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There is a bewildering array of discount travel passes available for use on the metro, buses and trains (see Getting Around Paris, Tickets), so be sure to study them to find the best one for you. You can buy one-, three- and five-day passes, as well as weekly and monthly passes, with options for different zones. Savings can be considerable, provided the pass gives you what you want.

It is perfectly feasible to find acceptable accommodation in central Paris for €30–45 per night, especially if sharing. Even cheaper options include the following hostel groups.

Several companies offer rooms with Parisian families on a bed-and-breakfast basis. Most are located either centrally or close to a metro station, and can cost as little as €25 per person per night, if sharing.

For a coffee or snack, standing at the bar is cheaper than sitting down. In restaurants, the prix-fixe (fixed-price) menus offer good deals and the plat du jour (dish of the day) is usually inexpensive. If you want to sample fine dining, do it at lunchtime when top restaurants usually offer a cheaper menu.

Half-price theatre and concert tickets are available for same-day performances only from kiosks at Place de la Madeleine, Montparnasse station and Châtelet-Les Halles. Cinemas usually offer cheaper seats in the mornings, and on Wednesdays.

Several attractions including the Louvre, Musée Picasso and Arc de Triomphe are free on the first Sunday of each month. The Louvre also reduces its admission price after 6pm on Wednesday and Friday (see Musée du Louvre). The Paris City Passport, available from tourist offices, gives 10–50 per cent off entry to 47 museums.

This gives free admission to 70 museums and monuments and saves queuing and money if planning to visit a number of attractions. There are one-, three- and five-day options: the one-day pass is cheaper if visiting both the Louvre and Musée d’Orsay on the same day. They are available at museums, main metro stations and tourist offices (see Sources of Information) and branches of the Fnac store.

Most hotels charge separately for breakfast and what is on offer varies widely. Some are excellent, but you can save money by opting out and choosing a small snack in a café instead.

As well as being free to visit, many churches also put on free or very inexpensive concerts, both at lunchtime and in the evening. If passing a church, take a look to see if any such concerts are being advertised.

Many places offer free or discounted admission to various groups of people, particularly students, under-25s or over-60s. Always carry proof of your age, a student pass or some other means of identification to take advantage of these deals.