Cut Down On Food And Drinks Costs When Travelling

I'm sure it's not only me who when traveling ends up feeling hungry and in need of a drink goes along to a coffee shop or cafe and feels cheated because of how much I end up having to pay. Airports, train stations and motorway services must make huge profits from what we, as captive customers, have to pay. The premiums that get charged for coffees and snacks are huge. 

I like to think I've learnt my lessons and now:

1. Take sandwiches and snacks with me
2. Always take bottled water with me - not possible at airports if course
3. Take a vacuum flask of my own coffee with me - much better and far cheaper than any you'll get at a service station

It's not a disaster to have to buy food and drink when you're traveling but a little thinking ahead can save money that you can put to better use elsewhere. 

What's In Your Weekly Shopping Basket?

I was taken by a series of photos recently that showed typical families from around the world with their weekly food put out in front of them. The differences in how much each family spent for a week on food was staggering but not that surprising given the different costs of living and, crucially, the amount of food involved. We all know that we generally eat far more food in the West (and developing countries) than we actually need, obesity being a real concern now and one that is only going to get worse. It wasn't that which surprised me though. Looking at what food was actually on show started me thinking about not only the nutritional value but also of the costs involved. For the so-called developed countries there was a predominance of processed foods. 

I'm not just talking about ready-meals that you heat up in the micro-wave, this is about foods that have been produced in factories for our consumption. Breakfast cereals, tinned food, coffee and chocolate all fall into this category, not to mention confectionaries and snacks. While there was fresh produce in evidence on the tables of the developed country families it was very much in the minority. This was in stark contrast to the food the families in some of the poorest counties of the world were showing. Their food for the week almost entirely consisted of fresh produce and by and large this was fruit and vegetables - very little meat.

This got me thinking about how much we spend on food. Those companies producing the processed foods in factories have to make a profit so that's where a great deal of the price goes, along with money to the retailer. If we could only increase the amount of fresh produce we used in our weekly meals we would be reducing that element of the cost. The health benefits ought to be obvious to everyone too. 

If you put all the food you and your family ate in a week on a table in front of you what would it look like?

Reduce How Much You Spend Buying Food 'On The Go'

When was the last time you stopped and thought about how much you spent buying food and drinks when you are out and about? These costs, low when you look at them individually, add up to significant amounts daily, weekly and monthly. Coffees alone can take a real chunk out of the weekly budget for some (me included I have to admit).

It doesn't have to be about eating out at restaurants or cafes that pushes the costs up either. Buying snacks, sandwiches or other prepared foods either with that coffee or not, will eat up more budget than you realize. Remember that these are things that you probably buy from the supermarket anyway and have at home - they cost you a fraction of what you end up paying for them in a cafe. 

So next time you venture out and think you might be tempted to buy drinks and food just because it's convenient to do so:

1. Take a snack from the kitchen cupboard with you
2. Take a bottle of (tap) water with you, and
3. Buy a newspaper instead to distract you from the eating and drinking

See how it goes and just how much you will save. It could be healthier too given most of us choose the not-too healthy options more often than we should when we select our food and drink 'on the go'.