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Ouch! Ai! Aie! Autsch!
That's the sound you'll be hearing all over Europe as U.S. travelers discover how very weak their dollars have become.
The last time my husband and I visited France, in 2002, the dollar and the euro were more or less equal. On our return trip five years later, the euro was about 40% stronger -- and it made a big difference in where we stayed, what we ate and, to a lesser extent, what we did with our time.
You can still have a wonderful visit, but the following tips will help you stretch your money at a time when $6 coffees and $300 shoebox-sized hotel rooms are the norm:
Research like crazy -- and be flexible. There's no substitute for shopping around when it comes to finding great deals on airlines and hotels. No single source always has the best prices; I've booked cheap vacations from consolidators, travel agents and third-party travel Web sites as well as directly with airlines and hotels. Several of our friends also swear by the package deals offered off-season by airlines, including United and Virgin. Check them all out, and make sure to look at different departure and return dates. Traveling midweek generally cuts costs, and moving your visit by a few weeks can also save a bundle. Also, check your frequent-flier miles; although it's harder to book reward flights in peak seasons, you may still be able to find seats on less-popular routes and flights.
Consider a non-euro destination. You can still travel cheap to certain European countries that don't use the euro, but you have to pick your non-euro country wisely. Americans' top European destination, the United Kingdom, still uses the pound but is no bargain; ditto for Denmark, Sweden and Switzerland. But Eastern European destinations such as Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania offer culture, dramatic architecture and a decent exchange rate.
Where we go
| International destinations of U.S. travelers | |
|---|---|
Western Europe | 40% |
United Kingdom | 14% |
France | 9% |
Italy | 7% |
Germany | 6% |
Netherlands | 3% |
Spain | 3% |
Ireland | 3% |
Switzerland | 2% |
Austria | 2% |
Asia | 19% |
Caribbean | 18% |
South America | 9% |
Central America | 7% |
Eastern Europe | 4% |
Oceania | 3% |
Africa | 2% |
Figures add up to more than 100% due to multiple destinations of some travelers.
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce
Rent an apartment. If you're staying at least a week in one place, renting a flat is often more economical than staying in a hotel. We found a cozy little apartment on Ile St. Louis in Paris that worked out to about $150 a night, including all fees; the least expensive hotel we could find in the same neighborhood was more than $200 a night, not including taxes.
The apartment had a kitchen, which saved us money on meals, and a washer/dryer combination, which allowed us to pack exceptionally light. Of course, it was on the fifth floor of a building that had no elevator, but we figured the exercise was good for us. You can find apartment rental agencies in every major city; locate them with an Internet search, or ask your well-traveled friends for recommendations.
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Don't overpack. Too much stuff means you'll wind up taking taxis instead of the cheap public transit that connects most European airports and city centers. You also could pay extra if you have more luggage than airlines allow. I toured India with a single suitcase and managed a 10-day trip to France with one carry-on bag, so I've learned that packing light pays off. (You might want to stuff a collapsible duffle bag into your suitcase, however, to bring home any treasures you buy overseas.) Stick to one basic color scheme for clothing, like dark blue or black, and try to make sure each piece works with all the other pieces for maximum variety. Good leather walking shoes, preferably in black, are another must; nothing screams "U.S. tourist" like white sneakers.
Tip the right way. It's not true that Europeans don't expect tips, but it is true that the rules are different. Use a guidebook to brush up on the rules of each country before you land, and avoid the mistake I made of overtipping a Parisian taxi driver by $20 and failing to tip a wonderful Italian waiter who bent over backward to make our evening memorable.
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Use the right credit cards -- and call your issuer. A few years ago, using your MasterCard or Visa for most purchases was a great idea, since you got the best possible exchange rate (the one offered to major banks). Now, many major issuers -- including Bank of America, Chase, Citibank and Wells Fargo -- are tacking an extra 2% fee on top of the 1% fee charged by Visa and MasterCard. Only two cards, Capital One and Discover, waive the fee entirely, and Discover isn't widely accepted outside North America. Check with your card issuers to see which issuer charges the least, and use that card for most of your purchases. Be sure to take at least one extra card and to let your issuers know in advance when you'll be out of the country. On our honeymoon in Spain, our credit card issuer cut off access to our card, convinced that our overseas purchases were a sign of fraud. Fortunately, we had a spare card with us, averting what could have been a disaster.
Fees for international transactions
| Issuer | Fee |
|---|---|
Capital One | 0% |
Discover* | 0% |
Washington Mutual | 1% |
American Express | 2% |
Pulaski Bank | 2% |
Barclays/Juniper Bank | 2% to 3%** |
Bank of America | 3% |
Chase | 3% |
Citibank | 3% |
GE Money | 3% |
HSBC | 1% to 3%** |
U.S. Bank | 3% |
Wells Fargo | 3% |
*Very limited acceptance outside North America
**Depends on card
Source: IndexCreditCards.com
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