30 Day Challenge Part Dos – Can you keep the challenge while traveling?

Today's Author: Lindsey

This past week, I went for a short trip to visit my parents in South Carolina. It was an absolutely fantastic trip and I enjoyed it very much. Traveling was one of the expectations we had for the 30 Day Challenge but I still tried to be mindful of what I was spending. I wanted to share what some of the things I did to save money while traveling both in food and otherwise!

Parking: Obviously the cheapest thing to do is to have someone take you to the airport and pick you up. If you do park, as I had to, look for the cheapest option. In most cases any ‘extended’ parking options are the cheapest. In Pittsburgh, the extended parking rate is $8 a day. 

Airport food: On my way to South Carolina I had an evening flight. After working all day I definitely needed a cup of coffee. I got a medium coffee from a smaller chain vs. some of the bigger names like Starbucks or Seattle’s Best. This saved me about 50 cents and every penny adds up!

When I got there I needed some dinner but waited till I was out of the airport and stopped a Subway. I definitely saved money by eating outside of the airport where a sub was over $6 and I got a six inch for $3.75. 

On the way home I had a big lunch with my parents and just had a glass of water on the plane. No money was spent at all! 

Eating during the trip: I was visiting my parents so all my lodging and food was provided for! If it had not been, the first thing I would recommend is checking hotels for discount rates. Using a membership like AAA can also save you money! Check Groupon or Living Social for awesome local restaurant deals and decide what meals you want to eat out at or if you can buy some lunch items and make your own during the day. 

Activities: Groupon and Living Social often have activity discounts like boat rentals or amusement park coupons. Try to also go on an ‘off’ day (not Saturday or Sunday) and see if you can save money by doing that! Many things are free like parks, beaches, etc. so make sure to make the most of your location!