'We travelled Europe in a 2009 Vauxhall Corsa - spending £15 a day'

A woman and her friend managed to travel through eight European countries on a shoestring budget of just £15 per day, thanks to a clever £25 car hack. Madeleine Jaye, 23, who has always had a passion for travelling, embarked on this epic road trip with her friend Ashla Prakash, 24, in July last year.

In order to save on accommodation costs, the pair decided to transform the back of Madeleine's Corsa into a makeshift bed. This included a double mattress, duvet, pillows and space for their luggage, allowing them to sleep in the car.

The bedframe was crafted out of wood by Madeleine's grandad, Keith Davies, 83, who also cut a memory foam mattress to size - all for a mere £25.

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Madeleine revealed that they spent £450 on fuel, found free parking and saved over £4,000 in accommodation expenses. The duo travelled around Germany, Belgium, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, France, Italy, Slovenia and Switzerland in just five weeks, sticking to a daily budget of £15.

The avid traveller said it not only "saved money" but it was also a "vibe".

Madeleine, a live-in carer from Nottingham, said: "I'm 5ft 7ins and I had loads of room. In Switzerland it's €100 plus a night for a hotel or even €60 for a hostel.

"We saved so much money. We saved £2,000 and a bit each - so £4,000 combined."

Madeleine met Ashla in Japan in 2023 while on a working visa and the pair decided they wanted to see Europe together.

She said: "We spoke about doing a road trip. But the prices of accommodation were so expensive - I thought 'why don't we do it in my car?'

"That's where my grandad came into play. He's very good at DIY - he's a mechanic. I asked if he could help me and he ran with it.

"He went all out and made an amazing bed. He was so proud of it. He really enjoyed making it - he did it with love."

Keith made the bed from three bits of wood - and even made it so the bottom plank could come out to make a table out the back of the boot. The friends set off in July 2024 in Madeleine's 2009 silver Corsa she'd had for five years.

Madeleine did the driving and cooking and Ashla did the setting up and washing up. They used a Home Bargains gas cooker to make most of their meals so they could save their cash - but did buy the occasional Aperol or pizza.

The pals would find safe places to park up overnight before continuing their travels.

Madeleine said: "In Slovenia we tried to find a place to park using an app. We couldn't find anywhere around Lake Bled. We rang up a campsite and that was €40 a night - just to park the car."

Instead the duo found somewhere rural to park. She said: "You could wake up anywhere and hear the birds."

They had a collapsible pink bucket to wash but also relied on public toilets - which they would usually rush to first thing. Madeleine said: "The public toilets are amazing in Europe."

Madeleine said the only downside was the heat and the mosquitoes. She said Slovenia surprised her the most and she loved driving through and waking up to mountains.

She's gearing up to tackle Scotland's North Coast 500 in her trusty Corsa, and when it comes to day trips across the UK, she opts to kip in her car rather than splash out on a hotel stay.

She explained: "It saved money and it's a vibe. People think you need a big van, but you can work with what you've got. It was the best adventure."

Madeleine and Ashla's route

France

Belgium

Luxembourg

Germany

Switzerland

Italy

Slovenia

Back through Italy, France, and Switzerland

Liechtenstein

The adventure culminated at the Tomorrowland festival in Belgium