Will $600 work for an 18 day trip to Europe as spending money?

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NOLA guy

It sounds like you are on a trip with everything paid for except lunch and shopping. If yes, you have to very carefully watch your spending but $600 will be enough.

Europe is more expensive than the USA for almost everything. Shop for what you can in the USA before you go.

Take things like books (including novels), sunglasses, a hat, over-the-counter medications, first-aid items (like band-aids), sunscreen, and batteries with you.

Pack carefully to make sure you don't have to buy stuff like toiletries in Europe. You don't have to pack a ton - just make a list so you don't forget anything.

Take something like Crystal Lite packets to flavor bottled water. Note that you don't have to keep buying bottled water, which is as expensive as juice or cola - just keep re-filling the bottle with tap water (it's OK in the countries you plan to visit). Take a supply of chocolate bars (or whatever you prefer) to provide snacks until you can find a store wherever you may be.

If you smoke, take enough cigarettes for the trip. They cost less in the USA than in Europe.

Once in Europe, only exchange money at real banks. There is always a service charge for changing money and banks charge the least.

All of the countries you plan to visit use the Euro except for the UK and Switzerland. Remember that when you are changing money.

Don't eat lunch in restaurants. Take a small backpack and carry your lunch with you each day.

Hotels in Europe usually have a breakfast buffet with bread and sliced meat & cheese. There may also be pastries, portable fruit (like apples & bananas), and yoghurt. Make a lunch from the buffet and take it away in your back pack.

Don't get into trouble with the hotel if they tell you it is prohibited to take away items from the buffet. Just apologize and ask for directions to a nearby grocery shop.

A loaf of bread, meat (or sausage), cheese, mayo/mustard, and chocolate will provide lunch for several days. The Crystal Lite (or whatever) you brought with you from the USA will provide a flavored drink.

Don't spend much on souvenirs - RESIST the urge to shop! Do NOT think of this as a once-in-a-lifetime trip - think of it as a scouting expedition. You will be back if that is what you want.

Hope you have a good trip!!

Group836

I did Italy, Austria, Switzerland and France in 21 days on about that much. I had about 60 bucks left on my last day, but I was being very tight with my money. It might be able to work, it just depends on how you spend your money and on what. The currency is different in several of those countries, but bottom line is...if you wouldn't spend that much for it in U.S. money, don't pay that much for it in Euros. Francs (I believe) completely threw me, I had no idea what I was spending. Check that out in detail before you go. Hope this helps. Best of luck.

hard_n_tender26

No way.

Gold Digger

That isn't going to be enough! Sorry. Euro is worth more than an American dollars. Make sense? You figure that's $33.33 a day which is $20 Euro a day (approx) You're gonna have to budget to go your entire stay. I guess I won't be getting a souvenir! I was in Barcelona in November and it's gorgeous! Have fun.

Blah Blah Blah

I'd go with more like 1,000.. i'm going to Germany, austria, switzerland, and france next week. that's how much i'm taking for spending. I think you could get by... but then again i'm only going for 8 days. So maybe take about twice that.. better safe than sorry. Or you can have it on an atm card.. they have atm machines that'll give you Euros apparantly.
Also, keep in mind that in Europe, lunch is like dinner here, the biggest meal. So consider that also, it'll be more like buying dinner.
Have a safe and fun trip!

PinkAce

You'll be stretching it as food & souveniers in Europe are expensive

thisisnotdel

No, it will not work for 18-day trip to Europe. I guess what to do is that you start budgetting, maybe do grogeries instead and when you get to where you're staying, you can make your own meals, that way it saves $ and as for souvineirs (s), try not to get expensive ones, do something like a shotglass, keychain, these small ones should suffice.

HAVE A SAFE TRAVEL AND BACK!

:)

Wow! You're really going to have to stretch those Euros. Everything is so expensive over there. I suggest you picnic for most of your meals. And take it real slow with your spending at the start of your trip.

mareeclara

It might be very tight, but if you decide to only take your own photos and buy postcards you could possibly get around it.
Food can be pricey at times, but if you are thrifty and buy from supermarkets at times and maybe save your breakfasts for lunch...ie siphon some of your breakfast into your bag for lunches!!!! If there are bread rolls, croissants, maybe tea/coffee bags (you may need to buy a flask) you could help yourself out (I did this a couple of times, mainly the bread.
I don't know if you are on an organised trip or not as it sounds like you have other things covered, but sometimes its little things like bus/trains/metro tickets and entry prices into places than can add up more than souveniers....I personally bought very little and my photos/postcards remind me of my trips......

C. George

i highly doubt it. 18 days? $600 wouldn't last on a trip to florida.

John B

no way. some people spend that much on one hand of black jack at the bellagio

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