Traveling on a Shoe String Budget

I've always prided myself on being a frugal traveler. When studying abroad in 2007 I learned to appreciate the value of a discount airlines ticket price. At that time a round trip ticket from the South of France to just about anywhere could be found for about €10 round trip. Those days are mostly gone, but not completely; and while that base value has gone up over the years, I've never stopped looking for those amazing deals. My mother came to visit me in London a few months ago and gave me a challenge. She wanted to pay for the two of us to have a long weekend away together on a budget of $500 US.

Now, I could break down my trip line item by line item, but let's be honest - the deals I found would be hard to recreate for that exact trip. However, I'll explain how I did it!

1) Be flexible about the destination. Limit your expectations, but have a set amount to spend, then make the trip fit those limits.

2) "Window" shop first. In this day and age it is more like webpage troll, but you get the idea. Search for cheap flights, check to get an idea of accommodation prices, see how much activities would cost, what's the average price of food, airport transfers, etc. It’s no good to find a really cheap flight to Norway if eating there breaks the bank.

3) Find Cheap Flights. I mostly use Skyscanner for their "Everywhere" location and flexible "whole month" date options. This provides a view of everywhere to go for cheap! This always helps if flexibility about the location is possible. We only payed $29 each for our round trip flights to Copenhagen.

4) Pick a place to stay. There are so many different ways to find cheap accommodations these days. Airbnb is affordable for group travel. It is often much cheaper than a budget hotel or hostel. Additionally, there will most likely be access to a kitchen – great for cutting costs by eating in for a few meals. Couch-surfing can also be a good way to stay somewhere for free and live like the locals. Google searches can often bring up hidden gems. I once was planning a trip to Wales but couldn't find a place to stay for a group of 8. I called the places I was most interested in and they were able to recommend me to their friends who did have rooms available.

5) Understand the public transit systems in advance. It's often cheaper to get a weekend travel pass from the airport. Time and money can be wasted by waiting until the first day of sightseeing to figure that out. Additionally, a pass might not be needed at all if the accommodations are within walking distance to everything on the to-see list. So, do the research and have a transport plan.

6) Don't pay for roaming charges. It's so easy and cheap to get new SIM cards in the local area. Grab one at the airport and be set for the trip.

So, this is how I planned our trip to Denmark for two with less than $500 dollars. It might take a bit of time with the planning but it's well worth it in the end.

#Denmarkforlessthan500 #Denmark #BudgetTravel #Travel