How I traveled to 12 countries in 2 months for under $3000
Do you think that you have to have a lot of money to travel the world?
Have you been reluctant about going to the amazing places you see online because you think it would be too hard to navigate?
Have you heard yourself saying over and over that one day you’ll go once you budget and save up thousands of dollars?
Well I am here too tell you in order to travel you do not need all those things!
You DON’T need to have a lot of money.
You DON’T need to be able to speak 10 languages.
You DON’T need to plan your every move.
Hello:
My name is Haley, and I am going to give you some short tips and tricks that you can follow to go on a HUGE AMAZING BEST TRIP OF YOUR LIFE in Europe for 50 days for a budget of under $3000.
How I traveled to 12 countries in two months for under 3000 in Europe
Here are my top 15 tips on how you can travel Europe for months on a budget for cheap while still having a great time. There are many strategies to accomplish your traveling goal
1) Plan ahead
It is very important when you travel to Europe that you at least have a general outline of where you will be going during your time traveling. You should make a list and plan ahead to know for the most part where you are staying, what countries and cities you will be traveling to, and how you are getting to each place. You don’t need to plan every second of every day, but if you have the basics down you will avoid paying extra last minute plan fees and be able to relax. You will also be able to take the time you would have wasted on planning during your trip to experiencing where you are in the moment and really traveling.
2) Use hostels
Hostels are a great way to save money while in Europe. You can get nice places for $10-$30 a night depending on the country. It is also a great way to meet fellow travelers and save money. Hostels sometimes have discount dinners, drinks, tours and more. I love staying in hostels and have met some of the greatest people and had the most fun times using them. Hostels are also almost always in the prime locations in big cities so you won’t have to worry or waste even more money on taxis or trains to get to the heart of the city.
What if I don’t want to live the dorm life? You don’t have to! Most hostels also have private rooms available so you can enjoy the cheap prices while still meeting people and being in great locations.
You do need to bring some of your own toiletries that usually are provided to you in hotels if you stay in hostels. Some hostels provide soap, shampoo, towels, etc…or they have them for purchase at times… but most of them do not provide them. In order to be ready just pack extra toiletries and a small towel and you will be fine on your trip.
You can find hostels at hostelworld.com I highly recommend them. I have stayed in hostels in almost every country I’ve ever traveled to, and I always have a great time.
If you are still uneasy about the dorm life, or if you are a little bit older and want a less backpacking experience, I would recommend Airbnb. They are just a little more expensive than hostels, some are in the heart of the city, and you can get your own room and travel more privately.
3) Get food at the grocery store for picnics in the park
This is what definately saved me the most money while abroad. Eating is the highest cost for a lot of people traveling or not… but you can save so much money by not going out to fancy restaurants all the time. Splurge once a week to experience the city, but there are so many smaller eateries that give off more local and friendlier vibes while not breaking the bank.
Go to your local grocery store and get some local food and eat on the grass and have a picnic. I have done this many times while abroad and I HIGHLY recommend it. The food is just as good, and you can meet many local people while having a picnic at the park. I have met some of the coolest people this way, and I think it gives you more of the experience of a city rather than going to a restaurant with people who just want to talk to each other.
My favorite thing about traveling is meeting people, so why not have a picnic – save money – and meet locals who will show you something you would have never been able to do by reading tips online.
4) Bring a friend to split costs
This also helped me save a lot of money. Traveling with friends is a lot more fun, and you can split costs like food, some transportation, etc while having someone to experience everything with. Friends are the root of happiness, and even if you are traveling alone it is possible to meet friends while you travel.
5) Bring student ID for free museum days / wait for free museum days if you aren’t a student
Some museums in Europe have free days for students. If you are a student and bring your ID you can get in at a discount or for free. Some days they even have free days for everyone.
I have gotten in for free at the Louvre in Paris, cheap at Parthenon in Greece, and more.
6) Travel rewards credit cards
Credit cards can save you so much money no matter where you are! Not only that, but you can get cashback cards and get 1-5% back on everything you buy. I used the Capital One Venture credit card when I traveled, and I got to accumulate points to get free travel in the future.
Also, some credit cards offer a bonus when you spend a certain amount of money in the first few months. Take advantage of that and buy your plane ticket or any other big purchases on your new credit card so you can get anywhere from $100-500 back just for using the card to spend on your trip. (make sure you aren’t spending anything you can’t pay back- don’t go into debt that will end up making you lose money and isn’t smart.)
7) Use meetup apps / sleep on a coach (Couchsurfing)
My favorite app to use to meet friends abroad is couchsurfing. Travelers all over the world will let you stay on their couch for a night or two in exchange to learning about your culture. You can meet new people and stay for free. (always remember though what goes around comes around and be sure to return the favor and let people stay at your house). Again I DO NOT recommend this to just any traveler. You need to have a certain type of personality and intuition for this to work. I used it a few times and have always had great experiences, but I KNOW you can meet very creepy people on this app…Especially if you are a female looking to stay somewhere for a night. This is a sad reality, but you must be extremely smart and have a backup plan in case something goes south.
