c/budget-travel-hacks

Took me two hours to find an app that actually showed me where to refill my water bottle for free in Paris

After walking past three fountains I couldn't figure out how to use because the handle was hidden weird, I finally downloaded some city map thing and still wasted twenty minutes hunting for the first working tap - has anyone else spent way too long just trying to get a drink in Europe?

Got stuck at a train station in Budapest for 4 hours

My overnight bus from Vienna dropped me off at 3 AM and the next train to Prague didn't come until 7. Ended up sleeping on a bench in the cold because I didn't want to waste cash on a hostel for just a few hours. Has anyone else found a cheap trick for surviving those awkward gaps between rides?

The window seat hack I stumbled on by accident

I was booking a flight from Cleveland to Denver last month and the standard economy seats were $280. Out of curiosity I clicked the option for "basic economy" thinking it would be a pain, but it was only $210. The catch was you can't pick your seat till check in. I figured I'd get a middle seat in the back. But at check in 24 hours before, I got a window seat near the front. Turns out lots of people avoid basic economy so there's less competition for the good leftover seats. I saved $70 and got a better spot than usual. Has anyone else tried gambling on basic economy and come out ahead?

Hot take: hostels beat couchsurfing every time

I chose a $28 hostel dorm in Barcelona over a free couchsurfing stay last month. The couchsurfing host wanted me to hang out for 3 hours every evening, which kills my solo exploring time. Has anyone else found that paying a bit more actually saves your trip vibe?

Overheard a guy at the airport bragging about booking flights on a Tuesday and saved $80

Tried it myself for a trip to Austin last month and my ticket came out $60 cheaper than checking on a Saturday so what other days are you guys using for cheap flights?

Tried Airbnb vs hostel in Barcelona for 8 days - hostel won big time

I did a little experiment on my last trip to Barcelona. Stayed at a hostel for the first 4 days then switched to an Airbnb for the last 4. The Airbnb cost me $85 a night and the hostel was $32 a night. What really got me was how much extra I spent just because I had a whole apartment. I kept buying snacks and drinks from the store thinking I'd cook but I barely used the kitchen. The hostel had free walking tours, free breakfast, and a common area where I met people who told me about cheap tapas spots. With the Airbnb I just sat alone watching Netflix. Ended up spending $200 more on food and activities during the Airbnb part. Has anyone else found that hostels actually force you to spend less because you're out doing stuff instead of hanging in your room?

Overheard a guy at the hostel say he never pays for accommodation

I finally ditched hotel breakfast and started hitting local bakeries instead

Used to always pay extra for the hotel breakfast buffet because I thought it was saving money. Stayed at a place in Nashville last month, the buffet was $18 per person. Went two blocks down the street to this little bakery and got a massive breakfast sandwich and coffee for $7. I've been doing this for every trip since and it's way better food and way cheaper. Anyone else find better deals skipping the hotel breakfast?

Showerthought: my hostel bunk bed collapse in Prague taught me a lesson

I was in a 12 bed dorm in Prague last summer and the top bunk just gave way at 2am, dropping me onto the guy below. Turns out the frame was held together with zip ties and hope, and I spent the rest of the night on a lobby couch with a half-eaten baguette. Anyone else have a hostel disaster that made you rethink the $15 a night deal?

PSA: I tried that sleep-on-the-rental-car trick near LAX to save on a hotel

Woke up at 3am to a security guard tapping on the window and got a $45 parking ticket instead of the $80 hotel room I was dodging, so which is worse, paying for a cheap motel or risking more fines?

The guy at the bus station in Boulder set me straight about buying last minute flights

I used to think booking flights 2 weeks out was the safest bet but after 3 trips I realized I was paying double what everyone else was. He pointed out that airlines drop prices 72 hours before departure if seats are empty and I just sat there feeling dumb. Has anyone else actually had luck with this or is it just a myth for certain routes?

Just realized budget airlines cost me more in the end

Flew Spirit to Miami last spring at $49 each way, but after bag fees, seat selection, and a water bottle it came to $180 round trip. Two months later I flew Delta for $200 with snacks and a carry-on included, no hidden charges. Has anyone else tracked the real cost of these so-called cheap flights versus a standard carrier?

Beware of fake hostel listings in Prague that take your booking fee

Hostel private rooms are actually worth it for me now

I always thought paying extra for a private room in a hostel was just throwing money away, but last month in Barcelona I booked one for $45 and got a full night's sleep plus access to the free breakfast and kitchen. Has anyone else found a hostel perk that made the upgrade actually pay off?

