Skip the restaurants
If it’s an important meal, or a spot you really want to try, don’t feel guilty about spending money in a restaurant. If the food is great, never feel guilty. But if it’s just a quick bite while you’re exploring, don’t waste the time or money.
Grocery stores and markets around the world offer far cheaper food than any restaurant. If you stay at a hostel or Airbnb, most have kitchens and refrigerators, so you can store easily prepared meals or ingredients you buy while you’re out and about. Depending on where you’re headed, the street food might be exceptionally cheap and incredibly good. If street food isn’t your style, in many parts of the world, convenience stores like 7-Eleven have delicious fresh food, and corner stores offer cafeteria-style dinners for local-friendly prices.
Stay at a hostel.
Grocery stores and markets around the world offer far cheaper food than any restaurant. If you stay at a hostel or Airbnb, most have kitchens and refrigerators, so you can store easily prepared meals or ingredients you buy while you’re out and about. Depending on where you’re headed, the street food might be exceptionally cheap and incredibly good. If street food isn’t your style, in many parts of the world, convenience stores like 7-Eleven have delicious fresh food, and corner stores offer cafeteria-style dinners for local-friendly prices.
Stay at a hostel.
Forget everything you think you know about hostels. Today’s hostels are clean, cheap, for all ages, and in many cases, gorgeous.
Buy a local metro card
The local train or subway systems in nearly every major city have cards that offer discounted rates for people who ride frequently. If you’re in a city for more than a few days, these will likely save you a lot. Load the card with a bit of money, and each ride is cheaper than if you bought them individually. Plus, it feels pretty cool to slap down your card at a turnstile like a local.
Many local transit systems offer temporary visitor cards. Be wary, though, I’ve found these aren’t always cheaper than buying individual rides. Cities with reusable cards, like London’s Oyster, Tokyo’s Pasmo, and others, require a small deposit, which you can get refunded when you leave. Often they’ll give you the remaining balance too, though not always. I just keep mine. Maybe you’ll go back next year!
Avoid the tourist traps
I always thought this was obvious, yet restaurants near tourist hot spots are always packed. They’re almost universally overpriced, with mediocre food. The worst pasta I’ve had in my life was adjacent to St Mark’s Square in Venice. Instead, walk a few blocks in any direction. You’re bound to find something cheaper and better.
