'My day trip to Paris for less than £70 - here's how I did it'

Last year I witnessed the rise of these on social media, and wanted to try it for myself, so I’d been keeping my eye on flights when return flights to Paris Beauvais, from Birmingham airport, came up for £37 per person.

The shuttle from Beauvais airport was just over £25 per person and the metro was around £3.50 each for the return trip. So all in all, a lot of travelling but a bargain cost of just £65.50 per person for a day in Paris! A price that could easily be spent on a meal and cocktails.

It was five weeks to go when I booked the Ryan Air flights, through Sky Scanner. And when the day came round, I couldn’t wait to get to the Eiffel Tower.

My flight out was at 8.30am from Birmingham airport. I didn’t pay for seat allocation on the flight, as that was an extra £8+. I also only took a small rucksack that was included in the flight price, as the cost of any bigger luggage resulted in a larger charge being added on.

One thing I took with me, was an empty water bottle that I could fill up for free in the airport. I also packed a small picnic to avoid having to spend too much on a big meal. Another way to be savvy in an airport, is to get a 'Too Good To Go' surprise bag, you could grab a Starbucks surprise bag for around £2.99, or Greggs for £2.59, a huge saving on the usual airport prices.

I flew out at 8.30am and the journey went smoothly and by around 12.30pm I was sat eating a picnic at the Eiffel Tower, taking in the lovely atmosphere, and of course getting all the classic tourist shots.

One thing I’d heard, was that Paris was very expensive when you are there, but to my surprise, we didn’t find that to be the case. Of course, there were plenty of pricey places to dine and drink, if that’s what you want to do. But we just bought some snacks such as croissants from a pretty Parisian bakery, that was only a few minute walk from the Eiffel Tower and only cost around £1 each.

I also came across a bar, very close to the Eiffel Tower, that to my surprise, was around £7.23 for a pint of beer or £8.50 for a cocktail. Not that cheap, admittedly, but price that wouldn’t be out of place in a UK city pub nowadays, and at this bar, I had a perfect view of the Eiffel Tower.

After this I walked around, admiring the pretty cafes and streets and then went to see the Arc De Triomphe. I opted to walk around, and not use anymore transport than was essential, to save on spending. On my walk back to the return journey, I stopped to pick up a crepe overlooking the river and the Eiffel Tower, which cost £4.25. Our flight back was at 11.10pm, it was a brilliant day, and the whole day cost less than a return train to London!

This was a perfect way to see another part of the world, on a budget.

If you’re interested in doing an ‘extreme day trip’ there’s a fantastic Facebook group, dedicated all to days abroad on a budget. It is full of helpful information and people’s real life experiences or their trips. There are many popular spots available, such as the Therme Spa in Bucharest, Rome, Geneva and Dublin.

I found my flights through Sky Scanner, but you can easily find the flights direct through companies such as the Ryan Air and Wizz Air websites.

It’s important to remember that flights can fluctuate drastically, so it’s worth researching the flights you’re taking and ensuring you’re getting a bargain price.

I’d love to hear about your extreme day trips, head over to @_moneysavingamy on Instagram to tell me all about it!