Bought a $20 camping stove for cooking on trains in Europe, saved me a ton

Last summer I spent 3 weeks traveling through Spain and Italy on a super tight budget. I got this tiny butane camping stove for $20 at a discount store before I left, and it was a game changer. Instead of paying $10-15 for a meal at a cafe, I'd buy bread, cheese, and veggies from local markets and cook my own stuff in hostel kitchens or even on park benches. It only took like 10 minutes to boil pasta or heat up soup. The stove itself was small enough to fit in my backpack without taking up much room. One time in Barcelona, I saved $30 in a single day just by not eating out. Has anyone else tried cooking their own food while traveling to cut costs?

2 comments

2 Comments

ivancoleman12d ago

Oh man, that's honestly the smartest thing I've heard in a while. I did something similar on a trip through Germany last year (Berlin to Munich on a shoestring) and it made such a huge difference to my budget. Cooking your own meals really does open up so many more options for seeing the place without blowing your whole savings on food. I remember I got a tiny stove from a secondhand shop for like 15 euros and it paid for itself within two days. The freedom to just grab whatever looks good at a market and eat it on a park bench is honestly one of my favorite travel experiences, no joke. It's not just about saving money either, it's about feeling like you're actually living there instead of just passing through. Solid move on your part, really.

kevin_murray8811d ago

Start hunting for camping stores near closing time, they practically give away gear sometimes!