10 ways to Save on Travel Meals

Food isn’t like souvenirs. No one goes on vacation without buying it. You have to make room in your travel budget to eat, but there are many ways you can make that part of your expenses smaller. Just because you are trying to save money doesn’t mean that you have to eat fast food or sandwiches for every meal or can’t experience the best cuisine a place has to offer. Below is my top 10 list of ways to stretch your food funds.

Ask the locals where they eat

Odds are, people who live where you’re traveling don’t eat at the fanciest restaurant in town. You know who eats there? Tourists and people celebrating their anniversaries. The “normal” people eat at affordable dining establishments that are also delicious and serve food from the local area. They are going to want to point you towards some of the city’s gems and impress you because, unlike hotel staff, they don’t get paid for recommending the crazy expensive steakhouse down the street.

Look forward to lunch

You probably aren’t always frugal. While on vacation, it’s okay to splurge sometimes. If that includes going to a top-rated restaurant that you know is spendy, make reservations for lunch instead of dinner. The food will be just as tasty, but cheaper than at dinnertime.

Split an entrée

Most restaurants serve you at least twice as much food as you can eat. Don’t be weighted down having to carry around leftovers or feel bad about food left on your plate. Share a main dish with your travel companion. Most hotels will split an entrée for no fee, but even if you have to pay for an extra plate, it only costs a few dollars, which is cheaper than paying for a whole other meal.  

Order an appetizer for a meal

Most appetizers can be plenty to fill you up and can be as little as a third of the price of an entrée. This is also a great option for you if you like to try many different dishes. Order two to three for the same price as a meal.

Hit up the food carts

Food carts can offer a huge variety of different local and international foods, but can be half the price of (or less) than dining at a sit-down restaurant. With this kind of savings, you can try fare from several carts with no regrets.

Shop the farmers market

There’s no better way to experience local cuisine and interacting with residents than a visit to the closest farmers market. You will find a variety of food, including meats, fruits, vegetables and cheeses. Purchase enough for lunch and enjoy the afternoon having a picnic in a nearby park.

Rent a vacation home or stay in a hotel with a kitchen(ette)

This is my favorite way to stretch my food budget, because there are so many options. Renting can be a great value over hotel stays if you’ll be visiting for a week or more, plus it gives you the chance to check out the local grocery store. Make many of your own meals and save considerably. I don’t often like to spend money on eating breakfast out, so I love to buy new cereals and pastries I can enjoy in my room.

Stay at a hotel that offers free breakfast

You don’t realize how much dining out can cost until you go on vacation. A reasonable breakfast can cost between $8-15 per person. If you multiply that by the number of people you’re traveling with and the number of days you’ll be staying, that number can be huge. If you find a hotel in your price range that offers free breakfast, you’ve hit a jackpot of savings.

Sign up for Groupon

If you haven't been using Groupon, what are you even waiting for? Save 40-90% off food and more, meaning you can eat for way less than you originally planned, meaning you can splurge on a fancy meal, spend that money elsewhere, or actually just stay on budget. Sign up at Groupon for the destination of your next vacation (they cover many international locations as well as the United States) and eat for less!

Don’t order off the kids’ menu

If you travel with children, you’ll notice that most kids’ menus seem to have the same small rotation of foods. Obviously, little ones don’t just live on hot dogs, pizza, chicken nuggets and PB&J sandwiches. Not only do they charge an outrageous amount for these “staples” that cost hardly anything to make, but they offer hardly any nutritional value and your kids are likely to eat only half of it before declaring they’re full. Instead, order a meal that you both will eat and share. This saves you money and might get them to eat a vegetable or two.

While there are other ways to save on dining, these have proven to be the most useful for my travels and are my first suggestions to anyone asking how to cut costs on their trip. They are easy to do and will enable you to try a bigger variety of foods, too. You’ll experience more of the city and its people, giving you a greater vacation experience.

How do you save money on dining out when you travel?

Summer Packing Tips

Summer is coming and that means packing light should be easy. Well, I've learned that isn't true for a lot of people. While I'm like "throw a bathing suit, some sandals, sunscreen and a pair of shorts in a bag", others are sitting there wondering how they can cram 10 pairs of shoes into a carry-on for a 4-day trip. No! You need my summer packing tips!

