Eating and drinking;in grandstylecan stretch yourtravelbudgetin the wrong way.You want to makeyourmoneygo further.There are lotsof little ways you can saveon foodwhen you'retraveling;.

If yourhotel doesn't include breakfastin the priceof the room,checkto see what youroptionsare in the hotel. You will probably savemoneyventuring out to a cornercafe rather than paying the pricefor the hotel breakfastbuffet. In Paris,join the localcrowd and have coffee, juice and a croissant.

Have churros con chocolate in Madrid.There are lotsof small breakfastplaces;in the U.S. where you can get a greatbacon,eggs and coffee breakfastfor only a few bucks.

A greatway to stretch yourtravelbudgetis to enjoya picnicfor lunch or dinner. You can pick up cheesesand meats and breads at localgrocery storesand specialtyshops. Graba bottle of localwine. Eat in yourroom or in a localpark with a greatview.

Avoid touristy restaurants. If you see a restaurant on the main street thathas menus in several languages, it'sgoing to cost you more. Finda mom and pop placedown a side street or go with a recommendation from a local.... like yourfriendly B-and-B host. Look for "prixfixe" menus or daily specials for greatmeals at goodprices;.

One of our most memorable meals was a little restaurant our host sent us to in Assisi.We had trouble findingit... there was no sign. There were only threeor four tables.The owner was the cook,his wifewas the waitress. Neither spoke English,and she had to get a dictionaryto help us order...but the foodwas terrific, and the billwas surprisingly small.

Findthe openair markets in townand eat there. Cafeterias in department storescan also be a goodplaceto findfoodcheap. Eatfoods;thatare in season.That's what the locals;do. Today's freshspecials will cost you less and be healthier.Another way to savelike the locals;do is to eat and drinkwhat is special in thatcountry. Drink beer in Brussels and Prague, savethe winefor Paris. Rememberthatin many countries in the world, the tip is included. In those counties, if you leave anything,you should only leave small change. If you'retipping15-20% like Americans do at home,you'retippingway too muchand adding thatto the priceof yourtrip.

Don't feel pressed to ordertoo muchfor dinner. For example, justhaving a "primi" (pasta dish),but no "secondi" (main dish) in Italy,may be plenty for you to eat... justadd a salad, and you'll savemoneyover a threecourse meal.Ask for tap water instead of bottled water in counties where the water is safe. Ifyou justtry a few of our tips, you can eat well and stillstretch yourtravelbudgetto go farther.