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The budget for food can be one of the most expensive parts of any vacation, and many travelers underestimate how much they will spend on food while traveling and end up busting their budget as a result. There are a number of ways to keep the food budget under control while still enjoying delicious, satisfying and healthy meals.

For many people, good food is a large part of the travel experience, and sampling the local cuisine should be a goal of every traveler to a foreign location. Saving money on food does not mean skimping or missing out on the special food that makes many regions of the United States, Europe, Asia and other destinations so special.Smart Tips Budgeting Food For Travel Saving Money
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It is important to eat a healthy and hearty breakfast every day while traveling. Many hotels include a daily breakfast in their room rate, and if this is available it is important to take advantage of the perk. Starting each morning with a healthy breakfast will give you the energy you need for walking around and seeing the sights, and it will help deter you from splurging on expensive and unhealthy snacks before it is time for lunch.

Lunch can be a very important meal when traveling, and it is the best time to get the most value from some of the finest restaurants in your destination city. While lunches in the working world are often rushed affairs eaten quickly, or even in the car on the way back to work, vacation lunches can be long, restful, relaxing and delicious. If there is an expensive restaurant you’ve been itching to splurge at, why not head there for lunch instead of dinner? You get the same great food, often at a significantly lower price.

One great way to sample the local cuisine and save money at the same time is to eat where the local people do. Ask the staff at your hotel for recommendations of restaurants they eat at. Restaurants with a large concentration of locals are usually high quality and low priced destinations.

Eating dinner or lunch in ethnic neighborhoods is another way to sample the local cuisine and culture while saving lots of money. Sampling the food in the local Chinatown, Korea town, Little Italy, Little Saigon or similar neighborhood is a great way to meet local people and enjoy some great food, For a quick pick me up or snack, try packing a few granola bars, a bag of trail mix or a few pieces of fruit in your backpack or purse before you head out for the day. These items can be bought inexpensively at local markets or grocery stores.

A quick trip to the local grocery store for supplies can be a great way to save money while traveling. For instance, many travelers will spend a half hour at the local grocery store, stocking up on bottled water, cereal and other low cost foods. Keeping those foods and water on hand in the hotel room is a great way to save money on eating.

Having your own picnic is another great way to both have a great time and save money on food while traveling. Try packing a picnic lunch and enjoy the spectacular views as you hike to your favorite spot in the mountains. Or pack a romantic dinner for two and head for the local outdoor concert. Picnics are great, and very memorable ways to enhance any vacation experience.

There is no doubt that airfare is one of the biggest expenses of any vacation. Airfare costs can easily represent at leas half of the total cost of a vacation, and if you do not get the best possible deal on airfare it is easy to go over budget. There are some important strategies for getting the best deal on airfares, and this article discusses some of our favorites, One of the things I have learned over the years is that it is almost always less expensive to fly out of the larger airports than the smaller regional ones.

While this is not always the case, and it is not true of every small airport, most larger airports have far more airlines competing for passengers. As we know, more competition generally equals lower prices for passengers.How To Get A Great Airfare Deals Cheap Flights
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Many of the larger airports are also home to the low cost carriers that have been such a phenomenon in the industry. While Southwest, Jet Blue and some of the other low cost carriers serve smaller airports, many are left out. The great thing about the incursion of these low cost carriers is that they drive down the prices of the major airlines as well.

So, even if you don’t like the open seating, peanuts only policy of a low cost carrier like Southwest, chances are you can still score a good deal at an airport they serve, even on one of the old line air carriers. Of course the problem with flying out of major airports is getting there. Many people are in the same situation I am. That is, they have a small, regional airport nearby, with a couple of major airports a few hours drive away.

What I do every time I need to fly is compare the cost of flying out of my close regional airport to the price I can get if I fly out of a major city. While I have been able to score some excellent deals from my regional airport, in most cases the difference in fare has been at least $200. I then must weigh the costs of that cheaper ticket against the convenience of local flying.

Usually it makes sense to head to the large airport, particularly if I am buying more than one ticket. At a $200 price differential, it is easy to see how much money can be saved for a family traveling together. One great trick that too few people take advantage of is booking an airport hotel for the night before your flight.  This is especially valuable for those early morning flights and saves you having to get up in the middle of the night and hit the highway. Instead, head down the night before, get a good night’s sleep and take the airport’s shuttle right to the airport door.

The extra added bonus of this approach is that in most cases these airport hotels allow their guests to leave their cars at the hotel for the duration of the vacation. In many cases this service is free with the hotel stay, and even in cases where there is a few involved it is usually much lower than comparable parking at the airport. So instead of paying $10, $15 or even $20 a day to park at the airport, you have a safe, well lighted place for your car during the trip, plus a comfortable place to spend the night. I honestly don’t know why more people don’t take advantage of this great way to save big bucks on both airfare and parking costs.

