Golfing for Less Green 8.4.12

Golf is expensive. I think this is a problem a lot of people encounter. How regular people can afford to go play almost every weekend is beyond me, but I know a lot of people like to do it. Well, I found some tips on how to save on such things that I’m going to share with you now, because I like that sort of thing and I think more people should get to play golf more often and not be forced to have to skip it when they go on vacation and have the chance to play new and exciting – not to mention challenging – courses. So, pack your golf shoes and some sunscreen and try using some of these techniques to hone your money-saving golf skills:

 

This photo of Golf del Sur is courtesy of TripAdvisor

• Book a less desirable tee time or less busy day to get a discounted rate.
• Buy an Entertainment Book for your vacation destination (if applicable) or use your current one to look online and find discounts on golf where you are going. They mark the books down in February and March, so you get an even better deal, plus you can get cash back on your purchase of one with Ebates (17.5%!).
• Use Expedia to book a reduced tee time rate on GolfSwitch. They have a network of golf courses worldwide where you can book ahead of time, get a good deal and, because you paid in advance, only have to worry about showing up!

 This photo of Crail Golfing Society - Balcomie and Craighead Courses is courtesy of TripAdvisor

• Many courses give discounts to residents. If you know anyone in the area that you’ll be playing in, see if you can get them to book for you.
• Rent your equipment when you get there. No sense in dragging your heavy clubs everywhere you go if you’ll only be playing one or two rounds while you’re on your trip. You’ll save by not having to pay (overweight) baggage fees each way and you won’t have your bag taking up all that space in your room. Your back will also thank you.
• Groupon! Sign up for Groupon for free and get up to 75% off dining, shopping and activities. This includes greens fees. I have seen many Groupons for lovely golf courses in the Portland area, so I have to believe that you can find equally good ones for your home area and other U.S. and international destinations (where Groupon is offered). It doesn’t hurt that you may also see Groupons for other things you may want to see and do…or eat!

What are some of your favorite ways to save on golfing?

Super Useful Travel Links 8.3.12

Can you believe it’s August already? This Summer (and year) are just flying by and it won’t be long and we will be ringing in 2013! Well, let’s not think about that right now. I’ve found a mish-mash of travel posts this week that are informative and at least one that is fun, but totally useless.

Photo Credit

Got a long layover, but not long enough to explore the whole city? The Time Traveler app from Yahoo! helps you create a custom itinerary on the spot that will show you what to do to make the most of the time you have in the city. The app is free in the iTunes app store and gives you maps, directions, allows you to save trips and itineraries and also share with friends and family. Fun, right?

Photo Credit

Sometimes you wish you could just spin the globe and point – like you did when you were a kid – to choose your vacation destination. Too bad globes are so rare these days and when you were a kid you didn’t have to worry about money. Well, Smarter Travel can help you take the guesswork out of going somewhere awesome and the grown up in you can plan a budget trip to get there. Check out the World’s Coolest Secret Tourist Attractions, which aren’t really secret, so much as overlooked. But don’t you want to go somewhere a lot of people don’t know about? Of course you do! Some of the amazing places listed are Newgrange, Ireland and Ngorongoro Crater, Tanzania. Now, that’s just fun to say.

Photo Credit

Want to learn how NOT to pack a suitcase? Obviously, it isn’t hard, but Jenna Mourey has me on floor clutching my sides with her video “How Girls Pack a Suitcase”. It doesn’t hurt that she’s super-hot and her dogs are adorable either. Tip: May contain cursing, so probably don’t turn the volume up full blast if you are at work or have small children in the room.

Photo Credit

I’m all about videos today. Instead of packing everything you own for a weekend trip, how about learning how to look chic on the plane, so you are both stylish and comfortable. Gadling shows you their must-have pieces for looking amazing and ready for everything. Don’t fret about the prices, because these items can be found from different brands for a fraction of the cost. I know, because I own most of them and didn’t pay $1,200 for a carry-on bag (or even all my items put together), though I’m thinking twice about those Yosi flats! I see an email from Piperlime featuring them in fun patterns.

Photo from Piperlime

Speaking of Piperlime, they have this great fall travel wardrobe that consists of 8 pieces that can be mixed and matched to make a ton of different looks Add a skirt or a dress and you are good to go for anything on a trip when it starts to get cool again. I also recommend taking this as inspiration and purchasing more affordable pieces elsewhere that won't break the bank. Old Navy has great items that are similar and are more budget-friendly.

Photo Credit

If you were thinking about going across the pond to get in on the Olympic celebrations in London, but thought it would be too expensive, you might be in luck. With 2 weeks left, you still have time to plan a quick trip if you can afford the airfare. With the insistence of the city claiming prices would skyrocket and crowds would be thick, it seems to have the opposite effect. Tourism in London is down. Like, really down. Travelers were afraid of the high accommodation rates and congestion, so they put off their trips. Now merchants and hotels are struggling to stay afloat this month. With only 80% fill rates in rooms, good deals can be found if you look around or even call and speak to the desk agent or the manager.

That’s it for me this week. Do you have any must-have travel pieces you’d like to share?

Last-Minute Summer Travel Deals 8.1.12

Don't forget to enter to win yourself a pair of Footzyrolls foldable flats.

