August 10th 2024.
Chelsea excitedly exclaimed that she was absolutely fixated on finding the best deals for her holiday trips. She believed that everyone has that one person in their social circle who loves nothing more than saving money through promo codes and spreadsheets. In 2017, she decided to take on a challenge where she would spend only half of what the average British person spends on holiday in a year, and document her budget-friendly getaways on her new YouTube channel.
As she sat at the popular traditional restaurant, Oda Garden, in Tirana, Albania's capital, the restaurant host gestured towards her and the two Italian students sitting across from her. He joked that they would know each other very well after sharing a meal together. Chelsea couldn't help but feel completely immersed in the local culture as she watched people dancing to live Albanian music in the courtyard filled with tables, parasols, and lights strung up between lemon trees. She couldn't believe her luck in snagging a spot at this highly sought-after eatery, even if it meant sharing her space with strangers.
But what made this experience even more magical for Chelsea was that her main meal only cost her £4.10. This was music to her ears, especially since she was in the middle of her challenge to plan a trip for under £100, including all expenses. She couldn't resist capturing the moment and sharing it on her Instagram page.
Chelsea introduced herself as a bargain-obsessed travel enthusiast who has made it her full-time career to share her travel tips and inspiration through various media platforms and her large social media following. She had been to 10 different countries on three continents in one year, even flying business class, thanks to her budget travel hacks.
Her challenge to plan a trip for under £100, covering all expenses, kickstarted her career as a travel expert. She explained that this budget had to cover transportation to and from the airport, flights, accommodation, food, drinks, and activities. With the increasing costs of travel in Europe, she faced some challenges in finding affordable options. She reminisced about the days when she could easily find return flights for less than £10, but now it's not as easy.
However, she was determined to make it work, and she finally found a great deal on return flights to Tirana for only £20 on the Wizz Air website. She did have to sacrifice her sleep and take an early morning flight, but she was up for the challenge. Next, she checked for affordable transportation to and from the airport and was relieved to find cheap bus tickets for only £6 each way. The airport transfer to the city center was also surprisingly affordable at only £3.43 each way.
The only thing left to figure out was her accommodation. With the rise in boutique hostels and the aftermath of the pandemic, finding a budget-friendly hostel with good ratings was not an easy task. But once again, Tirana came through for Chelsea, and she found a bed in a well-rated boutique hostel for only £12.67 a night.
Before embarking on her trip, she also did some research on the average cost of living in Tirana and looked at restaurant menus online. She was happy to find plenty of options where she could have dinner for under £6. With everything planned out, Chelsea was confident that she could successfully complete her challenge and enjoy a budget-friendly trip to the most underrated city she had ever been to - Tirana.
Chelsea, the bargain-obsessed, promo-code checking, and spreadsheet-wielding individual, is always on the lookout for a good deal when it comes to going on holiday. She recently visited Albania's capital, Tirana, and was delighted to discover a popular traditional restaurant called Oda Garden. Despite the place being fully booked, Chelsea and two Italian students managed to secure a spot, as long as they didn't mind sharing their space with strangers.
As soon as Chelsea arrived, she understood why Oda Garden was such a hotspot. The courtyard was filled with tables, macramé parasols, and lights strung up between lemon trees. And to top it off, a live band was playing Albanian classics, and people were up dancing. It was a magical moment for Chelsea, as she felt completely immersed in the local culture. And the best part? Her main meal only cost her £4.10, which was music to her ears as she was in the middle of her challenge to do a getaway for just £100, including everything.
Chelsea introduces herself as someone who is obsessed with the price of going on holiday. She believes that in every family or friendship group, there is at least one person who loves nothing more than saving money on their next trip. This obsession led her to take on a holiday challenge in 2017, where she tried to do as many holidays as possible for half the amount the average British person spends on holiday in a year. She documented the entire experience on her newly created YouTube channel.
The average Brit spends £1,140 on holiday, according to research from VoucherCodes.co.uk. In 2020, Statista data found that 26% of holidaymakers between 25-35 would spend between two and four thousand pounds, while 32% would spend between one and two thousand. The same website also reported that UK travellers spent an average of 8.7 nights on vacation in 2022, compared to 10.8 nights in 2021.
During her challenge, Chelsea managed to visit 10 countries on three continents, and she even flew business class. This challenge kickstarted her career as a travel expert and content creator, where she shares travel advice and inspiration with her 630k followers on social media, as well as through her website, TV, print, and radio.
Chelsea's holiday challenge required her to do a getaway for under £100, covering everything from transportation to food and activities. With rising costs across Europe, she found it more challenging than expected. She reminisces about the days when return flights could be found for under £10, but unfortunately, those days are long gone. Even Milan, which initially seemed like a good option, ended up being too expensive due to the cost of accommodation.
Despite the challenges, Chelsea finally landed in Tirana, Albania, where she was determined to put her budget to the test. She had managed to book £20 return flights on Wizz Air's website back in April, which included all taxes and booking fees. However, the catch was that the flight left at 7:45 am, so she knew she was in for an early start. She also made sure to check the cost of transfers to and from the airports, which can often catch people off guard. Fortunately, she was able to book a cheap National Express bus for just £6 each way, and the airport bus to Tirana city centre cost her only £3.43 each way.
Chelsea's next concern was finding affordable accommodation for the two nights she would be in Tirana. She knew she would probably have to stay in a hostel, but the cost of a bed in a shared room has significantly increased across Europe due to the pandemic and the rise of boutique hostels. However, Tirana once again surprised her with a well-rated, boutique hostel for just £12.67 per night.
The final piece of the puzzle was the cost of food and drink. Chelsea did some research on a site called Numbeo and checked out a few restaurant menus online. She was pleased to find plenty of options where she could have dinner for under £6, giving her confidence that she could successfully complete her £100 holiday challenge in Tirana.
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