With these tips, you can still have Paris
The Eiffel Tower is just as lovely in the fall, when traveling to Europe is less expensive. Credit: Fotolia
An American in Paris today may feel like the poet Rodolfo in the opera "La Boheme" -- so romantic, so impoverished. A mediocre hotel room in the City of Light can cost $200 a night. Lunch can eat up $30. Summer trans-Atlantic fares can run $2,000 round-trip.
But if your heart is set on a European vacation, don't give up. Here are some saving strategies to bring your trip into affordable range.
GO IN SPRING, FALL OR WINTER The U.S. dollar, which has lost value over the past year in Europe, was recently trading at $1 to 0.71 euros and 0.62 British pounds. That makes peak-season summer trips even more costly. You can save hundreds by going off-season, when hotel rates and airfare are generally lower.
TAKE A ONE-STOP FLIGHT It's amazing what switching from nonstop to one-stop flights can do for your budget. Allow two or more hours to connect; short layovers look great until you miss your flight.
RENT AN APARTMENT OR A HOUSE Book through an established vacationrental service, such as vrbo.com, homeaway.com or flipkey.com. Pay by credit card, which offers fraud protection that cash transactions do not.
BUY A PACKAGE By booking your hotel and flights in a single package, you often can get both for the price of the airfare alone. Find these deals online or by visiting a travel agent.
HIT THE HIGH SEAS A European cruise can be surprisingly affordable because many costs are paid upfront in dollars, not in pricey euros or pounds. Airfare is extra, of course, although a few luxury lines are offering free flights for select voyages.
