# Idea(s) to reduce expenses while traveling **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 6, 2022, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720 "2022-06-06T01:02:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 6:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/21 "2022-06-07T06:17:38Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > It made me wonder about all the machines in gas stations, restaurants, etc. as well. I’ve seen some of those fountains that were leased from either Coca Cola or Pepsi Cola and they have a sticker on the side with the dates they were sanitized by the lessor. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 7:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/22 "2022-06-07T07:47:15Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > Short story long, I had an idea: I have a mini fridge—the kind college students have in the dorms. What if I got that cold before leaving home, with cold items already inside, kept it shut while on the road, then schlepped it into the hotel room? I think it’s insulated well enough to go a few hours easily. It would mean chicken salad sammies wouldn’t spoil, sodas could stay cold…but it wouldn’t address the (potential) benefit of having a microwave in the room. For a one-day trip, a well insulated cooler bag, packed with your food, plus a couple of reusable freezer blocks (frozen overnight) should keep food cool and fresh all day if you keep it out of the sun. Another thing to consider is that certain foods will stand better than others; a chicken and mayonnaise sandwich will become unsafe in a shorter time than cheese and salami. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/23 "2022-06-07T13:54:35Z")
I have traveled extensively, including a month-long road trip last summer, and almost every inexpensive motel had a fridge and microwave as a standard room amenity. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/24 "2022-06-07T14:38:05Z")
Why not get a cooler and just buy ice as you visit gas stations each day? That’s probably a whole lot easier than dealing with a mini-fridge every night, and it’ll keep your food cold all day (closer to two in truth). It’s what we did when we did our Great Central US Tour a few years back (Texas to S. Dakota and back via OK, KS, NE, WY, CO and NM). But yeah, I haven’t been in a hotel without a mini fridge or a complimentary breakfast that I can remember. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/25 "2022-06-07T14:54:07Z")
One way to keep things cool for long periods is to use dry ice rather than regular ice. It will keep things very cold or frozen for very long periods of time and you don’t have any water to deal with as it melts. It does release CO2, so just make sure you have some ventilation. But in a good cooler, dry ice can last several days and keep stuff frozen solid. Many grocery stores carry it. And you can always revert to ice if you can’t find dry ice. One thing that might save money is to bring a hotplate or something. I’ve noticed that fridges are more common in rooms compared to microwaves. Bringing a hotplate and pan will allow you to heat up and cook food. I would recommend an induction hotplate so you don’t have to worry about hotplate actually being hot from residual heat when you pack up. Just looking around on Amazon, I see this interesting alternative to a hotplate. Might work for travel to heat and cook food: > **[Amazon.com: Aotto Portable Oven Personal Food Warmer - 110V Portable Mini...](https://www.amazon.com/Aotto-Portable-Personal-Reheating-Microwave/dp/B07NV4JPSJ)** > > Shop Aotto at the Amazon Storage & Organization store. Free Shipping on eligible items. Everyday low prices, save up to 50%. Quite often, there isn’t great food shopping around hotels, so do a stop at a grocery store on your way to the hotel. You’ll have better prices and selections compared to mini-marts that might be near the hotel. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/26 "2022-06-07T15:05:30Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > If the room types the hotel offers include a basic room, versus an upgraded “suite” (or whatever) that includes a fridge/microwave, I could see that being the price difference. Otherwise, I’ve never been told “want a room with fridge / microwave? That’ll be extra”. The OP clarified (in the post directly above yours) that the choice was between different hotels, not different options offered by the same hotel. > [@cmkeller](#): > > I have traveled extensively, including a month-long road trip last summer, and almost every inexpensive motel had a fridge and microwave as a standard room amenity. This matches my experience. But I can believe that there are still hotels/motels out there somewhere that don’t (perhaps an independent, “mom and pop” motel instead of a chain). But I also wonder if maybe the cheaper option that the OP mentioned simply didn’t _advertise_ that they had mini-fridges and microwaves, and the OP’s wife just assumed this meant they didn’t have them. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/27 "2022-06-07T15:10:38Z")
