I'm taking a trip to Europe (London, Greece, Italy and hopefully Paris) in September with my friend Melissa. While I am as excited as I am nervous, consid
ering the fact that I'll be traveling foreign countries for a month with only another woman--I'm often paranoid about safety--money is also a concern. I imagine it would be a concern for anyone going to Europe, let alone going for a month. I still can't believe I'm going for that long, by the way. The first time I went to Europe was 6 years ago for a Missions trip in London and Africa and that was for two months. But since this trip's purpose is for leisure, I'd like to enjoy the pace a bit more, splurge on some authentic experiences, and not live out of a backpack with only two pairs of pants. Melissa is quite well-traveled, making my former adventures abroad look like field trips, and seems to have boundless amounts of energy for globe trotting and organizing journeys. I have a feeling I may start drinking coffee on this voyage.
Any time I feel like I am committing a newly-written cardinal sin--"traveling without a stable job"--I tell myself that once I get that stable job it will likely be years until I can take time off for a Europe trip, and it sure won't be a month long break. Plus, I consider myself blessed to have a traveling companion that can be free for a month to explore with me, because even if my future job allows ample time off, there is always the predicament of getting someone to take time off with you. Did I also mention that Mel is phenomenal at finding deals? This is pretty much the perfect opportunity.
So, while I fight the urge to judge myself and feel like a failure at being a responsible adult, I am also evaluating my expenses quite carefully in light of this trip. I have never had to do this to a painstaking degree and never really earned the "Starving College Student" badge back in the day, but I'm somewhat redeeming myself now since a lot of the money I make and save over the next two months will be going to Europe, not an interesting bottle of wine, meal or outfit I might otherwise buy without a second thought.
In fact, I am refraining from most things people do without a second thought like go to the movies or eat at a run-of-the-mill restaurant. I now see a $10 movie ticket as delectable pizza and gelato in Italy or a souvenir I'll buy in Greece. Do I want to spend a few bucks on a drink at an American bar or would I rather have a crepe and cup of English breakfast tea in London? No contest. And so, the battle to make and save the green has begun.
In addition to pitching up a storm with my freelance writing, here are ways I--and you!--can save some green this summer without becoming a total hermit:
-Cheap Eats. I'm not eating at restaurants for the most part; I either eat before I hang out with friends or in some cases find a happy hour with good food prices. In Pasadena, Magnolia on Lake ($5 decadent mac and cheese) or McCormick and Schmick's ($3 cheeseburger with fries) have good happy hours for food, though M&S apparently has a drink minimum.
Taco Tuesday at Fred's in Old Town serves up $2 tacos and unlimited chips and salsa. I can't make food cheaper at home. The two taco trucks on Fair Oaks also serve up taco goodness for $1.25 per street-sized taco. Glorious.
As for drinks, with very little exception, I don't plan on buying alcohol outside of TJ's for the next two months.
-Dancing for FREE. My favorite past time is dancing, and if I can do it without paying a lame cover, I'm going to milk that for all it's worth. Luckily, July and August have free swing and salsa dancing under the stars at upscale outdoor Pasadena shopping center Paseo Colorado. Swing on Friday and salsa on Saturday, each with a lesson beforehand. Lesson from 6:30-7 and dancing from 7-9:30.
Twin Palms in Pasadena is free before 10 p.m.--cougar come-ons included--and has live bands specializing in various musical genres like funk or 80s pop and new wave. "Whip it good."
The Getty Center--my fave place in LA--has FREE musical performances and dancing for three more Saturdays this summer. They include a band performance bookended by DJ sets. http://www.getty.edu/visit/events/saturdays_405.html
-FREE Movies. Fridays and Saturdays in July, Pasadena shows classic and contemporary movies--Footloose, Singin' in the Rain (my fave), and there's even a Twilight night for all you fanatics--on the big screen outside at two locations. Ain't Pasadena grand? More info at http://www.oldpasadena.org/gc_calendar_detail.asp?cal_id=1131
-FREE Art and Culture. The Norton Simon Museum is one of my favorite places in Pasadena, and luckily it is FREE to those with a college I.D. Sure, I graduated a few years ago, but I think free admission to a museum is the least I can get for an expensive--dare I say, overpriced?--education. The museum is not huge, but it would take quite a while to get through the whole thing, which I still have yet to do. They have various paintings and sculptures from different periods, an Asian art collection and temporary exhibitions. Step outside and relax near a small pond and wandering path.
-Consignment-ish stores. I don't plan on buying clothes for the next couple months either unless they are necessary for Europe. Ya, I just LOLd too. I definitely have a surplus of clothes so I'm taking the ones in good shape to stores that buy clothes for a few bucks so they can resell them. It's not like the clothes I don't wear are making money sitting in my closet. Slackers. Then, if I see any discount clothes that I NEED at those stores, they would have already somewhat paid for themselves. Ideally though, it will put money in my pocket. Such stores are Crossroads Trading Co. and Buffalo Exchange, both of which have a few LA area locations.
-Cash in your chips. Do you have any clothes or items you can return to a store? Any gift cards you can use to buy necessary items? I had two polo shirts I bought at Marshall's over a year ago sitting in my closet, unworn, with the tags still on. I FINALLY took them back this week, wondering if I could get anything without a receipt, and they gave me a store credit for $54, the original amount I paid for the shirts. Since Marshall's (like Ross or T.J. Maxx) pretty much has everything, I can buy necessities there. I picked up a much-needed yoga mat (since I slide on the 24-hour ones every week), cheap exercise shorts and an iPod wall charger for Europe, since I won't be taking my computer. Granted, I'll need AC adapters too. I left with my needed purchases and 20+ bucks of Marshall's credit left. Booya.
Also, I bought discount AMC movie tickets last summer and forgot I had them until a couple months ago. Those are pre-bought movie tickets sitting there! While most Pasadena people go to the Paseo Colorado theater or Laemmle, if I want to really see a movie, I'm going to try to see it at my local Santa Anita Mall AMC theater. If it's something AMC is not showing I can either A) wait until it comes out on DVD B) See a morning show, which can be cheaper than a matinee or C) Wait and see if the film arrives at the Regency Theaters in Pasadena; $3 for an evening show and $2 for a matinee. Heck yes!
-The beach. It's nothing new, but the beach is a wonderful daycation spot and if you can find free parking or split parking among a carload of friends, you're as golden as your new tan. Make a sandwich, read, lay out and enjoy God's creation.
While this list is far from exhaustive and I am finding other ways to save green, I hope this will help and encourage you to pinch some pennies. Believe me, pennies, it hurts me more than it hurts you. Feel free to fill me in on how you're saving!
