When I'm in Paris

As far as the travel industry is concerned, there’s a strange paradox embodied in the current talk of global economic recession.

In a sense it’s a not a paradox experienced by purveyors of fun vacation destinations as much as by the would-be vacationers themselves. On the one hand, the prospect of paying for a vacation during a recession seems more daunting than usual. The instinctive urge, of course, is to hole in and count pennies.

But here’s where the paradox comes in. Because while one is always more reluctant to spend money in difficult times, it is often these times when one needs a vacation and a bit of stress-relief more than ever!

Fortunately, experienced travelers know a number of tricks for making their pennies stretch for their much-needed holiday. There are websites specializing in cheap airfare tickets, and ways to save money by buying tickets, for example, at the last minute.

Just as certain people know that if you buy a Starbucks coffee every day, you need to multiply that cost by 30 to see how much you could be saving by preparing your own coffee at home, seasoned travelers know sometimes it’s the smallest adjustments that make the difference between a vacation they can’t afford, and the vacation they can’t afford to do without!

If you’ve ever taken a trip away from home, you’ll notice one of your single largest expenses (after airfare) isn’t souvenirs, attractions or even gifts for yourself. When you total the receipts, you notice how much money goes on having to eat at restaurants and cafés for every meal. You may be offered a simple breakfast at the hotel for free (if you’re lucky!), but this still leaves lunch, dinner, snacks and more to spend money on each day.

One solution that’s been gaining popularity within the last few years is to skip the hotel and rent an apartment in Paris. In addition to other savings (think washer/dryer, and quite often a lower per-night cost), apartments come equipped with their very own kitchen. These can range from the fully-functional kitchenette to the gourmet kitchen with stainless steel appliances. The one thing they have in common is the money they allow you to save by having meals at home. In addition to breakfast, it also means making sandwiches to take with you for lunch, and “togetherness” at dinner, perhaps with a little French television. (Even if you don’t understand all of the words, family-style dinner-and-TV is a type of “cultural immersion” that goes beyond the ordinary hotel experience.)

And value isn’t the only reason to use your apartment’s kitchen. Seasoned travelers to France have come to discover that shopping in grocery stores and fresh markets often yields an even more delicious experience than one can find in Parisian restaurants. There’s simply so much delicious food to sample in France – from fruit and olives to cheeses, specialty breads and pastries – you don’t have to spend a lot to experience it. In fact, a daily trip to a corner bakery or grocery store often yields a better overall experience than one can have by eating in restaurants daily.

But if restaurants are an essential part of your plan (and no one’s saying they shouldn’t be!), think of how you can “upgrade” these special experiences by saving money and splurging on some of Paris’ most well-regarded restaurants, bistros and brasseries.

Renting an apartment in Paris has so many advantages, from gaining that hard-to-get perspective on what it means to be a local, to the many ways it makes for a more economical experience.

Sharing a larger apartment, for example, can represent a significant cost savings over an expensive hotel, particularly if you’re a party of 4 or more. You may also want to spend the same amount you would spend on a hotel, but enjoy a larger living area in a better part of Paris.

No matter what you choose, we’re sure you’ll have a great time in Paris. And remember, with a few cost-saving tricks under your belt, you can get still that rest and relaxation you deserve, without that other dreaded “r” word getting you down!