> [@bump](#): > > But yeah, I haven’t been in a hotel without a mini fridge or a complimentary breakfast that I can remember. Breakfast is somewhat rarer. Most do include it, but a lot (Marriott is one example) do not. Luckily, breakfast is somewhat easy to manage without a kitchen, especially if you don’t insist on a cooked meal. Fruit, granola bars, a peanut butter sandwich, etc. Even some lower-rent places have something, most of the time, though it’s fairly bad. ---
**Author:** ![cmkeller](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmkeller/32/118_2.png) [@cmkeller](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmkeller)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/28 "2022-06-07T15:14:14Z")
I’ve found that it’s mainly the lower-end chains (or Mom-and-Pops) that have them and the higher-end ones lack them. My guess is that the higher-end chains cater to business customers who will happily expense their more deluxe lodgings and better, seperately-paid-for dining options, whereas the lower-end ones rely on family travelers or passers-through who want as much as they can get for as little as they can pay. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/29 "2022-06-07T15:18:33Z")
> [@cmkeller](#): > > I’ve found that it’s mainly the lower-end chains (or Mom-and-Pops) that have them and the higher-end ones lack them. That’s consistent with my experience, as well. Though Marriotts, even the ones that aren’t quite as high-end, pretty much never do (except their Fairfield Inns). The higher-end places also tend to have things like “resort fees”, and/or other bullcrap charges like 15 bucks a day for wi-fi (to be fair, that one was in 2010; it’s the only place I’ve ever been that had THAT, and nowaways “free” wi-fi is expected everywhere, kind of like bathrooms and TVs). ---
**Author:** ![doreen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/858c86/32.png) [@doreen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/doreen)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/30 "2022-06-07T16:24:47Z")
I’ve found the same thing- except I’ve also seen something sort of in the middle. There are places that do not have a refrigerator/microwave in every room but do have some refrigerators to rent , and the price is usually about $25/weekend. I say “weekend” because these really aren’t hotel/motels where you would stay for one night - they advertise themselves as “resorts” but they aren’t what people normally think of as a resort. They include meals and have some recreational facilities other than a pool ( like bocce courts or a baseball field) and I guess the idea is that since meals are included, most people won’t need a refrigerator. ---
**Author:** ![Limmin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f04885/32.png) [@Limmin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Limmin)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/31 "2022-06-07T16:33:29Z")
The 12V DC powered cooler is IMHO the best bet: - While driving, just keep it plugged in via car power (the cig. lighter socket) - When in a hotel room, just carry it over from the car, then whip out your 120VAC / 12VDC adapter and plug it in there. - Ice is troublesome: Heavy, meltwater needs to be removed often, and hotel ice might not be germ-free. So you have to go get fresh ice daily; an extra chore and expense. If your cooler has enough stuff in it (your choice of milk, juices, other drinks, etc.) it should stay cool for a good while with its insulation, while transitioning between hotel and automobile powered states. We used such a cooler when traveling by car and boat. Makes traveling a lot more comfy and convenient. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/32 "2022-06-07T17:15:03Z")
I’ve been travelling for work lately, and staying at Hilton Garden Inn or Hampton Inn (also a Hilton property). Both had refrigerators and microwave ovens in the room but only Hampton Inn had free breakfast. The Garden Inn had a $14.95 fixed price for breakfast, which seemed a lot. So instead I either ate at the work location or went to McDonalds. (Although going to McDonalds involved going six miles away on the Interstate, and then two Egg McMuffins and a beverage came to almost ten bucks, so perhaps I should have just eaten the hotel breakfast. I was expensing everything so there was no reason to be frugal.) ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/33 "2022-06-07T18:39:31Z")
> [@Mama\_Zappa](#): > > That’s consistent with my experience, as well. Though Marriotts, even the ones that aren’t quite as high-end, pretty much never do (except their Fairfield Inns). The higher-end places also tend to have things like “resort fees”, and/or other bullcrap charges like 15 bucks a day for wi-fi (to be fair, that one was in 2010; it’s the only place I’ve ever been that had THAT, and nowaways “free” wi-fi is expected everywhere, kind of like bathrooms and TVs). I’m involved with planning a conference, and back then the second thing we negotiated with the hotel was free wifi for our attendees. (The first was a kickback for the conference.) The guests of the high end hotel started getting quite irate at wifi charges on top of high room rates. Wifi is a lot more available for free than it used to be. ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/34 "2022-06-07T18:41:55Z")
