Italy tour ..we don't have enough cash?

[LaDolceVitafor200]

Afternoon!

I have been reading alot of holiday threads here recently which has prompted my own dilemma

Me and friend booked a very cheap Italy tour for 9 days 8 nights leaving next week. It's staying in 4 different Italian cities in basic B and B accommodation, local taxes and breakfast not included. B and B are all outside main towns we are visiting so an hour's travel.

We also have to pay for transport from airport each way , tour is self guided and just includes flights, coach transfers between 4 different cities and B and B

My friend is taking 200 euros and says she won't spend more, I'm getting worried this won't be enough, we also have to pay B and B local taxes etc

AIBU to tell her we both will need more cash , or has anyone been to Italy and found it cheap?!

Is it a 'what will we need to carry in cash' question, or a 'how much will we spend' question?

200 euros in cash would probably be okay, but it wouldn't cover all spends, no.

We were in Italy recently and the wine was fairly cheap, so she could maybe do a 9 day wine fast? Wouldn't be many #memories though...

Why are you staying in BnBs an hour away from each city?

Thanks everyone

I can take cash or a credit card , my.friend can't, she organised trip, and can't afford more spending money , after reading some holiday threads on here I got a bit worried , as I thought Italy was expensive

Not keen on us scrimping and saving , so wondering how much more we will.need and if I can afford to help her

Is it a 'what will we need to carry in cash' question, or a 'how much will we spend' question?

Good point. I’ve been reading it as a how much cash do we need question.
You don’t need that much. Plus I forgot to mention, lots of pickpockets in tourist parts of Italy, so I wouldn’t want to be carrying around cash as once it’s gone it’s gone, you are out that money. At least if a credit card gets stolen, you are not out any charges that get put on it.

Very cheap package trip

I only realised when I looked at the map!!!

You can prebook the tourist attractions online. Will be cheaper than paying on the day.

Don't give her any money! Honestly, I would either not go or see if she can transfer her ticket to someone else who can actually afford to go!

Your friend will end up very short if €200 is sum total for entire 9 days. It can’t be done.

Could you trust her to pay you back?

It's not enough.

However, Italy is very card friendly these days. I took <100 euros in cash on my last trip and came home with a wodge of them.

(I prefer to use my card when I travel so only use cash when I absolutely have to).

Crikey, hadn't clocked you're staying an hour outside the places you're trying to. Scrap my €300 estimate I think unfortunately.

Will you have cooking facilities?

Me too. This would worry me to no end, she will be hungry, hot, thirsty and you’ll be stumping up for her. She shouldn’t have booked the holiday.

Sadly OP it seems your friend has organised a holiday she actually can’t afford & her 200€ budget is ludicrous

Question is, can you 1. Afford to & 2. Are you happy to subsidise her?

You will need minimum double that . And honestly probably more

No, I looked at the itinerary last night, small B and B places in suburbs , we get a room only, breakfast and taxes extra

Not a chance. Ask her what she’s based that on. An hours travel into the cities each day will he a lot, she needs £500 absolute minimum.

You will need at least 500 euros more than she has budgeted for, unless you aren’t eating out, and are just drinking water from a supermarket, aren’t going to any museums, galleries or attractions.

What would be the point?

The problem is that OP will either have to

1. Subsidise her friend
2. Lend her money
3. Enjoy a completely different holiday experience than her friend, saying “See you later, I’m off to the Uffizi, then enjoying a pizza and glass of wine in the piazza, enjoy your walk.”
4. Cut her cloth according to her friends financial limitations and have a miserable holiday.

I would probably do 3, but I am old and don’t suffer fools gladly.

As long as she doesn’t expect you to be paying for her when she has run out ?!
But it’s going to be awakes what will happen if you’re in a restaurant and she doesn’t have any money left to pay for her food and drink ?
200 as everyone has said is no where near enough for Italy.

Don't forget you need tourist tax for each hotel which when we were in Sorrento was €4 per adult per night for the first week so your possibly looking at that for each town for both nights. This must be paid in cash often on departure

If she's booked it, maybe you should back out? OTOH, prepare for it to be a bit like Shirley Valentine and that you and your friend might go off and do things separately in the trip. If she'd said how little spending money she'd have when you booked, you could have thought about whether it was worth going. But I'd feel like I'd been trapped into a less good holiday now.

Yes that's what I'm thinking

I don't want to be paying for everything but yes can afford to be paying for a few dinners out for both of us

OP has your friend just been on another holiday with another MNer and took just £35?!!

im a budget traveller and I wouldn’t take £200 even for a weekend says three nights in Italy needing to pay for all meals, taxes and transportation a good distance away

It couldprobably could be done depending on whereabouts but while I prefer cheaper options scrimping every single penny and worrying if you have enough just isn’t enjoyable. No way for the length of your holiday.

Can you break down costs and show her it’s just not feasible for her or will she be relying on you, would you get the money back!?

Italy is ridiculously expensive, for a week I’d probably take 1500 euros minimum. She won’t last a day on 200 euros.

Also factor cover charges when you eat/drink in.

May be worth looking at aperativo for a budget tea, generally buy a drink in a bar (which you probably would do anyway?) and get lots of lovely nibbles which can actually be quite substantial.