Photo by Elaine Tu on Unsplash

First of all, wherever you go, you probably won't know anyone and you probably won't see them again. Nobody will remember what you were wearing or if you wore the same pair of shorts two, or even three, times. Unless you're getting married and have to bring a giant dress with you, there is no reason you can't pack light for any trip, including your awesome summer getaway.

My NUMBER ONE rule is to mix and match. Remember that your outfit on the plane is not just a travel outfit, but something to add to your rotation when you arrive. If you're headed to a warm weather locale, then here's how I pack: 

• One or two pair of shorts 
• One pair of capris 
• One sundress
• One mid-length skirt
• One pair of walking shoes (that you should wear on the plane)
• One pair of comfy sandals or other nicer shoes you can walk all day in

Choose a neutral color scheme. I normally pick black, tan or blue for my bottoms. This enables you to choose things that work with all your bottoms. When I travel in the summer, I wear capris or a skirt on the plane, then toss two good pair of shorts into my bag, either the capris or skirt that I'm not wearing, a good summer dress (often this is a travel dress that is cute and moisture wicking). 

I try to wear my bulkier shoes on the plane and pack the smaller pair. Make sure you don't choose a pair of shoes that you haven't broken in yet. Trust me. You don't want to find out how uncomfortable your new shoes are on Day 1 of your trip. It sucks. I do a  ton of walking on my trips, so a good pair of walking shoes (Skechers are a favorite) is a must. 

For your other pair of shoes, choose a cute pair of sandals or flats that will work with your dress, but also with your other bottoms. It sometimes is terrible to have sweaty feet in sneakers when you just want your toes to breathe. I have several really good sandals that I can walk all day in, including these from Clarks, these from Aerosoles, and Jambu sandals similar to these.

Obviously, this can be tailored to your needs. If you don't like skirts, don't take one. If you only wear skirts, don't bring shorts or capris. If you're a dude who doesn't wear skirts or dresses, bring a pair of lightweight trousers you can wear to a nice restaurant. Easy! Toss in a pair of flip flops for trips to the pool and runs to the front desk.

When you go to choose tops, think of both fashion and function. You don't want to sweat, but you want to look cute. If you've done your job in creating a neutral palette for your bottoms, this should be easier. Take a mix of 5 tops, making sure at least one can feel dressed up if paired with the skirt for a night out. Just in case. 

Bring a lightweight cardigan that can be used as a layer when it's chilly indoors or on the plane. I also bring a scarf/wrap that matches everything, because sometimes you don't want a full layer, but something that you can use to keep your shoulders covered (this is especially important if you're traveling somewhere and visiting temples). You can also use it as a sarong. 

Toss in your favorite bathing suit, sunglasses and a good sunscreen and you're good to go wherever there's a pool or a beach. 

I know you're thinking that this can't possibly be enough clothes to get you through 1-2 weeks at a destination. Well, you'd be right if you weren't planning to rewear any of these things, but you're a budget traveler, you don't pay to check a bag, and you plan some downtime in your trips to relax and do a bit of laundry. With these nice pieces of clothing, you can make 15 unique outfits, which will take you through more than a long trip of two weeks. 

Since I'm saving so much room in my carry-on, I make sure to include my favorite folding mesh laundry basket, which I use as a hamper until it's full or I'm low on shirts, then I take it with me to dump in the washing machine. I also keep a small bag of detergent (or 3-4 pods) and a couple dollars in quarters, so I'm always ready. I've stayed places where the laundry was free and others where it was not. I've also stayed places where detergent was readily available and others where you had to go to the store to get some. Be prepared! These are things that take up little room and make your life easier.

And now you know my secrets to summer packing! Where are you traveling this summer?


Disclaimer: This post includes affiliate links and I will be compensated for anything you buy through my links. Thanks in advance for your support!

My Las Vegas Wish List 2019

In just a few weeks, I'll be headed back to Vegas for my annual summer trip. We have tickets, we have a place to stay, we're gonna watch some basketball, and I'm going to do some awesome stuff that's new to me, as well as return to some old stuff, but you have already seen those, so I'm not repeating them.

Even though I had to skip my 2nd trip last year, this will still be my 8th trip in 4 years. It can be hard to find new things, but as the city is always changing and I don't know all the secrets to Sin City (and definitely not Henderson), there are plenty of things for me to add to a wish list for this next trip. Amazingly, it consists of more than extra sunscreen and Columbia clothes to pack my bag with.

