The non Frugal Meca

saint tim · 05-14-2008, 10:29 AM

I'm in Orlando for work, more precisely I am at one of many the Disney Resorts. i must admit, it is killing me to be here. Granted I am getting reimbursed for all my expenses but I'm still having a hard time. I normally wouldn't eat a cheese burger for lunch much less a 12 dollar cheese burger. it's insane here. It's a huge consumer waste land. I think how cool it would be if my kids were here with me but then I think that we'd be spending a 100 on each meal... it's just not in me.

I just needed to say that.

khorrell · 05-14-2008, 10:50 AM

Have at it, Tim...

I'm glad you're able to expense it.

lucille · 05-14-2008, 11:24 AM

My husband is sort of going through the same thing. He has a full week in DC for work coming up. He gets travel and a per diem but the prices for things in DC has him rather crabby about the trip.

I have the same headache every time we are in Chicago for something. Travel and hotel costs are nothing compared to how fast you get nickel and dimed on things like food. When we travel with our kids it is exponentially worse. Then add some dietary restrictions on top and it is a total pain.

Something I did on our last Chicago trip to help keep costs down was to figure out where a few things were nearby before we left. We knew where we were staying. I used google's saved map feature to search for various things nearby. I was able to find a couple of Starbucks and Caribou Coffee locations and a handful of grocery stores like Trader Joe's and some indie gourmet grocery stores. All of those I listed can be expensive but compared to something like hotel food they are dirt cheap. A takeway sandwich or salad etc. from a gourmet grocery is usually cheaper than eating in a restaurant. Hitting Caribou or Starbucks for breakfast even with kids in tow is far cheaper than breakfast at a hotel.

rstlne · 05-14-2008, 12:38 PM

I get that way too when I'm on vacation because it's hard to control expenses when every meal is eating out. However, I think for a once in a while vacation, it would be okay to loosen the purse strings a little. When I went to Delaware last December, there were some fairly inexpensive choices at least.

saint tim · 05-15-2008, 08:40 AM

When we go on family trips we always try and stay off the beaten path. I'm all about avoiding the touristy areas and finding the local flavor. You save money and you can experience a town for what it really is and what the city officials wish it was.
I also like to haul our own food around. the kids hate it but we don't eat fast food normally or packaged food so we always have a cooler in tote.

engchik · 05-15-2008, 09:28 AM

As a former magazine editor and event planner, I was on the road 2 weeks out of every month. I would splurge on a lot of food b/c i knew i'd get reinbursed. I also would get into the vacation mindset and hit up the spa, the malls, whatever touristy things and then realized one day that if i just treated myself to one spa trip a year and not every time i traveled i wouldn't be 5K in the hole. So i stopped that practice. Also stopped eating a 3-4 course meal 2 times a day when i traveled, just water, salad and dessrt once in a while was all i needed. i saved $$. paid off my debt. lost some weight!!!

gt0163c · 05-17-2008, 06:54 PM

I used to travel very regularly for business. Partly because I wanted to save my per diem money for other things and partly because I got really sick of eating out, especially eating out by myself, I developed a lot of ways around eating out. Most of the time I was able to get a hotel room with at least a small refrigerator and microwave and most of the facilities where I was working had at least that. So, as soon as possible after checking in I would hit a grocery store. I bought supplies that I needed including plasticware, disposable plastic containers and plastic bags. They're not the most economical nor environmentally friendly, but my options were limited. I tried not to eat too many "tv dinners", instead relying on some very simple recipes that required only microwaving at most. I ate a lot of a rice and beans dish (Uncle Bens Ready Rice and canned black beans) with salsa and cheese. That was actually one of my favorite dishes, especially in Buffalo in the middle of the winter when I was working nights. It was something warm and filling that tasted pretty good and kept me going for the rest of my shift. I also always picked up some fruit and granola bars or other snack things to help keep me away from the grocery stores. Sometimes I got a loaf of bread and lunch meat or peanut butter to make sandwiches. I didn't always finish all of the food that I bought, but it was still cheaper than eating at restaurants all the time. And I was often able to pass the leftovers on to someone I was working with. And the prepared meals from a grocery store deli (even not a high end or gourmet deli) helped out a lot. The food wasn't necessarily the most healthy, but it was usually better than most restaurants and I did save money.

Now, when I go on vacations, I usually bring at least oatmeal so that I can eat breakfast in my room. Sometime I bring or get peanut butter, bread and apples as well so that I can pack a lunch. I actually prefer eating out only one meal a day (sometimes a big lunch and then the sandwich for dinner). Otherwise I end up eating way too much, feeling very overfull and spending a lot more money. I do usually end up buying and eating snacks (especially at like Disney or other theme parks), but those are less expensive than eating full meals. It's not a strategy for everyone, but it does work well for me.

Ronni · 05-17-2008, 08:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saint tim

I'm in Orlando for work, more precisely I am at one of many the Disney Resorts. i must admit, it is killing me to be here. Granted I am getting reimbursed for all my expenses but I'm still having a hard time. I normally wouldn't eat a cheese burger for lunch much less a 12 dollar cheese burger. it's insane here. It's a huge consumer waste land. I think how cool it would be if my kids were here with me but then I think that we'd be spending a 100 on each meal... it's just not in me.

I just needed to say that.

Curious as to where you're finding the $12 cheeseburger? As far as I know, you can go to one of the walk-up counters and get pretty good food for nowhere near that expensive. Just avoid The Electric Umbrella in Epcot. Theres is not so good.

Then again, I haven't been there since 2005, maybe the walk-ups ARE that expensive now.

And I wouldn't call Disney a wasteland. It's a fantasyland.

