In a conversation with my brother last fall, he asked if I had any tips for traveling. That question inspired me to think about ways that one can save money as a budget traveler, especially in Europe. International travel can seem daunting. For many Americans their first trip overseas is to Europe. I hope these tips will encourage them to take that European trip. Last week I wrote about some simple and practical ways to save when finding flights and hotels in Europe. This week I want to share some other thoughts about saving money when you travel.
Let’s talk about another basic part of traveling, your credit card. The good news when traveling in Europe is that credit cards are generally accepted. In our travels the only place where credit cards were a bit of a challenge was in the Netherlands. I’m not sure why, but quite a few places did not take credit cards so we had to verify before we made a purchase.
The most important thing with your credit card is to make sure there are no foreign transaction fees for your card. These used to be pretty standard. When you would make a purchase in a currency other than your home currency, your credit card would charge you about 2% to make that exchange. Fortunately, many credit cards no longer do that. Make sure the cards you are using when traveling do not charge the fee.
Once you are positive your card does not charge the foreign transaction fee then always purchase in the local currency. Sometimes that happens automatically, but often the credit card machine will give you a choice to purchase in dollars. That may be tempting because that amount is familiar, and you are more comfortable using that number. However, refrain, and pay in the local currency, most likely euros. Why? Remember those foreign transaction fees? When you agree to pay in dollars in Europe, the local credit card processor will charge a transaction fee, and you will end up paying more.
A good example is when we traveled to Granada, Spain last April. Before our trip I purchased tickets for the Alhambra. When I went to pay on the website, they gave me the option to pay in dollars. I chose euros. When I later looked at my credit card charges, the amount I was charged was less than what the website indicated I would pay in dollars. The local currency is always your best bet.
Restaurants can be a bit tricky for Americans as some of the things we are used to in terms of service don’t happen in Europe. Water, for example. We don’t expect to pay for water. However, in Europe one does pay for water. When you ask for water, the wait person will respond with, “Sparkling or still?” Still, of course, means plain water. They may also ask you a size as they will bring you a bottle of water with a glass, and it will go on your tab.
Beware the bread basket. That is not free either. They won’t tell you, but if you eat from the bread basket or any other appetizer they bring you, you will pay extra for it. One can decline it if you have no intention of eating the offerings.
When the check comes (you will likely have to ask for it), you will know if you have done your homework because you need to know whether and how much to tip? Here there is no all European guideline. You need to check it out online to see what the custom is in the country you are visiting. In many countries tipping is not expected or very minimal. They provide good wages for their employees. One needs to remember that when the bill comes. It may seem high, but if you aren’t needing to give a tip, factor that into your expectations.
Before you leave the restaurant, you may want to use the bathroom. One frustration in Europe is that most public restrooms will charge you. It’s not a lot. Sometimes a euro. Sometimes a half euro. The problem becomes if you don’t have that coin. If you are relying on your credit cards during your trip, you may not have any coins. We faced that dilemma a few times too many.
When traveling to major tourist cities in Europe, you don’t really need a car. Public transportation works very well in large cities, and in smaller cities walking is the best way to see what the city has to offer. We noted the craziness of city driving in Paris. One morning we saw a garbage truck go down a narrow street collecting garbage while cars lined up behind it. They were going nowhere fast as we walked past them to the subway.
It’s good to familiarize yourself with the public transportation system before you arrive as different cities do it differently. Some charge by the distance you travel. Others charge per trip. We found that we could use our credit cards to pay for tickets in all the places we traveled.
If you are traveling from one city to another, trains generally work the best. Those tickets can usually be purchased online ahead of time. Some will assign seats, but some will be open seating. They may offer first class, but you will be perfectly comfortable in 2nd class.
We only rented a car in two countries, Ireland and Iceland. In each we were traveling away from major cities and out into the countryside. When we rented in Iceland, my daughter chose an inexpensive, local company, but we waited a long time both to pick up and drop off, and we saw a number of people with complaints. I would recommend using a known rental company rather than an unknown cheap one. It may be more expensive, but cause less aggravation. One has to know when spending a little more is worth it.
When traveling to new places, there will likely be sites you will want to visit, and they will cost money. One can go with your travel companions or join a tour. Tours can be advantageous as a tour guide will give you information which you might not otherwise get. However, it’s no surprise that the tour will cost you more. One always has to consider the situation. When Andrea and I went to the Netherlands to see the tulip gardens, we ended up going on a tour. Getting to the gardens was a bit of a challenge and would have cost us. The tour took us there on a bus. While more expensive, in the end we felt it would simplify things and make it less stressful to join a tour.
Another aspect of taking a tour is the tip. While restaurants may not expect much of a tip, tour guides often do. They might ask directly or perhaps just stand where you leave with some kind of a “tip jar” for you to enrich. On more than one occasion we felt embarrassed because we had no money to tip our guide.
Nowadays there can be a couple of options besides paying for a tour. Many places offer headsets with an attached player. These can be rented for less than a tour costs and are usually easy to use. Alternatively, more places offer online information as a guide. Google where you are traveling and see if anything pops up.
Two other things to briefly mention. One is laundry. If you travel for more than a week, you will likely want to do laundry. We found laundromats in Europe fairly easy to use. Most even dispense soap for you. Do a search on Google maps, and you will likely find some. We found ones in Porto and Granada. Both were just a few blocks from our hotels.
The final thought is about phone use. It can be handy to have a working phone, especially when trying to use a map. Our April trip was a testimony to that. With our phone plan we could use it in Europe, but they charged nearly $20 a day. That adds up pretty quickly. We managed (at times not well) without connecting. One way is to find wi-fi somewhere {Starbucks?). We found wi-fi at a mall in Brussels which helped reorient us when we were lost. Another solution is to rent a hot spot which will usually be less than your phone plan might charge you. We did that in Iceland. Phones are not something I am well versed in so if someone has another solution, I’d love to hear it.
So those are some considerations to think about when you visit Europe. Traveling is certainly a perk for those who can afford it. Some people can afford to spend a few hundred dollars a night for a nice hotel room and think nothing of spending the same for a meal. Most of us, however, spend our hard earned money a little more frugally. Europe can be expensive, but with a little forethought and care, it doesn’t have to break the bank. One can still have an interesting and enjoyable time discovering the European way of life.
As I indicated last week, I am always looking for new thoughts about saving money so if you have a helpful cost saving tip, please share it in the comment box below. Keep traveling, and I’ll see you next week.
Credits: Silvette Lee took all the food photos, all pictures that include me, the first four restaurant photos, and the train station photo. Andrea Lee provided the tour group photos.
After seeing your pictures, I’d love to go on a European food tour.
Most major cities have a wide variety of cuisines like we do here in the US. Silvette likes to document our meals. 🙂