Fantastic Fireworks for Fewer Dollars 6.18.11

The Fourth of July is just two weeks away. I know you all wish you could get out of town and celebrate, but you may think you just can't fit it into your budget. If you planned a trip this summer anyway, why not go last-minute and save some big bucks? The best dates to travel are always Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday, but because of the holiday, the Saturday before is not as affordable. Travel on the actual Fourth and save more. With darkness falling much later in the summer, you will still get wherever you want to go before the fireworks burst overhead.

• Fly American, Jet Blue, AirTran and more from just $49 each way. Let TravelZoo search the best deals for you, by selecting your hopeful travel dates and then choosing My Dates are Flexible.

• Sail the Hawaiian islands for 7 nights from just $999 per person on July 2nd. Cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line's Pride of America departing from Honolulu and stop in  Maui, Maui, Hilo, Kona, Kauai, Kauai. Add a 3-day Honolulu package for just $240 more. It includes 2 nights at the Waikiki Resort Hotel with breakfast, airport and port of call transfers and tour of Honolulu.

• Enjoy the bright lights and high rolling of Las Vegas through August 30th with 40% off at Circus Circus, where the whole family can enjoy the City of Sin. Kids eat free with this promotion and you'll also receive 2 free well drinks, 2 premium rides, free WiFi, $150 in entertainment, dining and shopping discounts and more. Rates start at just $28/night.

• Stay in The Big Apple over the holiday with rates as low as $114/night. BookIt wants to give you budget New York City vacations. You can book just your hotel or include airfare, too. BookIt offers extra incentives for booking with them, like activity credits, rebates, free breakfast and free WiFi.

• Stay in a Miami boutique hotel and experience all the flash Miami has to offer along with a relaxing stay in the luxurious Circa 39 Hotel from just $89/night now through August 31. Known for it's thriving nightlife as well as the vibrancy of it's citizens, Miami is a fantastic summer vacation spot. Circa 39 Hotel is right across the street from Miami Beach and only has 100 guest rooms, meaning you'll be treated with a personal touch. Free WiFi in the lobby and room, complimentary daily newspaper, use of the gym and concierge. With a restaurant right on site, you don't have to go far to grab a bite to eat, but you might want to explore the city anyway.

• CheapCarribbean is offering yet another amazing deal for you to consider. This time it's to an all-inclusive resort in St. Lucia for up to 60% off. Rates start at just $79/person/night. Your meals, beverages, on-site entertainment and some activities are included. You can add airfare for an even bigger savings, or book separately. Bring the kids, too, because they stay and eat free. There is a kids club, so they can hang out with others of their own age when you aren't bonding as family. Book by June 19 at midnight.

• Monterey Beach in Pacific Grove, California is a great little seaside destination that everyone should visit at some time or another. Celebrate the Fourth at Asilomar for just $89/night on weeknights and $99/night on weekends. Your stay includes free parking and WiFi in the lobby. The hotel is near the Monterey Bay Aquarium (you can receive a guest discount of 10%), Cannery Row and amazing golf courses. For just $20 more per day get full breakfast for two. You must book by June 22.

• Need a rental car? Get a discount and use it to get closer to a free hotel night, too! Hilton Honors (the Hilton rewards program) can get you 20% off Budget car rentals through August 15 and you will also receive 6,500 points into your HiltonHonors account. That's 26 times more than normal! You must rent for 2 consecutive days or more to get those bonus points. Don't forget to use the promo codes on the link, or you won't get your discount or bonus.

I hope this gives you some help towards a successful holiday vacation with your family that will both be fun and also keep you within your budget. Don't forget to look for activity discounts with daily deal sites like Groupon and with travel cards from Smart Destinations and CityPASS. You can find links to these and more on the right sidebar.

A friend of mine works for Western Independent Banking, who puts together educational conferences for bankers in the western U.S. This year their educational summit will be taking place in San Diego and they asked me to put together a list of things they can do with their families over the conference that could turn a work do into a vacation of any length on a budget. I was only too happy to get on the job and give some suggestions for the fun activities that can be done while they're in town. If San Diego is on your list of vacation destinations, you might also want to check it out. (It's good to have friends with influence.)

