Allie in the South of Spain

Since coming back to Spain we have completed a few more small projects here in our apartment. Here are a couple photos of what we have been working on. Small bedroom, small changes First we added a small wardrobe in our small bedroom. I think proportionately it works in the space (which isn't incredibly large to begin with). We also added a headboard that matched. I really think that headboards make rooms feel more grown up and permanent. Black and white photos Next we finally hung up the black and white photos that we had printed before we headed to the U.S. for the summer. I had been dreading trying to hang these frames because I knew it was going to be difficult to get them exactly even in a row. It took us a couple of tries to get it right but we did eventually get them hung fairly well. The giant empty space between them is our missing television which we are still waiting to hear about from the guy who will hopefully fix it for us. Read about it here. ...

The tale of our T.V. The other morning as Jose was watching the news our T.V. shut off for no reason. I   was still in bed but heard his curse and it was enough to make me get up. Apparently our T.V. had died which is a real bitch because we had literally just bought a surround sound system (a great deal at a sale we found while grocery shopping of al things) the weekend before. We hadn't even set up the system yet, it still sits sadly in its box.  We bought our flatscreen television no more than 3 years ago when we were in our old apartment and it later made the move with us. It was the first big purchase that we made together which is not to say that it holds some kind of sentimental value. Rather I make that point to show that we spent a good deal of money on this T.V. not very long ago. And it died. Dammit! Not built to last Things are just not built to last anymore. I swear that my family enjoyed watching the same ancient Zenith T.V. from the time of my older sis...

At least you both have jobs The overwhelming sentiment here in Spain when it comes to Jose and my work situation is that we should be very thankful that we are both working (and we are). Current unemployment statistics for the youth here is Spain is hovering around 56%. That is a really scary statistic which for us personally has translated into many friends looking rather unsuccessfully for jobs that just do not seem to exist. A lot of them are considering or are looking outside of the country for positions. People are constantly telling us how fortunate we are that as a young couple we are both employed and I understand that feeling but we should be the norm, not the exception to the rule . We are young, able bodied and well educated (just like most of our friends). We SHOULD be working and rather than feeling lucky about it, I sometimes get indignant about the whole situation. What has cracked here during this economic crisis that what was once considered ordinary and was expe...

31. Enjoy yourself: If you spend too much time worried about spending money on your trip you might end up forgetting to have a good time and to enjoy your vacation. If you have done enough planning pre-trip you should be all set as long as you stick with your budget and ideas. Sometimes you might spend a bit more than planned and that is okay (as long as you don't really over do it). Try to do better next time. There is no sense wasting your travels feeling overly guilty or bad about having spent money or being too crazy about strictly following your budget. Have a wonderful time and get the most for your money!

30. Be aware: One of the easiest ways to lose money while traveling is having it stolen. I would always recommend that you be aware of your surroundings. Know if where you are traveling to has a problem with pickpockets (especially in subways or around places where tourists tend to gather, museums, plazas, lines, airports). Keep your valuables safe. Don´t travel with a lot of cash or wear conspicious jewelry. Try to blend in and not become a target. Though for many these things are common sense, I see tourists every day where I live get taken advantage of. If someone approaches you, be assertive and/or walk away.  A lot of times there are professionals in tourist areas who make their money by taking yours. This might be people who literally steal from you, or it might be that they have a scheme to take advantage. Here in Seville there is a group of women who hang around our cathedral and offer to read tourist´s palms (in exchange for money of course). They approach people and a...

29. Bring just a carry-on: If you are flying try to only bring a carry-on. It will save you money if there is a charge for checking a bag (which is incredibly common on domestic flights). For the most part I have not had to pay for my first checked bag on international flights but I could see this changing any day (a second bag has cost me everything from 50 to 75 dollars and I only did this when I was moving overseas). You need to be aware of what the baggage policy is for the airline you are using. Make sure you check if there are weight/size limits for bags as well. Sometimes going over even by a few pounds can cost A LOT! My husband and I have invested in a hand scale to weigh our bags before we head to the airport. This 10 dollar purchase has saved us a ridiculous amount of money since we know that our bags are within the limits. I can´t tell you how many times I have seen people scrambling to re-pack or to throw away items just to avoid paying a baggage fee while checking in f...

