Where do you splurge/save?
 

I was wondering where people splurge/save when going on vacation? For me, I dread, and do everything I can to avoid spending over $100/night on a hotel anywhere, but I know that other people won't stay (or really don't like to) in a less than a 4-star (expensive) hotel. I really prefer to rent a nice car (no subcompact for me on vacation, thanks;I drive one at home!) Even though taking the bus or train is almost always cheaper and less to worry about, the freedom of having a car makes it worth the extra $ to me. I'm interested to hear what other people do and do without when on trips--every meal in a nice restaurant or buy meals/snack food in a grocery store? Postcards only or one-of-a kind locally made souvenirs? 5-star accommodations or bathroom down the hall?

The first thing I save on is not shopping. I have never understood the idea of buying "gifts" for everybody one knows at home. Most of those things are only appreciated by the person who bought it anyway. And I really don't need a lot of "things" sitting around to remind me of where I've been. My memories are most cherished souveniers. I've met people on low budget tours who spent thousands on a rug in Turkey that they will probably regret two years from now. And people who went wild buying pottery in Tuscany that will never fit in their home, or in the homes of most of the friends that they will give it to. <BR>I'd rather put that money into the hotels and good restaurants, which will remain as cherished memories.

It depends on the destination. In Paris I'll stay at a hotel for $67. USD a night and splurge on food. In London I'll spend up to $150. USD on a hotel because the low-end hotels are so grim and I'll save on food. I've gone to Paris and not bought *anything* and then the next time needed a camel to carry the *loot*. I find as I get older I buy less, but I always enjoy a scarf, or a pair of earrings or a pin or a Christmas ornament or FOOD that remind me of a lovely time. I guess the consistency here is that I save on *something* to splurge on something else that seems important on that particular trip.

SAVE: Airfare and hotel <BR>(For example, I'm headed to London for a week in February for $268 on American; staying in a comfortable B&B for $73/nite) <BR> <BR>SPLURGE: Shopping and entertainment! I love hanging out in street markets abroad and in a select few department stores to find those gems you can't get at home. Also, I don't mind spending money on attractions that I want to see, or a show, etc. I like to check out the club/bar scene abroad as well and will spend money on that. <BR> <BR>As far as food, I never eat in a McDonald's abroad, but I tend to stay out of the four- and five-star restaurants too. There's too much good, inexpensive food in between that range to be had! More money for shopping and entertainment.

I also, like Patrick, don't shop much and if I buy anything at all it will be something that I need, will use, and is great quality in that location. I do not buy keepsakes etc. or presents for the grand-kids. In fact, I don't take many pictures either any more as I found that I spent way too much camera, film, posing, lugging camera time. Also found if you want prints, the post cards from the area all have better photos. Never, ever spend the extra $$$ on 4 or 5 star hotels. We don't spend any time in them to speak of and frankly most of the 5 star that I have stayed at sort of give me the creeps. (Just me, as I can't stand being waited on or having people hovering for my command.) Do spend extra on shows, good or individual tours, and unusual food or experiences (like dining with the whales etc.) We too always seem to go bigger or better with the car than others. I think it is because we really use it a lot and seem to get off the beaten track enough that we want to have the most reliable vehicle we can get. I did travel once with shared bath and never again. Had a lady lawyer who took over the entire thing and left the other two rooms hanging. Don't want to <BR>spend vacation time quibbling.

I splurge on food and save on hotels (though I have moved from one-star to two even three-star over the years). I'm more likely to splurge on a 3-star in the boonies where they are less. Though picnics sound romantic, I think they are messy and uncomfortable, plus my husband thinks he needs his three squares. <BR> <BR>Also I save on local transportation, usually avoiding cabs, but splurge for first-class on trains and nicer car rentals, like Sandy. And like Patrick, I avoid shopping except for the occasional souvenir and cheap cosmetics (I love l'Oreal Le Grand Curl and though it is no cheaper than home, it is fresher).

Firstly, we tour on our bikes, solo, no tour groups so schlepping souvenirs is not an option. That said we save by going in the shoulder season. In some countries we cadge lunch from the breakfast buffet or we stop at local stores for bread, cheese etc. and stop for a picnic. We stay in 2 star hotels when possible, cycling limits our options to shop. Our splurge is probably staying at the airport hotel the night before our return to Dallas, I need to dismantle and pack the bikes and our flights are usually early.

I am one of those people that has to have a nice hotel room. It must be roomy, large bathroom and good location. This means we usually spend $200-$250/night sometimes more. I wouldn't call this a luxury room but a nice one. <BR> <BR>consequently I must find a couple of other places to save. one is shopping. I buy myself one or two souveniors to remember the trip. I don't buy gifts to bring back for the entire family. Neither do I buy clothes or jewelry or any other item i can get here in Chicago. <BR> <BR>The biggest area of savings for me however is food. I'll have dinner out at a nice restaurant once per vacation. Otherwise, I don't even care if I have dinner. I will eat snack from the room, sandwichs on the street, or fast food (eeeek McDonald's) the rest of the time. for me this is fine as I don't really "enjoy" food as some do. Eating is just something you have to do, its all fuel, who cares what kind it is! This may sound strange to some but it works great for me and I usually spend less than $15/day on food!

