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DINING
DINING MONEY SAVING TIPS
Eating at Affordable Restaurants
Part of the joy of traveling is getting away form the kitchen and eating well. However, the cost of food on a trip can represent a significant portion of the overall cost of the trip. If you are serious about saving money when you are “on the road,” consider the following ideas.
1. Limit the number of restaurant meals by making restaurant meals a treat, not an expectation when you are traveling. Not all your meals need to be at restaurants. In fact, constantly looking for a good restaurant, getting seated, hoping the food and service is good and the prices are reasonable, and leaving leftovers and a tip can often be more hassle than fun. And the cost of continually eating out at restaurants can be excessive. It can also take a lot of time away from other activities you may want to pursue. Fast food restaurants can also get expensive, and may not be the best places to patronize on a regular basis. Try the following ideas to reduce the number of restaurant visits and still eat well.
2. Take advantage of free food and drink offered by the hotel. Many hotels provide a coffee maker with complimentary coffee in their rooms, or free coffee available in the lobby. Many hotels (even less expensive hotels) also offer complimentary continental or buffet breakfasts. These breakfasts are quick and absolutely free, with no tipping required. And, within reason, often you are able to take an extra donut or piece of fruit to eat at a later time. So skip that fancy restaurant breakfast or gourmet coffee shop, and start your morning with free food and drink, courtesy of your hotel. Some hotels also offer free appetizers in the early evening as a service to their guests and to attract customers to their lounge. Take advantage of this free start to your evening meal.
3. Consider booking a room with a kitchen or kitchenette, or at least a microwave, so you can prepare your own meals and snacks when going to a restaurant is either too expensive or too inconvenient. When you arrive at your destination (or during your drive to your destination), just go to a major supermarket and stock your kitchen for the duration of your stay. And do not forget to bring along any food or other coupons that you might want to use. Resist the urge to buy from convenience stores where prices are generally too high, or from small grocery stores in tourist areas where prices are also usually high. And make sure you resist the urge to overbuy. You can always stop into the supermarket again to resupply, if necessary. And if you like to enjoy cocktail hour, it’s much cheaper and sometimes safer to have that drink in your room, rather than at a lounge. Who knows, you might find it more enjoyable to stay in that night and enjoy the view from the room.
4. If your room does not have a kitchen or microwave, you can still save a lot of money by stopping at the supermarket and stocking your room with drinks, snacks and prepared foods. Not only does this eliminate the need to buy from expensive vending machines, but many times a quick breakfast in the room, or some appetizers at the end of the day is just right. It is also easy to prepare some sandwiches or other foods for lunch during the day, or even for dinner, if you do not feel like going out. This is particularly easy to do if your room has a small refrigerator. Even if the refrigerator is an “honor bar” you can still use the refrigerator for your own supplies. Just remove items from the honor bar that do not need refrigeration and set them aside until the end of your stay, when you can place them back in the refrigerator. And if no refrigerator is available, and you have not brought a cooler on the trip, consider purchasing an inexpensive Styrofoam cooler for a few bucks to use during your stay. Hotel ice is free, and can be replenished to keep your food and drinks cold. At the end of your stay, just abandon the Styrofoam cooler if you do not want to take it home.
5. Put your cooler in your car when you are out for the day (or driving back and forth to your vacation destination) and consider picnic lunches, if the weather is nice. Parks and picnic areas are numerous, and can be a lot of fun while saving money. Also bring along a backpack or small collapsible cooler to transport drinks and snacks when you are visiting attractions (many allow this), or when away from your car. No expensive vending machines or vendors, and no lines to stand in to get something to eat or drink, and your drinks and snacks are always readily available. And if you run out of drinks at an attraction, remember you can always refill a soda or water bottle from a fountain.
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