Touring On A Budget

It can be difficult not spending a lot of money while touring. You have to eat every meal out, and if you don't go out after the show, you are just sitting in your hotel room without any of the comforts of home. We also stop at malls/shopping centers almost every day for lunch. It's easier to not spend when we are on one-nighters, but much more difficult when we are in a city for a week or a few days. Especially with Kevin, because we really like to eat well and have fun when we are together!

A few things I do to help my wallet stay fat:

I use googlemaps to try and figure out public transportation rather than taking taxis if I am being tourist-y.

I have Netflix and have them sent to the company. We get our mail every Thursday. This makes going back to a hotel room instead of going out a little more bearable because I have something to watch that I have picked out.

I check coupon sites and print out coupons at the hotels for things I may need.

While I never eat at "chain" restaurants at home, it just can't be helped when traveling. I am signed up for most of their emails and receive deals in my inbox. For example, this week I received coupons for a free appetizer at Chili's, and coupons for Bob Evans and Quizno's. While I can't always use them because we don't run into them, I love having them on hand.

I have every frequent shopper card known to man. Panera surprises you sometimes when you go in- I got a free bagel and cream cheese the other day!

I eat continental breakfast at every hotel that offers it.

I keep a few cans of soup with me and can warm that up at the theatre if I wasn't able to find dinner close by.

I buy gift cards that offer "bonus bucks". For instance, buy a $25 gift card at Friday's and receive an extra $5 for free. Then I use them to buy food for myself.

When Kevin and I are together (never one one nighters, which stinks), we use restaurant.com discounts so we can go out to a nicer dinner for a lower price.

Kevin and I buy wine and apps for the room on days off, rather than going out before dinner.

This may sound like I'm being cheap, but in reality, it's the little things like this every day that let me do things like buy the pair of new shoes I want, go on fun little trips, and pay off my house faster!