Everyone has a budget, whether it is dealing with millions of dollars a week or you are down to your last five dollars for the next twenty days, you are on a budget. But when you are traveling or taking Rome tours and you only have a couple of dollars to spend each day, this can make you feel like you just have nothing you can do! After all, everything costs money right? Well… wrong. You can get away with having a brilliant day in Rome and only spend some money on food, and not even a lot of money! The key is to know where to go.
Get to Know the Community
This is especially crucial if you are staying for longer than a month in Rome. Introducing yourself and getting to know the people around the area not only exposes you to the environment and the world around you but if you hit it off well with some people you can bet that you will end up spending some time with them, which could entail things like free meals, drinks, or even being shown around to all the really juicy spots to see how other people that live in the area manage to live on a budget. You can’t really lose by getting social; it especially helps if you bother to get to know any of the Italian language in the area.
Finding the Free Attractions
Just because you can’t warrant spending money on guided tours of Rome or other such similar expenses does not mean you won’t get to see some of the beauty that the city has to offer. The truth is there are hundreds of places in Rome that provide free admission. Just to name a few are the Cappuchin Crypt, Museum of the Sanitary Arts, The Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Saint Peter’s Basilica, Vatican Museums, the Mouth of Truth, and far too many fountains to even name! Also just because there are paid Vatican tours does not mean you have to take them to go through certain areas; they just help you get around and learn more about the area.
Avoid the Traps
If you really need to be watching your costs then the best option with any traveling is to avoid the tourist traps. Visiting places like Pompeii or going into major tourist areas like the Vatican can be draining on your wallet or purse is many ways, the most of which they always get people on is food. Instead ask some people around the area about places they eat at, or go to the markets and buy some food straight from vendors on the street then take it back and cook a wonderful meal.
The key here is that you are avoiding the areas that receive a high amount of gawking people, because those are the places that are always full of costs and the last thing you want is to be starving when a gal selling preztels for twelve euros passes you by and you just have to fork over the cash cause you don’t see anywhere else in sight.
If you really have problems, you can also always consider picking up a minor job helping in the area of Rome to make a little extra for your traveling experiences, and in the meantime you get a whole new experience of spending some work time in an entirely different place. It is not always something a person on vacation wants to do, but the option is there and sometimes that experience can be more fulfilling than the tourist things.
Just remember to enjoy yourself no matter what, and try not to break your bank or your pocket book while doing it.
