An example of spending after 20 days in Europe - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

Loman · 06-28-2006, 12:22 PM

I just got back from backpacking around Europe for 20 days and attending the world cup. I managed to spend far less money then I thought, which leaves me in good shape for when the dreaded tuition bill from college comes soon.

Just for peoples future planning here was my final spending:

$750 on airfare from Logan to Paris
$325 on an 8 day Eurail for France-Germany-Benelux
$100 on a backpack
$75 on credit card for hostel downpayments booked online, train reservations booked at terminals, and other misc. stuff that could not be paid for in cash.
$1479.55 withdrawn from ATMs (the best way to get money in Europe, they are everywhere) for hostels/budget hotels, food, spending money, drinking money, museums, subway tickets, a few souvenirs, a few gifts, and wherever else my money went.

I spent $74 a day, which is not bad at all. I had budgeted $100 but I was traveling with friends on $40-$50 a day budgets so I had lots of extra money.

A total of $2729.55

and
$85 for world cup tickets (best money ever spent).

Such an amazing time for really not a lot of money. It was realisitic to spend a little less. At the end of the trip I was splurging at restaurants, buying gifts, and I had to pay 80 euro one night for a hotel in Paris that was booked last minute on a Saturday.

**beergal** · 06-28-2006, 12:38 PM

well im glad you had a good time...which game did you attend

**omisan** · 06-28-2006, 12:42 PM

Only $85 for world cup tickets

Crap, I was gonna sign up for the lottery for the hell of it and the prices were exorbitant. 'Course, that was for the semi-finals and finals. Still...

Nice breakdown!

Loman · 06-28-2006, 12:46 PM

USA vs. Ghana and USA vs. Czech Republic.

Both Cat-4 tickets (the cheapest) at 35 euro a piece.

My friend scalped one of his cat-4 for 250 euro at the game. Nice little profit he made there.

**LostFarmboy** · 06-28-2006, 03:06 PM

Man, attending a world cup game would have been bloody awsome, you lucky bugger!!!

amansac · 06-29-2006, 09:34 AM

hey, was just wondering .. how much lavishly did u spend on your drinking and eating? what kind of restaurants ?
i must say u make it sound real inexpensive!

**Esterina** · 06-29-2006, 09:40 AM

Thanks for sharing your tips !

**bluepea** · 06-29-2006, 09:53 AM

Thanks for sharing! Great breakdown.

Loman · 06-29-2006, 05:22 PM

We went real cheap on restaurants. We ate only 1 lavish meal in prague (ie, appetizer, dinner, desert at a nice place). The rest of the time we did "immigrant food" like cheap chinese, turkish, thai, indian, or fixed price menu lunches. A number of times we ate from grocery stores. Also, load up at the free hostel breakfast. A full breakfast at 10am and a midday snack will last you to dinner. Honestly, after eating out every day for so long, you get sick of restaurants. I feel I got the full culinary experience by trying grocery store foods.

We drank cheap too. We'd pregame and often hang out at the cheap bars. This was more because we were so tired. We went to party hard, but backpacking is soooo tiring. You are constantly on the move, lost, and useing much more of your brain and your legs than you think. I'd be amazed at those that could keep a full party schedule, sight see, and constantly be changing cities and hostels. Usually we ended up in the hostel bar or a local bar. We rarely had the energy to get dressed up and deal with bouncers, lines, and clubs.

Drinking and food can definetly be much cheaper than you think.

rousseau5550 · 07-02-2006, 03:28 PM

I plan on doing the same route as you and I wish to thank you greatly. I've been concerned about money and now, at least i can expect not to dish out an extraordinary amount of cash

**Maineartist** · 07-02-2006, 07:08 PM

Thanks for posting this

**travelpunk** · 08-22-2006, 03:22 PM

Loman,

I just now saw this topic. Thank you for posting this!

Fellow backpackers, this is a great example of over budgeting. I give an example of over-budgeting on the main site. Doing this will assure you a stressless time, in the finance area, and at the end of your trip you'll have plenty of extra money to splurge and go out with a bang!

Good job! I'll pin this topic since it's recent and fresh, and so others in the future can learn from it.

Cheers, bro

!

**juliagulia** · 08-22-2006, 06:21 PM

Yeah, a mistake I made when going to Cancun was NOT overbudgeting. I had to constantly check if I would have enough money, worrying what I should eat, etc. LUCKILY I spent three dollars less than the amount I brought.

Talk about a close call!

Thanks, Loman!

**BigE** · 08-31-2006, 12:22 PM

I plan on budgeting a $100 a day for my 14 day backpacking trip. I probably wont spend $100 a day, but I think it is good to have extra cash in an emergency.

**buzzingtalk** · 05-02-2007, 05:51 AM

**kiwichick** · 05-03-2007, 03:01 AM

man u guys make me jealous! im assuming ur quoting in US $? my flights and railpass will be well over ur total spend!!!im looking at it costing between 10 and 11 grand (NZ$) to do two months (i do appreciate thats longer)..what i would give for a better exchange rate and we are at a high point right now!!

**buzzingtalk** · 05-03-2007, 05:10 AM

reason number 10559438 i never travel in europe.

**BelfastFlyer** · 05-03-2007, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buzzingtalk

reason number 10559438 i never travel in europe.

ditto

**kiwichick** · 05-03-2007, 01:29 PM

Yeh after this i'll be sticking to south east asia and south america me thinks!But being so geographically isolated never really helps eitha!meh i do luvv living in NZ tho

**buzzingtalk** · 05-04-2007, 02:53 AM

im going to asia for 2 months and ive got £500 / $1000!! that will be more than enough for me to live on. it always amazes me how much people pay when they go travelling! i suppose if you come to europe from far away then you wanna push the boat out a bit.

im quite lucky that my flights are free otherwise i wouldnt go to asia, my yearly trip would be, southern france on coach or something