When planning a trip, you often allocate most of your budget to basic vacation necessities: hotel accommodation, transportation, tour costs, and admission fees. Unless food tripping is a major part of your visit, you tend to cut down on dining costs when drafting your budget. The heart of your trip is to discover new sights, not to splurge on fancy meals, right?
Food costs, however, tend to eat up your money (pun intended) without you noticing it. You may find yourself getting hungrier than usual after a tour. Your curiosity and hunger may cause you to reach for your wallet when you see and smell local street foods you can’t find anywhere else. Your kids may throw tantrums if you refuse to buy them outside food (because they hate the food you packed for them).
And just like that, your travel budget is ruined.
Well aside from having a realistic budget for food, you should also explore ways to eat cheaply. Check out these food hacks that might be helpful for your next travel.
1. Find accommodation with a kitchen
When looking for places to lodge, pay attention to how you can prepare food from your room. Staying in hotels, condos, or serviced apartments with a kitchen can do wonders for your budget, especially if you’re planning a longer stay. Some properties are also equipped with kitchen utensils and tableware for your convenience.
You can simply buy local ingredients and cook meals in the comfort of your temporary home. Next to being cost-efficient, cooking your own food is also healthier than eating out. However, if you have the budget, nothing compares to your stay at luxury chalet rentals like Val D'Isere Chalets.
Read more : cut down on dining costs
2. Make the most out of the hotel appliances
So your budget hotel of choice doesn’t have a fully-equipped kitchen? Well, let’s move on to the next trick: making the most out of the hotel appliances.
When picking a room, see the in-room amenities available. You’ll need an electric kettle, coffee maker, microwave, fridge, and iron.
- Electric kettle: Next to making hot drinks, hot water can also be used when cooking instant noodles, soups, oatmeals, and other hot meals.
- Coffee maker: Aside from making coffee (duh), you can also use the coffee maker for boiling eggs and steaming vegetables.
- Microwave: More than reheating leftovers and popping popcorn, microwave can be used to actually cook a new, tasty dish. There are endless meals you won’t believe you can make in a microwave, including lasagna, baked potato, fish, eggs, and chicken dishes. Just make sure you have a microwavable container, like ceramic mugs and bowls.
- Fridge: Next to drinks and candy bars, you can stock grocery goods inside the fridge.
- Iron: You might be surprised but you can actually use this tool to toast some bread. Make a simple cheese sandwich, wrap it in foil, fire up that iron, and press that sandwich. Voila! You have a lovely panini.
3. Choose a hotel with free breakfast
The last thing you want to happen is to leave the hotel and embark on a long trip with an empty stomach. If an accommodation property doesn’t have a free meal, skip it. You’ll find better deals somewhere else. Whether it’s a hearty set meal with unlimited coffee and juice or a full-packed breakfast buffet, a free breakfast can do wonders not just for your budget but also for your overall travel experience.
4. Opt for a heavy brunch
Speaking of breakfasts, make sure you fill yourself up so you won’t have to spend a dollar on a heavy meal during lunchtime. If possible, time your first meal in between regular breakfast and lunch hours. Skip the cereals or the pancake + coffee combo - opt for heavy meals loaded in protein, carbs, fruits, and veggies.
5. Hoard free food from the buffet
Don’t leave the hotel empty-handed. It’s okay to take some bread, butter, cheese, beverages, and other continental breakfast staples. Take advantage of other hotel freebies too, like candies, complimentary water bottles, packets of tea, coffee, sugar, salt, pepper, and catsup, wine, cookies, crackers, and other munchies.
Instead of buying another overpriced snack on the road, you can tide your hunger with these free snacks. Just make sure you only take what you need. We’re not savages here.
6. Ask for hotel happy hours
Most travelers warn against drinking if you’re trying to save money. But hey, what’s a vacation without a hint of booze, right? Enjoy nice drinks while saving money by hunting for happy hours where you can score heavily discounted beers and cocktails. You should also check if your hotel has happy hours, where you can drink and enjoy live entertainment for free!
7. See if you have rewards you can claim
Are you planning to stay in a hotel you patronize? Are you a member of their loyalty program? Do you always use your credit card for purchases? Check if you are eligible for rewards. You can claim a free chef-quality meal or even a free stay for a night or two.
Author Bio: Carmina Natividad is a content writer during the weekends, and a travel and food blogger 24/7. She may be an awkward introvert but she’s got a lot to say about travel, food, and cultural appreciation. To know more about hotels and travel blogs, you may visit PREMIER SUITES Ballsbridge.
