Steele Away With Steele

Going out to eat is pricey. Going out for three meals a day for an entire trip adds up faster than Usain Bolt. AAA travel planners advise travelers to budget at least $40 per meal, not including additional beverages. On a weeklong trip your estimated food costs would be approximately $300. Such a steep food budget seems discouraging but luckily food is a travel budget area that is easily reduced.
One sure-fire way to save money is packing food from home. A perk of packing snack food is that it can accompany you on any mode of transportation. Buying extra boxes of snack food is possible weeks before your trip. Granola bars and various snack items are simple breakfast substitutes. Preplanning and budgeting can save more than $35 on breakfast alone. When traveling abroad, especially in Spain packing meals for short excursions is a common custom. Packing your lunch will save you extra cash and give more of the local experience.
Preparing some or all of your meals while traveling greatly reduces costs. Remember practically everywhere you travel will have local grocery stores or markets. Not only will purchasing locally be a big money saver but it will also give you a glance at the local culture you wouldn’t have had before.
This money saving tip is excellent when traveling with multiple people. Splitting the cost helps your budget and prevents food from going to waste.
Another money saving tip is budgeting your money before the day starts. An example of this is to set yourself a limit on how much you’ll spend on each meal and stick to it. Eating at cheap diners or fast food restaurants a few meals will cut down on spending. Hotel restaurants and tourist traps are notorious for overpriced food. Avoid those costs by dining at local eateries
Using a combination of these three tips is the best way to plan a food budget. An easy food break down is to bring your own breakfast, go out for lunch, and cook supper. Breakfast bars from home are a quick and cheap way to start the day of exploration. Food is a major part of an areas culture. Make sure to eat locally at some point in your adventure. Not eating local cuisine would be a deprivation of one aspect of your trip.
May harmony and savings find you.