Economist Leticia Poole: Home cooking cuts vacation food spend by 60%

Economist Leticia Poole, a professor at Universidad Europea de Valencia, advises that preparing at least two of the three daily meals while on holiday can reduce total food expenses by up to 60%. She recommends booking accommodation with a fully equipped kitchen, planning menus in advance, and buying staple ingredients locally.

Financial‑education expert Jordi Martínez of the Instituto de Estudios Financieres adds that vacation budgets should be set before choosing a destination and broken into five categories – transport, food, lodging, leisure and contingencies – to avoid overspending. An ObservaTUR report shows average family vacation costs range from €583 for a rural stay to €1,502 for a beach resort, underscoring the need for careful budgeting.