Getting across the pond
Start your planning by figuring out where you're flying to and how you're getting around. The best tool for finding cheap places to fly to is skyscanner.com. Intercountry travel is super cheap in Europe. The costly part is getting to Europe. So search skyscanner for the cheapest starting point. Probably a Scandanavian city or Dublin, Ireland. If you are flying and already have your departarture and arrival cities picked kayak.com is great.
Getting around Europe
You can use Ryanair to fly cheap ($60 or less one way) to most places in Europe. Flying is super cheap but sometimes you may want to see the countryside. Trains are always talked about and people mention the all you can ride pass. This is overly priced and by far the most expensive way to travel. A much cheaper option for traveling from one city to the next while seeing the countryside is charter bus. In Europe buses are much nicer than the USA and offer great amenities like free WiFi and $1 beers and snacks. These can be found at studentagency.com (not just for students). The best way to find the most cost effective option for travel is rome2rio.com. This website will give you all options from ferries, taxis, timeshare, bus, plane, and train.
You're in Europe!
You just landed at the airport or got off at the bus station, now What? You're going to want to drop your bag off at your place of stay (we'll cover finding that below). You have options and they really depend on how long you are going to be in that city. You can take an Uber in most places, a taxi, a bus, or likely a subway. Public transit (Buses and subways) may take a tad longer but will save you loads of money and you'll see more locals. Public transit in Europe is much more extensive than the USA and especially California. You'll be able to buy bus/subway passes for single ride, a 72 hour window, or even a month. Find the option that is best for you and your time in each city. If you're only there for 48 hours or less and there's a lot you want to see taxi may be best as you'll save a little time.
I'm tired, where am I going to sleep?
You have plenty of options. Obviously hotels are common and everywhere around the world. I don't recommend a hotel whatsoever. The only time I ever prefer a hotel is if you're in a dirt cheap country where a 5 star room is like $40. Or if you're at the end of your trip and need some alone time and royal treatment. Otherwise here are your best options. Hostelworld.com, find a hostel which is like a hotel except you share rooms with others. You can also purchase a private room. Similar to a hotel, but the atmosphere, the quality of people you'll meet, and the things you'll do are priceless. Another great resource is AirBnB.com. You can stay with locals in a real residence (house, apartment, etc). I like this because you can get a private room for cheap while getting to meet locals, live like them, and you can cook your own food a lot of time. I've met some interesting hosts who've enabled me to do things I wouldn't have ordinarily done.
I'm in a new city, what do I do next?
This type of thing becomes similar to life in America. You can ask around to find out what's going on, what there is to see, where to eat, etc. This is also where staying at a hostel is nice as you have people to accompany you to places and AirBnB hosts live there and know what is truly worth your time. TripAdvisor.com and Yelp can help too.
Nightlife
If a city seems particularly quiet or you're generally unsure of what to do but want to party look for a pub crawl. It's a super easy way to get a taste of the local bae scene and meet people. The cost of it (usually around $20) will pay for itself as you're given free drink(s) and cover to clubs. The added benefit is the camaraderie/community vibes you get from partying as a group. Doing this your first night will give you insight as to where to go on your own the other nights.
I'm drunk and did a thing.
Lost something? If you're worried at all about losing something look into travel insurance. The best option is travelinsurance.com which basically lists all of your coverage options from different companies and the prices. The worst thing you can lose is your passport. Getting a new one (in time for continuing your travels) can be a hassle and expensive. And you may still miss parts of your trip. Having insurance for this will help you immensely. *Note I've gotten insurance twice and haven't needed it but the peace of mind made it worth it to me (and I'm frugal).
This article is to help you save yourself money and hassle. I'll start this by noting *this is my opinion and my experience only and nothing on this page should be taken as professional or legal advice*.
There are two key things you'll want to avoid when travelling abroad and they are foreign transaction fees (for using credit/debit card) and currency exchange fees (getting cash). They add up and can be costly in the long run and the good news is they are avoidable.
Like home, you have options when it comes to buying food, drinks, souvenirs, bus tickets or anything. You can use cash, card, smartphone apps and more. Card is accepted in Europe but usually not in as many places as the USA. Even less acceptance in Asia and South America. If you use your card you'll want to be using one that has no foreign transaction fees.
Commonly cards like Visa and MasterCard charge 3% in additional fees when making purchases in a currency other than the US Dollar. This can be avoided by getting a card with no foreign transaction fees. With a card like this you will be able make all kinds of purchases including your room, food, and other travel expenses. Nerwallet.com has extensive information about the pros and cons of different cards available.
Next you're going to want to have money and the ability to access your money with you at all times. This means cash on you plus a way (debit card) to access more cash. You have many options when it comes to getting your very own local currency (Euro €, Pound £, Yen ¥, peso, etc.) Not all currencies are equal nor are the ways for obtaining them.
There are three major ways of getting foreign cash in your hands. The first two involve going to your bank before you leave for your trip. You can request foreign currency in the amount you deem necessary and safe to carry around. Depending on your bank this can be your easiest and most cost-effective way to get cash.
If your bank charges high fees or unreasonable exchange rates you can pull out US dollars and carry them with you to your exotic destination. After arrival at your destination you can use a bank or more commonly a currency exchange company (they're all over big cities outside the USA) to exchange your American dollars for foreign cash or coin. Take note that the exchange rates are often inflated at places like this and sometimes they will add a fee on top. I've been able to negotiate at places like this in more than one country.
The last major way, and the way I stick to, is withdrawing foreign currency from ATM’s or banks inside the country I'm visiting. Doing this often comes with the fair exchange rate being used and sometimes a small flat fee depending on your own bank and the bank you're pulling money from. This minimizes the amount of extra cash I have on hand in the case of loss or theft. Note when using ATM’s make sure it is a real bank sponsored ATM and not a private exchange company ATM. An example would be using a Wells Fargo ATM vs a Western Union ATM.
Planning around your money can save you a lot of dollars and stress.
What I Do
I bring with me 2 credit cards (always no fee), a debit card, and emergency US dollars in case my cards don't work. I put one credit card in the best hidden place I can within my baggage. I leave it in the room and don't use it. It is there in case something happens to my other assets. I try to withdraw the full amount of local cash I plan to use during my stay. With flat rates on withdraws its cheaper keeping withdraws to a minimum. Converting an extra $40 back into USD is a lot cheaper than a $5 fee to pull $40 out of the ATM (that's 12.5% fees in that example). When leaving my room for the day I only take the cash I need with me and one credit card. I leave the safety card hidden along with my debit card. I also put all my online payments (Spotify, Netflix, web hosting, etc.) on a completely separate card that I don't bring on the trip.
Additional tips
- Call ahead and notify your cards of where and when you'll be traveling so your card isn't declined
- When using your cards tell the merchant to use their local currency
- Avoid using the wrong currency to pay when using cash. Merchants will use their own rates to convert your money which will be by far the worst you can find.
- Increase (or decrease) your ATM withdrawal limit according to how much you plan on taking out at a time. Do this before you leave.
- Find out approximate exchange rates ahead of time so you have an idea when buying things and getting your cash. When withdrawing from a foreign ATM you will not see the USD equivalent to what you are withdrawing so make sure you don't go over or it won't work.
BudgetBrady Bottom Line:
You can do it!
