c/budget-travel-hacks

Spent 2 hours trying to find a hostel that wasn't a total scam in Bangkok

Every booking site showed these amazing cheap deals, but the reviews on Google Maps told a completely different story. Has anyone else found a good way to quickly spot the fake listings?

Tried that 'free city tour' in Prague and it cost me way more than expected

I joined a group in Old Town Square, and the guide said it was free but tips were welcome. After two hours, he gave a big speech about how his pay depends on us and stared everyone down. I felt so bad I gave 20 euros, which was half my food budget for the day. Has anyone else had a guide pressure them like that, and what's a better way to see a city for cheap?

Faced a $50 bus ride or a 3 hour walk in Lisbon

My phone died and I couldn't get a cheap rideshare, so I asked a local shop owner for help. He told me about a public tram line that cost 3 euros and got me to my hostel in 20 minutes. Anyone know other cities with a cheap, easy-to-miss transit option like that?

Got completely hosed on a bus ticket in Rome and it taught me a hard lesson

I was in Rome about two years ago, trying to save a few euros. I bought a single bus ticket from a little tabacchi shop near the Termini station. The guy behind the counter sold it to me for 2 euros, which seemed fine. I validated it on the bus, no problem. Two stops later, a team of plainclothes ticket inspectors got on. They checked my ticket, then told me it was a fake. A complete counterfeit. I argued, but they didn't care. The fine was 100 euros on the spot, cash only. I was stuck in the middle of a route I didn't know, with a bunch of angry tourists staring at me. I had to pay it. Now I never, ever buy transit tickets from a random corner store in a big city, no matter how official it looks. I go straight to the machine at the station or use an official app. Has anyone else gotten burned by a fake ticket like that, or am I just the unluckiest guy?

Rant: A guy in Bangkok taught me the weirdest money saving trick ever

I was at a street food stall trying to figure out the bus system and this older local dude saw me looking confused. He leaned over and said, 'Forget the bus, take the river ferry for 15 baht, it goes the same way but you get a free boat tour.' I was skeptical but tried it the next morning. The ferry was packed with people going to work and it saved me like $2 a day in taxi fares. Has anyone else had a local give you a hack that sounded totally random but actually worked great?

Just realized my total food spend in Tokyo was under $100 for a full week

I was going over my trip notes and added up every single yen I spent on food. It came to 14,800 yen, which is about $94. I did this by eating one big meal a day from a local supermarket around 4pm, when they start marking down the bento boxes and sushi packs. I'd get a full meal for 300-400 yen, then just snack on cheap fruit and onigiri from 7-Eleven the rest of the day. I stayed in a hostel with a kitchen, so I could heat things up. It mattered because I always thought Japan was too expensive to visit, but this hack let me stay longer and see more. Has anyone else found a specific supermarket or discount time that worked in another city?

Unpopular opinion: I think the 'never check a bag' rule is actually costing me money

I mean, I just flew to Denver for 5 days and my checked bag fee was $30, but the extra stuff I had to buy there because I couldn't pack it added up to over $75. Has anyone else done the math on this for a longer trip?

Warning: I spent $300 on a 'must have' travel guidebook set for Europe

Back in 2019, I bought a fancy three book set for a trip to Italy and France. I thought I needed the maps and restaurant tips, but everything was out of date by the time I got there. I ended up using free apps and asking locals, which worked way better. What's the biggest waste of money you've seen people spend before a trip?

My cheap travel pillow exploded on a flight to Denver

Last Tuesday, I was on a red eye to Denver and my inflatable neck pillow, which I got for $8 online, just popped. It made a loud noise like a balloon and scared the lady next to me. I spent the rest of the flight trying to sleep with my head against the cold window. Has anyone found a budget pillow that doesn't self-destruct?

Shoutout to the overnight bus from Berlin to Vienna

I had to choose between a 90 euro flight or a 35 euro overnight bus for a trip last month. I picked the bus, which left at 11 PM and got in at 7 AM. It had decent reclining seats, and I saved a night on a hostel. Has anyone else tried a similar long-haul bus route that actually worked out okay?

This guy at the hostel in Prague said my travel towel was a waste of space

He saw me packing my quick-dry towel and told me to just use the free hostel towels and save the room, but those things are always thin and smell weird. I tried it his way for two days and ended up with a damp, musty mess in my bag because the hostel towel never fully dried. So, what's the real move here, pack your own or trust the free ones?

Talked to a friend who just got back from a 3 week trip to Portugal for under $800

Honestly, I always thought you needed a big budget for Europe. He said the trick was staying in smaller towns an hour outside Lisbon and Porto, using local buses, and cooking most meals. He spent like $12 a night for a private room in a guesthouse. Ngl, it made me rethink my whole 'save for years' plan. Has anyone else done a longer trip in Europe on a super tight budget and have specific town recommendations?

