B.A. sale: NYC to London by air, plus 2 nights hotel, from $472

Florence is hugely popular with the study-abroad crowd, which makes it tough to break away from packs of fellow American students. It’s easy to get by speaking English; bars ply foreigners with drink specials and hip-hop nights (pronounced rather comically as “ip-op” by Italians); and low-fare airlines tempt students to zip off to a new European city each weekend. But with some extra effort, you can begin to live like a local. To help others hit the ground running, The Florentine, a bi-weekly English-language newspaper, has enlisted former students to share advice for making the most of a semester or two abroad. One useful column covers how to navigate the city’s library system, buy a bike, and get bargain haircuts. In others, writers recommend becoming involved in community service and offer tidbits like theories behind the city’s classic unsalted bread and ways to blend in. #1: Ditch the flip-flops. Curiously, the Supermarket Smarts column leaves out some key differences that surprised me when I arrived in Florence as a student: There are scales for weighing and pricing produce before you get to checkout, there’s a minimal charge for each plastic bag (busta), and many supermarkets are closed on Sundays and cash only. Learn from my mistake! I was mortified years ago when a cashier at La Coop by Piazza Beccaria tallied my purchases—only to call a coworker to restock them when I discovered I had 5,000 lire (worth only about a few dollars) in my pocket and credit cards that didn’t mean a thing. Have any study-abroad tips of your own? PREVIOUSLY IN BUDGET TRAVEL What to Ask Before Studying Abroad A Pre-Departure Checklist for Parents (opens as a PDF)

Similar to low-cost, transportation companies like Megabus, Asian budget chain Tune Hotels uses a "demand-based pricing system," where early online bookers can get rooms for as little as $3 a night (room prices vary for walk-ins, but run about $25). The first property opened in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia in spring of 2007, followed by an outpost in Kota Kinabalu (in Sabah, a state on the island of Borneo in East Malaysia) this year. In December, five more hotels debut in Malaysia, including in Penang and Kuching. The hotels have the bright colors of giant billboards. Rooms are spartan to say the least and guests pay only for what they use. That means there are additional charges (about $1.50 each) for towels, toiletries, hair dryers, in-room wi-fi (it's free in the lobby), and A/C (though all rooms come with a standard fan). There's no meeting room, pool, gym, or spa. Forget room service or minibars. And while the chain experimented with in-room televisions in Borneo, its spokesperson told us that future hotel rooms will be without TV or radio. The company prides itself on offering comfortable beds and power showers: "The mantra is a great sleep, great shower, in great locations within hotels that are clean and provide great security on site," said chief executive officer Mark Lankester. Construction is underway for approximately 30 other sites across Southeast Asia and the company hopes to have 100 hotels in Asia over the next few years with locations in Bali, the Philippines, and Thailand. Stay Tuned. What do you think of this concept? Would you stay in a Tune Hotel?

We love a good deal, so naturally National Geographic Traveler's list of free things to do in Prague hit a chord. Along with the worthy-but-not-shocking days and hours when museums are free, the capital of the Czech Republic also offers walking tours, music performances, and even a few places with free snacks. If you like to multitask your vices, head to the Golden Prague Poker Room in the Hilton—gamblers get free drinks and cigarettes as well as a free buffet after 9 p.m. [via Cheapest Destinations]

No matter how you like your blues (Chicago, Texas, Delta, Electric), you'll find something to like at the 36th-Annual San Francisco Blues Festival, which is widely considered to be the longest-running blues festival around. This year's edition kicks off on Friday with a tribute to the late John Lee Hooker. The music continues on Saturday and Sunday in the Great Meadow just outside of Fort Mason Center. Some of the show's 15-plus performers are The Delta Groove All Star Blues Revue, accordion legend Buckwheat Zydeco, singer Denise LaSalle, and guitarist Johnny Winter. The blues comes from a long oral tradition, and there will be plenty of your blues brethren at this event doing call-and-response with the artists. (Upwards of 20,000 visitors are expected.) In addition to the music, you can munch on barbecue, oysters, and rice and beans. So bring a cooler and a lawn chair for a little blues by the bay. If you arrive early, you may snag a great spot to view the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance. Friday's event is free, from noon to 1:30 p.m. at Justin Herman Plaza, 1 Market Street. Saturday and Sunday's events are at the Great Meadow at Fort Mason, Marina Boulevard, and Laguna streets. Tickets are $35 per day in advance, $40 per day at the gate. Gates open at 10 a.m.; the festival hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. sfblues.org