People go there knowing full well they're going to spend money, and even though I'm more frugal than not, Disney is special for me. It makes me happy. I guess it's my MAJOR guilty pleasure.

Ronni · 05-17-2008, 08:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lucille

I have the same headache every time we are in Chicago for something. Travel and hotel costs are nothing compared to how fast you get nickel and dimed on things like food.

Try living here. *sigh* I'm still in sticker shock 80% of the time.

05-14-2008, 10:29 AM	#1
saint tim Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Lee's Summit, MO Posts: 33 Reputation: (12)	The non Frugal Meca I'm in Orlando for work, more precisely I am at one of many the Disney Resorts. i must admit, it is killing me to be here. Granted I am getting reimbursed for all my expenses but I'm still having a hard time. I normally wouldn't eat a cheese burger for lunch much less a 12 dollar cheese burger. it's insane here. It's a huge consumer waste land. I think how cool it would be if my kids were here with me but then I think that we'd be spending a 100 on each meal... it's just not in me. I just needed to say that.

05-14-2008, 11:24 AM	#3
lucille Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 421 Reputation: (26)	My husband is sort of going through the same thing. He has a full week in DC for work coming up. He gets travel and a per diem but the prices for things in DC has him rather crabby about the trip. I have the same headache every time we are in Chicago for something. Travel and hotel costs are nothing compared to how fast you get nickel and dimed on things like food. When we travel with our kids it is exponentially worse. Then add some dietary restrictions on top and it is a total pain. Something I did on our last Chicago trip to help keep costs down was to figure out where a few things were nearby before we left. We knew where we were staying. I used google's saved map feature to search for various things nearby. I was able to find a couple of Starbucks and Caribou Coffee locations and a handful of grocery stores like Trader Joe's and some indie gourmet grocery stores. All of those I listed can be expensive but compared to something like hotel food they are dirt cheap. A takeway sandwich or salad etc. from a gourmet grocery is usually cheaper than eating in a restaurant. Hitting Caribou or Starbucks for breakfast even with kids in tow is far cheaper than breakfast at a hotel. __________________ Dark Style Blog http://darkstyleblog.blogspot.com/

05-15-2008, 09:28 AM	#6
engchik Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Posts: 32 Reputation: (10)	As a former magazine editor and event planner, I was on the road 2 weeks out of every month. I would splurge on a lot of food b/c i knew i'd get reinbursed. I also would get into the vacation mindset and hit up the spa, the malls, whatever touristy things and then realized one day that if i just treated myself to one spa trip a year and not every time i traveled i wouldn't be 5K in the hole. So i stopped that practice. Also stopped eating a 3-4 course meal 2 times a day when i traveled, just water, salad and dessrt once in a while was all i needed. i saved $$. paid off my debt. lost some weight!!! __________________ When it rains it pours!

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05-14-2008, 10:50 AM	#2
khorrell Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 336 Reputation: (35)	Have at it, Tim... I'm glad you're able to expense it.

05-14-2008, 12:38 PM	#4
rstlne Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: New Jersey Posts: 361 Reputation: (115)	I get that way too when I'm on vacation because it's hard to control expenses when every meal is eating out. However, I think for a once in a while vacation, it would be okay to loosen the purse strings a little. When I went to Delaware last December, there were some fairly inexpensive choices at least.

05-15-2008, 08:40 AM	#5
saint tim Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Lee's Summit, MO Posts: 33 Reputation: (12)	When we go on family trips we always try and stay off the beaten path. I'm all about avoiding the touristy areas and finding the local flavor. You save money and you can experience a town for what it really is and what the city officials wish it was. I also like to haul our own food around. the kids hate it but we don't eat fast food normally or packaged food so we always have a cooler in tote.

05-17-2008, 06:54 PM	#7
gt0163c Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Texas Posts: 210 Reputation: (33)	I used to travel very regularly for business. Partly because I wanted to save my per diem money for other things and partly because I got really sick of eating out, especially eating out by myself, I developed a lot of ways around eating out. Most of the time I was able to get a hotel room with at least a small refrigerator and microwave and most of the facilities where I was working had at least that. So, as soon as possible after checking in I would hit a grocery store. I bought supplies that I needed including plasticware, disposable plastic containers and plastic bags. They're not the most economical nor environmentally friendly, but my options were limited. I tried not to eat too many "tv dinners", instead relying on some very simple recipes that required only microwaving at most. I ate a lot of a rice and beans dish (Uncle Bens Ready Rice and canned black beans) with salsa and cheese. That was actually one of my favorite dishes, especially in Buffalo in the middle of the winter when I was working nights. It was something warm and filling that tasted pretty good and kept me going for the rest of my shift. I also always picked up some fruit and granola bars or other snack things to help keep me away from the grocery stores. Sometimes I got a loaf of bread and lunch meat or peanut butter to make sandwiches. I didn't always finish all of the food that I bought, but it was still cheaper than eating at restaurants all the time. And I was often able to pass the leftovers on to someone I was working with. And the prepared meals from a grocery store deli (even not a high end or gourmet deli) helped out a lot. The food wasn't necessarily the most healthy, but it was usually better than most restaurants and I did save money. Now, when I go on vacations, I usually bring at least oatmeal so that I can eat breakfast in my room. Sometime I bring or get peanut butter, bread and apples as well so that I can pack a lunch. I actually prefer eating out only one meal a day (sometimes a big lunch and then the sandwich for dinner). Otherwise I end up eating way too much, feeling very overfull and spending a lot more money. I do usually end up buying and eating snacks (especially at like Disney or other theme parks), but those are less expensive than eating full meals. It's not a strategy for everyone, but it does work well for me.