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Welcome Frugalistas!

What exactly does frugal lifestyle mean?  I believe it’s being smart and savvy in your choices. Prioritize and take control of what’s important to you and you will come out ahead.

This blog and website offers frugal tips and money saving ideas to help you live a richer life. Save money on everyday living. Start living the "Frugal Lifestyle" today.

Spend Less  • Earn More • Live Better

My Frugal Vacation in Paris

10/24/2015

 
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For two weeks this summer, I checked off a very special trip off my bucket list. My boyfriend and I finally went to Paris! It's been a dream of mine to visit the City of Lights for a very long time. I've collected many french-inspired decor items for my home over the years, just so that I'm surrounded by all things Parisian!

My goal was to have a frugal vacation in Paris - which is one of the most expensive cities in the world. Listed below are ways I've cut down on cost, without compromising on fun and adventure. I suggest having a rough budget in mind and try to set aside "vacation money" apart from everyday expenses. My most important tip is to do your research ahead of time. Have fun planning your vacation!  Read on for some frugal travel ideas.
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ACCOMMODATIONS
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We saved quite a lot of money by staying in an apartment vs. a hotel. Our rate was less than $95 per night. Most hotels in Paris charged double that or more! I booked our little apartment almost a year in advance, because it was such a sought after rental. I found a great studio in the 5th arrondissement (the Latin Quarter), through HomeAway.com. This particular apartment had 5 star reviews regarding the location and the owners. Well, needless to say - we were not disappointed. Not only was the apartment cozy, nicely decorated and conveniently located - but the owners were so wonderful during our stay. We joined them for drinks, coffee and to hear gypsy jazz and blues in local bars and clubs. Click here to learn more about our little apartment in Paris.
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AIRFARE
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I consistently checked online booking sites, such as CheapFlights.com for the best airfare cost. I also signed up for email alerts in case the price drops for my selected route. A good option for price alerts is BookingBuddy.com. As I've mentioned before, try to pick travel days on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays - they are usually cheaper than other days. By flying out on a Tuesday, we were able to save almost $200 - which we were able to allocate towards the rest of our vacation.
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TRANSPORTATION
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For the first time (ever!), we took Uber to the airport. I had scored a special deal from Capital One - a $30 credit for any Uber ride. So I only paid a little over $2.00 for the ride from our house to LAX. In comparison, the price for a taxi ride is $75. 

From the Paris airport (and back), we took the RER train - which was only 10 euros per person. We mostly took the Metro to get around Paris. However, the best way to see and experience the city is by foot. We did a lot, and I do mean a LOT of walking - comfortable shoes are a definite must. We not only saved a lot of money by walking, especially to arrondissements closer to our apartment - but we got to see places that were not listed in the guide books! We also saved money (and time) by purchasing metro tickets (set of 10) ahead of time from the metro station kiosk.
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FOOD • DRINKS • DESSERTS
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There must've been a café, bistro, boulangerie, patisserie, fromagerie, brasserie, etc.. in every corner!! In order to save money, we only ate at a sit-down restaurant once a day - usually for dinner. For breakfast, we stopped at a boulangerie and pick up an eclair or other yummy treat to go. For mid-day noshing, we grabbed a baguette, some brie cheese (cheese is very affordable in Paris) and wine then head to a park or garden for a picnic lunch.

For dinner we ate at restaurants that offered prix fixe menus, most 3-course meal only cost about 17 euros! We enjoyed plenty of goat cheese salads, escargots, beef bourguignon, crème brûlée and chocolate mousse! We were pleasantly surprise that Paris water is very drinkable, so we didn't have to buy bottle drinking bottle. Coffee (café creme) on the other hand was quite expensive, so we only treated ourselves to it a few times.
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MUSEUMS • TOURS • ENTERTAINMENT

We were considering buying a Museum Pass, however, I'm glad we didn't since that would've forced us to stick with a strict schedule. We prefer a more free flowing vacation, where we decide when we wake up that morning where and what we should do. We opted to go to the Louvre on a rainy morning, which was a perfect day to be indoors perusing all that the Louvre has to offer. Instead of doing a bus tour, we walked and walked and walked - where we discovered many great spots that were not probably not on the tour guide route. I do recommend getting a detailed map of the city with street names, so that you can find your way around (in case you get lost!)

There were plenty of major sites that are free! We stood in line, which moved fairly quickly - to see the grandeur of Notre Dame-Cathedral as well as Basilica of Sacré Coeur in Montmartre, be prepared to climb lots of stairs! We also enjoyed strolling around Jardin du Luxembourg and the Jardin des Plantes (Botanical Gardens) at no cost.

