Stretch your dollar in the land of euro

The dollar is plummeting, the Euro now costs $1.50, what the….Unfortunately, don’t hold your breath if you expect the dollar to recover anytime soon, simply put, we’re not as wealthy as we once were. Instead of complaining about it, I offer you a list of ways to stretch that dollar in order to make your European trip worthwhile and rewarding.

1. There are tons of budget-chain hotels throughout Europe. In fact, many of them are driving small hotels and guesthouses out of business altogether. The rooms cost the same amount for singles, couples, or even small families. This is probably the best savings option for traveling families. Travel Inn chains in London rents one-size-fits-all rooms for 80 pounds—a lot less than the 100 pounds you’ll see throughout the city.

2. Pack your room like sardines, seriously. A number of the funky European hotels carry rooms of all sizes and most often, hoteliers are more than happy to pack the room with extra beds. The more people you have in a room, the cheaper it is per person.

3. Skip touristy restaurants, especially with multilingual menus and “We Speak English” signs. Restaurants filled with locals may not necessarily be cheaper, but they do at most times offer better food at a better value.

4. All through southern Europe, drinks are less expensive at the bar than at a table. For those coming for just a quick drink can save about 40 percent by leaning or standing at the bar.

5. Although convenience stores are all the rage in northern Europe, bigger grocery stores will definitely give you more bang for your buck. You’ll save about 30 percent on drinks, snacks and take-away food at the bigger grocery stores. They’re a little hard to find in the high rent, big city. You might find them hiding out in the basements of big department stores.