Figure 1. source
Barcelona is the perfect city for budget travelers. They can walk all day looking at groundbreaking architecture without spending anything.
But of course; you’ll want to pay for a tour around the city, get a delicious acai bowl in the morning, and take your new friends out for a drink. Free travel is not really an option. But you know what? Cheap travel is!
You need a plan.
You’re just a student who wants to see Barcelona and beyond. You have a very limited budget, but you don’t want it to limit your dreams.
You can do this. You only need to implement few money saving tips into practice, and you’ll be able to stretch the money you have a bit further.
1. Use an app to get a visual of your budget
How much money do you have? How much money do you have to spend during the trip?
Seeing a visual of your budget makes you more aware of the expenses. Use an app for that! Goodbudget is a good one. It’s a simple, but effective tracker that shows your available resources and the money you planned as necessary expenses.
For example, let’s say you have $2K for two weeks in Barcelona. You’ll plan accommodation and your plane ticket as necessary expenses. You’ll also plan to spend $20 per day on food and drinks. The rest is your flexible budget, which you can use to have some good time.
The app shows your budget through a pie chart. It makes a big difference on your spending awareness.
2. Search for student discounts
Do you have an ISIC ID? It’s recognized internationally, and it works in Barcelona. It may get you discounts at some hostels, night clubs, and cafes. Bring it with you when you decide to enter the Sagrada Familia; students get a discount there.
3. Use a currency converter all the time
Budgeting in a foreign currency can be tough. You see something you want to buy and you take your time to do the math at the back of your mind. You do the math for a bottle of water, a nice meal, gas, and everything else. Isn’t that exhausting? Plus, currency rates change all the time, so you have to check the value on a daily basis.
Sooner or later, you’ll get tired of this and you’ll stop doing it. 9 Euros for that acai bowl doesn’t seem like much, but it sounds expensive when you realize it’s 10 dollars. That’s because most people understand the value of money only when seeing their native currency.
Get an app that does everything to you. XE Currency Converter is a must when you travel.
4. do some freelancing
Can you take good pictures? You can sell them online. But if you want to make more money as you travel, you can try blogging or any kind of freelance work.
So if you’re great at academic writing, you can help students to complete their coursework as part of the completely free global warming essay. Also you can find original speech topics to do this work.
The Internet gives you many opportunities to make money. Explore them.
5. Eat supermarket food
Barcelona is not too expensive for travelers but eating out every day will take a huge toll on your budget. Your nearest supermarket will have a great selection of fruits and veggies. You’ll also find cooked meals that you’ll only heat in the microwave.
6. Get a transportation pass
Public transport is the best way to get around the city without spending a ton of money. The Hola Barcelona Transportation Pass costs €15.20, and you can use it for the metro, busses, and trams for five days. Awesome!
7. Track all expenses
You need to know how much money you have at all times. Plan the money you need for getting back to your country and set it aside. With your app, you’ll plan your daily budget.
At the end of the day, collect all receipts and do the math. How much did you spend? If you went over budget, you’ll have less money to spend tomorrow.
8. Don’t make phone calls
You can use free Wi-Fi all over the city. There’s no need to risk getting a huge phone bill if you call home. You can always send them a free message or make a conference call through Messenger. It’s free.
9. Don’t drink expensive coffee
Sure, Starbucks is the best! But it’s also expensive. The average price of Espresso at a coffee shop is €1.25. Being fancy at Starbucks will cost you at least double.
10. Do free things
If you have your Hola Barcelona Transportation Pass, you can do many things for free. You can explore different neighborhoods, walk around the city, and spend a day at the beach. Bring your adventurous spirit along and you’ll do just fine.
When you’re constantly worried about money during your trip, you get stressed out. You deprive yourself from a nice lunch or that Starbucks coffee you’d enjoy so much. Don’t think of it that way.
Sure; you’ll miss out on some stuff that money can buy. But you know what? You’ll gain tons thanks to your ability to carefully plan your money.
Think of it this way: without saving habits, you wouldn’t be able to visit that destination and see all the things you’re about to see. Maybe you’ll have a humble trip in terms of finances, but your soul will become rich.
Don’t worry about the money. You don’t need tons to start traveling.
BIO:
Traveling means the world to Alvin Franklin. His goal is to see every European country throughout his lifetime. So far, he achieved 50% of that goal. Alvin finances the trips through his work as a freelance writer, so people have every right to believe that he’s lucky
***in cooperation with dissertation-helpers.co.uk***
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Tags: Backpacker, Cheap travel, Money, Save money, Savings, Student, The world, Travel