Instructions designed to save money on your travel expenses, from your About.com Guide
Difficulty Level: easy Time Required: 60 minutes
Here's How:
- Does your hotel include breakfast in the rate? If so, eat as much as you can comfortably consume.
- If breakfast at the hotel is extra, visit a bakery instead. This gives you the chance to sample local specialties and spend very little.
- Breakfast can break the budget if you insist on eggs and ham in places where pastry is the norm. Adjust eating habits to destination habits.
- If you've had a big breakfast at the hotel, lunch can be a snack that will cost a few dollars. Again, sample a local specialty.
- If breakfast was pastry, consider assembling a picnic lunch purchased at a deli or market. Bread, cheese and fresh fruit make a filling lunch for a fraction of the restaurant costs.
- If you visit a restaurant, recognize that the same meal is often twice as expensive if eaten at a table. Opt for counter or "take away" service.
- If you follow the above steps, you should have $15-$25 remaining for dinner. Exceed that figure some nights, and stay below on others. That way, you can eat several "splurge" meals within budget.
- Find restaurants that provide both good local specialties and value. Guidebooks direct you to established leaders in this category.
- It pays to ask locals for recommendations, too. Guidebook information is not always current.
- When in doubt, order pizza. It is widely available and usually budget-priced.
- Remember that in many cultures, the mid-day meal is the "main" meal of the day. Restaurants are set up accordingly.
- Food is a key element in understanding a culture. Don't economize to the point that you miss the full experience.
- With the above in mind, avoid American fast-food abroad. It is often disappointing and expensive.
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