I Can’t Afford to Travel - Tips On Eating Cheaper

Now that you have saved money on a flight and a place to stay, the third expense to worry about when traveling is eating. Food is something we all need to survive and when traveling it can be an expense that adds up. Here are some tips that will help with saving money when traveling and eating. Now I am a diabetic and vegetarian, so my eating habits are a bit different but these tips should still apply.

Do some research

Doing research is important for anything you need to accomplish, food is no different. When doing your research pay attention to restaurants styles you enjoy. Look up how much the ideal budget is for where you are visiting. Look up food that are native to the region. This will allow you to experience possibly something new, but also the native food tends to be more abundant which makes it cheaper. Know where the tourist spots are when doing your research. Most of the eateries and restaurants around the tourist spots tend to be a bit more expensive due to the fact of convenience. A great place to check out is tripadvisor.

Follow the Locals

When we were staying in the row of hotels in Cartagena’s Bocagrande were surrounded by many restaurants, all geared towards tourist who had come from the cruise ships. The prices were high and the food was just average. At that point we decided to start following the locals. We find a place that had all the locals surrounding it. That must mean it is good. We were correct. The food was cheap and amazing, as well as something different. So going where all the locals are is a great way to save money and eat something good and different.

Local Markets

The local markets are great place to get a cheaper meal. A lot of the local markets sell food, but even so, you can taste some of the fruits/vegetables and other produce. Some markets even have places to eat for cheap due to the fact the produce is right there. Vendors tend to be people who made their food from home and set up there to sell. In a Mercado in Bogota named Plaza de Ferias I found tamale stand, fruit juice and fruit salad vendor as well we a general food restaurant.

The local market is also a great way get some food for you stay. Pick up some great fruits and vegetables and there you go. You have food for your stay. Fruits are vegetables are a great way to get food without needing a kitchen.

Super Markets

So perhaps you took the suggestion and rented an apartment your are in a hostel with a kitchen. And that apartment has a kitchen? Well go to the supermarket. If you could not find the food you needed at the local market, or could not find the local market then hit up the supermarket. This is a great place to get all the food you need for your place with a kitchen. Eating at home is a great way to save money.

The supermarket is also a great place to be able to get snacks. You can buy bulk snacks to save on money. Because snacking on the go can add up and get expensive. If buy bulk snacks like granola bars, peanuts, candy bar or just apples you have a snack when you out exploring the city.

Take advantage of your Hotel

If you checked into a hotel, take advantage of the free breakfast. The breakfast in the morning can make the difference. I always try to book into a hotel that has free breakfast as it allows for me to not worry about the food in the morning and it also shaves off on the budget for eating.

Eat street food

That is right, I said eat street food. I get it all the time, “dont eat the street food, it isn’t safe” My time in Indonesia, all I ate was street food. It was the best food I had, and most of it went for about $2 for a full meal. Even better, I never got sick from it. Even goes to say when eating truck food in San Francisco or any other city for that matter. As long as it is cooked it should be fine.

Eat at a buffet

This is especially true when traveling to to Las Vegas, buffets are a great option to eat. You can pay one price and fill up as much as you can. There are plenty of places here you can eat at a buffet and also fill up your purse or pocket as well… kind of. If you wan to make a mess in there. But don’t throw buffets to the wayside.

Conclusion

Eating at Markets, shopping the supermarket, eating where the locals eat and eating street food. These are all great ways to save yourself some money when traveling. Also a great way to get to know local food better. Make sure you do your research before hand so you are well armed.

Have you ever been sick from eating abroad? Am I wrong about street food or food in general? Have an amazing food story to share? Do you have a question? Ask me, leave a comment below, send me a tweet on twitter using, or post on my facebook. Heck even send us a message. Let me know if you have more questions. Happy travels.