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Saturday, October 16, 2010

Let's Talk Turkey 10.16.10

I know it’s not even Halloween yet and people are talking about visiting family and buying turkeys. Holiday dinner can really break your budget, since you buy and eat two week’s worth of food over a long weekend. While you can have turkey sandwiches for another week of lunches, you still got to make that budget stretch, unless you will be a visitor instead of a host, but then your budget may be even tighter, because plane tickets cost more than a turkey dinner. I’m all about Orbitz this fine Saturday, because they have some of the best deals across the board for travel this month. They offer discounts on airfare, hotels, car rental, cruises, packages and you can even book activities and entertainment through their site! I love sites that have one-stop shopping.




  • We are slowly making it to our goal of 500 fans on Facebook. Get daily tips and deals and a chance to win one of these two fabulous bags from Travelon or one of two referral gifts if someone you refer joins Shereen Travels Cheap and wins.Remember, you don’t have to live in the U.S. to win, so suggest the page to everyone you know. Travel tips and deals are usable worldwide, too! If we can reach 500 by the middle of December (hopefully sooner), you can use these for your holiday travel or for gifts for the travelers on your list. I know you have at least one!
  • Follow me on Twitter for a shortened version of my daily tips and deals. Smaller posts, same big savings!
  • Don’t miss a blog post: Sign up on the right to subscribe to this blog. If you have a Kindle, you can subscribe through Amazon and get instant updates when new entries are published!

But you say, “Shereen Travels Cheap doesn’t have anything for ME.” Let me know! Comment on this blog post, on the Shereen Travels Cheap Facebook page, on ShereenTravelsCheap.com, by direct message on Twitter or take the Facebook poll. I’m listening and I want to be as helpful to my readers as possible. Let me know what you would like more of or if you are traveling somewhere specific and I’ll do my best to address some posts towards that.


  • Fly for under $200 with OrbitzOrbitz also has great rates for across the U.S. and also awesome package deals.
  • While you may only see your family once or twice a year, that still doesn’t mean you want to spend every waking moment with them. Staying with them can be cheap and save you a lot of money, but maybe you need to have your own space and be able to get away should any family drama occur. Orbitz has you covered for now and future travel! Book a participating hotel by October 18th and get up to 40% off, free nights and two $250 vouchers towards future travel that you can use between Oct 21st and April 15, 2011. That means you can visit family for Thanksgiving AND Christmas! Or take yourself somewhere else with your free money.  (Don’t worry, I have plenty of suggestions below.)

  • Having a house full of family is not always easy. Tensions get high, fights break out, too much wine is consumed, dishes get broken. If you aren’t lucky enough to have family that wants to stay in a hotel, you can always get out some frustration and energy by taking them all out for the day. Sounds expensive, right? Well, it doesn’t have to be. One of my favorite things that can last through Thanksgiving is a cornfield maze.  The kids can run all over, you can get lost apart from your family for hours and end up with some unexpected alone time that just allows you to breathe. Plus, fresh air is always a good thing. Most corn mazes are a short drive out of the city and fairly reasonable costwise. Usually less than $10 per person, which is a small price for half a day of activity and your sanity. Take a ride through the pumpkin patch, get lost in corn, pet some animals, have a hot chocolate, buy some pumpkins and go home and have everyone help make pumpkin pie.
  • Don’t cook every meal and still save money. Buy gift certificates through Restaurant.com and get a $25 credit for only $10. They come in bigger denominations based on the restaurant you choose, but it’s a major savings on meals. And if someone else offers to split the bill with you, it makes your half a LOT smaller.
  • Look for dining and entertainment deals for your area with Groupon. This daily deal site is awesome and has saved us a bundle just on eating out. Each day you’ll get an email with the day’s featured Groupon that can be up to 60% off regular price. One day it might be for a discounted mani/pedi (which you can use to relax after everyone’s gone) the next it could be for half off a great restaurant and the next it could be for super discounted bowling. You never know what you’re going to get, but the deals are always awesome and it’s a sure bet you’ll find at least one thing to satisfy your family. Maybe buy several of those spa certificates and have a girl’s day while the guys watch football.
  • Watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade outside on the streets of New York instead of on your TV at home with commercial breaks. Save 40% off hotels in New York if you book by the end of October. 
  • Take Norwegian Cruise Lines to someplace you don’t have to wear a coat to. Book by the end of the year to get up to $300 in onboard spending, 50% off your deposit, reduced airfare, cabin upgrades, Nickelodeon entertainment and more! Interior cabins on a 7 night cruise start at just $299 per person. 
  • Save up to 50% off all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean, including resorts in Barbados and Jamaica. Break out your bathing suit, sip on a cocktail and soak up the sun. Book with Orbitz by the end of the month and receive resort credits, free nights and other incentives. Winter is the high season for the Caribbean, but you wouldn’t know it by the killer deals available. 
  • Walt Disney World is 40% off with Orbitz. Stay on Disney property and enjoy the freedom of the Disney transportation system that will take you to any all Disney resorts, parks, Downtown Disney and Disney water parks. It’s so convenient that unless you want to visit other locations in Kissimmee or Orlando, you can forgo a rental car and use that money for eating at great Disney Dining locations in the parks. (Don’t forget to make reservations, either online or by calling 407-WDW-DINE.) You can even purchase your park tickets through Orbitz and save even more money off box office prices. You’ll have everything you need to just whiz through the lines at the gate and start your day as soon as you get there. (See my last blog entry for more ways to save money and time at the parks.) Book by October 20 for these great rates.
  • Whisk the family off to Paris for four or more nights. At 40% off and free daily breakfast, the Novotel Paris Vaugirard Montparnasse in Paris is the way to go. With spacious rooms, attentive staff and huge buffet breakfasts you can’t go wrong. If you think so, just look out the window and see the beautiful sites of Paris outside to rid yourself of that feeling. After a day of sightseeing, a baguette, a ride on the Metro and a chocolate crepe, you will wonder why you didn’t go sooner. Good on bookings through year end. [If you DO go to Paris, buy a Paris Pass for each member in your party and get entry into over 60 attractions for one low price. Skip the lines and go straight to the gate everywhere you go. It saves you a ton of time and money. Order by 10/18 and get 10% off each pass you purchase.]

Capture your fall vacation memories and make a fun photo book with Photoworks. Get 25% off through Nov 3rd with the code: OCTOBERBOOKS If you've never used Photoworks before, sign up and get free shipping on your first order with the code MYFIRSTORDER. It is really easy to use and uploading your photos is simple and fast. 
  
Don’t forget to enter to win a week-long New Year’s Eve trip to London! This trip includes round-trip airfare for 2, airport transfers, 6 night’s accommodations in a luxury catered apartment, plus much more! Good luck. London is beautiful at holiday time. Take in the sites and then watch fireworks over the Thames and ring in the New Year with your chosen guest. An amazing once in a lifetime trip!


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