clokwise

Thank you. Again, i understand it will not be deducted from what is coming out the machine. And sadly I will not be traveling with a 5-10k budget. My spending allowance is far below that so I do have to be somewhat mindful of what I'm spending.

lwildernorva

Let me make a couple of suggestions. First, use this forum to get ideas for free or low-cost things to do around Italy or perhaps ways to get discounts for those things that might cost more. One of my favorite experiences in Florence was crossing the Arno to go up the hill to the Piazzale Michaelangelo. Sure, it's the traditional view of Florence which you'll see in many pictures, but there's nothing like being there live--and it's free. The views of the surrounding countryside that you almost never see in photographs are also worth the effort.

Second, instead of thinking in dollars, convert your budget to euros before you go and then come up with a daily budget based on your total divided by the number of days in your trip. Last summer, on a six-week trip to Scotland, I developed a daily budget in pounds. By doing it daily, you can more easily keep track of whether you're being a little too indulgent. And if you come out ahead one day, then you've got a little more to spend the next day! I try to be realistic in coming up with a budget--don't even try to get by on 5 euros a day--but a realistic budget that allows for a splurge or two will keep you from coming back having spent a thousand more than you intended.

A side benefit of the budget done in the currency of the country I'm visiting: when I encounter the merchant who wants to know if I want the DCC, I decline it because it really confuses me since I'm already thinking in terms of euros (or pounds, etc.). Like getting adjusted to their time zone and learning at least a few phrases of Italian, thinking in terms of euros tends to make me feel I've enhanced my experience a little bit.

May you keep traveling and may your travel budget get ever bigger!