Traveling on a budget is a skill you can easily master by time. However, you don’t necessarily need to prevent yourself from having fun so you can minimize your expenses. You simply need to know what to spend your money on, or in other words, how to spend your money wisely.

I personally don’t mind spending on certain things that other budget travelers may consider a luxury; the key is to prioritize. For instance, I would definitely spend craploads of money on a concert ticket to see Beyoncé or Coldplay *fingers crossed*. On the other hand, I normally spend hours; maybe days, trying to find a cheap, yet decent, flight! I value experience and for that, I give it quite a thought on how and where I should allocate my precious savings.

I’ll be giving you a simple example of how I managed to cut down my expenses on a particular trip of mine. This was around two years ago when I was on my Erasmus in Rennes, France. My trip’s itinerary included two French cities; Grenoble and Lyon, in addition to Geneva in Switzerland. Then, I headed to Turin, but that’s an entirely different trip. I spent a total of approximately €257 (That’s around EGP 5,000 ONLY!) in 4 days! How did I manage to do that? The answer is pretty simple, accommodation!

The biggest two bulks of expenses in any trip are normally accommodation and transportation, so if you can save yourself some money that would’ve been spent on either, you’re good to go. As you can see, the three cities are pretty close to each other and that’s how I managed to save on transportation to and from each city. Trains and buses within Europe can be very budget-friendly if your travel destination is nearby. The main reason why I cut down my expenses, however, was that I spent literally nothing on accommodation! Lucky me, I had an old friend who lived in Grenoble; I crashed at her place, went on day trips to the other two destinations, and voilà!

Not everyone is that lucky to have hospitable friends living abroad, of course, but there are plenty of other alternatives to save money on accommodation.

Number one is Couchsurfing where you get to crash at a local’s place and sleep on their couch for free! Another good alternative is renting an Airbnb. If you’re traveling with friends, you can split the rent and get a pretty decent, or even fancy, stay for a very good price! On the other hand, if you’re going solo, then you can always find rooms at locals’ houses for rent on Airbnb as well.

Then, of course, there are hostels. Hostels can vary widely in terms of cost per night in Europe. For me, a good price for a decent stay was normally around 20-something Euros. If you’re heading there on your next trip, don’t miss “My Favorite Hostel Picks in Europe I Highly Recommend“. On the other side, in South East Asia, for example, hostels are way cheaper!

In case you’re embarking on an adventure and hitting the road with your friends or a travel companion, why not rent a camper van? And if you’re traveling somewhere exotic, camping is always a great idea. Another cool trick is to travel at night, that way, you’ll spend the night sleeping on the bus/train and you’ll save yourself one night’s accommodation expense!

N.B: I lived in Europe at the time. So, if you happen to be living somewhere else, then there’s the extra cost of flight tickets.

So, going back to my trip; here’s a detailed itinerary with approximate figures of what I’ve spent.

Day 1:

Train from Rennes to Grenoble:

Ticket price: €108

Duration: 6.5 hours

This one was a bit pricey. That’s mainly because I remember booking last minute and it was the holiday season, and of course, Rennes is located in the extreme west of France while Grenoble is in its extreme southeast.

On my first day, I didn’t do much. I met my friend and we went exploring downtown and since it was almost Christmas, we had to pass by the annual Marché de Noël (Christmas Market) for some holiday treats.

Day 2:

Train from Grenoble to Geneva and vice versa:

Ticket price: €49

Duration (one-way): 2 hours

Geneva is a very small city, but so diverse and beautiful in many ways. I did not spend a Franc on public transportation; it was one of those cities where I walked everywhere! Speaking of Francs, they’re almost equal to euros and both currencies are acceptable. However, Switzerland is super expensive! Food was very costly and eating at the cheapest options is not going to be your favorite experience. And of course, I don’t have to remind you, do not think about going shopping! Just don’t! Even H&M there is ridiculously more expensive than other branches around Europe!

As for sightseeing and activities, I didn’t spend a lot. Here are the places where I’ve been to:

Saint Peter’s Cathedral and Chapel of Maccabees: €5

Geneva Contemporary Art Center: €5 (normal)/ €2 (reduced price for artists, teachers, or apprentices)/ free entrance for students, school groups, journalists, professionals, children under 18, and more)

I also saw The Geneva Water Fountain; one of the city’s iconic landmarks. I walked around the old downtown and the fashion districts as well.

I had lunch before I left at Holy Cow for €15; it was overpriced especially for bad burger. Totally not recommended!

And of course, you can’t leave Switzerland without getting Swiss chocolate. For that, I highly recommend Manor for premium affordable creations. The place has a lot more in store to offer you, from luggage to beauty products, and not just chocolate.

Day 3:

Bus from Grenoble to Lyon and vice versa:

Ticket price: €32

Duration (one way): 1.5 hours

That day, I simply had lunch at McDonald’s for €7. I was on the go, didn’t want to miss my bus and preferred to explore the city during the limited time I had.

Here are the places where I’ve been and the things I’ve done and barely cost me anything:

I simply walked around the city, mesmerized at its beautiful Renaissance-era mansions and its famous rivers; the Saône and the Rhône.

I also went to the medieval Saint-Jean-Baptiste Cathedral and walked around Vieux Lyon, the old downtown, and its medieval alleys lined with old bars and restaurants.

I also passed by Place Bellecour; the vast space where you can find this iconic ferris wheel, 19th-century boulevards, posh chocolatiers, and high-end boutiques.

Tip: for the fashion enthusiasts of you, if you’re into shopping, La Part-Dieu is your place to go with a wide variety of brands to offer.

Day 4:

Grenoble is a pretty small city; when I stayed there, I spent most of the time catching up with my friend and exploring the city’s small shops and cafés hidden in its alleys.

On day 4, my last day, we went to the city’s iconic La Bastille, the 476 m high fortified mountain, before I headed off. The cable car, that cost €5.8 for a student’s ticket, took us all the way up to where we enjoyed an aerial view of the French Alps and saw the Mont Blanc. There’s a really nice café where we had drinks with a view. (She paid for that, that’s how hospitable Egyptians are!)

Bus from Grenoble to Turin

Ticket price: €35

Duration: 3.5 hours

From Turin, I took off to an entirely different trip around bella Italia! I went to Turin, Milan, Florence, Pisa, and Rome. If you’d like to know more about this trip, don’t miss my “Complete Guide to Italia’s First Timers: Art, Pizza, and More!“