The 3 numbers that actually make a cheap trip work
Most "budget itineraries" fail because they skip the boring math. Before you ask an AI to plan Lisbon or Chiang Mai, lock these three numbers:
Daily ceiling. Not a vibe — a number. Hostel + food + transit. If you can't say it in one sentence, the plan will lie to you.
Transit days. Arrival and departure eat money and hours. Treat them as half-days or the whole trip feels rushed.
The buffer. 10–15% of the total, sitting in cash or a separate card. That's the missed bus, the closed museum, the night you need a real meal.
Once those are set, a prompt can actually help: city, dates, daily ceiling, walk vs. transit, and dietary limits. Vague prompts get pretty paragraphs. Tight numbers get a trip you can afford.