28. Check your receipts and your change: When you are traveling make sure to check your receipts. This goes for eating out, hotel bills, small purchases and the like. When you go to a restaurant look to see how much you were charged at the end of the meal. A lot of places might tack on extra things you didn´t consume in the hopes that you won´t notice or argue. There might be mistakes on what you were charged at your hotel. You could have fraudulent charges on your credit card. Make sure you are on top of these things even as you enjoy your vacation. Also, if you are paying with cash you should check your change. Be vigilant especially if it is foreign money that you are not familiar with. When in Turkey we had a store clerk try to short change us thinking we wouldn´t notice. We did and saved ourselves some money by pointing out the mistake.

27. Read the small print and watch out for hidden fees:  Always read any small print there is since a lot of times there are hidden fees or other ways that companies can make money off you (that is their business after all). For example, you buy a ticket to visit a museum before your trip. Make sure you know when you can use it. There might be restrictions for the dates and times you can go. This idea also applies to baggage fees when you are booking flights. Know what the company´s policies are so you aren´t surprised when you go to check in for your flight. If you are using websites to book hotels, flights, etc. read to see if there will be any fees related with your purchase. It has happened to us more than once that what we thought was a great deal ended up being not so great when fees and taxes were added on at check-out. Know what your hotel includes (continental breakfast, complimentary toiletry items, an iron, etc.). ALWAYS look into the details.

26. Check the weather forecast: As I learned from years being a Girl Scout, you need to be prepared. Check to see what kind of weather you can expect at your destination and pack accordingly. For some reason my husband and I seem to ALWAYS forget to pack an umbrella, even when we know it might rain. We have had to buy overpriced and poorly made umbrellas all over the world. In fact, we have a collection of them. If we had just checked the weather forecast and planned ahead we would be a little bit richer. This idea also goes for other types of clothing that you might need for different kinds of weather (think a hat, gloves and a scarf if it will be cold). By knowing what weather awaits you, you might also re-think your vacation plan. For example, if you know it is going to be nice one day but not so the next, plan to do indoor activities while it is cold or rainy. Planning ahead is a great way to be frugal!

25. Try to buy ahead if discounts are offered: Sometimes it pays to buy entrance tickets or passes ahead of time. You can find out via the internet if there are discounts offered if you buy these before your trip. Take a minute to do some research into the places you would like to visit. You can also save valuable time by having your tickets in hand. You can often times bypass long lines and thus streamline your vacation. We did this for example when we visited the London Eye. The line was enormous and we would have wasted a whole afternoon of our trip had we not bought our tickets beforehand. Instead all we had to do was present ourselves at the set time and boom, off we went to see the city from up high. If you purchase previously, you can also plan your days better. You will know when you will be visiting what and can plan accordingly. Having a plan can save you money since you can take advantage of the time you have. Even having a vague idea is better than having none at all...

24. Walk: First if you walk you won´t be spending money on other modes of transportation (taxi, bus, car, subway, bicycle etc). This is a no-brainer, especially in big cities. Second, by walking you end up seeing things you might not see otherwise. I love to wander around places (always with a good map of course) because you never know what you might encounter. If you are always traveling by subway or bus, you miss things. I promise. Third, walking is good for your health. It is great exercise. Fourth, sometimes just walking through a city is satisfying enough that you don´t feel the need to pay entry fees to visit other places. For me Rome is a perfect example of this. If you just spend the day walking around and seeing the sites from outside you will have a great day. A lot of things are somewhat disappointing on the inside but maybe that is just me. My one recommendation is to bring comfortable shoes! Walking around in high heels all day is no fun. No fun at all. Blisters can rui...

23. Ask for recommendations from friends and family members : Use the knowledge of other people. We always try to connect with those that have visited places before us while planning our trips. Most people love to talk about their trips and can probably give you some tips or recommendations. I especially like to ask where people have gone to eat. If you know someone who is from the place you would like to vacation even better. They have the inside track. They can recommend cheap eats and where to stay on a budget. Some of our most successful (and least expensive) trips to restaurants while traveling have been recommendations from friends and family. In turn, if you make a discovery while traveling, share and share alike.

