East Coast USA on a Thrifty Budget

Find out How to Stay under $50 a Day

So you have a limited budget like the rest of us and limited time, but you want to get the most out of the upcoming week. Here's some quick ways to save money when traveling between the main Northeast cities: Washington, D.C., New York City and Boston!

1. Transportation Tip:

While getting around in Europe is always cheaper by train, the U.S. is particular in that cities are spread apart and the railway system is sometimes more expensive than a flight. The best way to get around if staying on one coast is to use the Chinatown bus system. They first were literally used in the Chinatown district of major cities like D.C. and New York so Chinese-American immigrants could easily travel for cheap from one city to the next and this idea caught on, so now for US$15-25 you can choose from a variety of buses to get you to the next city safely and quickly. Some bus companies are very competitive and offer movie showings, free wireless internet and deals for as low as US$1! As far as in-city transportation, you can get most all day metro and bus passes for about $8 a day.

2. Food Tidbit:

Obviously, all serious travellers love to taste the local food. When it comes to metropolitan American cities, the choices are endless! Being that the U.S. is made of immigrants, the cheapest places to eat for an average of US$7 a meal are the small authentic international restaurants known as 'holes in the walls'. Of course you can choose to grab a bite at one of the larger fast food chains like McDonalds, Burger King or Panera, but with the help of user-rated sites like Yelp.com, Chow.com and Cheapeatery.com, all you have to do is choose the city and the type of meal you're interested in and you can find the restaurant to suit your budget. You can also try food blogs to get the local's inside scoop. In Washington, D.C., you have to try crab cakes made of the Chesapeake Bay blue crabs; in Boston, the clam chowder or home-made ice cream, and in New York, well, it's New York, they have everything!

3. Accommodation Freebie:

The most inexpensive choices are the range of hostels in these east coast cities if you want to take advantage of the amount of amenities you have like big movie rooms, game rooms and commercial size communal kitchens in Boston, New York and Washington, D.C.. They run for an average of $30 per bed per night depending on the season, of course.

That's right!! That means more money in your wallet!

Daily Budget:

Accommodation: $30

Food: FREE hostel breakfast + $7 for lunch + $12 for dinner

Grand Total: US$49!!