Okay so this one is a little different from our usual content, but I went to Europe this past summer and honestly it was one of the best trips of my life — and I did it without spending a fortune. I figured I’d share what worked for me because a lot of you have asked about travel stuff in our Facebook group.
1. Book Flights on Tuesday or Wednesday
I know everyone says this but it genuinely worked. I found round-trip tickets from Chicago to Lisbon for under $600 by searching mid-week and being flexible by even just one day on either end. Use Google Flights and turn on price alerts — it’s free and super easy.
2. Stay in Aparthotels Instead of Regular Hotels
This was a game changer. An aparthotel is basically a hotel room with a small kitchen. You can make your own breakfast, store groceries, and avoid eating out three times a day. Over two weeks, I probably saved $300–$400 just on food.
3. Get a Local SIM Card at the Airport
Don’t pay your carrier’s international roaming fees. I picked up a prepaid SIM in Lisbon for about €15 and had data for the whole trip. Google Maps, translation apps, everything worked perfectly the entire time.
4. Take the Train Between Cities
Flying between European cities sounds fast but when you add in airport time, security, and getting to/from the airport, trains are often just as quick city-center to city-center. Plus you get to see the countryside. I took the train from Lisbon to Madrid and it was genuinely one of the highlights of the trip.
5. Eat Lunch as Your Big Meal
Restaurants in Europe often have a “menu del día” or set lunch menu that gives you two or three courses for €10–€15. The same restaurant at dinner could cost twice as much. I ate like a king at lunch and had something small — bread, cheese, fruit — for dinner most nights.
6. Visit Free Museums on Certain Days
A lot of major European museums are free on the first Sunday of the month or on certain evenings. Do a quick Google search before you go. I got into the Prado in Madrid for free and the line was totally manageable if you show up right when it opens.
7. Use a No-Foreign-Transaction-Fee Credit Card
This is one I wish I’d done earlier. Cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the Capital One Venture don’t charge you 3% every time you swipe abroad. Doesn’t sound like much but it adds up fast over two weeks of daily spending.
8. Walk More Than You Think You Should
I downloaded offline maps before every city and walked almost everywhere under a mile and a half. Free, you see more, and honestly the hidden neighborhoods you stumble through are better than the main tourist drags anyway.
9. Travel Shoulder Season
Late September and October are incredible in Southern Europe — still warm, way fewer crowds, and noticeably cheaper accommodation. I paid about 40% less for the same hotels I’d priced out for July.
10. Pack a Reusable Water Bottle with a Filter
Tap water is safe in most of Western Europe and refilling a filtered bottle all day saved me from buying bottled water constantly. Small thing, but I probably saved $30–$40 over the trip and created way less plastic waste, which felt good.
Anyway, I hope some of these help if you’re planning a trip! Back to talking about water heaters and bathroom tile next week, I promise. 😄 Drop any travel questions in the comments — happy to share more about the Lisbon and Madrid legs of the trip specifically.