As I left for Boston this weekend and began my journey down I-89, I began to think about the curse of many travelers: money. I started wondering, how expensive will this trip be and how can I budget better?
Well, I recently received an email from a friend cluing me into some great ways to aid the escape from our mundane day-to-day routines. According to Lisa Grossberg, general manager of the historic Buckingham Hotel in Manhattan, the average hotel guest spends a third to half of their funds on dining. So my fellow travelers, instead of this entry of Travel Deals to Satisfy your Wandering Mind informing you of amazing trips and escapes, I want to let you in on some of my useful dining habits I use to cut my costs and travel cheap, which allows me to plan more adventures throughout the year.
First, it always helps to bring a cookbook. There are so many out there with simple yet extravagant recipes. Do you enjoy Italian? Giada De Laurentiis, is my go-to girl for great Italian recipes. How about a fun 30-minute recipe? Rachel Ray makes eating and cooking a fun adventure every time. Inside these books are beautiful, fun and delicious recipes, try something different from what you cook at home and have fun with it. Plan out these recipes with your travel companion before you depart. Figure out all the ingredients you will need and once you arrive, visit the local grocery store and stock up. If you are traveling for a week, your grocery bill will range from $100-$550, depending on the type of meat you purchase and if you want wine/beer/alcohol. Compare this to 7 nights of dining out and you will be sure to save over $500.
Now in order to cook while you are on vacation, you must book a room with a kitchen. Many of the early-to-mid century hotels in larger cities, such as the Buckingham Hotel in Manhattan can accommodate travelers with this luxury. Because this asset is becoming more popular, many hotels are advertising their extra amenities, so be sure to book this before you depart.
If you enjoy the occasional drink while on vacation, stock up on the booze while at the grocery store. Buying a bottle of vodka will cost anywhere from $15-$45, as opposed to the one drink that will cost you anywhere from $7-$16 dollars. Do you enjoy wine while you dine out? Buy a nice bottle and bring it into the restaurant. Most restaurants will allow this, though they may charge an opening fee, it is still a great way to save up to $40 dollars.
Unfortunately for my wallet, I absolutely love dining out; I love the atmosphere, the service and the chance to dress up and look nice. If you feel the same, then I recommend dining out once or twice, it is a part of the traveling experience and like noted above, bringing in your own bottle of wine can cut a large portion of the bill.
I hope this helps if you are anxious about extra expenses. Traveling can be cheap, you just need to know how to cut your costs, find the deals and budget where you can. With these hints you can save up to $1000 just on food costs. So happy traveling (and eating) and bon voyage.