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Old 16 Sep 17, 08:55 PM  
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dixonsontour
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$100 a Day - August 2017 - Bargainous Budget Bites - COMPLETE

$100 a day August 2017 Bargainous Budget Bites



Intro





Me Stephanie 42, Dibber, like a bargain or a coupon, will eat most things



DH 42, only driver in Florida, he is with us honestly but prefers no photos of him on the dibb/social media. Hates seafood or mushrooms



DD 11, just started secondary school. As you will see Anna was born without her left hand but she doesn’t let it stop her



We first went to Florida 20 years ago in July 1997 when we had just graduated from Law College as girlfriend/boyfriend.



Since then we are at over 30 trips to the USA mainly Florida.



DD has been 12 times.



As we go a lot we tend to do Universal or Disney not both in one trip



Last trip was Oct/Nov 2016 for 2 weeks at Animal Kingdom Lodge with dining plan. I did a food review and trip report.



We also enjoy Universal and have just done Universal May 2016, October 2015 and October 2014. Again, my dining and trip reports are on the dibb from these 3 stays at Cabana bay.



We usually go October as DD used to get 2 weeks October half term. Unfortunately, all good things come to an end and she has just started grammar school with a 1 week half term.



So, we braved August. Just a week at Universal for various reasons. We got a rescue dog in January called Ollie (short for Ollivander) and I didn’t want to leave him too long with Grandma. I was also wary about coming back too near DD starting school.









We have done week before and find as repeat visitors we hit the ground running.



We tend to eat mainly offsite on our Universal trips and I do keep an eye out for deals and coupons.



I had a pre dining thread running which was good as several people chipped in with suggestions.



I aim for $100 a day roughly and do the dibb cash in envelopes tip, basically roll over what you don’t spend to the next day. You will always be ahead as day 1 travel day is only 1 meal in US.



Before we went I did the usual sign up to email clubs with a new email address to get some new joiner offers. Don’t do this too early as most last only 7 or 14 days. I also stay signed up from previous years and existing ones came through with some useful offers, plus a heads up on current specials.



I bought a steak and shake giftcard off groupon.com This was $10 for a $20 non expiring giftcard.



Another groupon for Ben and Jerry ice cream - $14 worth of icecream for $3.50 (should have been $7 but groupon had 50% off code)



Travelzoo.com hash house a go go $40 voucher for $20



$25 restaurant.com voucher for $10 for O’Charley’s



Thanks for reading and hope you find it useful.

Edited at 06:27 PM.
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Old 16 Sep 17, 09:07 PM  
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Excited6910
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Look forward to your reports as always

Ollie is very cute
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Old 16 Sep 17, 09:11 PM  
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dixonsontour
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Day 1 Travel Day Part 1



Sunday 20th August 2017



UK Food and Airplane





Breakfast Costa T3 Manchester Airport





Very early start today as we were flying at 6.50 am from Manchester Airport T3.



We live an hour from the airport so had an early start and were in Costa for just before 5am.





I know it was just before 5am as they had an offer on the wall saying toast or teacake for £1 with any hot drink. I ordered and was told only from 5am (didn’t say this on wall). I looked at my watch and it was 3 minutes too. I looked back at the long queue (was going to let next in line go in front of me) when another member of staff said it’s fine just put it through.



Spent approx £10 on 3 drinks, toast and toasted tea cakes.







T3 options are limited. We usually have a full breakfast at the Italian which is nice enough but it felt a bit too early for that.





Boots





Usual sandwich hunt for DD who won’t eat plane food. No ‘Just ham’ sandwiches in here or WH Smith, told DD we would check in London



Bottle of water £1.15.





WH Smith London Heathrow





3 meal deals and an extra sandwich for DD. They had ‘Simply ham’ thank goodness so DD was pleased (white bread, ham no mayo)







£15 ish no receipt DH paid









Lunch on Plane





We had a short flight with BA, Manchester to Heathrow. No food or drink served you can buy on board, it’s M & S food. We didn’t, just slept as did everyone else.



Main flight was with American Airlines from Heathrow to Miami.







They were very forthcoming with drinks.







I’d seen from other dibbers the offerings were mushroom pasta or shepherd’s pie with spinach with a goats cheese and spinach flatbread for afternoon tea. I had been teasing DH as those are many of his hated foods. Indeed it was.





Plus a roll, salad, laughing cow cheese spread and a cherry crumble cake.



DD refused to eat anything, moaned about food being in the way and spilt her drink as a result of fussing about the tray. On the way back I didn’t even bother getting her a tray.



DH braved the shepherd’s pie and says it was ok, he also ate DD’s.



We got a tub of ice cream at some point as well:











The afternoon tea flatbread was ok didn’t taste too much of goats cheese, it cake with a small coconut cake.





DD ate her ham sandwiches.





Starbucks Miami





As we were going to get the hire car in the airport we passed a Starbucks with no line so I took opportunity to get a Starbucks Miami ‘you are here’ mug to add to my Disney parks/Orlando/Florida collection. They are cheaper than the parks ones which are about $18.



$11.72 inc tax. Souvenir not food budget
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Old 16 Sep 17, 09:17 PM  
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Day 1 Travel day Part 2



Sunday 20th August



Steak n Shake, Fort Pierce







DH drove us up the Turnpike from Miami to Universal. About 3 ½ hours plus stop.



