6 Surprisingly Affordable Ways To Travel Expensive Countries Without Feeling Like A Broke Ass Loser!

Ballin’ on a Budget in Expensive Countries

Switzerland, Japan, Norway? Here’s how broke-ass travelers still eat well, sleep comfortably, and live large on a tight budget.

Think You Can’t Afford Switzerland? Think Again…

A friend of mine, let’s call him Greg (because that’s his name), once swore you needed a Rolex just to step foot in Switzerland.

He’s not alone.

Here’s the truth: even the priciest countries can be done on the cheap, if you know where to look.

I’ve traveled through France, Spain, Switzerland and Italy on a budget tighter than Ryanair legroom, and lived to tell the tale.

• No instant noodles.
• No sketchy hostel bunk beds.
• No selling of kidneys.

The trick?

Knowing when to splurge, when to save, and when to laugh at the €6 water in Geneva.

That’s right, 6 shockingly simple hacks to help you do Switzerland (and anywhere else) without going broke.

Free sleeps, cheap feasts, flight tricks, it’s all here!

Don’t spend your Swiss trip living off grocery store bread and regret.

Don’t be Greg!

1. Flight Hacks Airlines Don’t Want You to Know

How Flying When No One Else Wants To Can Save You Hundreds
Want to slash your airfare in half? Fly when nobody else does.

If you’re trying to book flights to Paris in July or Athens in August, congratulations, you’re paying peak sucker prices.

Airlines know desperate vacationers will pay whatever it takes.

But shift your dates just a few weeks off-peak, and suddenly that same flight is a fraction of the cost.

I once snagged a dirt-cheap flight to France in mid-November, why? 

Because while everyone else was waiting for the Christmas markets, I was happily freezing my way through Strasbourg at a discount.

If you can handle a little off-season weather, your wallet will thank you.

The Travel Credit Card Trick That Gets You Free Flights
Think frequent flyer miles are just for business travelers?

Think again.

You don’t even need to fly often, credit card rewards do all the heavy lifting.

I’ve racked up thousands of miles without leaving my couch, just by using the right travel-friendly credit cards.

Sign-up bonuses alone can get you across the Atlantic for free.

Just pay off your balance each month (because nobody wants “credit card debt” as a souvenir).

Hidden City Ticketing: The Loophole Airlines Hate
Want to outsmart an airline?

Book a flight with a layover in your actual destination, then just don’t take the second leg.

Example: A direct flight to Zurich might cost a fortune. But a flight to Warsaw with a layover in Zurich?

Cheaper. So you book that one, and “oops,” you miss your second flight.

Airlines loathe this trick, but as long as you only bring carry-on luggage, it’s perfectly legal.

Just don’t book a round-trip ticket, they’ll cancel the rest of your itinerary faster than you can say “budget traveler.”

2. Free & Dirt-Cheap Places to Sleep That Aren’t Sketchy Hostels

How to Stay in a Luxury Home for Free
Ever wondered how some travelers afford to stay in gorgeous homes for weeks without spending a dime?

Simple: they take care of other people’s pets.

House-sitting is the ultimate hack for getting free accommodation in expensive places.

A friend of mine once stayed in a countryside villa in France just for keeping a cat alive and watering some plants. Not bad, right?

Websites like TrustedHousesitters connect budget travelers with homeowners looking for responsible sitters.

If you can pretend to be an adult for a week, you’re gold.

Hostels: Not Just for Broke Backpackers Anymore
Still picturing hostels as overcrowded bunk beds with snoring backpackers?

Think again.

Modern hostels offer private rooms, rooftop bars, and boutique designs for half the price of a hotel.

I don’t do hostels much these days, but I once scored a private room in Spain with a balcony and free nightly sangria, for less than a sketchy U.S. motel. Win-win.

So, if you’re open to hostels (and don’t mind communal kitchens), you can save a fortune.

Work-for-Stay: How to Travel Without Spending a Cent on Accommodation
Want free lodging and a cool experience? Try volunteering at a hostel, farm, or guesthouse.

I met a traveler in Greece who landed a free room just by helping check in guests and pretending to know how to pour a beer.

