My hostel roommate in Lisbon gave me a budget lesson I still think about

I was sharing a 12-bed dorm in Lisbon last spring, and this guy in his 60s was reading a map. Not on his phone, an actual paper map. He told me he never pays for data roaming because he just walks into any hotel lobby and asks for a free city map. At first I thought he was just cheap, but then he showed me he'd circled free walking tours, museum free hours, and even which bakeries discount bread at closing. Over 3 weeks he spent maybe $30 on attractions total. It hit me that I spend so much mental energy comparing flight deals but overlook the $50 I drop daily on random activities. Has anyone else met a traveler who made you totally rethink your approach?

2 comments

2 Comments

diana_black2223d ago

Wait, so the secret to budget travel is just... asking for free stuff and eating day old bread? That guy sounds like a retired spy who now uses his powers for good instead of evil. I love how he hacked the system so hard he basically paid for a 3 week vacation with pocket change. Meanwhile I'm over here spending $8 on a single sad croissant because it looked aesthetic in the display case. Maybe I should start pretending I'm a broke grandpa and see where it gets me.

holly_green8223d ago

Oh man, this guy is living in 3024 while we're all stuck in 2024! I'm just picturing him walking into a Ritz-Carlton with his backpack, asking for a map like he's considering booking a suite, then immediately circling the nearest place that gives away free soup. The mental image of him actually timing his bakery visits for day-old bread discounts is killing me. Meanwhile I'm out here paying full price for a croissant that looks like it was drawn by an architect, just so I can take a photo for the 'gram. Honestly, he's probably right though, my last trip I spent $15 on a museum audio guide and barely listened to it.