INTRODUCTION to budget traveling AND eating healthy
1. Pack a cooler with ice - This can including drinks that you would normally purchase at a gas station which is 3 times the price for unit. It can also include ingredients for making sandwiches (i.e. turkey breast, cheese and mustard)
2. Pack a bag with snacks - Sometimes when you make stops to fill up on gas, you are tempted to go inside and buy a candy bar or a small bag of chips. To resist the temptation of loading up on unhealthy snacks or even stopping to grab a bite to eat at a fast food place, head over to your local grocery store or walmart and stock up on some good-for-you treats like granola bars, crackers, and fruit like apples, oranges or bananas.
3. Designate a certain amount of cash for only travel days - With having a handy dandy credit card along for the ride, you are more tempted to spend money by charging for little things here and there. To help conserve money, take out say, 200 dollars and put it in an envelope labeled "gas money" so you aren't as tempted to grab for a couple twenties whenever you feel like it.
4. Check in with some distant relatives to stay at their place a night - My fiancé and I saved a TON of money by checking in with family and spending the night there while on our way up the east coast to Maine instead of wasting trip money on hotels. Not only do you save up some cash, but you are able to see and catch up with family that you normally wouldn't get to see except on weddings, holidays, and/or family reunions. If you do spend a night or two at your great aunt's or with some cousins, make sure to leave or send a polite thank you letter for allowing them to host you.
5. Plan certain adventures or activities that may be a little pricey, and then budget the rest of your spending money around it. - For instance, on our trip to New Hampshire and Maine, I really wanted to go whale watching, but I had to keep in mind it was around $40 a person. So, we packed up snack lunches, our own drinks and snacks to save money on eating out and we did the whale watching trip as the entire day activity. Once we got back we could have went to the local downtown area and had some drinks, and dinner which would have cost a small fortune, so instead we went down to the beach and made a simple dinner back at the house.
It's important to enjoy yourself and relax on vacation. It's a one time trip and you're suppose to spend some of your hard earned cash, but if you're nervous about spending a little too much, these 5 steps will help put some money back in your pocket so you're able to have ever lasting impressions throughout your vacation.
