All stories about "Inexpensive"

The Hottest Paris Bakeries are in Montmartre

Sure, it's possible to find a good baguette in the Marais and other quarters. But true connoisseurs climb the hill of Montmartre to encounter the city's most impressive concentration of bakeries. The recently crowned winner of the Best Baguette in Paris is here, along with a slew of others who are regularly ranked as leaders in the craft. A warm baguette from one of these spots is one of the best pauper's lunches in town. (Naixn/flickr)

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The Latin Quarter's Best Bargain Restaurants

It's not hard to find cheap eats in Paris's tourist-packed Latin Quarter. These winding streets are home to hundreds of stalls selling crêpes, grecs, and panini. But bargain hunters (and those suffering from weak dollar syndrome) don't always want a stand-up meal in the rain. In addition to the neighborhood's foil-wrapped options, there are a handful of sweet value spots where you'll find warm lighting, traditional fare, and decent wine. The restaurants featured here have the French atmosphere you're looking for and cost less than €20 per person.

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The Latin Quarter's Best Bargain Restaurants

It's not hard to find cheap eats in Paris's tourist-packed Latin Quarter. These winding streets are home to hundreds of stalls selling crêpes, grecs, and panini. But bargain hunters (and those suffering from weak dollar syndrome) don't always want a stand-up meal in the rain. In addition to the neighborhood's foil-wrapped options, there are a handful of sweet value spots where you'll find warm lighting, traditional fare, and decent wine. The restaurants featured here have the French atmosphere you're looking for and cost less than €20 per person.

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London on the Cheap

If you are American, calling London cheap is a major stretch. But the truth is that a city this large and lively has plenty of relative bargains and free bonuses if you know where to look. Here's a roundup of where to eat, sleep, shop, and entertain yourself and stay chic on the cheap in one of the most expensive cities in Europe.

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Not So Pricey Paris Bistros

Every Parisian foodie in the know is aware that the best gastronomic deals are far from the touristy heart of the city. The bistronomy craze has been the culinary revolution of the last few years, even making the mighty Michelin guide stand up and take notice. Eminent French food critic François Simon believes that such places are heralding a new age in French cuisine, and may well be the most important trend to come along for decades. What follows is a selection of some of these far-flung innovative bistros, the off-the-beaten-track eateries that you might otherwise miss, worth the trip for foodies in search of the authentic. Although they are not super-cheap, the multi-course meals you can often get here represent a very good value.

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Paris on the Cheap

The Euro and the pound -- so strong! And willing to kick the USD's ass at just about every turn. This week at Gridskipper, we take a special look at some of the ways dollar-holders can make their money work harder in Europe. -- Ed.

Sad sacks paid in currently impotent dollars have learned a thing or two about scraping by on simple pleasures in the land of the soaring euro. But even in better times, it's been possible to get by for less on the lovely streets of Paris, where some of the best things really are free. Avoid the "luxury" clichés and tourist traps and live like a local in a country where salaries are low and expectations are high. On a good day, you don't have to throw money around to feel like the richest soul on earth. Here's a round-up on all you need to survive in style on your Paris sojourn -- where to sleep, eat, shop, and more -- whether you plan on staying a day or the rest of your life. As always, we welcome your own adds via comments or the tip line.

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Be a Paris Beauty-School Guinea Pig

For all the talk about Parisian chic and the hair salons on every corner, getting your hair cut in Paris can be a fraught experience. Since you never know how it will turn out anyway, why not save yourself at least the agony of overpaying and sign yourself up as a hair model at one of Paris's hair cutting academies? If you happen to be both broke and in need of un relooking, you will be happy to know that many of the big Paris hair franchises are constantly on the lookout for hair models who are willing put themselves in the hands of either beauty-school trainees or professionals who come to brush up on the latest tricks of the trade. Certain centers may require you to part with a designated amount of hair -- these centers are generally reserved for those who want a radical transformation, not a trim. Here's a list of top Paris addresses for a near-free haircut or color, plus where to get a free makeup job.

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Tokyo's Weird & Wonderful Convenience Store Cuisine

Tokyo is packed with tons of late night convenience stores. Along with ordinary snack food staples and Japanese snacks like ngiri, instant ramen, and bean cakes, these convenience stores offer a variety of truly bizarre foodstuffs for under $2. I strolled the aisles at a 7-11, a Familymart, and an AM/PM in Ginza, and spotted much Japanese mini-mart greatness, including tiny cans of Asahi and an astonishing array of pre-made meals. After the jump check out photographic evidence of some of the better items on sale in Tokyo's convenience stores.

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Paris Pawn Shops

Sidewalk sales are prohibited in Paris, but there are quick ways to either get rid of your unwanted stuff or to score other people's castoffs for less. Whether you're leaving town and don't have time to wait around for the eBay bids to come in, or are here short-term and in need of some equipment at a discount, Paris has numerous resale-for-cash shops, a historic state-sponsored pawn shop that even has its own bourgeois nickname, and plenty of specialized venues that trade in used electronics, books, CDs, and other necessities. Here's a smattering of key addresses if you're looking to unload or acquire.

