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Aruba has always been described to me as beautiful yet pricey. However, as a self-professed triple treat in 3F’s(fashion, food and finance, I challenged myself to find Aruba for two with a budget of two grand, seven fabulous days, six nights and lovely accommodations including airfare and food! I know you may be asking yourself-How? Well, booking about six months out with Southwest Airlines, I booked my friend and I trip with points which covered his round trip. I’m listed on his companion pass which means absolutely free. This companion pass wasn’t earned flying crazy sums of miles which is cool for a sister like me. This companion pass was offered if you signed up for Southwest Airlines credit card . My friend paid a whopping $157.00 taxes for two tickets plus four free luggage’s. I proceeded to research local Airbnb’s. We both wanted to experience Aruba locally. We rented a car which cost $246.00 for six days. Our stay “Alto Vista” was awesome. It was a diamond mine which came with six great rescue dogs(Boyfriend,Shay, Kingsley,Rocky,Matt&Bonnie).Our hosts Inger& Ron were the absolute best. The property was only$85.00/nightly. It included parking as well as laundry facilities. Our hosts gave us great recommendations. I had done a lot of research and got confirmation of my wishlist to hit. The first local spot for us was the grocery store. As a Chef and a foodie for life, I wanted to stock our romantic bungalow with some fresh produce and local baked goods. We bought some spices and treats from Chicago to Aruba to cut some costs. We went to the best store in Aruba-Superfood. It is fully loaded with everything a foodie like me enjoys including a huge cheese selection and restaurant inside along with local favorites.Remember, free luggage must be put to good use. We definitely put the extra luggage space with locally beautiful coral reef and shells from the Caribbean Sea. These unique finds made great Christmas gifts at my annual dinner.Thus, we saved a bundled on souvenirs and presents. One of my greatest pleasures is searching for local great food. My birthday was the next night so the highest rating based on my love for fresh,great tasting fish, great music and a beautiful atmosphere was Zeerover. This hot spot has a winning combination with daily catch of the day. It’s on the menu until they run out. You can purchase it with cornbread, fries and other sides along with affordable drinks.I love walking and eating at the same time . I just never want to miss out on a thing so hand food is the perfect bite when in walking downtown Aruba near cruise ship ports.A quaint shop we popped in gave up nothing but pure, delicious delight in the form of flaky and buttery piece of heaven in the form of an empanada. We purchased a couple of fruit smoothies to quench our thirst while shopping, snapping pictures and people watching. Our days were made special by exploring Aruba majestic beaches. A place where you meet local and tourists alike. We ventured to the big beaches along the high rises like Arushi Beach and Eagle Beach. Yet, we traveled further south to Baby Beach where we came across another foodie fine-Big Momma’s Grill where there music is as hot as the food. The seafood, chicken and sides are everything!! This girl loved the Mac and cheese. Overall, we spent a total of 1100.00 which included tips(restaurant & Airbnb host). Aruba will always hold a special place in my heart but my heart is huge as well as my appetite to see the world. Let me be that girl. A girl from the Southside of Chicago who started going to the library to read about different parts of the world dreaming of visiting unknown places. Thank you for the opportunity