50 euros - TravelPUNK Backpacker College Student Budget Travel Message Boards!

**Elizabeth** · 05-03-2006, 07:08 PM

Does 50 euros a day sound good for Western Europe (mainly Paris, Rome)? I plan to stay in hostels and cook my own food most of the time. The main difference in my budget versus other people's budgets is that I am either not going to be drinking alcohol or drinking very little (don't laugh at me lol), so thats less money spent.

Does this sound good?

**florencia9699** · 05-03-2006, 07:18 PM

Dont worry, I wont laugh... I promise. Actually, I feel the same way... I figured if I wanna get really wasted I can always do it here (night life here rocks, and the drinks cost me 3.8 times less!!).

As for your budget I guess it's okay... but I think you could add perhaps ten euros and make it €60 a day? i know that by cooking yourself you save loads of money, but also remember that Rome and Paris are packed with things and places to see... and a lot of them charge admition fees. So 5€ here, 7€ there really add up by the end of the week...

But that's my 2cents... It of course depends of the thing you want to visit. Perhaps you could check out admission rates on the internet for the things you already know you ant to go to, so you get an estimate on how much you'll be spending on those.

**bluepea** · 05-03-2006, 07:21 PM

Maybe.

First off, what about transportation? Will a Eurail pass/train tickets/bus/tickets/airline tickets be coming out of a separate fund? Even with a Eurail pass, you'll still have reservation fees.

While you won't have alcohol, you will still have daily expenses. What about museums, buses, (in city) and other forms of entertainment? What about when you're wandering around a need a bottle of water?

Sounds like you are going to the main touristy spots too. Accomadation will be more expensive (around 25 Euro for a decent hostel).

So, lets take a regular day. You get off the train (after having to pay an 8 Euro resy fee) and need to get to your hostel. You're hot and tired. You look on the map and realize you're staying a ways away from the train station. You grab a bottle of water (2 Euro) and hop on a bus (1.50 Euro). You realize you have to transfer. You didn't ask for a transfer, so have to pay another 1.50. You're hungry, so you go to the grocery store for a sandwich and a drink (6 Euro) and you go to wait at your hostel to check in. Your hostel is going to cost you 25 Euro. You check in and need to store some valuables, but they have safes you have to pay for (5 Euro). So far, you're at 44 Euro and it's only afternoon. You still have dinner, activities, possibly more little things (water, snacks), transportation, etc. It builds up quickly. There are a lot of little things we don't htink about.

Some days will be better, but if you're going to hanging out in tourist cities in the summer, bring extra. Don't bank on getting away on the cheap.

**Elizabeth** · 05-03-2006, 07:30 PM

Thanks for the tips. The 50 euros does not include the railpass. I think I'm just going to get the 4 day France-Italy flexipass which is $205. I'm not going for that long anyhow. Just short trip to get my traveller's feet wet.

edit: And since I'm under 18 a lot of things are free or discounted. ie the Lourve in Paris is free if you're under 18 I believe

**agriadam** · 05-03-2006, 09:27 PM

now I wann get this strait flor the drinks are exactly 3.8X less or are they really 3.7 or closer to 3.9?????

as for the 50 you should be fine I did it on around 60 and I drink....heavily, and don't cook my own food.

**LostFarmboy** · 05-03-2006, 10:03 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by agriadam@May 3 2006, 08:27 PM
as for the 50 you should be fine I did it on around 60 and I drink....heavily, and don't cook my own food.

[snapback]117619[/snapback]

same,
i did lotsa drinking
and resurant eating,
and never felt
my money was fleeting.

...and that's the 50 euro a day budget rhyme.

see what happens when i work too much

**florencia9699** · 05-04-2006, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by agriadam@May 4 2006, 02:27 AM
now I wann get this strait flor* the drinks are exactly 3.8X less or are they really 3.7 or closer to 3.9?????

[snapback]117619[/snapback]

You mean the exchange rate? As for today, to buy euros here in Buenos Aires the rate is: 1€ = 3.87$(pesos)... And if a drink costs 10€ in Europe, and 10pesos in Argentina, I'd really rather get trunk here and save the money to travel. Dont get me wrong, i love to party... but 3 drinks in Europe would be 116.1pesos, and that is ABSOLUTELY INSANE!!!

**beergal** · 05-04-2006, 05:36 AM

Florencia only some places charge you 10 euros for a drink usually you can get them from about 2 euros and that is in Berlin. You are more likely to find 10 euro drinks in big clubs etc

Lizz dont forget to take your id with you (with your age on) as most places will need to see this for your free/reduced entry

p.s. Jamie....love your response you never really think about it in those terms!

**florencia9699** · 05-04-2006, 05:45 AM

^^ Thanks for the tip Beergal!

**tumblezweedz** · 05-04-2006, 07:52 AM

Being 18 will add up to big savings in entrance fees - but make sure you have buckets of ID with you, proof of age AND citizenship, because sometimes that makes a difference too. We discovered in Rome that some countries have reciprocal agreements with Italy that = reduced or free entry, but the US does not. Unfortunately, since I didn't have my passport, and I speak the same language as Americans, we had to pay FULL rate for our kids (the oldest is 10!) They had NO reduced rates for kids. But had I had my Canadian passport, they'd have been free. Most EU countries, and many others also qualify for the reduced/free rates, and I believe US youths (18-26) do too, if they have student ID. But not children. Go figure...

Anyway, 50 is probably tight, but not drinking will definitely help. Buying your groceries in supermarkets or markets will help too, but even in places like downtown Naples you could get a whole margarita pizza for 3 Euro, so you could eat one for lunch and probably manage with a very light/cheap dinner at the hostel and save that way, too. Drinks are expensive, even water and pop - I'd be inclined to buy a big water bottle at the supermarket and refill it with tap water (wherever possible), as you go.

**lauren313** · 05-04-2006, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by LostFarmboy@May 4 2006, 05:03 AM
same,
i did lotsa drinking
and resurant eating,
and never felt
my money was fleeting.

...and that's the 50 euro a day budget rhyme.

see what happens when i work too much*

[snapback]117633[/snapback]

Bravo!! I wish I had your skills

**beergal** · 05-04-2006, 07:57 AM

Tw any recommendations for good places to eat in Milan? i doubt i will be finding much of this 3 euro pizza there lol

**Elizabeth** · 05-04-2006, 01:08 PM

thanks for the tips guys but I have decided to hold off on the trip until January when I graduate. I don't feel comfortable cutting it so close when its my first time. If I stay during the summer I can work a lot more, which means more money and longer travels.

**bluepea** · 05-04-2006, 01:18 PM

Good choice. More money will make it more relaxed for you. You won't have to panic if an unexpected expense comes up and you can allow yourself to splurge every now and then.

**tumblezweedz** · 05-05-2006, 01:17 AM

Beergal, I can't really recommend eateries in Milan, since we had our breakfasts at the hotels and our dinner at our friends' house. I'd imagine you could still find a little pizzeria or osteria serving a decent meal for a reasonable price...