Websites like Workaway and Worldpackers offer tons of opportunities if you’re willing to put in a few hours of work.

3. How to Eat Like a King Without Paying Like One

Why Supermarkets Are the Ultimate Budget Hack
Look, I love a good restaurant meal, but I also refuse to pay tourist prices for a mediocre sandwich.

That’s why I hit up local supermarkets and fresh markets whenever I travel.

In France, I had some of my best meals sitting on a park bench with a fresh baguette, local charcuterie, and a bottle of wine that cost less than a single cocktail in Geneva.

Street Food: Cheap, Delicious, and Better Than Most Restaurants
Forget overpriced sit-down meals, the best food is usually sold out of a window or a cart.

Spain? Bocadillos from a bakery for a couple of euros.

Albania? Burek (flaky pastry with meat, cheese, spinach, or potatoes) for the price of pocket change.

The trick? Go where locals are eating, not where there’s an English menu and an overpriced plate of spaghetti.

The Tourist Restaurant Scam (And How to Spot It)
Rule #1 of dining abroad: If someone is outside waving a menu at you… Run!

The best restaurants don’t need to beg for customers.

Instead, walk a few blocks away from tourist areas and look for places packed with locals.

No laminated menus, no aggressive hosts, just good food at the right price.

4. How to Get Around Without Paying Tourist Prices

Public Transit Passes: The Ultimate Savings Trick
Nothing drains your budget faster than taking taxis everywhere.

Instead, grab a multi-day or weekly public transit pass.

When I stayed in Poland, a monthly transit pass cost me less than two taxi rides.

Trust me, learn the metro, save your cash.

Walk More, Spend Less
The best way to explore any city? Walk!

Not only is it free, but you’ll see way more than you would crammed in a taxi.

The Right Way to Use Rideshares and Taxis
If you must take a taxi, never hail one off the street, you’re basically asking to get ripped off.

Use apps like Bolt or local ride-hailing services (they’re often cheaper than Uber).

5. How to Do Expensive Activities Without the Expensive Part

Free Museums & Attractions (Yes, They Exist!)
A lot of major cities offer free museum days, you just need to plan ahead.

In Paris, the Louvre is free on the first Sunday of the month.

In Spain, many museums have specific free-entry hours.

Check the city’s tourism website before you go, you might save a ridiculous amount of money.

City Passes: Genius or Scam?
Some cities offer tourist passes that include multiple attractions for a set price.

Sometimes they’re worth it. Sometimes they’re just a tourist tax in disguise.

Travel tip: Add up the cost of the attractions you actually want to visit.

If the pass is cheaper, go for it. If not, skip it and spend your money on something better (like street food).

The Free Alternative to Expensive Tours
Instead of paying for overpriced bus tours, look for “free walking tours”.

They’re run by locals who actually know what they’re talking about and they work on tips, so you decide what the tour was worth.

6. How to Avoid Tourist Traps & Keep More of Your Money

Currency Exchange Scams
Airport exchange booths? Just light your money on fire.

Use ATMs! But decline their “conversion offer.”

If you accept, you’re getting ripped off. 

Let your bank do the math, not the scammy machine.

Tipping Culture: Where You’re Overpaying for No Reason
Americans, listen up: Tipping 20% everywhere is not a thing outside the U.S.

If you don’t know the tipping norms, Google it before you blindly add 20% to your tab.

Souvenir Shops Are a Scam! Here’s Where to Buy Instead
If a store sells miniature Eiffel Towers, magnets, and shot glasses with the city name slapped on them… Run!

You’re in a tourist trap paying triple the real price.

Instead, hit up outdoor markets, craft fairs, even supermarkets for cheaper, legit souvenirs.

You Don’t Have to Be Rich… Just Smart

You can do expensive countries on a budget, without living like a broke ass backpacker.

The trick? Think like a local, not a tourist.

Travel off-season, skip overpriced hotels, eat where locals actually eat.

And for the love of espresso, don’t pay €7 for Starbucks in some Disneyfied town square.

Now your turn, what’s your best budget travel hack?