How We Save Money by Bringing Food From Home
The simple food strategy we use on short budget trips to reduce restaurant spending without making the trip miserable.
On several of our cheapest trips, food was one of the easiest costs to control. Instead of buying every breakfast, coffee, snack and lunch after arrival, we carried food from home and used local spending for experiences that mattered more to us.
Where this worked for us
We used this strategy in London, the Lake District, the NC500 and Paris. On the Paris trip we even carried instant coffee mix, which meant we did not need to buy café drinks simply because we were tired or in a hurry.
What we usually carry
We focus on compact, easy-to-carry food that does not need complicated preparation: snacks, simple meal components and drinks or coffee we already know we will use.
When it makes the biggest difference
It works best on short trips, road trips and itineraries where you are moving between sights rather than sitting down for long restaurant meals. It is less useful if local food is one of the main reasons for the trip.
Our rule
We do not avoid all spending on food. We simply do not pay for food by default when carrying something ourselves gives us the same value.
Paris in 2 Days for About £120
London in 3 Days Under £200