1. Rent an Apartment:

No longer do you have to shell out cash for an expensive hotel. You can hunt for a hostel and book the dormitories. The other option would be to share a house or rent an apartment. You can contact the rental agents for more details. The websites like airbnb.com and couchsurfing.com throw multiple options to the travelers. It's a great way to connect with and experience things like a local.

2. Go Car Camping:

On a really tight budget? Adventurous? Go car-camping! We can rent or lease you the right vehicle! Order your mattress or foam in advance, make up some curtains if a long trip or use stick on sun protectors to give you some privacy. Go to a camping store and stock up on some useful items like a tarpaulin, a picnic set, a gas cooker, a cooler box or even buy a car fridge off Ebay! You can then go to campsites, pay the car rate and use their shower and toilet. Check out this link for more ideas https://goo.gl/LHW1KU

3. Cook your own meal:

Food might be expensive in Europe and if you are planning for a long stay, the supermarket can be a better option. Home cooked food is healthy as well as nutritious. As many hotels have microwaves, there are several ready-to-eat food products that will save you both time and money. If you are renting an apartment, you will have an access to the kitchen area to cook your own meal! Pack your lunch for the next day from left-overs. If traveling by car, buy a couple plastic plates, cutlery, a breadboard and some re-sealable plastic bags to make your own filled bread rolls, sandwiches, chopped up chicken and salads etc

4. Get the discount cards:

If you are frequently using the public transport and are planning to explore the European cities consider purchasing a City Card. The City Card often allows you to use the transport at a discounted price. But do the math first to see how many attractions you will actually visit. The other cards that you can consider are the Berlin Welcome Card, Oslo Welcome Card, and the Amsterdam Card. Try walking to the nearby places rather than hiring a taxi or boarding a bus. See if you can use a student card or seniors card if you have one.

5. Transport:

Traveling for a longer duration? Consider a tax-free French car lease. Even better value if you are more than 2 people traveling or traveling with kids. Choose diesel over petrol as it can be up to 20% cheaper than petrol and give up to 40% better fuel economy. The other good thing about a lease is that there is no excess to pay in event of accident or damage. You can also travel to Eastern Europe which is often a no-no with rental cars. Not sure which option is best? Call or email us and we'll be happy to go through the pros and cons of each.

6. Book Your Travel in advance:

The best way to save money on your air ticket is to plan your travel in advance. You can make a list of the European cities that you want to explore. Check the ticket availability and book it in advance. Refer skyscanner.com for flights, and raileurope.com for train tickets. Plan for overnight trains to save on accommodation costs. Conversely, if you leave things to the last minute, bargains can also be had.

7. A Bus/Coach - tour or D.I.Y?

These can be pricey. You are also pretty locked with their itinerary. What happens if you want to spend a day at the Louvre and they only allow you two hours? There's a music concert that evening of someone you'd really love to see but you're leaving....and oh dear, you're not a morning person and every day they want you up and ready to leave at 8 am. The answer: "D.I.Y". Grab a couple of brochures, mark off what you want to see and cross out items that are not of interest. Then call us! We'll help you to plan. Use a Eurail pass or bus or rent a car.

8. Check the Free-Entry Days:

Europe is fascinating when it comes to museums. And, if you want to be spared from the entry ticket to museums, do check the free-entry days. You can enter to any museum in Paris without paying any additional charges on Sunday. There are different Free-Entry days in Berlin Museums. Thus, find out the free-entry days before you visit the museums and save a few bucks.

9. Traveling with kids?

Traveling with children can be expensive when you consider what it costs to have breakfast, lunch, and dinner out. They are often fussy eaters to boot. Consider traveling in a motorhome. It is a great experience, especially for kids who get to play with other kids at the campsites. It is relaxing as well! You can save heaps by cooking your own meals and packing lunches. What you will pay for one day's worth of meal at a restaurant, will probably feed you for a week if you D.I.Y.

10.What else is free?

Did you know if you are under 26, you can get free entry into the Louvre? Love art? The Museum of Modern Art in Nice allows free entry. So are many in London! In Munich, head to Marienplatz at 12 noon and watch then 30 odd life-size figurines dance. In Milan and Rome many bars offer free food between 5.30 and 6.30pm when you buy a drink. In Amsterdam, catch free concerts on Tuesday afternoons at 12.30 pm between September to May at Boekmanzaal.

11. Save on Mobile Internet:

Communication is important irrespective of the cities that we travel. And, yes, we have to bear the internet bill and the roaming charges. Get a local internet data only sim card to stay connected with your loved ones. Also, ensure that your mobile is Wifi enabled. There are several free Wifi-zones in Europe that offer free internet. McDonald's and coffee shops often have free internet. You can use applications like Whatsapp, Viber, FaceTime and Skype for free voice calls. They are easy to download and support voice calls.

12. Minimize your visit to ATM:

It is best to minimize excessive usage of ATM as you will be charged for your withdrawal. Also, you will end up getting a very low currency rate. Do not commit the blunder of buying travel currency at the airport. You will be overcharged. Make sure to get all your currency exchanged in your home country and you can lock in rates when the rates are in your favour. Do also get exchange rate quotes from a few banks. Also, check out some fee- free credit cards.

13. Travel during Off-Season:

The best time to visit Europe is during summers as the days would be long and the weather would be warm. But, at the same time, Europe is expensive and pretty crowded during the peak seasons. The hotel prices will be up and attraction places would also be expensive. Plan your trip from September to April to save money.

14. Seek help from Tourist Information Desks:

Look for free city maps once you land at your destination or print out some Google maps before you leave home. Secondly, visit the tourist information desks to gather more local information. You will be advised about cheap transport modes, discount cards, accommodation, free of cost attraction spots and so on.

15. Travel with a friend or a partner:

Solo traveling is a good experience but it isn't recommended for a budget travel to Europe. There are hotels that charge supplements for solo travelers. And, you may not like the single rooms as they are below average. If you are traveling with a friend, you can split the expenses.