Vent: Got scammed by a 'budget' hostel in Barcelona last month

I booked this place for 18 euros a night on Hostelworld. Looked fine in the photos, right? Showed up and the 'air conditioning' was just a broken fan in the hallway. The 'free breakfast' was a stale bread roll and some tap water. I ended up spending another 30 euros a night at a proper hostel two blocks away. Has anyone else had a listing completely lie about what they offer?

Hostel vs AirBNB for my Europe trip - the numbers made it obvious

I just got back from 3 weeks in Portugal and Spain, and I tracked every euro I spent on lodging. The hostels in Lisbon ran me about 22 euros a night for a dorm bed with breakfast included. Meanwhile a friend I met along the way was paying 65 euros for a tiny AirBNB room with no kitchen access. For me the hostel was clearly better because I saved over 700 euros total and met way more people to explore with. The only downside was noise at night but I just bought earplugs for 2 euros at a pharmacy. Has anyone else done the math on hostels versus AirBNBs in Europe and found one way cheaper?

Hot take: booking a red-eye flight saved me $200 on a trip to Denver last month

I always avoided overnight flights because I like sleeping in a bed, but after I paid $320 for a Tuesday afternoon seat versus $120 for the 1am departure, I realized I could just nap at the airport lounge instead of paying for a hotel.

I always booked hotels in the wrong neighborhood in Paris

I spent 3 trips staying near the Eiffel Tower because I thought that was the smart move. Turns out the 10th arrondissement near Gare du Nord has hotels for half the price and better metro access. A local bartender told me after I complained about my $180 a night room. Has anyone else found a cheaper area that actually works better for sightseeing?

Realized I was booking flights all wrong after a trip to Chicago

I flew to Chicago last month and paid $280 for a round trip. My buddy got the same flight for $160 because he used a private browser and booked on a Tuesday around midnight. I always thought that was a myth but he showed me his receipt. Has anyone else noticed a big difference from clearing your cookies before searching?

The time I chose a hostel over a cheap hotel in Prague and it worked out better

Back in 2018 I was planning a trip to Prague and had to pick between a $25 a night hostel in the old town or a $40 hotel out near the train station. I went with the hostel because I figured I could save money for food and sights. Best decision I made on that trip. The hostel had a free walking tour every morning and I met a guy from Australia who showed me this hole in the wall spot for 50 cent dumplings. Plus the common room had a shared kitchen so I cooked pasta for dinner and saved even more. The cheap hotel I looked at online had bad reviews about thin walls and no lockers anyway. Has anyone else picked a hostel over a private room and found it actually made the trip better?

That time I tried to save $5 on a hostel in Barcelona and ended up sleeping on a rooftop with 12 strangers

I booked the absolute cheapest place I could find on Hostelworld and didn't read the reviews saying the 'dorm' was actually a tarp on the roof, and by 2 AM I was sharing a sleeping bag with a guy from Sweden because it got freezing cold, has anyone else accidentally ended up in a hostel that wasn't even a real building?

Buddy told me my hostel booking site was costing me 30% more

I always used the first booking site I found for hostels. A guy I met in a Chiang Mai dorm said check the hostel's own website before booking. I tried it for my next stop in Pai and the private room was 200 baht cheaper direct. Now I always check the hostel site first and only use aggregators to find places.

I was totally wrong about hostel kitchens being a waste of time

idk if it's just me but I always thought cooking in hostel kitchens sounded like a nightmare. way too crowded and people leave messes everywhere. but on my trip to Portland last month I stayed at this place with a huge kitchen and actually saved like $40 a day just making my own breakfast and dinner. the trick was going at off hours like 7am or 8pm when nobody else was around. also brought my own mini bottle of oil and spices in a ziploc. has anyone else had good luck with hostel cooking or am I just lucky?

That guy in the hostel said to skip the tourist card in Lima...

Some backpacker in Cusco told me not to buy the tourist card for Lima because city sites are free after 5pm. I listened and showed up at the Monastery of San Francisco at 4:45pm ready to save $15. Guards literally locked the gates in my face at 5pm sharp and waved me off. Has anyone else gotten burned by local advice that was totally outdated?

Wasted $150 on a 'budget' travel backpack that fell apart in Bali

I bought this cheap 40L backpack off a random site before my 2 week trip to Bali, thinking I was saving money. The stitching gave out on the third day and I had to duct tape the shoulder strap just to get through the airport. Has anyone actually found a decent travel bag under $100 that doesn't break after a few uses?