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Even in the middle of the desert, I still think coffee is the blood of life. It might be 119° outside, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy a good latte. On he way back to our timeshare from dinner one night, I glimpsed a cleverly-named coffee shop: Illumilatte Brewing Society. Not one to pass up a good cup of Joe, I immediately made a note to check it out and the reviews are quite good, so this is #2 on my list of coffee shops, as #1 is the new Bad Owl Coffee location that opened in S. Vegas and trying their new fancy toast (not avocado tyvm) and their espresso flight in Hogwarts house colors.

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I know it's going to be stupid hot outside, but that doesn't mean a good jaunt out to the desert in the early-ish morning hours can't be fun. This limited-time art installation, which just got a 2-year extension, entitled Seven Magic Mountains may just be some pretty colored rocks in the middle of nowhere (honestly, it's only 10 miles from town), but it's free, it's cool, and I'd love to visit and take some fantastic pictures before we all head to a lovely breakfast.

A post shared by Island Sushi • Las Vegas Sushi (@islandsushilv) on Apr 12, 2018 at 2:20pm PDT

No trip to Vegas is complete without delicious food. If you follow me on Instagram, then you know I'm a lover of sushi. Well, there will be four of us for most of this trip and one of us doesn't eat sushi (blasphemy!), but he does love Hawaiian food, so I found this awesome compromise that mashes the best of both worlds. Island Sushi & Grill has incredible reviews, most saying it's one of the best Japanese restaurants in Las Vegas. Plus they have malasadas! [if you've never had them, they are Hawaiian doughnuts, oftentimes with cream fillings.]

A post shared by Creamberry (@creamberrylv) on Mar 20, 2018 at 9:17pm PDT

If you're one of the few who haven't seen the beauty (and horror) of the cotton candy burrito, here you go. You're welcome! It's horrible and wonderful looking all and once and I must have it. Creamberry LV has added this abomination to their menu full of other such terrible treats, including cookie shots filled with coffee/cocoa/milk, puffle cones, and rolled ice cream "tacos". Honestly, it all looks equally delicious and tooth-rotting, and you'll be seeing some fabulous drool-inducing pics from me.

Each season, the magical horticulturalists of the Bellagio create an awe-inspiring tribute to flowers and plants with a different theme. The Bellagio Conservatory is large and bright and totally free. It's open 24-hours a day and any time is a good time to see what has been created from different plants. Often there are fish in the pond and sometimes birds in an aviary, but it's always spectacular. Above is a picture I took from one of my last visits that was themed for The Year of the Dog of the Chinese New Year. At certain days and times they also host live performances, though I have somehow always missed them.

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In my quest to find new things that I've missed in the past, I discovered that Sam's Town Hotel & Gambling Hall has daily laser light shows in what they call the Mystic Falls Park. It's completely free and I love that inside looks like outside...and there's also a TGI Friday's on the premises, which I will never say no to.

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I'm a big fan of factory tours. I like to see how and where things are made. It's cool to me, so when I learned about Anderson Dairy and their free self-guided tours, I, of course, wanted to learn more. It reminded me quite a bit of the Tillamook Cheese Factory here in Oregon, except it will mostly be milk and not cheese. If you also like to see how things are made and headed to Vegas, don't forget to stop into Ethel M's Chocolate Factory Store.

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Okay, so this is absolutely my splurge item for this trip, but I've been waiting for it to open for at least 3 years now. The Haunted Museum is run by Zak Bagans of Ghost Adventures, which I detest as a show, but love as an idea for a museum. He has filled a historic home in Downtown Vegas with all the items he's collected over the years from his ghost-hunting journeys. Admission is steep at $44 per person, but you get to see terrifying items like the Dibbuk Box, which is said to be a containment unit for a demon. Now, I'm afraid of a lot of things, but I've been excited to visit this museum since I heard it was opening...and then there were no real updates until it was finally open. 

photo credit: Groupon

I adore all the street art around Las Vegas, but when it's a bazillion degrees out, the last thing you want to do is hang around outside more than you need to. I can still get my art fix though, at HeadzUp, the city's 3D art gallery that also houses an escape room and archery tag arena. 

Obviously, these won't be the only things I visit while in town for the week, between basketball game and visits with family, but these are on top of my list for sightseeing and eats. 

Tell me your favorite places to visit when in Las Vegas that you think I should experience!