When I was a college kid in Germany in the 1970s, “Europe on $10 a Day” was my Bible. I doubt I actually could have gotten by on $10 per day, but we could probably get in the ballpark. Today’s version, by the way, is entitled “Europe From $85 a Day.” Considering most of the cities covered (e.g., Paris, Rome, London, Berlin), I defy anyone to come even close to a room and three meals for that. Heck, I think a nice dinner in any of those cities will bust your daily allotment. But I think we’ve found a way here in Belgium to come close to “Europe on Zero Dollars a Day,” if you’re willing to be a bit creative and not overly demanding.
Carrefour is to Belgium what Wal Mart, K Mart, and Target are in the U.S. all combined. They are huge and they are everywhere. Their only true competitor is GB and, guess what, it’s owned by Carrefour! During our very first visit to a Carrefour in Waterloo we were amazed at what was available in the way of free samples. There were beers, hard liquor, sausages, and cheese. If they had thrown in chocolate, all the food groups would’ve been covered! So here’s where the living for free comes in: say you’re something of a derelict. You walk into Carrefour like you own the place, knowingly sample those free beers, letting the cool liquid roll across your tongue, while making some astute comment like “Hmm, pleasing, yet never precocious,” and then ask for another sample or three, just to confirm your initial review. Next, you move to the free food, with the same discriminating taste, requiring multiple samples. For dessert, you hit the whiskey or schnapps. This is not a bad lunch at all. And guess what? There is another Carrefour just 2 miles away, also in Waterloo. You repeat the procedure here and walk out a half hour later a very full and satisfied derelict!
But what about the lodging on zero dollars? Stay tuned; we’ll cover that one next!
