Cheap-o's Unite

[Capn Dan and Ruby]

Ok, in this sagging economy, we all need to preserve our precious vacation dollars so we can book our next trip to St. John!!! Cheap is good, but cheap and good is better. Of course cheap is a relative term on STJ ! Thinking about basic necessities (remember basic necessities can vary by your priorities, but basic groceries, ice and water should be considered ), where are your favorite "cheep" places to get the have-to-haves?

[Coconuts]

Cost-U-Less in St. Thomas, although they lean toward larger quantities. Is three pounds of bacon during a two week trip a good thing?

Kevin

[Joppa]

We usually pick up a case of water in the lumberyard and have it refilled once while we are there. Candies BBQ is our favorite cheap eats. The food and service are good and she has parking. I just read somewhere that Donkey Diner sells Ice now, and it was cheap. We tried shopping in STT once and it didn't work very good. We had forgotten to consider our luggage. With us and the luggage in the jeep, there wasn't a lot of room left for food and drinks. Not to mention I was a little nervous about ALL of our stuff in the Jeep while we were shopping. We did pick up a few things but it didn't even make it worth stopping.

[Xislandgirl]

Less clothing more food!

We always pack in our luggage:
Crystal Light packs (mix with water and rum for a tasty drink)
Trail Mix or Nuts for snacks on the beach
Instant Oatmeal for a quick villa breakfast
Miscrowave popcorn
Splenda for morning coffee
Coffee
Reusable water bottles (refill with gallon jugs from STJ Ice) MUCH cheaper and better for the environment

In a small carry on backpack cooler:
Bacon
Block of cheddar cheese
Soppressata or Genoa
Frozen Chicken breasts (already marinated)

Snack foods are so expensive that the cheese and salami really helps when you are hanging out by the pool or on the deck and want a snack.

We try and do the majority of our shopping at Pine Peace for non perishables and bread. We also find that going out for a happy hour snack can many times help us to skip dinner and just go back to the villa for a snack.
Pasta dishes at Cafe Roma are massive and we can always get another meal out of the leftovers.

[PA Girl]

It is funny that I have no problem spending on a private taxi/water taxi but can't stomach $8 for a bag of chips. It is a joke in my marriage that my husband isn't allowed to go to Starfish unsupervised because he spends $$$ on junk food. I know there is a forum gal out there that feels my pain

I pack coffee, nuts, trail mix, micro popcorn, granola bars, ziplocs, paper plates and even fun cups if I have the room.

I do this on the sly because my husband thinks its crazy but I can't stop myself. We are luggage checkers (and don't have to pay baggage fees) so I fill every nook with something.

Not a STJ cheapie find but more of the ultimate avoidance tatic - My mom loaded up on the hotel's free breakfast muffins as we were leaving on the way to the airport. I caught her eating one three days later and I thought really? Those muffins are bad enough "fresh", it must be awful three days later.

[mbw1024]

It is funny that I have no problem spending on a private taxi/water taxi but can't stomach $8 for a bag of chips. It is a joke in my marriage that my husband isn't allowed to go to Starfish unsupervised because he spends $$$ on junk food. I know there is a forum gal out there that feels my pain

That be me I am not frugal by any means but clearly my husband is the FREE spender in our relationship. At home or on vacation he is not one to check a price. Although I do admit he's gotten better at home. He recently pointed out a "better deal for the money" on a bag of pretzels at the grocery store! I laughed and considered it a small victory.
He's also the one who gets a wicked headache at a hotel the ONE time we have no advil and ends up paying $8 for 2 pills from the mini bar. Such is life

[PA Girl]

That be me I am not frugal by any means but clearly my husband is the FREE spender in our relationship. At home or on vacation he is not one to check a price. Although I do admit he's gotten better at home. He recently pointed out a "better deal for the money" on a bag of pretzels at the grocery store! I laughed and considered it a small victory.
He's also the one who gets a wicked headache at a hotel the ONE time we have no advil and ends up paying $8 for 2 pills from the mini bar. Such is life

They must have been seperated at birth. The Advil? Absolutely something Mr. PA would do. Except I would have had asprin and tylenol in my bag but he would insist on needing advil. He'll do something like that yet beat a supplier up to save $0.01 cents off a foot of pipe.

How I wish you were my neighbor.......

