USVI-On-Line

I know I usually budget around $100 - $150 a day for two adults -- give or take.

That usually means that we are eating breakfast at the villa or making it ourselves (although it does include the occasional breakfast out).

We also usually buy snacks or bring them down to munch on throughout the day and we eat out for lunch and dinner at casual spots. We drink but not excessively.

Does anyone think this is high or low?

Any thoughts to share on food and beverage budgets?

You're budget seems to assume that you're eating out for most meals. See...mine would look very different because of all the stuff we bring. Our actual per person spend, on island, would be a lot lower. The upfront spend, however...higher.

As for booze...depends on who's opening those beers and mixing those drinks...you or a bartender.

We're really DIY vacationers so $100 per person per day would blow our minds...

Budget? We don't need no stinking budget!

To tell the truth, we never really calculate it. Part of the reason is that we bring the main courses for most meals in the cooler. Then we buy what is readily available to turn it into a meal. Diana is very creative that way. Improvisation is a significant ingrediant in her meals.

We do eat out for some of the diners and we expect to pay about $75 for both of us. We also eat some breakfasts and lunches out. We expect to pay about $25-30 for that.

The dives are a bigger part of our budget. There is no way to get a dive boat into the cooler. Trust me. I've tried.


JIM

Two adults, one child = $175-200 per day on average

I do all the meal planning, shopping and cooking at home (as well as working full time) so on vacation, I go on strike.

We generally do all but one breakfasts at the villa, lunch is snacks on the beach or a late lunch somewhere, dinner is always out except for one night of bbq take-out.

That doesn't sound like a lot spent, Gromit. I don't budget, either. (Maybe I just don't want to know the total!)

We pretty much have one restaurant meal per day: Breakfast is in the condo. And either lunch or dinner is small bites in the condo -- salad, cheese, burrito, Senor Pizza (we're on STT) -- and the other meal is the bigger bite (in a restaurant).

I could pretty much graze all my meals, since I become not hungry in the tropical heat. But Mr. SapphireCat needs a "meal". Also, after a 2-tank dive (and the clean up!) I am too tired to eat! I just want to flop on the beach in the shade of a tree.

Don't worry about what you're spending, as long as you're not throwing out perfectly good food you're doing exactly right.

SapphireCat

The reason I posed this question is threefold.

1) I think others might find it helpful when planning food budgets.
2) Our trip in December is a little over 2 weeks.
3) Our access to kitchens on this trip are somewhat limited.

Usually we don't even consider food as a cost, since we have to eat and we eat at home so we're really only adding 25% or so to our usual food bill. But for some reason the longer trip got me thinking about how much I really need to set aside for a stay as long as this one.

I think breakfast, sandwiches and snacks are do able at Ivans and Sailview and I think we'll buy stuff to do this when we get to Jost and then to STJ.

But We'll definitely be eating out a lot on this trip. I figure my keeping it simple the food costs won't be exhorbitant.

Of course I am open to suggestions!

sapphirecat wrote: But Mr. SapphireCat needs a "meal".

SapphireCat

As does Mr. PA. Sometimes I read posts about how a couple splits a Deli Grotto sandwich or eats the cheese and crackers out of the welcome basket for dinner and I laugh to myself.

Mr. PA would down his Deli Grotto sandwich, eye up mine, eat the rest of mine, put away a family size bag of chips and then be ready 3 hours later to go the Lime Inn for appetizers, dinner and Key Lime pie.

Gromit wrote: Usually we don't even consider food as a cost, since we have to eat and we eat at home so we're really only adding 25% or so to our usual food bill.

That is how we look at it. Not only food but the other uses of cash that occur at home that don't happen on vacation too - like newspapers, running around money, etc.

Neither of us are shoppers, maybe picking up a t-shirt or two so nearly all the cash we take is for food and drink.

When we went to Virgin Gorda for 10 days, we took $3,000 and came home with money.

Sounds familiar, PA Girl!

If we go out and have fish, say. Mr. SC will eat all of his, while I'll eat half of mine and bring the other half home. The next day I'll split that half of MY dinner for a snack for the 2 of us. (Except the nights we meet the friendly real Sapphire Cats and they get my half right away for a midnight snack. Hope the kitties are OK in the storm!)

SapphireCat

PA Girl wrote:

sapphirecat wrote: But Mr. SapphireCat needs a "meal".

SapphireCat

As does Mr. PA. Sometimes I read posts about how a couple splits a Deli Grotto sandwich or eats the cheese and crackers out of the welcome basket for dinner and I laugh to myself.

Mr. PA would down his Deli Grotto sandwich, eye up mine, eat the rest of mine, put away a family size bag of chips and then be ready 3 hours later to go the Lime Inn for appetizers, dinner and Key Lime pie.

um hmmmmmmmmmmm

mbw1024 wrote:
um hmmmmmmmmmmm

I know you hear me sister

loud and clear.

cheese and crackers? sure, for starters! and then let's buy more $10 cheese tomorrow! what the heck! oh and these crackers look good..........and we need water! I could go on and on ........

We prefer dinners at the villa, basically because we bring really nice cuts of meat, good fish...it is easier for us since we have the kids are we are usually dog-tired. The kids eat what we eat. Ned is a great cook so that helps.

We always eat breakfast in the villa, and sometimes will take leftover tenderloin or make tuna salad with our leftover tuna and bring that to the beach.

So some days we might only spend $10 (a run to the market for bread or whatever). Other days we might have happy hour and apps at a place like Beach Bar or Tourist Trap. ($40-$75 ) We usually go out to lunch and to dinner once or twice, those days being $50-$100 or sometimes a little more.

But really while we like saving money, that is not the main reason we vacation like this. It is basically about not spending money on food that is just ok, eating more than we want, or loading our kids up with burgers and fries every night. And what we make at the villa is better or at least healthier than all but the best of restaurants.

Plus the added benefit of not drinking and driving.