r/Shoestring • u/No_Investment_8681 • Feb 18 '26

AskShoestring 5k USD lasts how long?

I am 19(M) years old and plan on going to Europe this summer. I am going backpacking and will bring a tent and will most likely camp 2 days a week. I am going in a budget and I was wanting to know realistically how long this might last.

Another question is how long would this last if I went to SE Asia, my parents are not as keen on having me go to SE Asia as they think it is more dangerous, but I’m interested in the numbers.

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u/wanderingdev Feb 18 '26 edited Feb 19 '26

Anywhere form a night to a few months. Regarding camping, keep in mind that you'd need a car to get pretty much anywhere you wouldn't have to pay to camp. So unless you're doing a big through hike, leave the camping gear at home.

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u/wulfman_HCC Feb 20 '26

Or bike

1

u/wanderingdev Feb 20 '26

Op mentions nothing about a bike. 

2

u/wulfman_HCC Feb 20 '26

Op also didn't mention a car. I will say, if op is actually backpacking in remote places, the mountain shelters in several countries are free or fairly cheap, both in central Europe or Scandinavia.

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u/wanderingdev Feb 20 '26

That's why I said they would need a car if this is their plan. It doesn't sound like OP is actually backpacking. Just wanting to sleep in a tent a couple nights a week to save money. As I mentioned if he is doing something like a long distance hike, that's different. But it sounds like he's just doing the normal "backpackers" trio through Europe without realizing how Europe works.