The rental car can be a big vacation expense, and getting the best deal you can on the transportation you need is important to keeping your vacation fun while staying within budget, One way to keep costs as low as possible, of course, is to choose the smallest, most economical car you and your family are comfortable with. Choosing a compact, subcompact or economy car makes sense on a number of levels. For one thing, such cars are generally less expensive to rent in the first place.

The other important consideration, however, is gas mileage. You as the renter of the car will be responsible for keeping it gassed up, including topping off the tank before returning it. Buying a car that gets great mileage will definitely help your travel budget stretch farther. How To Getting The Best Deal on Rental Car ?
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If you need a larger car or minivan, it is important to shop around for the best deal you can find. While it is important to shop around no matter what type of car you are considering, it is even more important when trying to rent vehicles for which there is a lot of demand, like convertibles, minivans or SUV’s. Shopping around at a number of travel related web sites, as well as at the web sites of the rental companies themselves, is usually the best way to land the best deal.

The length of the rental can have a large impact on the cost as well. Weekly rentals are often far less costly than a comparable daily rate spread over a week. So if your vacation plans are for a week or more, be sure to inquire about special rates.

Joining a frequent renter club, or using the same rental car company each time, is a great way to get some special coupons and some very good deals. In addition, most car rental companies partner with at least one airline to provide frequent flyer miles or other types of rewards when you rent a car. In addition, many airlines run bonus programs where you get extra miles or extra credit, so be sure to inquire about these bonuses when making your reservation.

Another great way to save money and keep your rental car budget low is not to buy things you do not need. In most cases, this means waiving the optional collision insurance coverage offered by the rental car company. Many rental car companies really push this insurance, but in most cases you are already covered and can safely decline it.

For instance, most automobile insurance policies already provide collision coverage for rental cars, so be sure to check with your car insurance company before starting to plan your vacation. Even if your insurance company does not cover your rental car, chances are one of your credit card companies does. Many credit cards provide coverage for rental cars paid for with the card, so be sure to check with your credit card company to see if they provide this coverage.

Another method to keep rental car costs to a minimum, and one that many people are unaware of, is renting a used car. There are a number of large national companies, and a number of smaller local companies as well, that rent used cars at a much lower price than comparable new cars. In most cases, these cars are only a few years old, and they provide the same protection, and the same transportation as more costly new cars.

Many people do not realize how important packing light is to budget travel, but I can tell you from personal experience that it is very important. Trust me – if you over pack, you are much more likely to drop extra money on porters, luggage carts, taxis and all those other little costs that could be avoided if you just packed more sensibly. Even though those costs can seem insignificant, they can really add up, especially on a long, multiple city trip

Think of it this way – while a traveler with just a backpack or small carryon will be comfortable taking the inexpensive city bus into town, the traveler loaded up with several suitcases will need to opt for a much more expensive taxi ride. It is easy to see the impact proper packing can have for the budget traveler, so we present some light packing tips borne of personal experience.
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This 9 Tips How To Packing Light For Travel

1. Try to avoid checking bags whenever possible. If you can live out of your carryon, you will be much better off. Not checking a bag means no wait at the baggage carousel, and that means you can get into town and start having fun while everyone else is still waiting for their bag.
2. Airlines have gotten much more strict lately with carryon limits, with most major carriers now allowing only one carryon plus a purse or other personal item. To make the most of this policy, carry a large purse and pack it with extra items, like toiletries or cosmetics, that would otherwise take up valuable luggage space.
3. Wear your largest shoes and bulkiest clothing on the plane to preserve space in the suitcase. For instance, a pair of hiking boots or sneakers can take up valuable luggage space, so pack your smaller dress shoes and wear your boots or sneakers on the plane. In addition, you will appreciate having comfortable shoes as you make your way through the airport.
4. Plan your outfits carefully to minimize the pieces needed. A stylish black skirt or pair of pants can easily be made into several outfits with some creative accessories and a couple of nice shirts. Pack small items like a scarf, a tie or favorite pieces of jewelry to give your outfits a new look without taking up a lot of room.
5. Try packing a large oversized t-shirt in place of a bulky bathrobe. An oversized shirt can be great for wearing right out of the shower, and it can double as quick cover up after a visit to the hotel pool.
6. Invest in a quality pair of stylish yet comfortable walking shoes. Shoes that are comfortable and attractive can be paired with a variety of outfits for a different look. Since shoes take up more space in the suitcase than many other items, it is best to choose versatile footwear when traveling.
7. Try rolling clothes instead of folding them. Rolling clothes allows you to pack more clothes into a smaller space, and helps keep clothes wrinkle free as well.
8. Stock up on small sample sized products like shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste deodorant. Many seasoned travelers keep a bag of such tiny soaps, shampoos and conditioners (gathered from hotels during previous journeys) in a bag at home for quick packing.
9. Pack a large but foldable extra bag in your suitcase, and use this bag to carry the purchases and souvenirs you buy on the return trip.