How to stretch your dollar in Iceland

It's no secret that Iceland is a seriously breathtaking but seriously expensive country. If you plan on going to the Land of Ice and Fire, be prepared for some epic scenery and to fork out a bit more pocket change than you would like. Here's a quick guide on how I managed to drive all over Iceland for a pretty reasonable price.

1. Road Trip. Although it is worth it to spend quite a bit of time in Reykjavik, getting outside of the city is where most of the magic happens. Renting a car can be reasonably cheap if you have some people to do it with. The more people the better. We had a group of five of us, although space was limited, it cut our costs by heaps.

2. Camp. Camping in Iceland is around 1,000-1,500 ISK per night. Compare that to the 3,000 to 4,000 ISK for a hostel. You can even camp on non private land in Iceland for free. Just do your research first. Yes, you have to have a tent but it is beyond worth the extra weight.

3. Hitchhike and Ride Share. If renting a car isn't an option, Iceland is one of the safest countries in the world and as long as you are there during peak season, you should have no trouble getting free rides around the Island.

4. Free Bins. My friend Jill ate solely out of the free bins at the Reykjavik City Hostel for the first few days she was there. You can't count on there always being food but if there is, use that first.

5. Booze. Your wallet might be telling you another one thing. but Reykjavik night life is something you don't want to miss out on. To save money, purchase your liquor from the store and the airport and pre-game before you go out. That way you can buy a couple of beers and not worry about going broke for one night out.

Your budget for Iceland will have to be larger than it is for most places since it's more expensive than most but by keeping these things in mind, you should be able to travel for longer without breaking the bank.

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