Frugal Food Tips For Travelers – Part 1
When it comes to buying food while on vacation, many people adopt the mindset that vacations are meant for splurging so they aren’t careful about their dining purchases, or at least not nearly as careful as they are at home. Overspending on food on trips is extremely common as is typically viewed as just “part of the experience of traveling”. Though there certainly are many who can afford this way of eating away from home, not everyone can and prefers to save money. If you are someone who pinches pennies or at least prefers to not go crazy with your money when it comes to eating on the road, we have some suggestions for you that will help you save money and still eat well (and healthy) during your future vacations, whether your traveling alone, as a couple, or with the whole family. Now, we know how hard it can sometimes be to find inexpensive food when you’re traveling to a faraway place and that choosing to eat out for every meal adds up quickly, particularly in airports. But with these tips, you can keep some of those dollar bills in your wallet and save money as well as more peace of mind knowing that you’re being wise with your money.
Local Supermarkets
First things first: if you are going to try and save money on food the next time you travel, you cannot eat out every single night, let alone for every meal. You don’t do that at home so try to treat vacations the same way. Here’s another way to look at it: considering all the money that you typically spend on food while traveling, think about all the additional experiences you could have by simply reallocating a good percentage of it, not to mention that you could take another trip or two during the course of a year if you’re the type who really goes all out on food on trips. Visit a grocery store near where you’re staying and buy some meals in the form of sandwiches, microwavable meals, etc, whatever you prefer, and you’ll save money by spending a very modest amount compared to what you would spend eating out every meal.
Utilize Your Kitchen
When you select your hotel or vacation rental for your trip, make sure to pick one that has a kitchen and related amenities. Grill store-bought meat for a meal or two and save money. Eat cold cereal or a home-cooked breakfast for the first meal of the day. Get a few snacks and utilize the cupboard and fridge space. Not only does this save money but it also saves a whole lot of time considering all the waiting and travel time that typically goes along with dining out. Plus, it’s more intimate and often times even more memorable than venturing out to a dining establishment for every meal.
Educate Yourself On Perks
As you know, many hotels offer complimentary breakfast for their guest. Be deliberate about taking advantage of these types of perks when you travel and save money. I’ve heard of families who travel together often researching which hotels in their favorite locations have the best free breakfast and book their rooms there to save money and eat well. Also, if you’re staying at a bed & breakfast, for example, and not staying for breakfast, what’s the point in staying there? Be sure to take what the establishment offers, especially if will save you money. Another related tip is to familiarize yourself with websites like TravelZoo, Groupon, and Yelp. Staying on top of the deals that these sites offer can save you loads of money and help you to visit certain dining establishments that maybe you wouldn’t have considered otherwise.
This article will continue with the post Frugal Food Tips For Travelers – Part 2.
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