We're celebrating 100 blog subscribers! Help me out by subscribing, too, and you could win a fantastic Summer Road Trip bundle worth over $150! The package includes a fun travel game, a packable tote bag, sunscreen, UV SunSense wristbands, $100 dining card, $25 hotel card and some other surprise items. Once we reach 150 subscribers a winner will be chosen. Enter here! Get extra entries by getting your friends to enter as well!   

Help me make it to 1,500 Facebook fans and be a winner! I'm giving away travel games for your summer trips. They are fun and help pass the time. Here's what you need to do: "Like" Shereen Travels Cheap (if you haven't already) and enter to win the travel games giveaway. Then, suggest Shereen Travels Cheap to all your Facebook friends and tell them they can enter to win, too. When they enter, they enter your name as the one who referred them and you get another entry for each friend who names you! When we reach 1,500 fans, 2 lucky winners will be chosen via Random.org.

Don't forget to join me on the awesome new Savvy Living Community sponsored by Ebates. Not only will you learn how to save money by better utilizing Ebates, but you will also be able to read Savvy blog posts and join in discussions and live chats with Savvy Leaders (like me!) to learn how to save money on all aspects of your life. With 19 bloggers who are experts on everything from travel to family life, you're sure to learn a lot of new information, find some great new blogs and even make some friends along the way. Join Ebates.  

This week is health and beauty week on Ebates. Please check out my guest post on their blog on Summer Travel Beauty HERE. 

Are you in the Portland area or planning on traveling here? Well, I've been chosen as a Budget Travel Examiner for Portland on Examiner.com, where I will be posting deals and cool stuff to do in the area on a budget several times a week. Make sure you subscribe to my articles. Not only will you get some great ideas on stuff to do in Portland and the surrounding areas (including day trips), but you'll also save money and help me out by expanding my readership - which will boost my income a bit, too. Thanks for your help and I hope you enjoy my articles.

Hodgepodge of Travel Tips! 6.15.11

I'm all about travel tips that can save you time, money and frustration, so this Wednesday, I decide to go way back and bring up some tips that we may have forgotten. They can help you with your summer travels and planning for fall vacations as well. Here are some "golden oldies" that still may be new to you! (Don't forget to read my new "what's new" items for TWO chances to win awesome prizes.)

Airfare Savings
Airfare can be a huge chunk of your vacation budget. You will want to save as much as possible, right? I mean, I sure do. Traveling on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday is a tried and true way to save on plane tickets. Sometimes, you can save hundreds by just switching your travel dates to fly on these days. Of course there are plenty of other ways to save, too! Try some of these money saving tips:

• Sign up for the free frequent flyer programs for airlines. You can sign up for just a few or any that fly out of your home airport, this way, you will be the first to know about exclusive deals and promotions via email. You may be eligible for other perks, too. The best part about frequent flyer programs is that when you fly, you accumulate the equivalent amount of miles flown in your account, which can then be redeemed for free airplane tickets. You have to pay a small fee to exchange them (around $25 and can vary with the airline), but it’s still much less than a full-price ticket. Most airlines offer round-trip coach tickets starting at 25,000 miles and many airlines are now allowing you to buy part of your ticket with miles and make up the purchase price with actual money. Usually, you trade in 12,500 miles and it pays for the first half of your ticket. So, say you are flying round trip fromBoston to Los Angeles, your Boston to LA ticket would be covered and you would pay for your trip back to Boston out of pocket.
• The average “cost” of an airline mile is set at $.02, so 25,000 miles gets you a $500 ticket. Anything less than that is considered a waste of using your miles, so make sure you’re getting your money’s worth out of your free ticket by using it for rates of $500 or more, if you can afford to do so. You don’t want to use it on a ticket that’s on sale for only $325 R/T if you can help it. This is one of the only times that you can make your rewards points for anything worth more money, so take advantage of it as best you can.
• Track airfare prices on www.yapta.com. You input your desired travel destination(s) and dates and Yapta will scour the internet to find the lowest prices for you and then send you an email with the information they found. Each week they will send you the best price they found. If there is a significant price drop in between, they will email it to you right away, so you can book it. THEN when you have your flight, use Yapta again to continue to track prices. If the price drops significantly before your trip, you may be eligible for a refund or travel voucher for the difference. Each airline is different, so check the rules on Yapta's website. You must register your flight on Yapta's airline refund program, so they can tell you when you are eligible.
• Summer is the best time to buy airfare...for Fall. Prices for flights are always going to skyrocket for Summer travel, so if you can hold off until September, you are likely to get much better rates. Of course, you can see the competing fare deals for those travel times all through June, July and August.

