Ballin' on a Budget

Shocking news: I've started keeping track of my finances, and... drumroll... turns out it's totally affordable to live in Spain and travel heaps.  Honestly, if you had told me that before I moved here, I would've laughed.  On my salary? Really?! Well, when you start to break things down into what is necessary and what is supplementary, you can trim down expenses a lotttt.  I think I've had a tough time with this slim down in the past.  If I was sad and wanted to get my nails done or book a massage to feel better, I just would.  Living abroad, I find myself treating any emotion with travel or wine, which are somehow significantly cheaper therapy.  Happy? Go out for wine, its only 2€ for a glass anyways.  Sad? Book a trip. The anticipation of an adventure is perfect therapy.  Tired? Siesta with tapas on a rooftop somewhere while dreaming of your next trip.

So I've started tracking my money saving measures, either to reread later or pass onto fellow travelers.  Or maybe to ignite wonderlust in some of you readers who might be trying to trick yourself with the, "I can't afford it," excuse.

1. I can't speak to most cities, but in Madrid it is super easy to find housing that is both central and affordable.  For example, I live in a studio in the center center of my favorite Madrileño neighborhood for less than I paid to live in a house with roommates 10 minutes walking from the center of Portsmouth, NH.  No offense Portsmouth, I love you, but Madrid is fighting for first place in my heart.
2. Midweek is meant for potlucks, not going out to eat in restaurants. But should you want to go out midweek, make sure to head to one of the many bars that serves a free tapa with your drink.
3. Hostels are your friends, I PROMISE. I feel like they can tend to get a bad hype sometimes, but they can not only save you money but help you to feel out a new city and make new friends. I've made innumerable friends and gotten travel tips from the workers at hostels.  Yet to have a bad experience (fingers crossed).
   
4. Book flights at least 4 weeks in advance, but not much longer than that.  And peruse all of the cheap sites, their deals really are better.  www.cheapoair.com / www.skyskanner.com / www.studentuniverse.com
5. If you're traveling with a group, do all of the comparisons to see what's most affordable.  Renting a car might be better than a train, because price is split several ways.  Staying in an apartment saves you from having to pay to eat out every meal because you'll have your own kitchen (and you can get drunk in your very own living room!). Finding a good location can make all the difference when public transport is expensive and vice versa. And so on.
6. Do your research ahead of time.  Madrid has an amazing number of free events and activities to do, several museums even have a period of time when entry is free.  If you look into these options in advance, you'll be ready to hit the ground running.
7. Lastly, and most importantly, do as the locals do.  Being a tourist is expensive, locals, they've got it all figured out.  They live in these cities on a daily basis, so observe them.  Follow them into their favorite coffee shop or cafe, and you'll likely be surprised by the quality of the food and likely the service (ahem, free tapas). If you see all of the locals sitting in the park watching the sunset, join in, it's clearly something to be enjoyed. More or less, sit back and relax, there is no better way to soak it all in.

Ta-da! Now off to plan my next adventure!