When I travel I don’t try to save money on sightseeing. I will pay whatever I have to in order to see the sights that I have always dreamed about. The Great Wall anyone?
I will try to get cheaper tickets to a show at the Moulin Rouge, but if I have to pay the full price, I won’t fret over it. How often do you get to go to the Moulin Rouge after all?
Shopping is just too much fun to go cheap because the shopping experience in different countries is just unforgettable. At least for spenders like me.
Food, however, is a different story. Food should not be your biggest expense during your travels. You can save quite a bit on food if you know one simple trick. I’ve learned it over the years of travel and this trick has never failed me.
Eat where the locals eat… because they eat in places that travel books will never mention.
Finding those places will require a lot of walking. It also means walking away from the high-tourism areas, and venturing out into the side streets, and sometimes even to the outskirts of towns.
It might not sound exciting and even frightening. I completely agree that unknown places can be scary. Depending on the location, you will have to exercise some caution, of course. Venturing into the unknown is one of my favorite adventures.
It never hinders:
– To discover local eateries (some of them can truly be gems)
– To eat much better food (you might be surprise how well some local chefs can cook)
– To pay much lower prices (sometimes half price!) than in any touristy area
– To get directions to other similar good eateries
– To find out about local events
– To support local businesses
– To have fun
It is unavoidable to stumble upon something that you will not like. Or something that will look scary or unsanitary. It has happened to me plenty of times! Don’t be afraid and don’t give up. Keep looking!
Travel is all about experiencing local cultures. That means food!
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[…] This post is part of Yakezie blog swap #17. Members of the Yakezie Personal Finance Blogging Network pair up and exchange guest postings on a common topic. The topic of this blog swap was to discuss the best budget travel idea. Jana is the owner and writer of Daily Money Shot, a personal finance site (and one of my favorite blogs!) that discusses money at the intersection of life, family, pop culture and everything in between. If you are interested in what I had to say about budget travel, make sure to visit Daily Money Shot. I am talking about how to be food wise when travelling! […]
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[…] Broken Coin tells us to Be food wise when traveling at Daily Money […]
“Eat where the locals eat..” Totally Agree! All you have to do is ask.
Tushar@EverythingFinance recently posted…Mutual Fund or ETF?
I definitely agree with eating at local places, usually cheaper and much tastier!
Michelle recently posted…Oh Valentine’s Day
This is one of my favorite tips. I always try to find the best hidden spot in the neighborhood I’m visiting. Makes me feel less like a tourist.
John | Married With Debt recently posted…The Best Travel Tip I Ever Learned
Yes, this is how I feel. You kind of blend in with locals and sometimes even make friends. 🙂
Aloysa @ My Broken Coin recently posted…The Best Travel Secret Ever? Off-Peak Travel.
I love eating at the local places. We ate all kind of street food and it’s tons of fun. It’s a little intimidating to order when you don’t know what the menu said though.
retirebyforty recently posted…My Tax Return As A Resume
I would it street food but in when we were in China, we didn’t dare. Some of it just looked plains cary. Sheep penis anyone? I am not kidding!
Aloysa @ My Broken Coin recently posted…The Best Travel Secret Ever? Off-Peak Travel.
I’m all about the food, especially street food! I like to go both extremes though, when I travel I might do one day of just street food and snacks but the next day I want to find a Michelin rated restaurant. If you spend $3 on food one day, you can spend $45 the next, right?
American Debt Project recently posted…How to Become Financially Healthy and Stop Overspending
Yes, overall you still save, right? 🙂
Aloysa @ My Broken Coin recently posted…The Best Travel Secret Ever? Off-Peak Travel.
I am a local food fan too. My wife is a bigger one though. She does all research and I do the paying 🙂
SB @ One Cent At A Time recently posted…The Best Travel Advice I Ever Received, Walk
Absolutely! but some of the local foods are just so scary even when there’s a lot of locals eating those.
I’ve tried Balut from the Philippines, have you? This one looks nasty, but it’s not that bad.
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