planning a budget for London & Paris

Well, we're planning on going cheap, but you know how that can change when you're tired and feel you should treat yourself. This is a 3 generation trip, 2 teen girls, mom, and grandma. We'll do a lot of picnic or grocery foods at least for lunch. Don't plan on doing heavy drinking, but some alcohol will be involved. Kids plan on doing a lot of cultural experiences involving candy and hot chocolate. Some museums, etc. No Madame Tussaud's, no Disney.

Thanks for your help. This whole forum has been wonderful. I'll let you know how the trip went, and if we tried to kill each other before it was over.

London and Paris are very expensive. You do not say where you are staying. $75 will not make it for sure.
I would at least double it and still consider it budget travel p/p for these cities. In Nov 2006 I did London at $85 per day 2 people sharing bath down the hall, but I am very experienced at saving and spend loads of time planning for that budget. Last yr I did $95 per day per person France /Germany this yr would prob end up another 15% and would not incl London or Paris. Rethink your budget.

You can always do grocery stores. In London, Sainsbury's has decent deli-style food. If your hotel has a mini fridge, you can buy muffins, yogurt, juice, and the like for breakfast - that will save you plenty of pounds. If you're at a B&B this problem solved (eat a BIG breakfast, and have a late lunch, early dinner, saving $$ on two meals out). In Paris, I recommend the crepe stands for lunch - a hearty ham & cheese crepe (roughly 3 euro in 2003, the last time I bought one) is enhanced by your park bench view of the Eiffel Tower.

I love Rick's suggestions, but also check out guide books from the library like Lonely Planet (geared toward the low budget crowds).

This has been helpful. We'll certainly hit the crepe stands!

Several years ago we were in Louisiana, and found out that what looked to us to be just convenience stores actually had very good, freshly made food. I guess you have to look outside the box, and avoid McDonalds at all costs!

In England and Ireland, I'm all about Marks & Spencer's food hall - pre-packed meals and salads great for picnic lunches and perfectly filling for dinner.

Meeting $10 for takeaway lunch is relatively easy. $20, including alcohol, for a sit down meal is not so easy. I went to some of the places RS recommends in London on Panton St. and the food was cheap, but pretty bad. I ate at Yo Sushi in London which was a lot of fun, but my tab was $36 USD for 4 very small tapas-sized plates of sushi from their conveyor belt and a glass of mineral water. I offset the cost of this meal by eating takeaway from Marks & Spencer for a couple nights.

In Paris, I was more inclined towards having lunch in a sit down-it costs far less than dinner. On average, my 2-course plat du jour sit down restaurant dinners ran about $25 for a basic meal with possibly 1 glass of house wine, but generally just a carafe of water. This was a year ago before the dollar fell more to the Euro.

Public transportation and taxis in London can be pretty expensive, but central London is very walkable - and on the plus side, most major museums are free. Your teen girls and mom might get some discounted admissions for students/seniors. Look into the museum pass for Paris if you think you'll be going to a lot of sights they cover.

Try the bookseller stalls along the Seine in Paris for souvineers. If you buy in multiples, they'll bargain with you. They sell fridge magnets, compact mirrors, small pen & ink matted drawings of Paris sights, etc. Same with the street markets in London (Camden Locks and Portobello Road) - you can pick up some bargains if you look carefully, know what other vendors are charging for similar items and buy in multiples.

I think $75 in London is doable, might be harder in Paris. In London, the museums are free, and marvelous. Before you go, decide which attractions are worth the $$ and which ones you will skip. St. Pauls and Westminster Abbey are pricey, but so worth it. Also, as other posters have mentioned, Marks and Spencer Simply Food and Sainsbury's offer good sandwiches and all kinds of take out stuff (I became addicted to the little containers of trifle!) and there seem to be an M&S in every train station. Also, with that many people, you can take cabs and divide the cost. And many of the main attractions are in walking distance from each other. The overall experience of London & Paris will make any little sacrifices worth it.

http://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/features/2553.html
http://www.journeywoman.com/travel101/great_eats8.htm

Also try the soups and sandwiches at the Pret a Mangers in London. Both London and Paris are walkable cities. Just pace yourselves. You can also use the tube card for the buses which are a great way to see the city. Most museums in London are free and their cafes are great spots for lunches. Pubs can also serve up good food. Buy foods at the Paris markets. Oh the cheese!! Have a great trip.