SPLURGE: Food, food and more food. Every calorie has to be worth it. If money is tight, I'll eat bread and cheese for lunch and look forward to dinner. I get the safest car I can, regardless of cost. I'll walk across town to avoid paying a cab, and I take public transit. <BR> <BR>SAVE: Shopping = Nope. If I run into something nice, I MIGHT buy it if the price is right, if it isn't bulky or breakable, if I can't get it at home, if I don't already have one, if I don't have to haggle . . . I'm a very tough sell. I've pretty much stopped taking pictures until I organize the pictures I already have.

I feel the same way as Beth, I'm an "eat to live" rather than "live to eat" person. Hunger is just an annoyance to me and one or two bites of anything that will sate it and allow me to get on with life is all I want or need. I never eat three meals a day, can't even imagine it. So food is the big savings for me, that and no souvenirs except photographs. I prefer to collect experiences rather than things. I splurge on the nonsmoking hotel rooms with private baths, museum passes and first class Eurostar. To each his own, huh? It's fun to read everyone's preferences.

We too glady spend a few extra £ to have our own bathroom if possible. Shopping? me? I am that bored looking guy waiting by the door while Dor pokes at everything in the store. Airfare? Last year we flew Canada 3000. Less space than Air Canada and 11 hours vs 9, but we saved enough $ to cover 2 weeks car rental. Might upgrade from Corsa to Astra next time though. Not enough room for a pair of size 10 EEE hiking boots in the footwell. Do Englishmen have skinny feet? Had to poke at the pedals with my toes. At one roundabout I waited for my turn to merge, tromped on the accelerator, dropped the clutch and lurched 6 feet forward into the traffic and stalled. Turns out I had tromped on the brake as well.

What an interesting question - I'm enjoying reading the responses. <BR> <BR>We try to save on airfare (coming from Hawaii this is somewhat difficult) and hotels. Since we don't spend much time in our room we don't care much about the hotel quality as long as it is relatively safe and clean. <BR> <BR>We buy one nice thing for us on each major trip. Most recently that was some pottery (a large serving bowl and several smaller bowls) from Toledo, Spain. Paid also to have them shipped home. It was an expensive purchase - but because it is something for the house it was worth it, and will remind us of our trip for many years. We always try to find something special that we can't buy anyplace else. We did break down and buy gifts for a few people - but they must be inexpensive, unbreakable, and lightweight (fancy soap from Italy and France most recently - very cheap, smelled wonderful, totally unbreakable, and loved by the people who received it). We do little or no shopping for ourselves aside from what I mentioned above. My favorite souvenir are plastic snow globes - I have many many of them - they must cost less than $5.00 - which I think qualifies as "cheap" in terms of my spending on trips. <BR> <BR>We picnic some - not to save money but because it is fun to picnic and to poke around in a grocery stores and try out local foods. At restaurants, expensive or cheap, we try to just order what we want and not budget too much. Eating out and food is one area that I don't care to save in - it is something that gives my husband and I so much pleasure when we travel. <BR> <BR>Used to cut corners on: train travel. Ugh - I can't take 2nd class couchettes any longer, or smelly smokey cramped second class cars (some countries better than others) - so we splurge on first class rail travel.

save: airfare; hotels (though will insist on relative safety, and A/C in Rome and Florence, etc, in the summer--so I can sleep); local transport (we use trains, subway, buses, and feet--cabs under extreme circumstances only)' general gifts, if any <BR>Splurge: books (never pass up unusual ones--never will find again; maybe one really nice souvenir for us or someone significant at home (or at least that's the goal); film (bought at home) and developing; comfortable shoes; hotel amenities as necessary (see above) to ensure restful sleep and safety; preparation (time, books, energy)

Our basic philosophy is: a vacation is the time to splurge, you can scrimp and save the rest of the year. Having said that there are some specific areas where we try to save when it we don't think it will impact the quality of our experience. <BR> <BR>Splurge: We stay in 4-star hotels and even 5 star if we can get a deal. 1st class train travel. A semi-expensive meal about every other night. <BR>Save: Try every trick in the book to earn FF miles so we don't have to pay for airfare. Also try every possible trick to get discounts at 4 and 5 star hotels that make them no more expensive than a 3 star. Avoid sit-down lunches - just grabbing a sandwich in a bakery. We do this as much in the interest of saving time as money. We also do very little shopping - maybe spend $50/trip. Shopping takes too much time, you can't return anything, and you have to haul it around with you. We also try to take public transportation rather than taxis whenever we can.

