How can I stay on a budget in Italy?

Question

I'm a college student and I want to stay on a budget...I'm trying not to spend more than $1000 US dollars. (All we have to use our money for is food and fun stuff like discoteccas, and activities. We are going there for 1 month- July.) How can I do that? Our rooms are already paid for.

We will be in Perugia, but also visiting other places such as Venice, Capri, Assisi, Naples and Florence.

Our teacher said that instead of eating out everyday we can go to the market.

Also, how much are discoteccas ?

If you could give advice, that would be a great help! Thanks! Ciao!!!

Answer 1

There are plenty of small shops with inexpensive food.  A nice panini and a glass of vino de tavalo hits the spot.  Market shopping is done early in the day unless you want to pay the really high prices in super markets.  Bread, dried cheese, and cured meats will keep through the day and be sure to drink bottled water unless you want to blow your budget on TP!  

If you stay in a pensione (bed & breakfast equivalent) you can find places that offer community dinners at the owner's table.  You have to deal with pot luch and it is usually a lot of pasta with little meat, but usually very good.  This will limit you to only having to buy lunch.  You will probably have to catch a bus as these places are out from the cities.

Answer 2

1- Walk everywhere.

2- Eat cheap food.

3- Don't give anyone money!

4- When the guy who charges you to use the toilet steps out for a cigarette, run in and use it quick. Seriously, they charge you for the crapper there!

5- Try to find fun activities for little to no money.

Answer 3

I was just in Italy for 1 month.  I took a class in Sorrento through my law school for 2 weeks.  So I had my living paid for for 2 weeks, and some meals were included as well.  I ended up spending 1100-1200 Euros for the whole trip.  Not including that 2 weeks of housing, I spent that 1100-1200 on food, hostels, souveniers, attractions etc.

I could have spent less on food if I had went to markets more often.  I definitely agree with your teacher.  Go to the market and get snacks, stuff for breakfast and lunch.  Also, my friends and I brought a lot of food from the U.S.  We brought granola bars, protein bars, and 100 calories packs and we went through all of it.  As far as dinner - try to get sandwiches.  They usually are not more than 4 euros for like a salami sandwich.

Spending $ on water also adds up.  Whenever I saw fresh water fountains, I would fill up.  

We had the most difficult time saving money in Venice.  It was relatively expensive there.  Save money for Murano glass there!!  And bargain when you buy murano glass jewelry - never buy an item for full price without first bargaining.  I was able to bargain on everything I bought except for 1 necklace.  Capri is absolutely beautiful!  Go to ana capri and take the bus down to see the blue grotto b/c it is a few dollars cheaper if you do it that way instead of going straight from Capri.

Have fun!!

Answer 4

When you eat out don't sit down.  If you are in a little pizza place with stand-up tables and sit down tables eat standing up.  Get a square of pizza and something to drink.  

What we do is buy water from the local market, drink 1/3, then freeze the rest.  The next day we wrap it in a towel and put it in a back-pack.  We have cold water for the day.  Then you can grab a square of pizza for lunch and have your own drink.

Answer 5

1000$ is 650€ ... for a month should be ok.. discoteche can have different prizes :from the one who lets girls enter for free but need to drink something(they fix the prize of first drink, more or less 10€) to the ones is very expensive(also 40€) ... you have to ask...

to eat calculate from 10 to 25 €, depending what you eat( ex:pizza and beer is like 15€, pasta is like 8-12€), you can save some money at luch eating at the bar a sandwitch (2€)...

Answer 6

Well, I think you can manage on $1000 but you'll have to be careful. For example, will you be driving around, or by cab when sightseeing ?

The funny thing is, everything in Italy has gotten expensive, the people there complain that the food in markets can be very expensive. But if you ask some locals where they shop for the cheaper stuff they might tell you.

The bars and clubs can get pricey, just don't spend any money on alcohol and I think you'll be okay.

Activities can be as cheap or as expensive as you want them to be, You can take a bike ride along the scenic areas, you can go rollerblading, or you can take a boat ride, so many things to do, you have to just ask around, the locals are sometimes helpful.

I would just eat out at night only, and the morning and afternoon I'd do my own shopping for food.

Because the night life is where it's at in Italy, the restaurants are all pretty much cool and you'll meet alot of people who can direct you to different attractions, etc.

Also, another piece of advice, don't leave anything valuable where you're staying, for example your wallet, money or jewelery, because chances are you won't be seeing any of those again. (trust me from experience!)

Going to the beach is pretty cheap, and there are tons of fun things to do around the beach, alot of people and tons of little shops around there and you might find some good deals as well.

other than that, just relax, have fun and don't trust any italian guy that says he can take you to special places.......those aren't places you want to go.....TRUST ME.

Answer 7

a lot fo money... italy is very expensive...