Money-saving tips for eating

As I mentioned in one of my first posts on the blog, and of course as we all know, money is a crucial aspect of traveling - both in the planning and while we are actually at our destinations. Here are some money-saving tips I discovered along my European travel. With the dollar getting worse by the day, those of us who like to travel on a controlled budget need all the help we can get! Some of these are more common sense than anything else, but I'll just mention all the ones I can think of and hopefully something might help you save a little money on your next trip when it's meal time!

• Eat big lunches. We found, especially in Mediterranean countries, a lot of restaurants offered multi-course lunch specials for around 10 euros or even less. The few times we did this, we were so full we could eat lighter at dinner (and avoid a late afternoon snack), when things are more expensive.

• Ask for tap water (in countries where it's safe, of course). In Europe, the norm is bottled water. But some places will give you tap water, if you ask. Good phrase books tell you how to ask for it in various languages. Also, if you want to try wine, drink the house wine. Sometimes it was so cheap, and even cheaper to get a small carafe or bottle of the house wine than a glass!!

• Eat street food. Many cities are famous for certain kinds of street food. NYC and Copenhagen have the hot dog. Brussels has fries and waffles. Just to name a couple. For just a few dollars you can have a delicious - and authentic - lunch or snack. We made a lunch one day in Brussels out of a big cone of the best fries you've ever had, a waffle, and some free samples from the chocolate shops. Total was about 5 euros, but the memories of the deliciousness are priceless!
  

• Take your food and drinks standing up and pay attention to other potential surcharges. In several countries including Spain and Italy, there are extra costs for sitting or sitting outside. In Barcelona, several restaurants' menus listed a full 15% surcharge for eating outside and in tapas bars, it is cheaper if you sit and eat the bar than have a table with a waiter! In Italy, if you take your coffee drink at the bar instead of sitting down, it will cost less, and it is the same in some restaurants. Sometimes the same is true if you take your food for takeaway - especially at bakeries and delis.
  

• In many countries in Europe, the stuff they put on your table is NOT free!! In Portugal, they sometimes put olives, cheeses, breads, and all kinds of other things on our table. If you don't touch it, you don't pay. But if you eat one olive or one slice of bread, you pay. In Italy, if they put the bread basket on the table, you pay whether you want it or not. So learn the customs of the country you're going and if necessary, tell them you don't want whatever it is they're trying to push on your table.

• Eat as much as you can at your hotel's breakfast. I noticed that in my hotels that had good buffet breakfasts, I ate lunch later, which let me save some money on the most expensive dinner. It also saved me money I might have spent on mid-morning snacks. If you can, you can even snag a piece of fruit or pastry for later!
  

• Visit the local markets. Not only does visiting local markets and supermarkets introduce you to the places' cultures and let you see how the locals really live their daily lives, so you can see the products they use, their prices, etc., but if you buy some snacks to keep in the hotel room and to take with you on sight-seeing you can save a lot of money - especially on water! Buy a couple of really cheap bottles in the supermarket, take a small one with you in your daybag every day, and save a ton of money on bottled water when you get thirsty during sightseeing! Sometimes, local markets and delis have great sandwiches (in Italy, they also sell fresh pizza!). For just a few dollars you can get a great breakfast or lunch and eat like the locals! This is also great for traveling days: pack a meal for the plane or train with stuff from the local market or supermarket and save on the high costs in airports and train stations!

• As a corollary to the previous tip - picnic! I went to the great Naschmarkt street market in Vienna and for about 10-15 euros, I picked up enough snacks and goodies for 2 full picnic lunches and loads of fresh, yummy, local snacks that lasted me for days! (see picture, click for larger). Plus, picnicking also gives you a great - FREE - way to sightsee... people-watching!

• Order the daily specials. In a lot of places, there's a blackboard with the things that are fresh that day. You can save a lot of money because these are the house dishes, the dishes using the freshest in-season ingredients, so they are also probably the best ones too. I admit I'm not too adventurous an eater and did not partake in many of these specials, but I did notice that they were often less expensive than regular menu items.

• Don't over-tip. A lot of places around the world, the tip or "service" is included. Check the menu or if in doubt, ask your waiter. If it's included, there's usually no need to tip extra. My rule of thumb was to leave an extra Euro with my payment if the service was good. If you tip the way the locals do, you're fitting in better AND saving a little money with each sit-down meal!
  

• This one may seem obvious - but get off the beaten track and away from the tourist areas. Food costs a lot less - and is often better and more authentic - if you go where the locals go. Ask the people at your hotel for tips on places that offer good quality at good value - they live there and are in the tourism business, so they often have great tips and suggestions for places to eat.

• You do not HAVE to have a multi-course meal! This is something I notice that comes up especially in Italy, but other places too. For some reason, a lot of people think they have to order a pasta and a main course or an antipasti and a main course. I don't think that's necessary at all and I got no funny stares for not ordering it. Several times I ordered a salad and pasta or just a pizza or a pizza and a little antipasto from the bar (aka, some olives or vegetables, not much), or a light appetizer like bruschetta or fettunta (traditional garlic bread) that only costs a few euros. No one will think less of you, and they don't do doggie bags, so you should only order what you want to eat, not what you think is expected.
  

Hopefully something here helps you save a little bit of money next time you enjoy a meal on vacation. Of course, this just scratches the surface of ways to save money, but they're some of the things I learned in my own experience. Please comment and share your own money-saving tips and soon I'll post some more tips about saving money in your planning and sight-seeing!