Food takes a chunk out of every traveler's budget. But with these tips, you'll learn ways to save money and still afford to eat out while on vacation.

These tips are not only easy to follow, but apply to any trip locale you take.

Get Out of the Tourist Areas

It’s no secret that tourist area restaurants generally are more expensive to eat at. They figure you’re trapped in the area and aren’t willing to explore to find a better deal. Don’t fall for that. Many cities have a good public transportation system and there are always taxis and rental cars.

Ask employees of your hotel for recommendations of where they eat, or visit local newspaper websites for dining reviews. Often, even a few miles difference between the tourist areas and the rest of the city can net you 10% or more in savings.

Looking for locally-owned restaurants is also a great way to explore a new city.

Eat Ethnic

Often times, you can eat cheap and eat well by searching out ethnic cuisines. And we’re not talking your neighborhood PF Chang’s or the corner pizza joint. Look for locally owned Asian, Indian, Latin, Mediterranean, Mexican and African restaurants. Often they will offer great food in good portions for a budget-friendly price.

Look at websites like Citysearch.com, Yelp.com or Chowhound.com for recommendations from the locals, as well as dining reviews on the city’s daily and alternative weekly newspaper sites.

Use Coupons and Online Gift Certificates

You know those racks of tourist booklets stacked in the hotel lobby? Many of them have coupons for discounts on dining. You can also go online and search for dining coupons for a particular city. A restaurant website may also offer coupons or other notices of specials that you might not know about otherwise.

The Entertainment Book is a great value if you like to eat out, often offering 2-4-1 specials to hundreds of restaurants in a particular city. The books can be a bit pricey at the beginning of the year, generally ranging about $30-$40, but often around May or June start dropping to half-price or more. The savings you pick up from diligently using the coupons inside can make the price more than worth it.

Restaurant.com is another great resource for dining cheaply in a visiting city. Simply pick your restaurants, choose the gift certificate you want and pay the discounted price to obtain your savings. Sign up for the mailing list to receive additional codes on a regular basis that will save you even more on your purchase.

Happy Hours Aren’t Just for Alcohol

Many people think of the happy hour as an excuse to get drunk cheaply, but more and more bars and lounges are offering food options at a discount. Even restaurant and hotel bars are getting into the act. Often food discounts are limited to appetizers, but you can still piece together several of these for a delicious and filling cheap meal.

It’s also a great way to enjoy gourmet restaurants at a more affordable price. For instance, the McCormick & Schmick’s Seafood restaurant chain has entrees starting at $25 for dinner. Ouch. Their late afternoon bar-area happy hour offers items such as half-pound cheeseburgers with fries, oyster shooters and steamed mussels appetizers for as low as $1.95 with a drink purchase. $1.95? You can’t even get a Big Mac for that price.

Eat Picnic Style

The weather’s glorious and you’d rather be outside than cooped up in a restaurant? No problem! Hit up a local grocer or farmer’s market, pick up some cheese, a baguette, some fruit, a bottle of wine or whatever else strikes your fancy and hit a local park or outdoor area to enjoy a light lunch outdoors.

Not only will you save money by buying food as the locals do, but you won’t have to pay someone to prepare it. And how much more will you enjoy that meal sitting in a beautiful outdoor setting like the grass in front of the Eiffel Tower or a hiking path in the Grand Canyon?

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