Budgeting time, energy and money when traveling can mean the difference between returning to post-vacation routines depleted and frazzled or refueled with a surge of endorphins. With places like Paris, Prague, Brugge and Berlin on the list, it makes sense to prioritize. Insightful travelers know how to carefully balance their allotted resources.
Travelers in the know can make time work in their favor financially with a little research beforehand. For example, most major museums and sights are free in Paris on the first Sunday of the month.
Check online for celebrations or events when discounts are offered to entice travelers to certain cities. My family saved on the price of admission to several museums in Rome because we visited during its annual cultural celebration week, when entrance was free.
Head to the library when looking for deals – you may find a book that lists other discounts such as free or half-price days, or group and family rates. For travel, make sure to explore all options. Up to five people can travel by train for €37 for one day with a Deutsche Bahn happy-weekend ticket and there are European airlines that offer reduced-price tickets. Make sure to carefully read the fine print though, as sometimes deals are offered without the opportunity for cancellation or exchange. It’s possible to be budget-conscious even when traveling spontaneously. Many hostels and small hotels will offer last-minute deals if you ask.
Thinking ahead about drinks and snacks helps travelers control what they take in and will also save a few euros. Keeping protein snacks, such as beef jerky, or meal-replacement bars provide a pick-me-up when sitting down and paying for a full meal is unwarranted. Buying fresh fruit and vegetables from local stands before heading into the overpriced tourist areas ensures a healthy, inexpensive snack and supports the local economy.
To save even more money, look for a hotel that offer a kitchenette for guests to prepare their own meals. At the very least, a fridge in the room will hold the makings for sandwiches and can save the expense of buying lunch and give you a chance to take a break from sightseeing in the privacy of your room.
Inquiring ahead of time about parking, if driving, is another way to properly budget. Many hotels in Europe do not offer onsite parking, and it can cost anywhere from €15 to 50 per day.
For sanity’s sake, budgeting time can sometimes be more important than budgeting money. Visiting the Louvre, strolling down Champs-Elysees, climbing the Arc de Triomphe and finishing the afternoon in Versailles is unreasonable – unless it’s done at break-neck speed.
Maintain balance by placing passions at the top of the list, planning to work within the allotted time and letting go of unrealistic expectations. Work with what you have and be grateful to be able to visit a city such as Paris in the first place. It is better to wholly experience a few activities than to haphazardly flit from sight to sight, spending the invaluable resource of time without the value of full engagement.
When traveling, many people are so focused on taking in as much as they can in as little time as possible, they forget to rest. But if you’re tired, you won’t be able to enjoy the time you do have at your destination. Time budgeted for rest means refreshed energy for exploring everything yo want to see later on.
Budgeting time and energy pays big dividends when it comes to financial matters. That earlier purchase of bottled water at the local market can mean the difference between €.80 and €4. Hemorrhaging money while on vacation defeats the purpose altogether. No one enjoys still feeling the void in their wallet months after the tan has faded and the souvenirs have accumulated a layer of dust.
When it comes to budgeting financially on vacation, my best advice is: inquire. It is the inquisitive traveler who usually gets the best deals. From purchasing a city pass to finding the best tour package, asking questions, weighing options and employing insight is the best way to keep this part of the budget intact.
Budget travel is fun and easy. Utilizing the resources around us, such as the local base library, travel guides, the Internet, and best of all, the locals we meet when we arrive at our destination. Utilizing resources, prioritizing and maintaining an insatiable curiosity means we return refueled and inspired, ready to take on daily routines with renewed vigor.
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Budgeting time, energy and money when traveling can mean the difference between returning to post-vacation routines depleted and frazzled or refueled with a surge of endorphins. With places like Paris, Prague, Brugge and Berlin on the list, it makes sense to prioritize. Insightful travelers know how to carefully balance their allotted resources.
Travelers in the know can make time work in their favor financially with a little research beforehand. For example, most major museums and sights are free in Paris on the first Sunday of the month.
Check online for celebrations or events when discounts are offered to entice travelers to certain cities. My family saved on the price of admission to several museums in Rome because we visited during its annual cultural celebration week, when entrance was free.
Head to the library when looking for deals – you may find a book that lists other discounts such as free or half-price days, or group and family rates. For travel, make sure to explore all options. Up to five people can travel by train for €37 for one day with a Deutsche Bahn happy-weekend ticket and there are European airlines that offer reduced-price tickets. Make sure to carefully read the fine print though, as sometimes deals are offered without the opportunity for cancellation or exchange. It’s possible to be budget-conscious even when traveling spontaneously. Many hostels and small hotels will offer last-minute deals if you ask.
Thinking ahead about drinks and snacks helps travelers control what they take in and will also save a few euros. Keeping protein snacks, such as beef jerky, or meal-replacement bars provide a pick-me-up when sitting down and paying for a full meal is unwarranted. Buying fresh fruit and vegetables from local stands before heading into the overpriced tourist areas ensures a healthy, inexpensive snack and supports the local economy.
To save even more money, look for a hotel that offer a kitchenette for guests to prepare their own meals. At the very least, a fridge in the room will hold the makings for sandwiches and can save the expense of buying lunch and give you a chance to take a break from sightseeing in the privacy of your room.
Inquiring ahead of time about parking, if driving, is another way to properly budget. Many hotels in Europe do not offer onsite parking, and it can cost anywhere from €15 to 50 per day.
For sanity’s sake, budgeting time can sometimes be more important than budgeting money. Visiting the Louvre, strolling down Champs-Elysees, climbing the Arc de Triomphe and finishing the afternoon in Versailles is unreasonable – unless it’s done at break-neck speed.
Maintain balance by placing passions at the top of the list, planning to work within the allotted time and letting go of unrealistic expectations. Work with what you have and be grateful to be able to visit a city such as Paris in the first place. It is better to wholly experience a few activities than to haphazardly flit from sight to sight, spending the invaluable resource of time without the value of full engagement.
When traveling, many people are so focused on taking in as much as they can in as little time as possible, they forget to rest. But if you’re tired, you won’t be able to enjoy the time you do have at your destination. Time budgeted for rest means refreshed energy for exploring everything yo want to see later on.
Budgeting time and energy pays big dividends when it comes to financial matters. That earlier purchase of bottled water at the local market can mean the difference between €.80 and €4. Hemorrhaging money while on vacation defeats the purpose altogether. No one enjoys still feeling the void in their wallet months after the tan has faded and the souvenirs have accumulated a layer of dust.
When it comes to budgeting financially on vacation, my best advice is: inquire. It is the inquisitive traveler who usually gets the best deals. From purchasing a city pass to finding the best tour package, asking questions, weighing options and employing insight is the best way to keep this part of the budget intact.
Budget travel is fun and easy. Utilizing the resources around us, such as the local base library, travel guides, the Internet, and best of all, the locals we meet when we arrive at our destination. Utilizing resources, prioritizing and maintaining an insatiable curiosity means we return refueled and inspired, ready to take on daily routines with renewed vigor.