Emre Akcakanat, Global Business Institute: Florence Spring 2025
This is from Elba Island, which I visited on a budget weekend trip from Florence. It looks like a postcard, but getting there and making it work financially definitely took some planning. That’s kind of how I approach life abroad in general now, trying to enjoy everything without spending too much.
Most days I cook at home. Grocery stores like Conad and Coop are easy to use once you figure out the layout, and I’ve learned to put together solid meals with just a few ingredients. I usually eat out maybe once a week, and when I do, I go for places that feel more local than touristy. For banking, I brought a card that doesn’t charge high foreign transaction fees and I take out cash in larger amounts to avoid ATM charges.
When it comes to trips, I watch train prices early and compare options like Italo and Trenitalia. I usually travel with a couple friends to split housing or food. I also learned the hard way to pack light and avoid extra baggage fees. For Elba, we took a train and ferry combo that ended up being pretty cheap compared to some other islands.
I’ve gotten used to tracking my spending and finding ways to save where I can so that I can do more overall. Honestly, budgeting here has taught me a lot and not just about money but about what actually matters to me. And most of the time, it’s not stuff, it’s experiences like this one.
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