15

Orbitz has deals on flight-hotel combos (as does Expedia). I punched one in from London, presuming this is where you're coming from, and played around a bit with destinations. You won't find anything in NY, but I already knew that. But I found one combo in Miami for about 600 lbs each with flight and hotel for five nights. Atlanta, Georgia was even a bit lower.

Doesn't count food, but I could easily eat on $2 a day in the U.S. if really motivated. YMMV there.

Try that, and try some less overpriced U.S. cities, and you might be able to get closer.

16

I could easily eat on $2 a day in the U.S.

Give us a few ideas how you'd manage it please.... I'm intrigued.

17

Bins?

18

Oh - of course, silly me.

19

Glad to give any advice possible, though obviously this isn't for everyone.

Well, I'm really small, for one thing. I'm female and under 100 pounds, and generally speaking, I eat once a day plus sometimes a snack. I don't think many could pull off what I do, sorry, but some smaller gals might be able to. A soft taco or a tamale would be enough for me for the day, more or less. A bagel from the market - 79 cents where I live. My favorite though is pita bread with a bit of tahini or humus and some chopped cucumber and tomato. This is something I eat quite a bit of and costs next to nothing.

My favorite was my time spent in French Polynesia. I literally would have been fine with the baguette, mustard, and avocado sandwich I ate most days. Sometimes I spiced that up with some tinned camembert. In Paris, I just stuck with baguette and camembert, more or less, plus some fresh fruit bought at the farmer's markets. In Turkey, I lived on canned dolmas, roast corn, and some bread here and there, more or less. I never felt starving or anything like that, and we did occasionally splurge -- but I don't much care for restaurant food, so...

Obviously this isn't restaurant food, nor is it fancy, but just going to the market wherever and picking some stuff up, yes, including in SF. Tin of tuna is .79 cents around here for the less pricy kind. Can of garbanzo beans, .69 cents or so and nice with a bit of dressing. Tons of prepack stuff in the deli for a few dollars, like potato salad, coleslaw, that kind of thing. Fries if in a restaurant, usually very cheap (I tend to simply order whatever's cheapest on the menu, and tend to go to the really cheap places if restaurants are all that's around). Same as sides like oatmeal or whatnot. On the street, hot dogs and the like, and the bliss of a good taco truck, which isn't going to set anyone back.

Thus said, my husband tends to spend $20-$30 when we travel. He's pickier, has a bigger appetite, and is almost twice my size. Somewhere between these, I think there's a winner.

Hope this is helpful advice! I eat well and am NOT a ramen fan whatsoever.

20

Bins, eww...! Laugh. No thanks :)