TIL my old 'pack everything' strategy was a $200 mistake

I used to pack a full checked bag for any trip over three days, thinking I needed options. Last year, flying to Denver, the airline lost my suitcase for two days and I had to buy a whole new outfit and toiletries. That cost me about $200 out of pocket. Now I only travel with a carry-on, no matter how long the trip. I just do laundry at the hotel sink or find a local laundromat. Has anyone else had a packing disaster that forced a total change in strategy?

Paid $80 for a 'skip the line' pass at the Louvre and it was the best call ever

We had a tight layover in Paris and only 4 hours to see the museum. That pass got us in 90 minutes faster than the regular queue, so we actually saw the Mona Lisa. Would you pay that much to skip a line or is it a total rip off?

I used to book the first flight I saw, but a mistake in Lisbon changed my mind

About two years ago, I booked a direct flight to Lisbon for 400 bucks because it seemed fine. Now I always check nearby airports too. I found a flight to Porto for 250 last month, took a cheap 20 euro train to Lisbon, and saved over a hundred. Anyone else have a good city where flying nearby is way cheaper?

My cousin swore by those 'skip the line' passes for the Louvre, but I think he was totally off base

He pushed me hard to buy the timed entry tickets for 25 euros each, saying the regular line would waste half a day. I got there in Paris last month at opening, went to the underground mall entrance, and was inside in maybe 15 minutes. The main pyramid line did look long, but the other entrance was a ghost town. I saved 50 euros for my partner and me, which covered a nice lunch later. I felt pretty smug, not gonna lie. The whole 'hack' felt like paying for fear. Has anyone else found that the most pushed advice for big spots is often the biggest waste of cash?

My flight to Lisbon went from $850 to $480 in one afternoon

I was watching a Tuesday morning flight for weeks, and the price just sat there. Then around 3 pm, I checked again and it had dropped by almost half. I think airlines adjust prices based on how many seats are left that day. Has anyone else seen a big price drop at a certain time of day?

DAE book a flight for a Tuesday afternoon instead of a weekend and save almost $200 on a round trip to Denver?

I was looking at flights for a weekend getaway and noticed the price dropped by $197 when I shifted my departure to a Tuesday and my return to the following Thursday.

Pro tip: Don't book a 'flexible' train ticket in Italy without reading the fine print

Just got back from a trip to Rome and I lost about 50 euros because I didn't understand how their 'frecce' train tickets work. I bought a flexible ticket thinking I could just hop on any train that day, but it turns out you have to actually validate that specific ticket for a specific departure time at a machine before you board. I missed my original train, got on a later one, and got hit with a fine from the conductor on board (they check, a lot). The whole thing was super stressful and ate into my food budget for two days. Has anyone else run into this with Italian trains and found a better way to handle last-minute changes without getting penalized?

Pro tip: I booked a flight to Lisbon for a Tuesday instead of a Friday and saved over $200.

I always thought flying mid-week was just a little cheaper, but for this trip, the price drop was huge. I moved my dates by just three days and the fare went from $480 to $275. Has anyone else found a specific weekday that's consistently the best for big savings from their home airport?

Had to choose between a cheap hostel in Prague or a nicer one 20 minutes away. Picked the cheap one and it worked out better than I thought.

Hot take: Booking a multi-city flight to save cash is never worth the hassle

Spent 4 hours yesterday trying to piece together a London-Paris-Berlin trip for under $300, but the layovers and separate airport transfers killed the deal. Anyone found a reliable site or trick that actually makes this work?

Figuring out the bus system in Lisbon took me a full afternoon

I thought I'd save cash by using the local buses instead of taxis. I spent about four hours trying to understand the routes, the different ticket types, and where to buy the reloadable card. The map at the stop was only in Portuguese, and my phone data was almost gone. I finally asked at a small grocery store, and the clerk showed me the Viva Viagem card machine. Has anyone else found a simpler way to get around there without spending a fortune?

A small thing I see people mess up with train tickets in Europe

I was in Italy last fall and kept hearing folks at the station complain about fines. They'd buy a regional train ticket, get on, and think they were set. What they missed is that on many of those trains, you have to validate your ticket in a little machine by the platform before boarding. If you don't, it's like you never bought it, and the conductor can charge you a 50 euro fine on the spot. I learned this the hard way about ten years ago near Florence, and I've seen it trip up travelers ever since. It's a simple step, but it's easy to forget when you're rushing with bags. The validation just stamps the date and time on your paper ticket. Has anyone found other countries where this rule catches people out?

Overheard a guy in a Lisbon hostel say he books flights for 'anywhere under $50'

I was making coffee in the hostel kitchen last Tuesday and this guy from Canada was telling his friend his whole system. He said he just opens Skyscanner, puts in his home airport, and for the destination he types 'everywhere'. Then he sorts by price and picks the cheapest spot that comes in under 50 bucks, no matter where it is. He said his last three trips were to places he'd never even thought about going. It kind of blew my mind because I always pick the place first and then hunt for deals. His way flips it all around. I tried it when I got home and found a one-way to a city in Belgium for $42 next month. Has anyone else tried this 'blind booking' method? What was the weirdest place you ended up?