I will be going to Budapest and Vienna in a month and want to know if $2000.00 in US money will be enough. I am a serious shopper and want to come away with a lot in the way of goods. My accommodations and transportation is covered. I'm talking strictly spending money. Any information would be very helpful!

That should be OK for a week or so.

Obviosuly it all depends on what kinds of goods you want to buy. Sorry, but this post is entirely too vague.

Having just returned from both cities, I can try to answer your rather subjective question. If you're talking about buying just particularly local products, you can buy a lot of lace in Budapest - tablecloths, etc, for reasonable amounts if you buy from the outdoor stalls as opposed to the stores. Wooden articles - painted eggs, wood figures are quite cheap. Vienna is generally an expensive shopping town - I guess the local stuff would be some crystal and pewter products which aren't cheap. Clothing, other goods in Vienna are New York, Paris prices - you won't find many bargains there.

Take your credit card! I always end up buying something I didn't plan on and I don't like to shop! My worst trip memories: 1)not buying an expensive piece of jewelry in Rhodes and never seeing anything like it again and 2) not buying those 10MM pink pearls in Germany that were so cheap because I had already spent my "allowance." That was years ago and I still don't have any pink pearls because I spend my extra money on traveling.