Jan 19, 2012 Posted by Hayley Steele No Comments »

Traveling Abroad on a Shoestring

This past November, my old boss and mentor reminded me that he has a rental apartment in Marbella, Spain that would be available the a few weeks in January. Don said that if we could pay our way to Spain, he would let my boyfriend and I stay in the apartment for free. Sometimes, when life hands you an opportunity, you figure out a way to grab it without going too far outside of your means. Here are some ways that we managed to enjoy Spain on a shoestring budget:

  • Frequent flyer miles: We both travel for work, so we used earned airline mileage to fly from San Francisco to Spain for about $125 each! It took us almost 30 hours and three different flights. But, we just enjoyed our “quality time” together on the airplane and caught up on some sleep and reading.
  • Other rewards programs: We also used rewards points we’d earned for renting cars in the U.S. to get a free car during our stay—including a free upgrade and insurance coverage. Our only costs were gas and taxes.
  • Homemade picnics: We kept food costs to a minimum by making sandwiches with good bread, cheeses and Spanish hams from a local grocery store. We also packed some portable snacks from the states like dried fruit and nuts, crackers and chocolate bars.
  • Sightseeing for free: Exploring nearby towns by foot, sitting by a beautiful fountain, watching families play at the park and visiting a beautiful church were all free and gave us a connection to and understanding of Spain’s culture and lifestyle.
  • Selective spending: It’s a good idea to agree on a daily budget per day that includes one meal out. On our trip, we took advantage of a “fixed” menu during the lunch hour and enjoyed an a la carte dinner instead of eating out.

Bottom line: a dream vacation can happen with a realistic spending plan. Check out these tips from the U.S. State Department and from travel expert Rick Steves, and enjoy your travels.

Similar Posts:

Share

Leave a Reply