Budget

Spain is a dream destination for many. However, that doesn’t mean you need to spend a fortune to have an amazing experience. Before you book your trip, consider these money-saving tips to help you get the most for your money without missing any of the unique moments Spain has to offer.

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Iceland is a one-of-a-kind destination and is on the bucket list for many travelers. Unfortunately, Iceland is neither close to any other destination nor is it affordable. In fact, we were in complete shock when we walked into a local liquor store in Reykjavik and discovered a standard 750ml bottle of Smirnoff vodka was priced at nearly $60 US dollars! In Iceland, alcohol is disproportionally expensive compared to other travels costs but things like accommodation, transportation, food and tours can still be quite pricey.

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Sweden is listed as the second most expensive country of the European Union according to some statistics with regard to goods and services. Yet to our surprise, Auston and I managed to make it one of our most cost effective European trips while attending Stockholm’s costly Gay Pride week. How so? Aside from finding cheap flights which is almost too easy in Europe with budget airlines like Ryanair, we also volunteered and couchsurfed. Oh, and we also brought our own alcohol with us from Spain to avoid Sweden’s over-priced government ran liquor stores. Yes, we were that prepared. 

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We recently shared our experiences of what to do in Vienna from our trip last month getting to see the Schönbrunn Palace gardens, the Imperial Treasury, the Zentralfriedhof (cemetery), St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and list goes on. Needless to say, we kept ourselves busy with the sights. However, we were careful to keep it cheap too. Here’s our quick list of five ways to enjoy Vienna on a budget.

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Like many long term travelers, people frequently want to know our secret to traveling long term. “How is it possible and how you can you afford to travel so much?” “How can I afford to travel,” they ask, curious how they can travel more themselves. And although David likes to spend money as though we are rich, this is certainly not the case. Surprisingly, we spent more money living in Chicago than we do traveling. A month’s expenses in Chicago cost us roughly $4,500 per month, while traveling around the world only cost about $3,200 on an average month – that’s for both of us. Places like Europe were more but destinations like India or South East Asia were cheap enough that David could spend to his heart’s content without me freaking out. Travel credit cards with airline mileage bonuses are a huge help, and even living in Spain we still continue to apply for credit cards for travelling. We just recently booked our trip from the US to Spain for just $25 in taxes and 25,000 miles each, one of our best deals yet! Once I reach a spending limit on a particular card, I will get the bonus points and then I like to compare credit cards quickly to find another card that will give me a good offer. Cards like British Airways or United Mileage Plus have great credit card offers that have helped us bank miles.  If the card I currently have charges an annual fee, I cancel the card after the bonus is received.

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Back in 2010, Auston and I went on an Atlantis gay cruise together for our honeymoon. It was a Royal Caribbean cruise ship that was charted by Atlantis Events. We spent seven glorious days sailing the coast of Mexico. The trip had been paid for by friends and family because in lieu of wedding gifts we requested contributions toward our honeymoon. But even though the tickets were paid for, we still wanted to keep our extra expenses on the ship cheap and affordable. We had to booked the trip well in advance because at that time our dates were not flexible since we both had full time jobs and limited vacation time.

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Heated toilets that spray and dry your ass. Restaurants with buttons on the table to signal your server or touch screen menus to order your food. Vending machines selling hot canned coffee or cold beer. Taxis with automatic passenger doors. One of the largest and most intricate public transit systems in the world. Pristine streets despite a notable lack of garbage cans and a population of over 13 million people.

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