Cheapskate or economic opportunist?

Not all light travelers are cheapskates, but anyone who would consider washing underwear in a hotel sink is suspect in all categories. Mea (ahem) culpa. Here’s a pence-pinching Brit’s recipe (many have to do with food) for stretching pound notes and dollar bills on the road - found in the Times of London. A few of my favorites:

• 1 SMUGGLE DRINKS AND SNACKS - It is quite astonishing what hotels have the nerve to charge for a bog-standard drink or a packet of non-fancy crisps (ed. - potato chips) or plain old water.

• 3 NICK LUNCH FROM THE BREAKFAST BUFFET -This is quite low-rent, but what do they expect if they put out lunch-based items (cheese, ham, steak, champagne) at breakfast? I make the sandwiches and bag them long before I’ve finished breakfast.
  

• 8 MAKE THE MOST OF MONDAY- Museums, galleries and exhibitions the world over offer free admission on Mondays to let the impoverished locals have a squizz. How very civic. But scrimpers are impoverished too after refusing to take advantage of a 1p flight. Do wandering around, beach, eating – whatever it is you get up to – over the weekend and squeeze all the free stuff in on Monday

Actually, in most of the places I stay there’s no shame in carrying in food. For the UK I can suggest a cheap lunch which is available in most areas: the delightful Cornish pasty. At t£1.50 - £3 each they make a tremendous lunch. Pub lunches can be a great value too. The Ploughman’s lunch is filling and wholesome - had one of those at the historic Eagle & Child in Oxford.

In west London the lovely Churchill Arms pub is not to be missed. It contains a fantastic Thai restaraunt with a variety of £6 curry plates - a bargain for London. It has an amazing collection of chamber pots hanging from the rafters, and the exterior of this corner building is usually covered with hanging flower baskets.