Hotel Savings

There are a lot of things to consider when finding a place to stow your belongings and lay your  head at night. Price may be the biggest factor, but it doesn't mean the less you pay the crappier your stay. There are plenty of budget and moderate hotels that offer wonderful service and surroundings if you know where and how to look. I like to weigh all my options when deciding on where to sleep: does it have a restaurant? Is it close to what I want to do? Is it convenient to public transportation? Does it offer free breakfast? Free WiFi? Is it on a busy street? Do the rooms offer kitchenettes? All these questions are important, but here are some ways to save on hotels you want to stay in at your chosen destination:

• The more inclusive extras you can get on a vacation, the further your money goes. Free breakfast saves you around $10 per person per day! Here’s an excellent example of a hotel with perks that save you money and brings up the value of your room rate:
• Remember how I said that www.Yapta.com was great for tracking airline prices? Well, you can also use them to track hotel rates. The only difference is, you need to search for the hotel(s) you are interested in and then track those specific ones. Even if you have reservations with them already, keep them on your list and keep checking for prices to drop. If they do, get on the phone with them and see if you can change your reservation to reflect the lower rate.
• Hotel rates are almost always cheaper on Sunday through Thursday nights. Most people travel on the weekend. They know this, just like the airlines, so they make prices for Friday and Saturday stays more expensive. In some cases, they can be twice as much as on weeknights.
• Sign up for www.hotels.com Welcome Rewards and get free hotel nights. For every 10 nights you book through Hotels.com, you get one free night. You don't need to stay 10 nights in a row, in the same hotel or even in the same year. Your credits just accumulate until you've reached 10 nights and then you are eligible to receive your free night. The price will be based on the average of the price per night you stayed for each of your 10 paid nights. If you wish to stay at a hotel that costs more than that, you will just pay the difference.

Dining Savings

I don't know about you, but I am always excited about eating somewhere new and trying potentially delicious food. I mean, food can be one of the most memorable aspects of your vacation and a bad meal can stay with you for years. You don't want to look back on your week in Spain and remember nothing but all the bad meals you had, because you didn't research any restaurants or ask any locals for recommendations.

• The first stop I always make in my travel plans is TripAdvisor. You can find candid reviews for almost any restaurant around the globe. Sort by price, cuisine and meal (i.e., breakfast, lunch, dinner or late night). I always look for sugestions by actual travelers before deciding to make a reservation. The best ones are super detailed and tell you what they ate, what the restaurant looked like, if it was crowded, if the staff was friendly/attentive and the price range. Usually, there will even be a website for you to check out. There are so many options on here that you probably wouldn't find them in all the guidebooks put together. 
• Avoid ordering off the kids' menu by sharing adult entrees. Not only will you save money, but your children will have better dining options when they don't have just grilled cheese, chicken nuggets and pizza to choose from.
• There are a lot of restaurants that have Kids Eat Free deals. Check out the website KidsEatFor to find them and save money on food on your trip. 
• I love food. I can't help it. I plan out almost all of my vacation meals before I leave home, including where I'm going to eat at the airport(s). Maybe I'm weird, but I don't think I can be the only one. Sign up for your destination city's Groupon. They are available in selected cities in the U.S., Canada and over 15 other countries. It's one of the best daily deal sites I've come across and they offer many widely varied food deals, including percentage off and 2-for-1. 
• So...uh...ask the locals for recommendations. It's probable that they won't point you towards Taco Bell or Applebees, but to their favorite local spots that have great regional food.

Cruising Savings

Cruising can be a great way to vacation in many places all on one trip without ever having to change rooms or drag your bags around. Your food and most drinks are included. You also get free entertainment, activities, and awesome scenery. If you think cruising is expensive, think again, because there are serious deals to be had.