[liamsaunt]

It is funny that I have no problem spending on a private taxi/water taxi but can't stomach $8 for a bag of chips. It is a joke in my marriage that my husband isn't allowed to go to Starfish unsupervised because he spends $$$ on junk food. I know there is a forum gal out there that feels my pain

That be me I am not frugal by any means but clearly my husband is the FREE spender in our relationship. At home or on vacation he is not one to check a price. Although I do admit he's gotten better at home. He recently pointed out a "better deal for the money" on a bag of pretzels at the grocery store! I laughed and considered it a small victory.
He's also the one who gets a wicked headache at a hotel the ONE time we have no advil and ends up paying $8 for 2 pills from the mini bar. Such is life

And me! I know I told the story on here about the time John bought the $12 bag of tetra chips at Starfish. I mean, really. Tetra chips don't even taste good! He just throws stuff in the cart.

Bringing snacks from home is a really good tip. Even when we stay at Caneel we get a fridge in the room and put in cheese we brought from home and we go to town and stock up on water from the lumberyard and get wine, juice, etc. and put it in there. We still spend $$ on food and drinks at the resort but sometimes you just want a small snack, and we drink tons of water when we do a lot of snorkeling. I don't want to pay $10/liter since we go through about 2 gallons a day!

[PA Girl]

He just throws stuff in the cart.

Mine too. I actually save money (and more importantly, my time and sanity) by getting our villa provisioned.

I can only imagine what would happen if my dear husband took our son along to the grocery store, they would buy the place out of $15 bags of cookies and $(whatever) pints of Ben and Jerry's.

Last trip, all the adult men (3 total) stopped at Starfish on the way back from the beach, after a pit stop for beers. That partical trip, even they shocked themselves when the total popped up at the cash register. PA men + tipsy snack shopping = nothing but trouble.

We also do the fridge thing when we stay at Caneel.

I agree on Candies, one of her meals will serve two big eaters.

[Lovermont]

Because we do carry-on only (lost a bag going down on our first trip; won't check bags to paradise again!) I mail a box down in advance with trail mix, oatmeal, salad dressing and all of our liquids (this includes a quart of Real VT Maple Syrup for our hosts!). Yes, it costs me $15 to send it, but it's really just about getting a some staples down to our destination.
My three "cheap-o" hints are:
• Drink lots of rum. It's cheap. $10 for a bottle of Cruzan at Love City Mini Mart.
• Josephine's Mixed Greens. A bag ($4) lasts us two days. We can split a plate of Vie's Garlic Chicken or Candie's Ribs or an order of Aqua Bistro Grouper Strips, add a salad to the plate and wah-lah... dinner is served.
• We almost always have lunch at a beach either during a hike or after we've gone for a nice hike and we're chillin'. The fresh sliced bread from Deli Grotto is soooo good, and it'll last about 4 days. $8 per loaf, but so worth it. Making sandwiches at home in the morning instead of buying deli sandwiches saves us a lot.

[EagleRayLover]

I think my hubby, Augie, is one of the best packers of the polar Bear cooler that fits under your seat as carry on that I have ever seen! This next trip will be a piece of cake since it is just a week. We always have cheese, pork (either tenderloin or already pulled for sandwiches), steaks, sometimes frozen veggies, often frozen cookie dough, always, butter, chicken, blueberries ( for our oatmeal which is in regular carryon),granola bars, nuts, we take crackers sealed in our water bottles and buy the water at Lumberyard. It's all vacuum sealed.
Seconds carry-on is snorkel bag complete with two sets of full size fins- fits perfect in overhead
Personal bag is computer and camera backpack
Personal bag number two backpack with clothes for both of us and toiletries which means not tons of clothes! The good news is the cooler is empty when you come home and if you need room for any gifts or alcohol , you have it!!
Hope this helps!!
It is definitely cheaper- not renting equipment, food- we do eat out a couple times- lunch or a dinner- but our other food is also enough for great leftovers, cannot wait!!!

[Lindy]

IMHO this is being cheap-o it's being SMART!! If I can save myself a few bucks to spend on something else while I'm there I think I'm a blooming GENIUS!! Hahahahaha!!!

[News of St. John]

I was there over Christmas and was shocked over how reasonable the prices were at Love City Mini Mart in Coral Bay.

[waterguy]

Best thing I've found to save money is get a friend with a villa .

[Lindy]

OK villa people.....who wants to be my friend?????