Save Money on Meals and Restaurants

Eating out for every meal adds up; there are ways around it, though - from buying your own groceries to using restaurant discounts. Saving money on meals is easy!

Save Money on Meals in Restaurants

- You can get great bargains at Restaurant.com. You can purchase $25 gift certificates for $10 and use them at restaurants all over the U.S. (These can be purchased for your own use - you do not have to use them for gifts).

If you register with the site, they will e-mail notices of sales - and they have sales all the time! You can then get the $25 certificate for as little as $4 or $5. Search for restaurants at your destination (and be sure to read the restrictions - usually you'll need to spend $35 for dinner for two, but after the $5 purchase price, you'll still save $20). It's a great way to try the local cuisine without spending a lot.

- Buying an Entertainment book for your destination (in the U.S. or Canada) can easily save you enough on restaurant meals to pay for itself. You'll also get coupons for local attractions! You don't have to purchase certificates in advance, so you can decide which restaurants to try once you've arrived.

Save Money on Meals at Hotels and Condos

- The first thing I do when I arrive is find chocolate and diet Coke! Find a local grocery store (ask the concierge or front desk) and get whatever you need to survive your time away from home. Do NOT empty the minibar in your hotel room for your snacks! Many will charge you for items removed from the minibar, even if you do not consume them and put them back at the end of your trip. (Some even have sensors and will charge you for taking the item out of the fridge). Only buy snacks that do not need to be refrigerated, and get ice for soft drinks.

- If your room has a coffee maker, pick up some teas and instant soups or ramen noodles for a quick snack. Granola or cereal bars are fine for a quick breakfast, and boxed juices can be kept without refrigeration. You don't want to eat all of your meals this way, but even fast food adds up - in both cost and calories! - so having quick alternatives to tide you over till your restaurant lunch or dinner saves time, money, and your waistline!

- Stay at a hotel that includes breakfast. Most moderately priced chain hotels include either a simple continental breakfast or a cooked-to-order buffet. I love a good bacon-and-egg restaurant breakfast once in a while, but it adds up (the money and the calories!) if indulged on a daily basis.

- If you are staying at a condo and have a small kitchen, you can save money on meals by eating in. You probably do not want to spend your vacation cooking, but restaurant breakfasts are expensive (and you have to get dressed first!), so breakfast at the condo can be both a money- and time-saver. I like to have one meal each day to try the local cuisine, but snacks and light meals can take care of the rest of the day.

- If you are buying groceries for a condo, you can save mony on food by signing up for the local supermarket discount card. Even if you only use it once, it can easily save you 10 - 15%.

Saving money on meals is probably the easiest way to save money on a trip - but don't forget to enjoy the local cuisine at least once a day!

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