Have you ever taken a family vacation, chock full of planned activities, only to realize that a few days into it you’re running low on cash? How did this happen? The one thing you did not consider was the extra cost of meals and drinks. Since food is not optional on vacation, the next time you’ll be sure to cover your bases and plan ahead.
It doesn’t end there, though. In addition to economizing on food expenses, you can also enhance your vacation savings by a selecting a hotel in Norcross, Georgia, that fits your budget. If you don’t want to have to come home early, disappointed, or in debt, here are few ideas to help get the most out of your food budget while on vacation.
Preventative Shopping
It’s reasonable to look for a snack while you and the family are trekking about. How about planning ahead and packing some of your favorite snacks for the trip, and to enjoy while at your destination?
It’s no secret that snack prices at local tourist haunts are often significantly inflated. It won’t take time before you’ve spent a good chunk of your budget on chips, drinks, and the like. A little planning and shopping before you leave home goes a long way. Stock up on easy-to-transport and dish-out treats like dried fruit, cereal bars, and trail mix or mixed nuts.
Breakfast Is Not Optional
As they say, breakfast is the most important meal of the day — so you want to make sure that everyone is fueled up for the day’s activities. Eating breakfast out can definitely get costly so to combat this challenge, chose a hotel that offers free breakfast. When there are protein, fruits, or vegetable options, take advantage of them. You might even pick up extra pieces of fruit to take out with you.
Make Yourself at Home
Sure, you’re on vacation. You wanted to get away from the everyday mundane tasks. But here’s a great way to economize on your food expenses — choose a hotel with a kitchenette. When you arrive at your destination, locate a good local store and buy groceries to create healthy meals for the duration of your trip. And you know those snacks you picked up earlier? Now you have somewhere to store them.
Staying Hydrated
All that walking around can make you dehydrated, even if you don’t realize it. When you do decide to eat out, opt for water Instead of soda, wine, or beer. Those choices are costly and only provide excess calories and sugar. They don’t do a thing to quench your thirst or rehydrate you. Water is free. Take advantage of it.
There are many other ways to save on vacation food costs, such as using coupons, applying membership discounts, and much more. Incorporating a few of these suggestions will go far in reserving your hard-earned cash for all the things that will create great memories of your family vacation.