How to Travel [in Europe] on the Cheap [Part One]

Hey guys! 

[insert cool picture here to get your attention]

Mike took this picture in Ibiza, and I love it. 

Before I get to the main subject of this post, I have another little huge favor to ask of you all. I may end up bribing you with a gift card that would be awarded if I win. Obviously if I don't win, I can't afford to shell out the dough for that. But I digress. If you have a minute, could you please go here and vote for my video?


It's a bit complicated, so here are the instructions:
1. Click the link (so easy a caveman could do it!)
2. Click "log in and vote." (to the right of the picture)
3. Click the "log in with facebook" button, and then "allow." (You can delete it after you've voted)
4. Once it takes you back to the video, move the slider to the right from the number 0 to the number 5, and click "vote." 


That's it! Easy, peezy. If I can get into 1st place, I would win $5000, and that would help me out a lot with my student loans and this master's program. And... it might just allow me to treat one of you voters to a little something special (worth at least $50 if I get first overall, $30 if I get first voter, $40 for second $20 for second voter, and $30 for third $15 for 3rd voter... keep in mind that's an at least, so it could be more). So... just in case I'm lucky enough to win, if you did vote, tell me you did in a comment.

Anyway. 


So. I thought it would be fun to share some tips for cheap travel here on the blog, for all of you who want to get the most out of your money while on vacation. These tips will be pretty specific to Europe, since that's what I know.

By the piers in Ibiza, Spain

1. Take all forms of transportation to your destination into consideration. You may find that a flight is cheaper than a train ticket, or maybe bus is the way to go. A favorite of ours is Ryanair - they have flights for as little as 10 EUR each way. Is it glamorous? No, but if you're looking for glamour, you're probably not too concerned with price.

2. Look into youth hostels, even if you're married. Many times, youth hostels offer private rooms for as little as 30 EUR. If you're single? You can travel for even cheaper. I've seen hostels for as little as 5 EUR a night if you stay in a dorm-style room. In Scotland, they have castles that have been converted into youth hostels - how cool is that? Bonus: You might meet people from the same place as you, or from countries you've never heard of.

A youth hostel that I lived in for 3 months in 2009 while I was here for an internship

3. Don't eat at restaurants. This may be a little easier said than done, but it is possible. When we were in Scotland, we ate out (on our dollar) twice. Two times in seven days. In Ibiza it was the same - twice. That's four times in 15 days. How did we manage that? We bought pre-made sandwiches at the store in Scotland, and in Ibiza we had a room with a kitchen. We bought food and cooked it ourselves. Sure, it requires more effort, but you will spend at least 50% less than you would eating out for every meal. Bonus: You can have picnics!!

Us and our sandwiches on a beach in Ibiza

4. Research the transportation options in your destination. Are you going to be using public transport? Renting a car? Going by bike? Using your own two feet? Do your research. In Scotland, it was cheaper for us to rent a car because we wanted to see the whole country, and that's not cheap by rail. If you're planning on taking the bus, look at the routes. Are they walkable? For most of Europe, the answer to that question is probably, "YES!" You just have to quit being a lazy American. Many cities offer bike rental, so if walking isn't for you, check that out. You may be surprised by what you find.

We rented a scooter because it was discounted if you paid online, and it gave us access to the whole island.

5. Don't pay entrance fees to things like ruins. This is a huge one, guys, and it's one that I've learned the hard way. Basically, a ton of castles are ruins, and what you see on the outside is pretty much what you will see on the inside. This is the one time that it's okay to judge a book by its cover. If you're traveling alone, this can save you (on average) 5EUR per castle. If you're with someone else, it'll save you 10. If you've been to Europe, you know how many castle ruins there are, and you know that it all adds up. 

Dunnottar Castle, Scotland

I have so much more to add, but this is getting long! Stay tuned for more (whenever I get around to it).