Jane M. Young, CFP, EA
I have decided to focus on a topic that is near to my heart and for which I have a great deal of first hand experience. Although in some cases you should do as I say and not as I do. I have a terrible weakness for European cafés and therefore spend too much money on meals and wine. We must choose our battles.
1.) Take the time to research air fares; it helps to be flexible on dates, times and locations. On my last trip we were able to save about $500 by trying a wide variety of routes and destinations – all within southern France. It is generally much cheaper to travel in and out of the same city and to book round trip tickets. If you need to travel one way within Europe there are several low cost, regional, airlines. If you don’t have too much luggage, consider a high speed train. I found train travel to be easy, fun, inexpensive and reliable. However, it can be difficult with a lot of luggage. It’s great for a day trip!
2.) Avoid travel during peak season, June through August. I usually travel in May or September to avoid the huge summer crowds and get better prices. Most hotels charge higher rates during the peak summer months. The service is also much better when there are fewer people to deal with. I also found that several historical sites don’t charge admission until June 1st.
3.) Save money by eating fewer meals in restaurants. Buy some bread, wine and cheese at the local grocery store and have a picnic in the park or at the beach. Reserve a hotel with a refrigerator to keep food fresh for breakfast and snacks. Most hotels offer breakfast but it can be very expensive, pick-up a baguette or a sandwich on the go and eat it as you stroll through the city. If you are limited for time, eating all your meals in a restaurant can use up a lot of valuable time.
4.) Save money when eating in restaurants by ordering the special of the day, sharing a meal or eating the seasonal local specialties. You can also save money by ordering the fixed price menu. If you are traveling to several towns in a region eat in the smaller less touristy villages. In addition to being less expensive, the food is better and the proprietors are more open. Seek out restaurants that are off the beaten path or ask a local for a restaurant recommendation. The prices will be lower, the food will be better and the ambiance will be nicer. You can eat with the Americans at home.
Save on wine by ordering a half liter or small pitcher of house wine. Most restaurants in France and Italy serve a half liter of house wine for about 5 euros; it’s the best deal going. The house wine is usually produced locally, many restaurants serve only regional wines. As they say, when in Rome….
5.) Take the time to research your lodging. You can save on lodging by staying in lesser know towns and staying in small locally owned Inns or Hotels. If you have the time, book an apartment for a week or two and take days trips from your base location. Another great way to save money is booking a business hotel over the weekend or a holiday; this can be especially helpful for airport locations.
There are several internet sites that can help you select good quality, inexpensive hotels such as Tripadvisor.com and Hotels.com. You can read reviews written by the people who have recently stayed there. A good guidebook on the region you are visiting can also be very helpful in selecting a hotel. Check out your selection with several sources to make sure the reviews are consistent.
6.) Think about what site-seeing you plan to do and what is really important to you. Admission into museums and various historical sites can be very expensive. When you visit cities with several sites that you want to see ask the tourist office if there is a museum pass or some kind of package deal that you can purchase. Be selective on what you pay to see – the inside of one mid-evil castle looks about the same as the next. You have limited time and there is so much beautiful scenery and architecture available to see absolutely free.
