Vacation Budget Tips from Ms. Beachin'

Renting a condo instead of a hotel room can help you stay within your budget. Condos offer more space for less cost per night for you and your family. Although there is always the urge to eat out while vacationing, you can save a lot of your hard earned dollars by eating a few meals in each day.

I am not much of a breakfast eater and while on vacation my family doesn’t always wake up at the same time. Cereal, muffins and fruit salad offer an easy answer to the question “what’s for breakfast?” A bowl of Special K seems even more special sitting on the balcony watching dolphins swimming by in the Gulf of Mexico. A breakfast buffet can be as much as $9 per person, eating in will allow you to purchase a few extra souvenirs.

Blalocks Seafood in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach offers a great take out seafood dinner at a reasonable price. Dinner to go consists of 3 pounds of steamed shrimp (no cooking required), a quart of bisque (just heat it up), smoked tuna spread with crackers and a loaf of the best French bread in the area. There is enough to feed six and the price is only $50. Throw a few steaks on the grill and enjoy.

A new produce stand has opened near Hope’s Cheesecake named Island Produce. Last season it was just a little stand off a back road in Ft Morgan. This year they expanded. It is family owned and each morning the owners drive to local farms in the area and pick up fresh produce. The corn, blueberries and peaches will make your taste buds smile. After eating a healthy salad stop by Hopes and pick up dessert … after all you’re on vacation.