Have a picnic – Eating out in France, especially in Paris, is an expensive affair. Restaurants can break a day’s budget quickly. Thankfully, there’s nothing more French than a picnic.
Have a picnic – Eating out in France, especially in Paris, is an expensive affair. Restaurants can break a day’s budget quickly. Thankfully, there’s nothing more French than a picnic. Head to the local market; buy some wonderful cheese, bread, fruits, and meats, and have a picnic and watch people go by. You can have a great meal for less than 10 EUR.Take the (slow) train – Train travel in Europe is really cheap, and it’s the easiest way to get around France. The TGV line can be expensive, but if you get the slow train or have a Eurail pass, you’ll save money.Drink wine – In France, the wine is cheaper than water. While you shouldn’t skip drinking water, drink wine over other forms of alcohol and save big. A nice bottle can cost as little as 3 EUR!Shop at the markets – Want great French cuisine? Do what the locals do, and head to the outdoor markets. Visit the cheese guy, the fish guy, the bread guy, and everyone else to get the best local ingredients to make yourself a perfect French meal. It will save you a lot of money as an alternative to eating out.Pre-game your night out – Drinking in bars is incredibly overpriced, especially in Paris. Drink cheap wine before you go out and save on drinks a the bars.Skip the clubs – Clubs in France are expensive and charge an entrance fee upwards of 23 EUR. Drinks cost 12 EUR or more. If you don’t want to spend a 90 EUR in one night, skip the clubs.Rideshare – If you’re flexible in your schedule, use the ridesharing service BlaBlaCar and catch rides with locals between cities (or countries). Drivers are verified and it’s perfectly safe (though sometimes rides don’t show up, which is why you need to be flexible). Eat a prix-fixe meal – It’s a set menu that offers you a deal on a 2-3 course meal for about 20 EUR. To save even more money, consider lunch instead of dinner (which, in France, is still typically 2 courses), which costs about half the price.Couchsurf — Nothing’s cheaper than sleeping for free. Couchsurfing connects you with locals who will give you not only a free place to stay, but also a local tour guide who can introduce you to all the great places to see. There are a lot of hosts in this country. I highly recommend using the site at least once to lower your accommodation costs, make a friend, and have a kitchen to cook in! Take advantage of being under 26 – France has EXTENSIVE discounts for people who are under 26 if they have the ISIC card so be sure to get one!!!