As I mentioned before, most of our entertainment was free - courtesy of our awesome apartment hosts! The free music spots were perfect to immerse ourselves in the local Parisian vibe. We enjoyed free gypsy jazz, blues and eclectic music from local bands throughout our stay. This experience is Priceless!
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SHOPPING • SOUVENIRS

Since we purposely brought carry-on luggages, this did not leave us a whole lot of room to buy a lot of stuff. Although I packed an extra empty backpack, I did not have to use it. We did only minimal shopping and only bought items that were small enough to fit in our luggages. I did buy some nice things for my friends, they were small and practical. The only things we bought for ourselves were some postcards and misc. made in Paris items. The most important souvenir (in my opinion) were all the wonderful experiences which were captured via photos. I put together a photo book of memorable places and times, so that we will always remember our Paris trip.
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Related Articles:
My Top 10 Thrifty Travel Tips
Best Travel Tips To Save Time, Money and Energy
     
Leslie Patson
10/26/2015 08:58:14 am

OH MY GOD - fabulous and inspiring! I"m so happy you guys had this trip!!!


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    What does living frugally mean to me? Well, it does NOT mean being cheap, quite the contrary, I believe it’s being smart in your choices, such as how you spend your money everyday. Prioritize and take control of what’s important to you. I always strive to spend less on almost everything.

    In this challenging economy, some of us have had to cut back on our expenses. Wouldn't it be nice to still have the things or services you want and need but not have to pay full price or even better, get them for free? 

    Choose value and quality over quantity or fads and you will come out ahead. The great benefit of being frugal is that it eliminates waste and clutter which in turn helps our environment.  By doing simple changes towards more “green” and frugal ways, together we can make an impact on our planet. 
        

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    About Me

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     Hi, my name is Marissa Winfrey and I have been living the frugal life ever since I can remember. I have always looked for great bargains and getting the best value for my money without compromising style and quality.

    My background is in visual display and interior decorating. It’s always been my objective to recommend cost effective solutions to my clients. I, of course, practice what I preach! I have furnished my own homes mostly with furnishings and decor items from my own little vintage boutique, estate sales, discount stores, flea markets, yard sales, thrift stores and even curbside discarded furniture!

    My frugal practice goes beyond the home. I offer money saving tips on just about everything, from shopping to travel and everything in between. I hope my blog and website will inspire everyone to be their own Frugalista.
        
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Read and learn about useful tips and tricks from experts on how to live "the frugal lifestyle" everyday!  Check out the books below, to see more of my top picks of frugal and financial savvy books, please visit The Frugal Book Store.
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Living The Savvy Life:
The Savvy Woman's Guide to Smart Spending and Rich Living
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It's Not About Being Cheap.  Living the Savvy Life isn't about being a cheapskate, a miser or a tightwad.  It's about having security and peace of mind by spending less than you make.  It's about knowing where you stand financially on a daily basis so you can make intelligent fiscal decisions. 

​It's about being penny-wise on the things that are less important to you so you can spend money on the things that are important to you. It's about choosing to purchase only the things that you love and make you happy.  
It's about finding, attaining and maintaining balance.  Are you ready to start Living the Savvy Life?

   
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​Thrifty: 
Living the Frugal Life with Style


Best-selling author Marjorie Harris offers a timely and entertaining guide to living the richly frugal life. From tips on how to haggle to becoming a frugal fashionista, maintaining your home on a budget, and thrifty gardening, travel, and entertainment, Harris provides essential guidelines to living a quality life on less. Written in her trademark witty, engaging, and accessible style, Thrifty is packed with simple and savvy tips drawn from Harris' own fulfilled, thrifty experience. Bonus tips come from renowned experts such as best-selling author Margaret Atwood, chef Jamie Kennedy, actor R. H. Thomson, travel writer Sylvia Fraser, and The Globe and Mail's style columnists.
  
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How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free: 
Retirement Wisdom That You Won't Get from Your Financial Advisor
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How to Retire Happy, Wild, and Free offers inspirational advice on how to enjoy life to its fullest. The key to achieving an active and satisfying retirement involves a great deal more than having adequate financial resources; it also encompasses all other aspects of life -- interesting leisure activities, creative pursuits, physical well-being, mental well-being, and solid social support. 

What sets this retirement book apart from all the others is its holistic approach to the fears, hopes, and dreams that people have about retirement. This international bestseller (over 110,000 copies sold in its first edition) goes way beyond the numbers that is often the main focus of retirement planning in most retirement books.
   
To see more of my top picks of frugal and financial savvy books, please visit The Frugal Book Store.

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