Think about your last vacation. Now think about every restaurant you ate at. Can you remember? If you can, now think about what you ate at each. Can you remember? For most people you probably can't. Food, unless it was the reasoning of your vacation, is pretty unimportant. Yes, you need food, but how much do you truly have to spend? I can probably guess the answer, too much! People waste so much money on food on their vacations. Food is necessary, but the amount you spend is not.
-
A great way to save money is to not eat out while away. Now, I'm not saying the entire trip, rather the majority of your time.
-
What's On The Menu?
-
BREAKFAST: Most hotels, lucky for you, offer free breakfast. That is one thing you should look for in a hotel. Most offer cereal, bagels, muffins, fruit, and some even offer waffles and eggs. Use the complimentary breakfasts to your advantage. It will not only save you money, but also time.
-
LUNCH: You're out and about, seeing all of the sites and taking in the atmosphere. Now, it's time for lunch. Your stomach is grumbling and yelling at you to feed it. You don't want to sit down at a restaurant because that takes up too much time. I have the solution. Pack your lunch. You can pack with you before you leave, a jar of peanut butter, a jar of jelly, and depending on how long you are traveling, cans of chicken and tuna. None of these require a cooler. So you do not end up with dry chicken or tuna bring a jar of mayo, you don't have to keep it in the cooler, unless it is very hot. Instead of carrying bread with you, which can get squished, bring a bag or two of tortillas and make wraps. You can mix in the mayo right in the can, saving you the hassle of carrying a dirty bowl or just slap on some peanut butter and jelly. You can do all of this in the car or make it ahead of time and carry the lunch with you. If you flew, share a suitcase with someone and use the unused one to pack all of your food items to check in!
-
DINNER: The invention of electricity and microwaves make traveling a lot cheaper. A great thing to invest in and pack with you on your travels is an electric skillet. You can make so many different types of food on this little plate it is amazing! On trips I have taken we have made chicken fajitas, hot dogs, hamburgers, and reheated various dinners. The great thing about these, they are small and easy to clean. If you have the space for it in your suitcase, a George Forman Grill would work just as well. Microwaves also help in cheap and easy dinners! If all of this is a bit of a hassle, check ahead of time for local restaurants, pizza places, cafes, and diners to compare the prices before you leave!
-
I would like to thank my mother, Susan, for inspiring this post. She was my Girl Scout leader and we used to do all of this! So, if you're thinking, well this seems like good advise, but does it work? I can personally say that it does!
