Finding the Best Hotel at the Best Price Including at the Last Minute
If both options seem wrong to you, there is always the super-low cost route: staying in hostels or pension homes. Keep in mind that the place you rest is not your primary focus: your goal is to go and see and experience whatever you can on your trip. With those facts in mind, staying at a hostel makes perfect sense: you will get a safe place to sleep and can spend your cash for all the stuff you want to do during the day. And, if you discover you truly can't deal with this ultra-low cost plan, you can always hunt for discounts and hotel deals while you are out and about and stay there instead, spending only one night or two at the hostel.
Above all, don't worry! There are tons of methods to make this first activity on your 'Bucket List' happen, and do it without going into crazy debt.