> [@Dewey\_Finn](#): > > I was expensing everything so there was no reason to be frugal. And this, I believe, is exactly why hotels that cater to business travelers charge extra for things that are free at cheaper hotels. ---
**Author:** ![filmore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7993a0/32.png) [@filmore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filmore)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/35 "2022-06-07T18:42:49Z")
And with the price of gas these days, checking online for local gas prices might be able to save you a bit of money. Find a gas station a little out of the way that is a bit cheaper than the ones on the main road. ---
**Author:** ![Mama\_Zappa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@Mama\_Zappa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mama_Zappa)\ **Post date:** [June 7, 2022, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/36 "2022-06-07T20:53:30Z")
> [@Thudlow\_Boink](#): > > And this, I believe, is exactly why hotels that cater to business travelers charge extra for things that are free at cheaper hotels. Yep. Though the place that charged for wi-fi (and it was 15 bucks a day!!) was less of a conference / business place, than a vacation destination - it was in Phoenix, and had an on-site waterpark for guests. This was in 2010, before smartphones were really all that common. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2022, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/37 "2022-06-08T00:39:20Z")
We had our extended family all traveling, then staying at a “resort” hotel for a while. We were surprised that we never used the microwave, but we got a LOT of use out of the fridge and the coffeemaker. We planned it out, and since there was no food store nearby, we stopped at a mega-supermarket on our way and loaded up on breakfast cereal, fruit, sandwich makings, and a lot of cheap beer (I cringed at that part of the plan, but Yuengling’s not bad). Now, the days we were going to be gone for a day trip, we’d eat a big breakfast\*, a lighter lunch, then a small but nice dinner. Even with the occasional nice restaurant (had to find a cheap-but-tasty Friday night Fish Fry!), our food budget was low. . \*BTW: If you’re going to go out for a meal, breakfast is the one! I’ve always searched out local diners where you can get huge platters of eggs, sausages, hashbrowns, grilled veggies, biscuits with homemade jam, etc etc, for ten to fifteen bucks. That’s with unlimited thirty-weight coffee. We quickly discovered we could usually skip lunch… and some days only have room for a small supper. ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2022, 8:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/38 "2022-06-08T08:05:10Z")
RE: manifold destiny–MythBusters (I think) already tested that with Alton Brown ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [June 8, 2022, 8:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/39 "2022-06-08T08:17:51Z")
Really, just get a cooler. Much easier than a fridge that you’ll have to use a hand truck to move. Fill the cooler with ice, beer, soda, ham, chicken, cheese, and bread. Mustard if you want. You’ll never want for lunch if you have that, and of course, you can add other things as you like. And as has been described, ice is easy to get from most every motel. I’ve got a cooler that has a built-in icebox. By that, I mean a container that is meant to be filled with water, and frozen. It has lasted me, with cold drinks and food, from central Alberta to Toronto. And it cost a lot less, in time and effort and expense, than toting a fridge around. ---
**Author:** ![Bill\_Door](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@Bill\_Door](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bill_Door)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2022, 11:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720/40 "2022-06-15T11:18:12Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > You do not want to use hotel ice - they do not clean them or service them properly - one of the consumer protection groups did a survey and found unacceptable levels of nasty bugs [people reaching in and grabbing ice with dirty hands seemed to be a major point] I stay in mostly mid-range hotels, and all of the ice machines I’ve encountered in the last couple of decades have been the “place the bucket under the spigot and press the button style” I haven’t seen one with an open ice bin to scoop ice out of in quite a while. I mainly think they switched because people were filling their 48 quart coolers to take on the next leg of their journey. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/idea-s-to-reduce-expenses-while-traveling/965720.md?page=3)