And in the beginning, there was a budget

I live in Barcelona, Spain. This is a party city if there is one. And it quite obviously is more fun to live large here... and anyone can, even on a budget.

I live off 700 euros a month in the center of the city. Try doing that in San Francisco when rent for a two bedroom/ one bathroom in Nob Hill came to $2,300.

Anyone who wants to travel but has only a small stash saved up, here's how I came to Barcelona in September of 2008 with $5,000 and still haven't left, missed out on any of the fun, or run out of money.

SantJordiHostels.com check them out. I first moved here and stayed for about two weeks in one of their hostels while looking on the local Spanish version of Craigslist, LoQuo.com/es for an apartment. A year later I am still friends with their staff. These people know everything about the city and are well connected.

The apartment search was obviously secondary to the the pressing party issue. I am from California, bars close at 2 am, lights on and last call at 1:30 am. I was ready to do the damn thang Euro style. I say Euro style lightly at this point because I held true to my anti-House and Electro music rule until about 4 months in when DJ Sujinho, Steve Aoki and the Bloody Beatroots gave me a reason to put on purple fishnets, pink chucks and dance like it was a Tae Bo class (cause how else do you dance to electro music?).

I moved with a friend of mine into a unusually large apartment off Paseo de Gracia in the center of town, only catch was we couldn't afford the rent so we not only shared the mondo room... we shared the king size bed that came in it. For four months I shared a bed with a friend. A month into it she got a boyfriend, we made compromises to say the least. I will publically admit she was a better compromiser than me, thank you to her... and her boyfriend.

Rent 400 Euros each plus the stress of living with crazy, young Sweedish people.

Night life.
Don't let all these big clubs take advantage of you by paying 10-15 euros to get in. There is almost always a way to get in for free. And I am not talking about flirting with the girl or guy at the door, save that for the bartenders. I'm talking free passes and lists. All of the clubs in Port Olimpico have people who stand outside on the street close by, passing out free passes for that night. Catwalk, Opium, Shoko, Carpe Diem. Or if you find out who has guest lists there and sometimes they offer a free drink also. Other clubs in the center of the city like Lotus Theater (Carrer de Bailen, 22) have people flyering in front of the Hard Rock Cafe in Plaza Catalunya or at the top of Las Ramblas. They target the tourists who don't already know people to get in for free. Use their passes, it's how they survive in this city too.

If you are staying looking to extend your vacation like I did to more than a month or so, these clubs also look for people to promote for them:

-You pass out flyers, anyone who uses them, they pay you.
The more languages you speak the better, but being an English speaker with some Spanish skills will get you far in Barcelona.
-Perks also include meeting the people who work there, aka friends and free drinks.
(Almost everyone who works at clubs and bars, work at other clubs or bars a different night of the week, or knows other people who do.

Moral of the story, Barcelona is all about making connections. You can't live on a budget without people to hook you up. You will figure out how to repay them for the favor in your own way. All it takes is the confidence to get out there and meet these people and become one of the people others want to know.