How much Spending Money do you need for Florida?

Once you’ve paid for your flights, accommodation and park tickets, it’s easy to forget about all the other costs that come with a trip to Florida.

Food, drinks, parking, shopping and all the little extras can quickly add up, so it’s something we always try to factor in when working out our budget.

There are definitely ways to keep the costs down though, and these are some of the things we do as a family of 5.

Food & Dining

Eating out is a big part of our Florida trips, but we don’t eat in restaurants for every meal.

One thing we always look out for is restaurant deals. Lunch specials can be significantly cheaper than eating out in the evening, and there are lots of restaurants that offer kids eat free deals on certain days.

It’s also worth checking the coupon books you’ll often find in hotel lobbies, as these can have discounts and kids eat free offers inside. You can also find kids eat free cards and other local offers online.

For some meals, we’ll choose a quick-service restaurant rather than table service. These are generally cheaper and you also don’t have the same tipping costs that you have with a sit-down meal.

It’s also worth remembering that tax and tips are added to restaurant bills, so make sure you allow for these when working out how much you’ll actually spend.

Do a Supermarket Shop

We always like to visit Aldi or Walmart when we arrive in Florida.

Picking up things like breakfast items, snacks and drinks for the hotel can save quite a bit compared to buying everything while you’re out.

Having breakfast at your accommodation is also an easy way to save money, especially when you’re heading out early for the parks.

Taking Food Into The Parks

Another thing we do is take our own snacks and drinks into the theme parks.

I’ll usually pack things like crisps, sweets and a soft drink in our bags for the kids, so we’re not constantly buying snacks throughout the day.

You can also get free cups of iced water at many quick-service locations in the parks, so there’s no need to keep buying bottles of water.

Just make sure you check the current food and drink policies for the park you’re visiting before you go.

Don’t Forget Parking

If you’re hiring a car and staying offsite, remember to include theme park parking in your budget.

We visit the parks for multiple days, so parking can become a fairly significant extra cost over the course of the holiday.

It’s one of those costs that’s easy to forget about when you’re initially working out how much your Florida trip is going to cost.

Shopping

Shopping is another one I would definitely budget separately for.

There are outlet malls, Disney shops, Walmart, Target and so many other places where you can very easily spend money! 😂

We usually have a set amount put aside for shopping and souvenirs, rather than taking it out of the money we’ve allocated for food and everyday spending.

If you’re travelling with children, it’s worth allowing for this too, as I can guarantee they’ll spot something they want!

Don’t Forget The Little Extras

When working out your spending money, remember that it’s not just food and shopping.

Things like parking, petrol, tips, tax, drinks, snacks and any smaller activities or extras can all add up.

For us, the easiest way to manage it is to have an overall spending budget and then keep an eye on what we’re spending throughout the holiday.

Florida can definitely be expensive, but there are plenty of ways to save money without feeling like you’re missing out.

For us, it’s about saving where we can on the everyday things so we have more to spend on the experiences we really want to enjoy while we’re there. 🌴❤️ If you are still at the planning stage, check out all our tips at All Things Florida.