• Sail on big ships. The bigger the ship, the more cabins to fill and the more deals to be found. Think of it as Las Vegas on the ocean. Those huge hotels have so many rooms to fill that even with some of them going for half price the regular rate, they are still making a ton of money...at least much more than they would make if those rooms were empty.
• Turn to Cruise Critic if you have ANY kind of questions about cruising or ships. They tell you everything from how to pick the right cabin for you to what kind of entertainment you'll look forward to on each ship. I love reading all the cruiser reviews of the ship I'll be sailing on and what they thought was good and not so good, plus what they thought of the excursions that were offered. Sadly, I also found more information on my ship here than I did on the actual cruiseline's website.
• Get the most out of your cruise, by not spending the whole time laying around by the pool. Your rate is mostly-inclusive, so the more you do, the further your dollar goes. See the shows, play mini-golf, go to the clubs and use the workout room. If it's included, try it out. You need to work off your buffet meals somehow. Besides, you went on vacation to see and do new things...and you can sit at home for free!
• Cruise in the off-season instead of peak times. There may be fewer choices of cruises to your desired destination, but there will also be fewer travelers, which means lower prices and less crowded ships. You might also be able to get some extra perks by booking when the cruise companies are not as busy and really want to fill cabins. Everyone likes freebies, like spa credits and drink coupons.

Transportation Savings

You aren't always lucky enough to be in a place where you can walk all over, or even want to if you could. There are many transportation options that are inexpensive, no matter where you are headed. Look at your options and weigh the pros and cons. I don't usually take taxis on vacation, because they cost a fortune, but some places they are really reasonable. In Quito, Ecuador we took a cab ride up to the Teleferiqo, which would have cost us at least $30-40 at home, but only cost us $10, including tip!

• This is one of my favorite websites! Find all maps to public transportation across the globe on UrbanRail. From Boston to Shanghai, use it on your iPhone and laptop. Print out maps before you leave home! The maps are in color and complete...and FREE!
• If you have car insurance at home, skip taking the insurance at the rental company, because you are already covered under your own policy. (This does not apply to rentals out of the country. Also, double-check with your auto insurance to make sure you are covered in any vehicle you drive.)
• Do you plan on taking the train between cities? This can be fun, fast and a great way to take the scenic route quickly, but there are many extra costs on trains that can add up, just like on the airplane. Bring your own snacks on the train, as just a sandwich in the dining car could cost you $10. Imagine how much you'll spend with any sides and a drink, times however many people are in your party. Ouch.
• Get a multi-day pass for public transportation. It is usually much cheaper than buying a ticket for each trip if you plan to do quite a bit of sightseeing. Look into cards at your particular destination and see if they offer anything like the London Travelcard or Oyster Card. Each has it's own advantages, but both are cheaper than paying for each trip individually.
• Take a compass with you, especially if you plan to walk a lot. This has saved us at least one major time while trying to figure out a city map in the middle of a city park and needing to get somewhere on time.

We're celebrating 100 blog subscribers! Help me out by subscribing, too, and you could win a fantastic Summer Road Trip bundle worth over $150! The package includes a fun travel game, a packable tote bag, sunscreen, UV SunSense wristbands, $100 dining card, $25 hotel card and some other surprise items. Once we reach 150 subscribers a winner will be chosen. Enter here! Get extra entries by getting your friends to enter as well!   

Help me make it to 1,500 Facebook fans and be a winner! I'm giving away travel games for your summer trips. They are fun and help pass the time. Here's what you need to do: "Like" Shereen Travels Cheap (if you haven't already) and enter to win the travel games giveaway. Then, suggest Shereen Travels Cheap to all your Facebook friends and tell them they can enter to win, too. When they enter, they enter your name as the one who referred them and you get another entry for each friend who names you! When we reach 1,500 fans, 2 lucky winners will be chosen via Random.org.

Don't forget to join me on the awesome new Savvy Living Community sponsored by Ebates. Not only will you learn how to save money by better utilizing Ebates, but you will also be able to read Savvy blog posts and join in discussions and live chats with Savvy Leaders (like me!) to learn how to save money on all aspects of your life. With 19 bloggers who are experts on everything from travel to family life, you're sure to learn a lot of new information, find some great new blogs and even make some friends along the way. Join Ebates.

Are you in the Portland area or planning on traveling here? Well, I've been chosen as a Budget Travel Examiner for Portland on Examiner.com, where I will be posting deals and cool stuff to do in the area on a budget several times a week. Make sure you subscribe to my articles. Not only will you get some great ideas on stuff to do in Portland and the surrounding areas (including day trips), but you'll also save money and help me out by expanding my readership - which will boost my income a bit, too. Thanks for your help and I hope you enjoy my articles.

