When going on vacation the last thing that you want to do is cook 3 meals a day like you do the other 51 weeks of the year. Tourist attractions and special events are stocked with pricey food and drinks. A vacation without eating out is not really a vacation at all, but if you want to save that extra money for gambling, sight-seeing and attending special events it is wise to plan your meals wisely and stick to a daily budget. Here are some simple tricks to help you save money on vacation.

Beware of the Free Breakfast: Usually Free Breakfasts are mediocre to say the least. Pre packaged muffins, weak coffee and watered down orange juice are the norm for hotels that offer these perks. Usually you will be paying for these “accommodations” one way or another in a higher bill and daily rate. Compare prices of hotels in close proximity to see if they do offer the free breakfast. Many hotels may be $20-50 difference for a similar hotel just to cover the free breakfast perk. If you want dried up muffins and coffee, you can easily get those for $5 at the gas station right down the road from the hotel.

Eat before you got to the game: So you’ve never been to Fenway Park and you just have to have one of their hot dogs. It’s the park that your there for, these $7 hot dogs are the same ones you can buy at the store for less than $1 a piece. A family of four eating 4 hot dogs, 4 drinks and French fries will pay at least $50 at a professional sporting event. Eating at a local spot before the game or buying usually better tasting hot dogs from street vendors will save you a boatload of money. Also, if you are a big drinker, tailgating is not only cheap but an awesome experience when traveling to unfamiliar stadiums. Drink you beer before the game and save that $10+ per beer price that the stadium charges.

Eat at your favorite restaurant for lunch, not dinner: Restaurant in hot tourist spots main time is after 4 pm. This is when all the money is made on food and booze. Most places offer great deals and happy hours before 4 pm for these places to attract customers. Take your laptop on vacation with you and check for some of the best restaurants in the area online. Many times these restaurants will post their lunch deals and happy hours. Use this time of the day to take advantage of these deals and you can save tons of money on your vacation. Better yet, order an extra meal to go and eat it later on the beach or in the park.

Just like your local area, each tourist area has their deals and specials. Talk to the hotel clerk, some locals and use your internet to get some tips on the best places to shop and eat in town. If you are going to a “must have” restaurant, try it for lunch instead and you will be saving a ton of money on your vacation.

Traveling to different countries can cost several thousand dollars no matter where you travel. High priced flights, hotel fees and various expenses can put a huge damper on one’s wallet. There is however several ways that one can travel to foreign countries without paying any money from their own pocket. In fact with these programs it is possible to make money while volunteering for these organizations. Below is a list of four organizations that offer world travel for free or a very small fraction of the price of traveling alone.

The Peace Corps: The Peace Corps is the most popular volunteer program in the world. With the current economy many college graduates are taking the route of the Peace Corps to travel the world. Offering two-year appointment in Africa, Asia and South America, the Peace Corps lets you travel to spots and help those less fortunate at the same time. Besides providing help to those in need, the Peace Corp also offers a decent stipend to its members.

The United Nations: The United Nations volunteer program sends professionals from various walks of life around the globe. Not only does the United Nations pay for all your expenses, but they also foot the bill for airfares, vaccines, passports and medications that you may need. Volunteers also receive stipends and grants that are adjusted to fit the economy that you will be in during your efforts. The United Nations is always looking for people in certain fields and offer options from 6 months and beyond.

Art Corps: The Art Corps is a program specifically designed for professional artists. The program uses art as a teaching tool and gives artists “hands on” opportunities to see some of the world’s greatest sites. This program requires some personal fund raising on the volunteers part, but the cost of travel is covered by Art Corps. Most assignments last about 11-12 months.

Geekcorps.org: This program places experts from the IT industry into countries that are just starting to use computers on a regular basis. The program covers living and travel expenses while providing a stipend to the individual. These placements are usually short-term lasting from 1-6 months at a time.

Being young and independent gives you the freedom to travel the world, with no family commitments. Volunteering for one of these organizations will let you see people and places that you normally wouldn’t see, unless you had several thousand dollars. Each of these programs can easily be found via the Internet and exact program details can be found from their contact page.