For the most part our saving/ spending revolves around food. Usually, we stay at a bed & breakfast which obviously covers the morning meal so we save there. Fortunately, many places have such a wonderful breakfast that we usually only have a light snack for lunch sometime during the afternoon (since we are still full from breakfast!!). By evening, we splurge on our dinners - trying the local fare as much as we can. We NEVER go to a chain that we can go to at home (like McDonald's - what a waste!). We also save on airfares (seat sales and off-season) and hotels (clean and good location). We are never in the hotels long enough to justify spending loads of money just to sleep. We spend lots on pictures and souvenirs for us - little reminders of a great trip.

Good information. Shows that we all have differences and priorities. What I try to do is to set up a budget for the entire trip. Say r/t airfare for $600 each. $150 per night for a room and $75.00 for food. If it means pub grub for a night or two followed by a special dinner so be it. We allow for a play, transportation and admissions. Then after all of this careful planning we manage to blow the whole thing by purchasing something totally unnecessary but inportant at the time.

What a great thread!! To the top!

SAVE: When it comes to travel, I look to save a few bucks on airfare and accomodations. It's a fact: sitting in coach for 8 hours sucks but if forgoing business class means I'll have more money to do other things its worth it. Going to Paris in March is maybe not as nice as going in May but it is a hell of a lot cheaper (less crowded) and Paris is still Paris after all. <BR> <BR>The place many of my travel companions disagree with me is the accomodations. My mantra is cheap, safe and clean and I look at the neighborhood. Having its own bathroom is a bonus. Again citing Paris, I would much rather stay at two star in the Marais or Latin Quarter than a five star in the outer arrondisements. <BR> <BR>I've never stayed in a hostel but I don't think I'd have a problem with it. I like the idea of meeting other travelers. Anyway, I don't plan to spend too much time in my hotel room ordering room service or any of that. <BR> <BR>SPLURGE: I prefer to spend my money on going out at night, eating well, drinking well, taking taxis when I don't feel like public transportation, shopping the flea markets and department stores, and admission to museums, monuments, etc. <BR> <BR>

In general, I fall in a category that already has a few members here: airfare and hotel "on the cheap," but dining and shopping are worth every penny. If I can discern some larger pattern in my choices, though, it's this: <BR> <BR>"Small and unique before big and impressive." <BR> <BR>In different areas, that means different things: <BR> <BR>DINNER: It means seeking out-of-the-way, neighbourhood-type restaurants. I imagine this is a little easier in places where I can manage the language: I don't know if I'd be so brave in Eastern Europe! I also find there's a "point of diminishing returns" in restaurant prices (e.g., around $USD25 or 30 in Paris?) above which the decor gets fancier and the service gets snootier, but the food isn't that much more delectable. I also lean toward regionally-inspired menus rather than 'haute cuisine.' (e.g. I tried Basque food, and it was great!) I might splurge on one really fancy dining experience, probably on my last night. <BR> <BR>TRANSIT: It means public transit. Not only is it a dirt-cheap way to get around, but I feel like I see more "real" residents this way, overhear their conversations (no, I'm not eavesdropping!) ;) see the same ads they see, etc. I would never have learned of "Hippytoast" if I hadn't taken the Paris metro last spring! <BR> <BR>(oh geez, I'm still laughing -- maybe it's a "had-to-be-there" thing, but the 'Quick' chain had these hilarious ads for their veggie burger... a guy with a megawatt smile and a "'fro" out to *here*... anyway...) <BR> <BR>HOTEL: It means family-run, two-star, preferably fewer than 30 rooms. Small rooms are fine, but I do like it when they're individually decorated (particularly if it's done with more creativity than cash). Prefer to be centrally located so I can walk as much as possible. <BR> <BR>SHOPPING: It means only one nice thing (OK, *maybe* two) for myself, that I will really use when I get home and not just display. <BR> <BR>As for gifts, perhaps it depends on the tastes of one's friends and family, but mine really seem to appreciate a little something, and I feel like gifts are my way of sharing my good fortune to go on a trip. However, I buy inexpensive things (last trip to France, it was lavender soaps/sachets/candles, jams and chocolates, etc... very affordable). Better still if you can find something inexpensive but with a great *story*: how you found it in the flea market, or if you met the artisan who made it, and so on. <BR> <BR>Obviously this is all really personal. As life goes on, I may come to take more cabs or want a bigger bathroom at the hotel, I don't know. Nevertheless, this thread is great for seeing what everyone's preferences and tricks are! <BR> <BR>Cheers all! (and I'm so glad we're back! WHEW!) <BR> <BR> - Quicksilver -

Save - Airfare. Use Bestfares.com or other site ot get an inexpensive fare. Avoid the high season. <BR> <BR>Lodging - Self Catering if possible. Can splurge a little here because even a splurge is less than an inexpensive B&B for a family. When use a B&B, I have the philosophy that a room is just a place to sleep and an inexpesive one is usually fine with me. <BR> <BR>Picnics almost always for lunch save $ and time. I would much rather be on the road rather than have a long drawn out lunch.