What are money-saving hacks for Morocco?

The fastest way to halve your daily spend in Morocco is to eat where Moroccans eat. Look for places signed "snack" or a rotisserie with a queue of workers at 1pm — a plate of grilled chicken, bread, salad and a drink runs a fraction of the riad restaurant or the photogenic terrace on the main square. My own rule on the road: if every menu nearby is in four languages and a tout is waving me in, I keep walking one or two streets back. The food a block off the tourist route is usually better and a third of the price.

Move the way locals move. The ONCF trains between Marrakech, Casablanca, Rabat, Fes and Tangier are comfortable and cheap, and second class is perfectly fine for daytime hops. Within cities, insist the petit taxi runs the meter ("compteur, s'il vous plaît") rather than agreeing a flat tourist price — for short hops the meter is almost always cheaper. For intercity routes off the rail network, shared grand taxis cost a few dirham per seat if you don't mind a snug ride.

Cash is leverage. Many riads, shops and even some tours quietly offer a better rate for cash because it saves them card fees, so it's always worth asking "is there a cash price?" before you pay. Withdraw larger amounts less often to minimise ATM fees, and break big notes early in the day at a busy café or shop so you have small change for the rest of it. Buy your water, fruit and snacks from a neighbourhood hanout (corner shop) where prices are fixed and fair, never from a stall right beside a monument.

Finally, time the trip. The shoulder months — late autumn and the weeks either side of the spring peak — bring the same good weather as high season but noticeably lower riad rates and softer bargaining, because demand has dropped. Avoid Easter, Christmas, New Year and the European summer holidays if budget is the priority. Combine off-peak timing with local eating and local transport and a Morocco trip becomes one of the better-value adventures within easy reach of Europe.