22.  Join frequent flyer programs : Even if you aren´t racking up a ton of miles, often times you will receive notifications about sales and good deals throughout the year. If I am not interested in flying I will automatically delete these e-mails so they don´t clog up my inbox. Sometimes there are ways to earn miles without actually flying (like certain purchases, car rentals, hotel stays etc). This is a good way to stay informed and if you do travel a lot you can get upgrades and even free flights. It is as easy as registering on the companies website. My husband and I have a frequent flyer number for each major carrier, that way we are getting miles no matter how we fly.

21. Look at budget airlines: Here in Europe there are several companies that offer pretty decent prices throughout the year. They include Ryanair, Vueling, EasyJet and WizzAir. In the States you can also look for deals through companies like Southwest. Though they might not offer all the amenities of big airlines, these budget companies will get you where you need to go for less money. Make sure that you read the fine print when it comes to rules about luggage fees and the like since sometimes companies have loopholes or hidden fees to make back some profit. For example, Ryanair is incredibly strict on what they allow passengers to carry on. If your bag doesn't fit within the limits you have to pay a fee.

20. Become your own travel guide: My husband is wonderful to travel with since he takes it upon himself to really become informed about wherever we are headed. He does a lot of research online and will print out things to take along. Every once in a while we might invest in a travel book (but this is NOT often). With a bit of research you can skip paying for things like audio guides or tours. As long as you can put in some time beforehand you can even create your own itinerary and guide yourself. Find out what the most important sights are and why they are famous. What is their history? Who or why were they created? If you are headed to a museum, visit its webpage before you leave to find out what are the gems of its collection. Print out a few blurbs to bring along and read as you see them to remind yourself. If you become your own travel guide you don't need to pay someone else for this service. You can take your own personalized guided tour which can be even better.

19. People watch: This is a seriously inexpensive way to save money while traveling. It is also one of my personal hobbies. I could sit and watch people for hours at a time and being somewhere foreign is even better. It can be very entertaining. Find a place with a lot of people passing by and just sit and relax for a while. Jose and I make up stories about people. We talk about clothing (which can differ immensely depending on where you are). We try to decide who are other tourists and who are locals. We enjoy some down time and rest our feet. People watch at a popular monument or a park. It can provide some time's worth of entertainment and is free. 

18. Prioritize : Think about the things that are most important to you while traveling. Rank them if you need to. Which sights or museums are must-sees? Put them at the top of your list. Research their prices while making this list but remember that if you absolutedly cannot miss a certain museum then it'll be worth the money to visit it. I like to keep in mind that I may not be back to certain places and that it could be a once in a lifetime chance. The things that are lower on your list can be skipped if you run out of money while you are traveling. Try to mix in low-cost ideas with things that are more expensive (more low-cost things of course!). Again, the key here is to plan, plan, plan.

17. Plan, plan, plan : My husband is really good at this and I am blessed to have him as a partner. Have an idea of what you will be doing, seeing, where you will be staying, how you will be moving about, what you will be eating, how much you can spend, etc. Try to figure out a timetable for your vacation (though you may not be able to stick to it perfectly which is definitely ok, you are on vacation in the end). If you have a rough idea of your schedule you will be able to plan meals easier. That means you won't end up starving somewhere and have to shell out a lot of money to ease your hunger by making an unplanned stop. If you plan you will be able to maximize your time (remember that time is money). You don't have to have every minute scheduled of course but planning ahead is always a good idea.

16.  Be realistic : Maybe this isn´t a time when you can go on vacation. Make the best of it and treat yourself to a relaxing weekend at home. Unplug the phone and internet and spend quality time with your spouse, partner, friends and/or family. If it isn't in your budget to travel, you shouldn't. It will be a fleeting escape since you will eventually have to return to reality (with bills and jobs and problems).

15. Share costs with other couples or families : The same principle of saving money that you use while carpooling functions here as well. If you can rent an entire house or an apartment rather than stay at a hotel and split the cost sometimes you can save some money (be sure to do your research). If you can drive together, even better. Maybe you could share the cost and work of preparing meals. Of course you would want to look for a group that has compatible travel plans and expectations but by splitting costs you will travel more frugally. Some of my most memorable trips as a child were done with neighbors and their children. We still talk about the awful, rock hard pancakes that were made during one camping trip with neighbors. Bonus: (if you have kids) you can share childcare or babysitting responsibilities as well. One couple or person could watch the kids one night and then you could trade off. That way everyone gets a chance to enjoy a relaxing ...