We had planned to just eat at a service plaza but saw a sign for Steak n Shake. You come off turnpike, pay toll but it was very close to exit and only added 5 minutes on.





DH had a coke zero, frisco melt burger with bacon with a side of onion rings. They forgot the bacon and brought it separately.







DD had kids mini cheeseburgers and fries and a kids mint oreo milkshake.



I had a BLT and a deluxe strawberry shake. They were still on the summer shakes kitkat and strawberry cheesecake. I did get an email on 22nd August to say they had changed over to the fall ones including my fave s’mores one.



Prices are very cheap, my BLT was $3.99, kid’s cheeseburger $2.79.



It was a Sunday so Kids eat free applied (Saturday and Sunday). It was just after 5pm but the half price milkshake promotion is 2-5pm Monday to Friday only.



Do look on steak n shake website and join email club as they do send plenty of deals and coupons.



The grand total was $20.35 plus tip.





It’s like a diner, leave tip on table and pay at till on way out.





I used the $20 steak n shake giftcard I’d got from Groupon.com for $10 and paid 35 cents. They took this no problem – was an email giftcard I’d printed off, had something on it for them to scan. The lady on the till commented that the man before me had used one aswell.



So dinner was 35 cents plus tip (plus $10 for giftcard I’d bought in advance)



Steak n shake isn’t fine dining. It’s very much fast food. But for a quick bite it has always been fine and the shakes especially are good.



We usually go to the one near Crossroads near Disney on SR 535.





USA Spend day 1



35 cents plus tip (plus $10 for giftcard off groupon.com)
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Old 16 Sep 17, 09:24 PM  
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Brilliant start, Steak 'n Shake looks like a good cheaper option, will definitely try that next year. Looking forward to more!
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Old 16 Sep 17, 09:34 PM  
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Brilliant start first days spends 35 cents bet that was a brilliant rollover to next day☺️... My daughter will only have the plain ham sandwiches for her flight meals as well as a heap of junk food... Funny she's not fussy about crisps and sweets😉... Still not to try steak and shake but will one day, I think for the price it always looks spot on.
Looking forward to reading more x
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Old 16 Sep 17, 09:44 PM  
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WooHoo, another Dixon's trip report (definitely on my "favourites" list). A great start, we are fans of Steak 'n' Shake also, particularly the shakes, and such great value. We've been to the one near Crossroads and also the one at Lakeland just across from the mall, that one is always particularly busy. Looking forward to seeing what other restaurants you visited over the week.

Hope your daughter has settled well into school, she looks so grown-up now even compared to your last trip report. Thanks for posting, I love that you also show the receipts.
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Old 16 Sep 17, 09:44 PM  
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Wow 35 cents. Looking forward to reading more. Really enjoyed your last food report. Your daughter looks all grown up.
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Old 16 Sep 17, 09:56 PM  
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I bet you win the Dibbers prize of the cheapest meal with 35 cents 😂. Looking forward to another of your reports.
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Old 16 Sep 17, 09:56 PM  
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dixonsontour
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Day 2

Monday 21 August





Breakfast Denny's







As usual up early so we were in Dennys just after 6am. We went to the one on International Drive just north of Universal Boulevard. Under 5 mins drive from Royal pacific resort.







We have been a few times to this one and like it. Staff have always been friendly and it seems very clean. Always been early morning when it has been quiet.







Today was the same, only one other table in.





DD had kid’s chocolate chip pancakes with bacon and chocolate milk





I had cinnamon bun pancakes with scrambled eggs and bacon and coffee





DH had a Gland Slamwich breakfast sandwich and coffee. He really enjoyed the sandwich.







I had 20% off coupon from joining email club







Usual leave tip on table and pay at till. They deducted the coupon no problem.



DH and DD voted this best breakfast of the week. It’s our go to first morning breakfast at Universal.



We were done by 7.10am and made early morning entry at Islands at 8am (parked back at royal pacific hotel and then walked to park)







Total (inc 20% off) $22.98 plus tip





Snacks Universal



I bought a $4.50 bottle of Gilly water in harry potter (ouch) It was hot and no where near to get free water plus we hadn’t been to supermarket yet to buy water.



We have a minion refill cup from a previous year. It was $1.38 inc tax to get him refilled with coke zero. I got him filled at the fruit stall near Spiderman, they had the grapes dibber Moosha likes on ice which did look good.







It was actually the only time we did this. It was so hot we just wanted water so just asked for cups of water after this. Anywhere with a soda machine will give you a free cup of water with ice. They actually did an announcement one day telling people this as it was so hot.





Lunch Cowfish Citywalk







DD and I had been in 2016 but it was DH’s first time.









It was quiet and we got a table with no wait. Sat inside for the a/c.





DH had the cowfish has left the building burger. A full pound burger with peanut butter and fried banana. He did enjoy it but ended up eating burger and leaving bread due to the size of it. $17







DD had a kid’s meal. Like Disney, kids menu says 9 and under but no issues at all ordering. She had the sliders with 2 sides and picked fries for both sides.







I enjoyed the firecracker roll $17







We all had iced water to drink as it was so hot. It does make for a decent saving though about $10 a time for the 3 of us and we felt better having water in the heat.







Will definitely eat here again. Food is nice and prices very reasonable for theme park location.







$43.66 plus tip
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