diana_kim66•2mo agoProlific Poster

Showerthought: I just spent 17 days in Portugal for under $800 total

I tracked every cost and was shocked to hit that number, mostly by staying in hostels, cooking meals, and using local buses. Some friends say that's too extreme and you miss out on real experiences, but I felt more connected to the place by living cheap. Where do you draw the line between a good budget hack and just being too cheap?

4 comments

4 Comments

davidkim2mo ago

Cheap travel forces you to meet real people.

cole5492mo ago

So you're saying a bigger budget just buys you more distance from everyone?

the_paul1mo agoTop Commenter

Found myself in the same spot a few years back. I had this idea that if I spent more I was somehow cheating the real experience. Then I took a trip where I mixed hostels with a couple nights at a nicer place, and guess what? Had great conversations in both spots. The hostel crowd was louder and more about partying, while the hotel bar had older travelers with totally different stories to tell. I think it's more about what you bring to the table than what you pay for the bed. What kind of vibe do you usually look for when you travel?

aaronsullivan2mo ago

Wait, you think cheap travel is the only way to meet real people? That's a wild take. It sounds like you're saying anyone who spends more is just stuck in a fake bubble. I've stayed in hostels and also saved up for a nicer trip, and the people were just as real both times. The price of your bed doesn't magically make the locals or other travelers more authentic. That logic feels pretty snobby, honestly.