Bc

Everyone I tell I'm going to Maui, all they can say is bring a lot of money for food. We are renting a condo so I am hoping that will save on some of my food costs. I have a few ideas for inexpensive places to eat. You have to understand, I am married to a frugal man. He is going to have a cow when we pay $100 or more for a meal for four. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Any ideas what kind of food I could bring from the Mainland. I have heard a loave of bread is 5.00 milk is about the same. Is this correct?

Thank you!

xxx

loaf of bread is now $8, glass of milk is $6. Bring a lot and you can pay for your vacation by selling any extra to the locals.

p.

Can't be specific but there are rules and they are enforced. Yes, milk is expensive but you can get fruit & juice at good prices. Restaurants are generally higher than their equivalent on the mainland. You will certainly save money on meals in a condo, which is one reason I like them too, food in paradise does cost more - most is imported. You'll still have a wonderful time !

Rhonda

Bc,

I have just returned from Maui for 11 days. We were in a condo as well. You will save a ton of money with the good old fashioned do it yourself routine. Cook in and go out only as much as you would back home, or close to that. No need to eat out all the time. Of course you should make sure to enjoy the local delights - they sell the ingredients in the grocery stores. There is a Safeway, Foodland, KMart, even a Costco. If you have or sign up for a Safeway Club Card, you will save, too.

I would recommend adding 30% to your regular grocery bill to estimate what your Hawaiin bill will be. To save, bring your own condiments. (Expensive, and never even half way used.) And at the end of the trip, throw the remainder away to make way for souveniers and such. (Don't forget to recycle glass, etc. as if you were at home.) What was still good, in new or gently used condition, we offered to the house keepers. I also gave some clothes to Salvation Army and brought my neices back hula outfits, etc. in place.

Oh, I could go on and on. Hope this helps.

ALOHA

About the bread. If you want to drag over 3 loafs of bread, you will save a few dollars. Do not go to Hawaii if those few dollars are a problem. Everything is more expensive... EXCEPT things that are local. So buy your fruits etc. locally every couple of days. Oh, bring your own shampoo. Mine in Hawaii was 7 bucks, as was the conditioner.

Then when you do dine out, use the Entertainment book, or splurge. The most expensive things are always that which is imported, alcohol at bars/restaurants, and fees (entrance, parking, etc.)









, we flew from Switzerland and stayed mostly in a condo

BT

You want to bring a milk from mainland?

patg

I don't see the advantage to trying to save money by flying in your own food. What if food spills in your suitcase and ruins the clothes? What if it's confiscated? How much would you save then? And wouldn't it start your trip on a horrid note?

Look at the online menus available for many restaurants, set a food budget for the week, agree to do some of your own cooking, (within limits!!), and ask locals about good, inexpensive places to eat. Take your husband to a buffet every third day, so he can get his money's worth. And don't let someone who "has a cow" control your behavior. Stay calm and stick to your guns.

Vicki

We have traveled to Hawaii several times in the last few years, staying at condos, and always packing one suitcase full of nonperishable food items, such as condiments, muffin mix, oatmeal packets, etc., etc. We were under the impression that the new security rules requested that you did not pack food and believed it to be because of the fact they are xraying bags now, and thought it also had something to do with bomb sniffing dogs... did I get this wrong?? If we can still pack some food, I'd like to do that. Sorry if this sounds nuts, but we've saved a ton doing that and gives us more $$ for the fun stuff! (And yes, we still go out and eat while there!!)

Debi

With the new security measures that were implemented 1 January - I would definitely check to see if you can take food in (the rules are sometimes strange) - and since they could potentially search all your luggage, the hassle factor alone would be sending me to the Safeway on Maui...... I'd check with whatever airline you're flying, and the websites that have the new security regulations..

DawnCt

Items we took to Hawaii were boxed cereals, peanut butter, condiments in plastic containers like mayo, Ketchup, mustard, salad dressing, spices, lots of Crystal Lite, detergent tablets, snacks, crackers, etc. I downloaded the Safeway Foods frequent shopper card and that came in handy. On Kauai, which was supposedly the most expensive, Foodland had great buys at the time. Milk was $6 per gal but they had a special of buy one, get the other free. The same was true of juice. If you plan the menu around what is on sale you will save money. I found Costco on the Big Island priced the same as at home. Don't forget, they still have a lot of plate lunch restaurants that aren't big or fancy but good. McDonalds, Subway, Wendy's are in Hawaii too and priced about the same as at home. However, you won't find rice, portugese sausages and soup with fish cake in it at home.

x

uh, Maui is part of the United States so you will not be 'importing' anything. What you choose to take with you depends upon the hassle you want to go through of packing it.

I went to the Abacos in the Bahamas a couple of years ago and we provisioned. We took two large hard sided coolers on wheels and packed them to the guills. Non perishables in one and perishables on dry ice in the other. We had no problems and we did have to let them be searched but just wrapped them with duct tape and they were fine.

Barbie

Who the heck goes to Maui and brings their own food from home?? You guys must have REALLY FUN vacations...might as well stay home if you are that cheap.You go on vacation to experience the tastes of the island not Costco or Denny's. Maui has great restaurants too bad you're too cheap to try them.

cath

Even tho Maui is part of the US, certain food items are not allowed: fruits and vegetables from the mainland. Ag inspectors meet every flight and if you have any questions, they are there to help.

No way would I pack food for a Maui vacation. Maui has Costco, Walmart (cheap milk and bread) Safeway. Lots of basic stuff is usually on sale. Get a Safeway "club card" and buy lots of "2 for 1 items."

x

Barbie, if you would look at a map, the Abacos are part of the Out Islands of The Bahamas. They are remote, don't have many grocery stores, fewer restaurants, and where we stayed, a mail drop once a week.

So what should we have done? Starved? Mickey Dee's isn't on every corner of the world. Maybe you should get out of the resorts and explore the world a little more?

Barbie

FYI-"x"-in case you forgot how to read, the original post was talking about MAUI not the Bahamas. There are many dining choices on Maui.I have been to many "islands" (Fiji was great)and there is still no need to pack groceries in the suitcases.You obviously don't stay at resorts were every need is taken care of. Try one sometime you might like it...or not

x

Barbie, you'll never get it.

Don't you have homework to do?

Vicki

I'm sure this will inflame someone, but I hardly call myself cheap, rather smart enough to figure out how to take 6 vacations a year, rather than one.

Barbie

Oh I get it alright-gee I guess staying at a fabulous resort everywhere I go where all I have to do is sit under my cabana and have cocktails and watch the beautiful people is terrible compared to being in a little hut with no food or electricity.Thanks but i'll stick with the way I see the world-it's called a vacation.I have to go count my money now.....

BC

Thank you everyone for responding. I appreciate your input. I don't mean to sound cheap, I was curious if anyone had some suggestions for me. I should not worry about the cost, but I can't help myself. Well thanks again.
Bc

noname

We brought a little six pack cooler with filet mignon, shrimp, lobster, and cheese. Nobody looked inside or asked us anything. Had a wonderful gourmet meal the first night, saved the rest for another night. Call me cheap!

Vicki

BC, you're not cheap, you're smart. This is how we manage to take 4-6 trips EVERY YEAR, by doing things like this. And we are not what I'd call wealthy. We are huge travelers and feel like if we can manage to save a little bit here and there to get another trip or two out of the deal, we're winners. Enjoy yourself, do what you want! You'll have a great time in Hawaii. We head over next month!~ that's after Florida this weekend, and before New York City in March. And I'm planning Playa del Carmen for December... you can do this, if you learn how to play the $$ game! Have fun.