So you’ve decided to splurge and stay in a motel.  To save money, you’re planning on buying your own groceries, right?

A few simple guidelines can keep you healthy and happy during your stay.  Remember, when you’re unhealthy or unhappy you’re more likely to spend extra money.

Be honest with yourself.  Sure, you want to eat healthy and not spend much money.  But make sure you get snacks too, both sweet and salty.

You may be thinking, I don’t need any snacks or junk food, I just won’t eat them.  That’s probably not true.

In reality, it’ll probably be 8:30 at night and you’ll be craving something sweet, then you’ll decide ‘forget it, let’s just get some freakin’ ice cream’.  Or you’ll splurge on some chicken wings, a soft pretzel or a Pepsi at the gas station.

If you would have been realistic in the beginning you could have bought a giant package of assorted crème cookies for $1.29, a bag of potato chips for $1.50, a 2-liter of cola for $.89 and been happy as a clam all week for under $4.

When it comes to the menu itself, I’m assuming that you have a general sense of realistic, simple, balanced meals.

If you don’t already own a two-burner camp stove, it’s a wise investment.  When you’re at a motel, find a place to set it up outside.

Keep a nice balance of fresh vegetables and non-perishables in your arsenal.  Just because you’re in a motel doesn’t mean that you have to eat cold cans of spagettiOs all week.

Warm up some canned ravioli, make spaghetti, fry some potatoes or steam a few vegetables.

When you’re buying your groceries, resist the urge to buy random items at the supermarket (peas sound good, and some corn, how about a few cans of Chef Boyardee?).  Plan a reasonable number of meals and buy specifically for them.

Properly planning your meals will keep you healthy.  Preparing good food will make your trip more fun.

Spending a little more to keep yourself content during your stay will pay off in the end.