My advice is to first get to know the person who is hosting you before you go to their home. I recommend meeting up with them in a public place first and making your best judgment with what you have learned. Again, I have never had a problem, but you never know exactly what can happen on the internet. If you ever feel unsafe or something feels off leave. Always have a backup plan.
Here are my top tips when using any online meetup app·
- look at the person’s ratings from their guests. (review their profile)
- analyse how they spoke to you when you inquired to stay with them. (If they treat it like a dating app I’d stay away) Trust your instincts.
- Meet in a public place.
- Look at the area where they live.
- Talk to them about things other than your travel to see what you have in common and if you click.
- Have a backup plan just in case things get weird when you get there.
- Get Whatsapp to communicate with people abroad! It is a great app that uses WiFi so you can text people anywhere.
9) Only buy one way tickets
Don’t buy round trip tickets! Unless you are planning on just going to one or two countries it is a bad idea. (Ex – Eurail pass will give you unlimited travel between a few countries, but if you want to leave those countries you have to buy your own tickets) If you are trying to go all over Europe buy one way tickets to the places you want to go and that’s it. One-way tickets give you more freedom and I promise are cheaper than buying round trip.
*this goes for plane tickets, bus tickets, train tickets, boat tickets etc etc.
*Also when you buy turn off your cookies and browser history so they won’t up the price if you’ve been searching for days.
10) Overnight buses
Who doesn’t love saving time and money?! You can take overnight buses from city to city in Europe and get a bed on board. This is cheaper than a hostel and you will also save time by traveling while you sleep. Most of them I have used are nice buses with AC, reclining seats and chargers.
11) Don’t do everything
You don’t have to do every single thing a city has to offer…and quite frankly there is no way you can. Narrow it down according to your interests and go to the places that interest you the most. I am a very high energy go see everything and do anything type of person, but I have learned that sometimes it is okay to relax and enjoy the sunset.
12) Take free walking tours
Most big cities have free walking tours that will show you the highlights of the city you are in. The tour guides are always very informative, and I have learned a lot taking these tours. It’s like a history/geography lesson, but you get to stand where everything happened. You can find them at the front desk at your hostels or wherever you are staying. (don’t forget to tip your guide)
13) Bring a reusable water bottle
Water in Europe is not free, and if you are an American like me who drinks an extreme amount of water that may come as a shock. So instead of buying a new water bottle every few hours just bring a reusable one from home (or buy one abroad) and refill it as you go. Water in fine in Europe to fill most anywhere and there are even drinking fountains around outside in big cities. This will save you a lot of money while also saving the environment!
My top reusabe waterbottles I have used are
- Rubbermaid: <$7. It is well worth your money for a small trip. They are sturdy enough, easy to refill, big, and overall an amazing value.
- Hydroflask: <$40. These water bottles are my favorite because they keep your water warm or hot, are very stable, and easy to carry around.
- Camelbak <$15. I like these for a small trip. They are sturdy, easy to carry, and washable. They are also not as expensive so you won’t feel as bad if something happens to your bottle.
- Nalgene: <$11: I have had my Nalgene water bottle for years now, and I can definitely say it is the best budget bottle. These bottles hold the most water, they are the easiest to clean, they are easily stored, and do not break easily.
- Contigo” <$8: I have also had my contigo water bottle for years. They are better if you don’t have a straw (easier cleaning). They are slim and do not break, and are one of the cheapest options, so even if you use it 10x you will be saving money on your trip.
14) Don’t exchange money at the airport
This is one of the most important things you need to remember if you want to save money abroad. ATMs and money exchange tables at the airport that even say 0% commission do get commission and you will lose a lot of money exchanging this way. In order to avoid these extra costs you can get cash at your local bank before you leave. Just plan and call ahead and they can get your cash with no fees within a few weeks.
15) Just bring a backback to avoid extra travel fees
Some airlines are cheap just because they only let you take a 10-15lb bag. Travel light. It will be easy to carry and cheap to fly with.
- I used the Everest 40L Backpacking Backpack. ~$40 This backpack is LESS THAN $40. It has been to 32 countries with me and still has never broke. I would highly recommend this backpack. It is a great deal for how much it costs. The only downside to it is that it has little back support, but I could do it for thousands of miles so I would still highly recommend it.
- My friend used the Eye 45L Backpacking Backpack ~45. This backpack also is a great budget option for your trip. It went with my friend to around 20 countries and counting and has had no problems. It is also a little bigger than the Everest backpack so it can store a little more inside.
- Another friend used the Osprey backpacking backpack ~$160. This is one of the non budget friendly but overall one of the best values for more of an intense backpacker. This backpack is great for someone who is going to be doing more outdoor activities or wants a backpack more suitable for intense adventures. They are known to last a lot longer than the other backpacks and will not be as strenuous on your back.
Traveling isn’t supposed to be expensive. The biggest expense for me was the plane ticket there and back.
If I am able to travel for 2 months around the most traveled places in Europe for under $3000 you can too!
If you have any further questions feel free to reach out to me
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