18 Money-Saving Tips For Anyone Planning A Trip To Europe

It's do-able, I promise!

Hellooooo, I'm Jemima! I've done a lot of travel in the last couple of years (except for during you-know-what), and I'm all about having a great time without spending all my money.

Instagram: @jemimaskelley

I spent a year in Europe sticking to a pretty tight budget and still managed to have the time of my life. If you're thinking about planning a big Eurotrip — but are put off by the astronomical cost — here are my biggest tips for travelling on the cheap:

1. Internal flights are super cheap — but pack carry-on only!

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Getting to Europe from Australia (or really, anywhere) is going to cost a bomb. But once you're there, internal flights can be as cheap as 20€. The catch? You can't check-in a bag. If you can pack all your stuff into a carry-on sized backpack, you'll be able to save a TONNE of coin on excess baggage fees. Note that most airlines in Europe have a 7kg limit — in other places it's 10kg.

2. Embrace hostel living.

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Everyone has an opinion on hostels. Yes, the thought of sharing a room with strangers is weird AF, but you'll be saving hundreds of dollars a night. The hostel network across Europe is awesome. For the most part, they're all clean, safe and friendly. Embracing hostels is the key to having a holiday that won't clean out your savings. 

Check out more of my tips on hostel stays here.

3. Consider doing a work exchange for free lodging.

workaway.info

You may have heard of Workaway, where travellers can exchange a few hours of work each day for room and board. Usually. they're on farms and rural properties or in hostels and B&Bs. This is a great way to save money and also really throw yourself into local culture. I did it in Florence for a month and didn't spend a cent on accommodation the whole time. There are a tonne of sites where you can find work, so look around 'til you find something that suits you. 

4. Bakeries are the best place to eat amazing local food for cheap.

Moonstone Images / Getty Images, Creative Commons / viciousfoodie.com / Via Flickr: resonant

Bakeries across Europe are actually heaven on Earth. Whether you get a freshly-baked croissant, a bread roll stuffed with olives, or a flaky cheesy pastry, nothing will cost you more than a couple of dollars. Bakeries are your friend, for breakfast, lunch and dinner. 

5. Trains are handy, but buses are way, way cheaper.

Neil Howard / Creative Commons / Via Flickr: neilsingapore

We've all heard the story of using trains to Interrail across Europe. While trains are easy, buses are way, way cheaper — especially if you're heading ~off the tourist trail~ into central and eastern Europe. Flixbus is a great bus chain that goes almost everywhere. Plus, it has comfy seats, Wi-Fi and will save you a lot of money.

6. Lean into every free activity you possibly can.

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Every time I go to a new city, I always do a walking tour. They're usually free (you just tip the guide at the end), and they're a great way to orient yourself in a new place. Just Google "walking tour + [city]" and you'll find one in no time. 

7. Keep a running list of places you want to go, so you're not just roaming aimlessly.

PBS

Before my first big Europe trip, I spent about six months compiling a huge Google doc where I listed every recommendation I found online (on Reddit, blogs, YouTube) and through friends. Then, whenever I got to a new place, I had a list of activities, restaurants, bars, and hostels to draw on — I wasn't just walking around the city accidentally getting sucked into tourist traps. 

8. Be flexible where you can.

NBC

It's tempting to book everything months before your trip, but I found that it was much more beneficial to keep things as open as possible. Of course, if you're travelling in peak season, you won't want to leave accommodation bookings to the last minute. But I usually only planned about a week in advance (unless there was somewhere I really wanted to go/see/do), and found it a much better way to travel. You're more likely to meet people, and find out about cool new places and hidden gems.

9. Make friends — everything's cheaper when you can split costs.

Warner Bros. Pictures

If you're lucky enough to be travelling with your besties — great! If not, make friends wherever you can. (This is where staying in hostels comes in handy!) When you can share the price of food, accommodation, transport, tours, etc. things instantly become cheaper. 

10. Unless you've got bucket-list spots to hit, try to plan your itinerary around the cheapest countries.

Pau Valero Molla / Getty Images/iStockphoto

Everyone wants to go to Paris and the Amalfi Coast. I get it, but the reality is that these places come with much higher price tags for food, accommodation, and activities. Other spots — like Budapest, Prague, Poland, Albania, and mainland Greece — will be friendlier to your budget. Use Budget Your Trip to figure out how much you're likely to spend in each place you visit, so you know before you go. 

11. Get off the beaten track.

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A couple of days in Rome is probably going to cost you double the amount of money you'd spend in a smaller city like Bologna or Bari. Yes, seeing the big touristy cities are a must-do, but getting off the regular tourist trail can save you a lot of money. I do a lot of research on Reddit and YouTube beforehand to find cool cities that I never would have thought about visiting. 

12. Stay somewhere with free breakfast and a kitchen.

Glen Mazza / Creative Commons / Via Flickr: glenmazza

One of the best parts about travelling is trying new food — but eating out for three meals a day can get pretty pricey. Staying somewhere with a kitchen is key, whether its a small apartment kitchenette or a shared hostel kitchen. Of course, free breakfast is also a major plus I look for when booking a place to stay. 

13. Book directly with hotels/hostels where possible.

Surf Break @ Paunch / Via surfbreakatpaunch.com

Using sites like Booking.com makes things easy, but there's an in-built fee which is usually shouldered by the accommodation. Many places offer discounts when you book directly through their website or even just in an Insta DM.

14. Use Skyscanner's 'Everywhere' feature.

Skyscanner

When you're in the planning stages, this feature is a godsend. Choose your origin city, then select "everywhere" as your destination. Skyscanner will list every single flight leaving from that city, starting with the cheapest first. It's a great way to find new places to go without spending a whole lot.

15. Local SIMs are the best way to go.

Disney

Yeah, a lot of places have Wi-Fi. Yeah, Vodafone might give you cheap roaming. But there's nothing better than investing in a local SIM card once you arrive in Europe. Most of them work across multiple countries, and can be as low as 10€ a month for unlimited data. When you get lost in Krakow at 10pm while looking for pierogies after a pub crawl, you'll be thankful you have internet on your phone.

16. Track your spending even if you really don't want to.

Tripcoin

Ugh, I hate tracking my spending. I hate looking at my silly little app that tells me I spent 40€ on wine and 20€ on pastries in three days, BUT it's worth it. Find a method that works for you — an app like TripCoin, a Google Sheet, or even pen and paper — and write down everything you buy. Having a visual of how much you're spending makes it a lot easier to stick to a budget. 

17. The shoulder season and off season are your new besties.

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We all want a European summer, but what if I told you that the money you'd spend in July would last you at least two months in the off-season? Things are a looooot cheaper from late September to May. Sure, the weather won't be as good, but it's still going to be an epic Euro trip. 

18. And finally, don't get intimidated by public transport.

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While the thought of navigating Prague's tram system sounds scary enough to make you open your Uber app — don't! Google Maps makes it so easy to figure out how to get around on public transport, including where to change and what platform you need to be on. 

Do you have any tips you want to share, or are you interested in learning more travel tips in general? Let us know in the comments!