Some tips to travel cheaply in Vietnam

Bargain. Smile. Bargain (remember that honest people deserve to be paid for their work and how much the product is in your home country, I've seen people argue fiercly over 0.25E).


Eat on the street stalls and "snack bars" instead of restaurants. It's also usually more authentic.


In hostels and hotels (hard to tell the difference sometimes) take a fan room instead of an AC one. The difference is small, from 12 dolars to 9 for example, but it's in the little things that you save.
Before taking up the room ask if breakfast is included. Not included? Ask if it can be. See if they have free internet for guests.


Team up with another backpacker for part of the way, you can split the room costs and other stuff. Check if you get along with the person, if you like them otherwise you'll go crazy. Check if they don't snore. I have a 3 second rule: I look into someone's eyes and count to 3, if for some reason I feel I can't trust them or don't like them - no matter how nice they are, no matter how logicallly it doesn't make sense - I stay away.


Get a open bus ticket. It's a great system they have here, you pay around 25e for a trip from Hanoi to Saigon (see in the map, it's a big trip) with stops on the way. You can choose where to stop and when, there are no dates on the ticket, if you like a place you can stay for weeks, if you don't like it you can leave on the following bus. I am using the one from Sinh cafe (there are sooo many fake sinh cafe, it's ridiculous).


At the end of the day see if it's worth saving those 2e, if it's something you can't get back home, if it's something you always wanted to do etc Because even if they are overcharging you, it's still going to be a lot cheaper than back at home. If you have some tips I overlooked, by all means let me know.