Beach Vacations Meal Savings Without "Cooking"

One of the best things about vacation is relaxing.  That's the whole point - relax and have fun!  Add SAVE MONEY to that mantra and you will not only have a thrifty good time but a fatter wallet when you return home.

I know there are the tried and true I WILL EAT OUT ALL THE TIME vacationers. Epicureans, bachelors, people who don't cook, New Yorkers ;)  But you can still save and eat out at the same time WITHOUT having to dirty on pan. You don't have to "cook".  Pick on meal a day to eat out. Eat the rest of the meals at home.  Shop for or bring with you milk, sodas, cereal, oatmeal, snacks, chips, fruit, salad fixin's, bread, condiments, hot dogs, buns and lunch meats. You will only need the microwave for a few of these items.

One rule I have and encourage is to EAT AT LOCAL RESTAURANTS.   Why on Earth am I driving ten hours to the beach to eat at Applebee's or McDonald's?  It makes the eating out experience that much more special if you go local. Support the community you are putting your money into.  We have one breakfast place we look forward to every year and it tastes better than anything from that iHop could ever make.  

1. Spend the money on a great home or condo. Staying in for meals in the home you rent will be much more appealing if it has something special that you don't get at your own home. Think about what you need to make your vacation ideal.  A quiet neighborhood? A private pool? Ocean front view? A spa tub? Once you figure that out, be willing to spend more for that luxury. We spend more money than we used to on a rental home that fit our requirements.  We are at the beach. A fantastic OCEAN VIEW is on the top of our list!  We used to get houses that were 2 or 3 blocks back that had a smidge of a view but we ate out more.  We realized that bumping up the budget for our home completely heightens the entire beach experience and we stay in more to appreciate the thing we came to see...the ocean!

2.  Research the area you are heading to online.  Google the town name and "restaurants" to get a plethora of online beach websites and menu samples as soon as you decide where you are going. Find out which ones have KIDS EAT FREE or half price. Look for the restaurant on Facebook and LIKE them. Leave a comment about how much you are looking forward to coming there. Post the day before you leave that you will "see them next week." When you do show up, tell them you are a Facebook friend and enjoy the updates, you will at the very least win their hearts and get better service and may even get a discount for being so supportive. We have made great bonds with the restaurants of our favorite beach town by this simple LIKE theory.

3.  Eat out only for one meal each day.  We love to eat breakfast out so that's where a majority of our food budget goes to.  Lunch is also a great way to get good hearty local meals but are up to 50% off the dinner prices, with the same big portions.  Most vacation town restaurants have EARLY BIRD specials.  Eat early so you can go home and enjoy the sunsets.  Choose a restaurant that has some local flair and highlights the areas natural beauty.

4. Buffet all the way.  It's the obvious way to get the most fresh local variety for the least cost.  Paying $20-$30 per person may sound like a lot up front.  But think of the variety you get! A steak, a lobster tail, shrimp and crab all on one plate! Any ONE of those dishes would cost you $20-$30 at a regular restaurant. Many of these buffets offer free or low cost meals for kids as well.  Make sure you go on a day where you have a light breakfast and super light lunch!

5. Don't waste money on alcohol and sodas. Now for the tough love. Let's be honest, we all love a cocktail with dinner on vacation! But a simple glass of wine with appetizer easily turns into two or a beer with dinner turns into 3.  You can pay for a full bottle of wine or 12 pack of beer for everyone to enjoy at home for the same cost. Drinking at home makes safe sense too. Liquor your self up without having to drive anywhere. Get as loud as you want without a waitress booting your drunk buns out.

Everyone should be drinking water with eat out meals too.   A family of six that gets sodas and milk at a restaurant meal spends as much as a gallon of milk and a 12 pack of soda cans that lasts more than a few gulps. 

Now go make a no cook sandwich, sit on that deck and soak up some rays.