Accessorize Your Travels 6.11.11

When you travel light, in order to skip those hefty baggage fees, it’s important that what you pack is completely useful and helps to save room in your carry-on. When I go on a trip, I tend to keep the same things packed in my bag over and over, because I have found that they make my travels easier, more fun and don’t make my carry-on weigh a ton. It’s a lot less painful to get your bag into the overhead if you can actually lift it over your head. Here are 5 must-have travel accessories to make your trips easier.

1. iGo goes everywhere I do. This multi-charging device is awesome. You get a wall charger and buy interchangeable tips for each electronic device you own. Leave all your adapters at home and just take one. You won’t have a big jumbled mess of cords when you get to your destination that way. And if you want to plug more than one thing in to charge at a time, iGo offers a splitter and you can charge two at once. 

 

2. Pack less and do laundry. I carry a laundry line on every vacation I go on. Since I try to bring as few clothes as I can get away with, sometimes you have to do a bit of laundry. Do a quick wash in the sink, wring them out and hang them up overnight. If you’ve brought quick-drying items, this should be more than enough time to be able to wear them again the next day.

3. Healthy Back Bag saves your back and carries all your stuff. The Healthy Back Bag from Ameribag has been an amazing find for me and my travels. It has an ergonomic design that fits your body, a wide, adjustable padded strap and a hidden zipper to deter thieves. These bags come in so many sizes, colors and fabrics that there’s really one for everybody. The bags are water-resistant and have a big interior compartment with many pockets that can separate your stuff and a nice pocket outside to hold a water bottle. Aside from their capacity to hold sweaters and snacks and magazines, the shape totally helps relieve your shoulder and back of the usual pain that can come from carrying a purse or backpack on long travel days.

4. Stay dry with a packable rain jacket. I used to carry an umbrella everywhere I went, but it was such a pain to drag it around everywhere or I would forget it when I ended up needing it and it just took up space in my travel bag. Packable rain jackets pack into their own pocket and take up minimal space. Throw it in your day bag and it weighs almost nothing. When it rains, it covers you up and keeps your hands free, unlike an umbrella. Plus, if it’s a bit chilly, you can use it as a regular jacket even when it’s not raining. Win-win.

  

5. Find your way with a compass. Yes, this seems totally old school, but you’d be surprised how handy a compass can be, especially in cities where you know on the map which direction you’re headed, but are totally clueless which direction you’re actually pointing. This is really helpful in cities that have big open spaces, like London. If you want to go high-tech, you can always get a digital compass, which can also help you navigate back to an original starting point.

With just a few items thrown in your bag, there are many more that you can eliminate from your original packing list. It’s always great to be able to lighten your load, as it frees up your bag for other necessities, makes it easier to tote around and gives you room for all those souvenirs you plan to buy. 

We're celebrating 100 blog subscribers! Help me out by subscribing, too, and you could win a fantastic Summer Road Trip bundle worth over $150! The package includes a fun travel game, a packable tote bag, sunscreen, UV SunSense wristbands, $100 dining card, $25 hotel card and some other surprise items. Once we reach 150 subscribers a winner will be chosen. Enter here! Get extra entries by getting your friends to enter as well!   

Don't forget to join me on the awesome new Savvy Living Community sponsored by Ebates. Not only will you learn how to save money by better utilizing Ebates, but you will also be able to read Savvy blog posts and join in discussions and live chats with Savvy Leaders (like me!) to learn how to save money on all aspects of your life. With 19 bloggers who are experts on everything from travel to family life, you're sure to learn a lot of new information, find some great new blogs and even make some friends along the way. Join Ebates.

Are you in the Portland area or planning on traveling here? Well, I've been chosen as a Budget Travel Examiner for Portland on Examiner.com, where I will be posting deals and cool stuff to do in the area on a budget several times a week. Make sure you subscribe to my articles. Not only will you get some great ideas on stuff to do in Portland and the surrounding areas (including day trips), but you'll also save money and help me out by expanding my readership - which will boost my income a bit, too. Thanks for your help and I hope you enjoy my articles.