How to Travel Abroad Like a Rockstar at Rock-bottom Prices

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

Suitcase
Passport
Budget
Open Mind
Flexibility

Step 1

Set a budget. Tell yourself exactly how much you want to spend and stick to it!! Be reasonable-- you're not going to get an airline ticket out of the country for less than $300-400. A budget of $1000 is reasonable for an all-inclusive week long trip.
Step 2

Outside the 62nd annual Cannes Film Festival

Pick flexible dates that you would most like to travel. Research events that are happening around the same time of your travel plans; i.e. Cannes Film Festival, Monaco Grand Prix, Tour de France, Running of the Bulls, etc. Getting into these events may be impossible, but it's free to be a spectator.
Step 3

Now that you've set your dates, set up alerts on some of the top travel web sites! Orbitz.com, Hotwire.com, Hotwire.com, etc. all have airfare and hotel price alerts. Plug in your flexible travel dates and let the web sites do the work for you!
Step 4

Now you have your ticket-- but where do you sleep? If you are staying in a particular city for a week or more, try vacation rental web sites. These web sites offer luxurious housing at a deep discount. If that's not your speed, try web sites like Hotwire.com or Priceline.com who do not tell you where you are going to stay but tell you the hotel star rating & general location. If you're young or just adventurous, definitely do not rule out hostels. They are a cheap alternative to hotels and a great way of meeting people!
Step 5

Before officially booking your trip-- scour the internet for coupon codes. Retailmenot.com is a great starting point.
Step 6

Book night trains to get from city to city. This saves you money on hotels & also allows you to sleep during the most time consuming part of your trip. When you wake up, you are there! If you prefer day travel, book trains with long layovers in another city that you wanted to visit. For 3-4 Euro you can keep your bags in a holding area in the train station for a few hours.
Step 7

Get a really good guidebook! Don't just pick up the first one you see. Get recommendations from other travelers and read through it first before taking it on your trip. You will rely on this book for day-to-day activities-- so make sure it's a good one.
Step 8

Bring a Student ID if you have one! Students get a discount at many museums & attractions.
Step 9

Make an itinerary. Lay out what you will do each day but allow room for flexibility. You may want to stay in a certain city longer, or you may miss a train. Leave a "free day" for you to relax or get in everything you didn't get to see the first few days.
Step 10

Take public transportation! Really! Public transportation, especially in Europe, is so much better than the United States. And it's CHEAP! Get maps and learn a few key phrases in the native tongue to help you get by. More often than not, you will find someone that speaks English that can point you in the right direction.
Step 11

When you're not travelling on a bus, or taking the subway, WALK! Pack the best walking shoes you can find, and prepare to walk off that great Italian pasta you just ate. Public transportation is cheap, but walking is even cheaper!
Step 12

Remember-- you are carrying a luggage everywhere you go. PACK LIGHT! I cannot stress this enough. Only pack the very bare essentials and clothes that you can mix and match.
Step 13

Stop at Tourism Information (or TI) centers. They will supply you with maps and brochures and tell you everything you need to do in the amount of time that you have.
Step 14

Take walking tours! Most walking tours are free. You can tip the tour guide on how well you think he did. Take your walking tour first so you can scope out the city. Once you know the lay of the land, you can figure out the order in which you want to conquer each attraction.
Step 15

Eat where the locals eat! That sometimes means go to the local market. Buy a bottle of wine, some meats & cheeses and take it to your hotel room or a local park bench. Some of the best & cheapest meals I've had abroad have been from local markets.
If you want your food prepared for you, ask the locals where they like to go. If you are in a heavy tourist area, food will be overpriced. Go off the beaten path and keep an open mind. Ask the waiter to help you order if you cannot understand the menu.
Step 16

Make your cell phone international & buy a calling card. Feel unsafe traveling abroad without a cell phone? Call your local provider and make your phone international for a small fee. Only use your cell phone for emergencies. Look into text messaging rates. Text messaging is normally significantly cheaper and will still offer you the contact with your family left at home.
Also look into getting a calling card with low international rates. Enjoyprepaid.com offers GREAT international rates at very cheap prices. For $20 you can talk to your family at home for hours.
Step 17

Research, Research, Research!!! Research the cities that you will be visiting well before you actually visit. The worst mistake you can make is to arrive at your destination without knowing anything about your city. Uncertainty leads to overspending.