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A Paris Rue for Gastro Rebels

The rue Rébeval in the far-flung 19th arrondissement is home to a smattering of surprising restaurants. Like the Belleville quarter in which they're situated, these eateries are eclectic and rebellious. The ugly stretch between the Parc des Buttes-Chaumont and the Parc de Belleville hosts everything from the city's strangest sushi dive to a haven for organic wine snobs. For all these reasons, the rue Rébeval was named as runner up for "Best Dining Neighborhood" in our recent Scene Report on Paris Restaurants. Here are some recommended selections for bargain dining around the rue Rébeval.

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Cheap Lunch in Chelsea

Working at Google rocks -- we get it. Free sushi. Free espresso. Scrambled Fabergé eggs for breakfast. But those of us working in Chelsea without access to this complimentary cornucopia must navigate the pervasive mediocrity of affordable Chelsea lunch options. And by affordable, I mean less than $10, which unless you're down with another stale roll stuffed with Boar's Head, actually qualifies as "cheap" in this inflated city of ours. Choices are slim, but I've compiled the following list of worthwhile Chelsea lunches hidden amongst the countless salons and boutique men's clothing stores.

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Recession Dining in New York

With a recession seeming all but inevitable, you can say goodbye to those 15-course tasting menus from Masa and the thousand-dollar gold-flecked ice cream sundaes you've been gobbling up. Gone are the days of young hedge-funders doing rails of coke and throwing around wads of cash. New York is now the playground for Europeans, who seem to be flocking to our streets and buying up apartments here in ever-increasing numbers. The hipsters of Williamsburg will soon have to trade in their faux poverty of the creative class for the un-ironic poverty of the unemployed. But before we all head down to the breadline, you may consider getting one last cheap meal. Here are a few of our favorite places to nosh for next to nothing as the recession comes to New York.

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The Best Lunch Deals on Capitol Hill

Flacks, chiefs of staff, and even lowly interns all have one thing in common: a need for cheap sustenance. Unfortunately, a good lunch deal on Capitol Hill can be hard to find. Cosi's and Starbucks are always a block or less away, but if the sight of one more Signature Salad is going to drive you mad, it may be time for you to try something new. Check out the following spots for good food that won't empty your wallet. More suggestions are welcome in the comments or via tips.

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Top Picks: 7 Paris Massages Under 70 Euros

Always willing to strip in the name of research, the girl reporters at French Elle have put together a handy list of Paris massage parlors charging less than €70. Good news for stressed Parisians on a budget, or anyone else wanting to unwind in a booming local massage market where prices are getting out of hand.

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For those looking to eat

For those looking to eat in Berlin on the cheap, try one of the city's Mensa cafeterias -- subsidized dining halls most often found on college campuses, yet open to the public. The food isn't revelatory, but it's inexpensive, authentic, and often organic. Plus you'll be dining with real Berlin students and local skinflints. [Eurocheapo]

London's hipstery Hoxton Hotel is

London's hipstery Hoxton Hotel is once again running their periodic sale of rooms for £1. The sale begins at noon London time on January 24; 5 rooms per night are available at the £1 rate from February 1 to April 30. (As a consolation prize, another 5 rooms per night are available for £29 apiece.) Follow instructions here to book, as rooms will sell out close to instantly.

As we all know, Berlin

As we all know, Berlin is the hipness capital of Europe. However, it's not exactly the cheapest place to visit. Enter Dirt Cheap Berlin, a new online guide to saving your euros while you're off being cool and artsy. Find out where to sleep for under €15, €30, and €60, and where to eat for under €2. [Dirt Cheap Berlin]

Culture for Cheapskates in Paris

Although some culturally enriching activities in Paris can be a bit pricey, the city boasts an impressive array of museums that are free of charge to the public. Now there are even more museums on this list, thanks to a new program initiated by France's culture minister, which will see 14 museums across the country forgo admission fees to their permanent collections from January 2008 until the end of June. Designed to make culture more accessible to everyone, if the results of this test run are positive, even more museums may be free in the future. For now, get out there and enjoy some free culture at the three participating Paris museums -- the Musée Guimet, the Musée des Arts ets Métiers, and the Musée national du Moyen Âge -- as well as a few more that are always free to the public.

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Dying to Lose In Vegas: The $3 Blackjack Death March

"Fuck it, split 'em."
"Split 10's against dealer 9? Are you sure, sir?"
"Look, I am trying to lose all my money. I'm currently failing at it. Split 'em."

I may have the greatest job in the entire world. When I told Chris Mohney that I was in Vegas for vacation (and later, CES coverage) and was interested in doing a piece for Gridskipper, I thought I might get a free show or dinner out of it. I didn't think I'd be doing a mini-marathon of blackjack at a historic but mediocre casino at the far end of the Strip. I went to the Sahara Hotel and Casino with $100 of Gridskipper's money to blow at the $3 tables, and I was joined by another writer, Mike McWhertor, who had $100 from his site, Kotaku. We were pumped.

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