends and I rented an Airbnb a couple of hours south of Rome and for the entire weekend, the car cost 90 euros and we split it by 4. That’s 22.50 euros (26 USD) per person. To put that into perspective, it costs me 20 euros almost every time I take a taxi in Rome!
3. Walk or bike. Takes longer but it’s a great way to get to know the city you are in!

I hope these tips help you the next time you are trying to save money while traveling! If you have more tips or want to hear more, let me know in the comments below! I have put these tips to good use during my time in Europe and with just a little extra effort, your vacations don’t have to drain your wallet 😊

Ciao for now,

Chloe