Budget-Savvy Tips for Traveling Through Europe – How I Did It

Coming to Europe a couple of months ago, I knew the budget I had set for six months of travel and a move to Berlin was as delusional as I often am day-to-day. I had planned to work somewhere familiar (a bar, a restaurant, or a clothing store) to cover my expenses and allow me to travel longer, and well, survive. Working permits and other boring paperwork got in the way of this plan, so I had to explore other options. 

I came across the concept of a work exchange from TikTok, where an ambitious 20-something-year-old girl told me I could go to Italy to make videos and take pictures in exchange for meals and a room. I did some more research and found that, in fact, this does exist, and there were multiple experiences all around Europe. The experiences offered are mainly hostel reception duties, maintenance, cleaning, gardening, and the occasional babysitting gig. 

I ended up being approved quite quickly for a garden maintenance experience on a farm in Tortosa, Spain. This was close to my next destination and the work seemed fairly manageable, as reported by previous volunteers. 

Tortosa is a beautiful, quaint town two hours south of Barcelona. It has lots of yummy seafood and an interesting history preserved by the visually-pleasing architecture. 

What was described as an off-the-grid outdoor work experience on a finca (a place where things are grown, translated by my German host) had me nervous at first. I mean I hadn’t ever really worked in a garden. But like all things, practice makes perfect, and after two weeks, I can admit I now have a new hobby. 

Being off the grid has done me a world of good. My free time is now spent reading, overachieving daily step counts, and getting eight hours of sleep every night. It feels like my brain is the real one on vacation, which is refreshing to have between the partying, sleepless nights, and endless indulging that comes with a trip to Europe. 

If you’re traveling and researching different work exchanges, I’m sure you’re like me and your budget is less than, well, luxurious. So I’ve shared some tips on how to stretch your money as far as possible. 

Become a Lover of Black Coffee 
I can always find a black coffee somewhere for 0.50- 1 euro at bakeries and cafes. What I’ve also found is Europe has many complimentary coffee pots at hostels, so if you can build your bitterness tolerance, you can find yourself with a budget-friendly beverage to perk you up for a few hours while you explore. 

Overnight Buses Over Hostels 
I would liken overnight buses to your typical 12-person hostel room: frequent noise here and there, moments where you aren’t as comfortable as your queen-sized bed back home and the occasional whispers across from you. But in reality, both experiences cost around 20-30 euros, but only one has you waking up in a new city minus the cost of what would have been a night of accommodation. 

Travel Light
I know this sounds rather obvious, but please learn from my mistakes. From Australia, I brought a 30kg (66 lbs) suitcase and a backpack. Thinking this was light, my jaw dropped when I found out that flying around Europe with this much luggage doubled the total cost of my airfare. 

So, I threw all my stuff in storage and got a 40-liter bag for a reasonable price from Decathlon. 

For travelers who are planning a Europe trip, I challenge you to bring a 40-liter backpack and only that. I was honestly shocked by how much I could fit in mine. I’m currently traveling with two smart casual outfits, two pairs of shoes, one set of activewear, one seat of pajamas, seven days’ worth of socks and undies, toiletries, two t-shirts, one pair of swimwear, a towel, and my iPad. It’s also very liberating to travel light and eliminates any and all transit anxiety. 

Utilize All Free Trials on International Delivery and Grocery Ordering Apps 
In every country you visit, the chances are they have a thousand variants of Uber Eats. When I was in Berlin, I came across 5 different food pickup and delivery apps that all gave me a sweet 10-euro ($10.74) sign-up promo that covered a few meals here and there. 

If you’re interested in doing a work experience like mine, you can find websites advertising them if you google search “work exchange.” Hopefully, these tips are helpful, and hey, maybe I’ll see you in the garden on the finca or on the overnight bus at 2 am. 

Editor’s Note: Rhys Bellamy recommends reaching out to Worldpacker for more information about work and volunteer programs in Europe. He says World packer is very transparent about inquiries around the type of work offered as well as if it’s LGBTQIA+ friendly or not.