How can I cut costs on these visits

Cyclamen

Is there any optin to eat with your son in his accomodation.. obviously at a cost but a nice family meal?

Is there a youth hostel in the area they have single rooms an doften have cooking facilities.. may or may not be more affordable for Local Authority. 

We buy food in local supermarket when staying away.. pasta bowls, ham packets, boiled eggs, bread buns etc.. works out cheaper than eating out.. yes its cold but affordable.. equally a take away back at room may be more affordable than pub.. salad and ham from supermarket and bag of chips, or a jacket spud from takeaway?

We shop for food when we get there.. ok no fridge but can still have fruit (tin or fresh) in room or cherry toms etc.. travel with cutlery, tin opener, knife and water bottle

Part of this for us is cost, but also part health and allergens.. we eat out for an experience/treat not as default

arnoldy

One of the increasingly popular ways family members keep in contact is zoom type calls. These dont have to be every 2 weeks as an advantage. Why not combine this approach with monthly in person visits, this would cut the costs, especially if you take a quiche & salad for dinner and porridge for breakfast when you do visit.

Savvy_Sue

One tip, if you are doing 'in-room' catering, with your own crockery and cutlery, is to take away a small squeezy of washing up liquid, a scourer, and a thick tea towel. The PI rooms generally have a decent space around the sink in the bathroom, so we'd wash up and leave things to drain, or you could put the tea towel down somewhere in the room and leave things there. 

For the WUL, Boots have these and these: Superdrug used to do something very similar but can't find it now.