So, August is upon us and some of you, I know, haven’t taken a vacation yet this Summer. If that’s because you’re saving for your Fall vacation, like me, that’s cool. If you wanted to take a trip, but couldn’t figure out how it would fit into your budget, what with the crazy high airfares and stupid long lines for everything, then I’m here to give you some tips on trips that are still doable and also affordable. If you can drive you will save more, but if you have to fly, there are a lot of airfare sales going right now that you might be able to take advantage of. Follow me on Facebook or Twitter to see them all as they come up.

Photo Credit

Only a few weeks until the kids are back in school, so if you have them, you better start planning your trip yesterday! Just kidding, but really, get on it so you actually have TIME to go there before they are putting on their backpacks and you’re fixing their lunches.

Photo Credit

San Francisco – Yes, the city can be expensive if you don’t plan your outings properly, but there are lots of ways to save. One of the smartest things you can do when heading to a city that has expensive hotels and food is to stay outside the city. You can take public transportation or even rent a car. With the difference in hotel prices between San Francisco and, say, Oakland, Albany or Richmond, you’ll see how this could potentially save you hundreds off a vacation. Here are more ideas:

• Golden Gate Bridge – No trip to San Francisco is complete without at least driving across this beautiful bridge, but it is also open to pedestrians and cyclists during daylight hours. At almost 2 miles long, it’s a great way to get exercise while also seeing amazing views of the city. Take a break to browse the gift shop and visitor’s center on the southeast side. There is a $6 toll coming back into the city though.
• City Guides – Local volunteers take tourists on free walking tours of the city. Find locations and schedules of tours online, by just searching for “free San Francisco walking tours”.
• Exploratorium – This is another hands-on science museum that teaches young and old alike about electricity and other scientific principles. Admission is free the first Wed of every month and it can take up around 4 hours of your day, or more, depending on how fun you find it.
• California Academy of Sciences – Free admission is available on the third Wednesday of every month. Explore exhibits at the academy, including the African Hall, Swamp exhibit, T-Rex skeleton and aquarium. You can also get to the CAS through Golden Gate Park. Parking is free on nearby streets if you drive yourself.
• Cable Car Museum – Just what it claims to be, you can plan to spend about an hour and a half in this free museum. Learn the history of cable cars while observing full-size cars and photos. Spend some bucks that you saved on admission on funky souvenirs made from cable car tracks.
• Boudin Demonstration Bakery – Almost everyone enjoys some good sourdough bread, and San Francisco is famous for it. Watch bread being made through observation windows and right upstairs from the bakery is a free museum that gives you the history of sourdough in the Bay Area.
• San Francisco Botanical Garden – Located in Golden Gate Park, spend an hour or two in the garden that’s open all year long. There is also a library and bookstore to browse after you’ve taken in all 55 acres of more than 7,500 plants. Every day, there are free guided tours at 1:30 as well. If you’re looking for something to take home, you can purchase plants at the nursery every Saturday. They claim there is a $7 entry fee for non-residents, but no one will ask if you just walk in.
• Lost Canyon Winery – In nearby Oakland, taste some of California’s best wines for free Friday and Saturdays from 1-6pm.
• San Francisco Lawn Bowling Club – Sure this is obscure, but it’s also fun. Get free lessons from club members in Golden Gate Park every Wednesday at noon.

This photo of The Alamo is courtesy of TripAdvisor

San Antonio has some awesome affordable sightseeing, which I wrote about here.

This photo of Pike Place Market is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Seattle is the birthplace of grunge rock, Starbucks, Nordstrom and Microsoft. Seattle is steeped in history and tradition, but that doesn’t mean that you’ll go broke visiting. Do some of the offbeat tourist attractions for a whole different view of The Emerald City. It isn’t full of convenient freebies, but you can do it for cheaper if you plan – and if you can’t visit on any of the following days look into getting a Seattle CityPASS for a big discount:

• Seattle Art Museum – Thursday is a great day to visit some awesome free venues in Seattle, including the Art Museum. The first Thursday of every month, SAM is free to visitors.
• Experience Music Project (known as EMP) – This interactive museum of music is free from 5-8pm on first Thursdays.
• Science Fiction Museum & Hall of Fame – The first museum devoted to Science Fiction shares a building with EMP and also has free admission on first Thursday from 5-8pm.
• Pike Place Market – The market is one of the oldest in the country and is fun to shop or simply walk around and marvel at the stalls, especially the “flying fish” at the fish stall.
• Coast Guard Museum – Located at Pier 36, explore the free museum of Coast Guard memorabilia.
• Bainbridge Island Vineyard and Winery – While you’ll have to pay for a ferry ride (which can be super fun) across the Puget Sound, you can take a free guided tour of the vineyards every Sunday at 2pm.
• Chateau Ste. Michelle Vineyards is a short 15 mile drive from Seattle and offers a free wine tour and sampling.
• Redhook Brewery – For the beer-lovers among you, take a short drive northeast to Woodinville and take a brewery tour with 3-4 samples. You only pay $1 for a souvenir tasting glass.
• Freeway Park – This amazing park in downtown Seattle sits on 5 acres, overlooks the city, free Wi-Fi, a walking loop and in the summer offers free concerts and theater.

Photo Credit

Las Vegas is also a great money-saving option in August. You can read more about affordable options in my last Sin City post.

Photo Credit

If Los Angeles is on your list of must-visit destinations, you can look forward to a post on that on the 11th. I’ll be giving you my ideas for a fun 2-day trip in the next 48 Fun Hours on a Budget post.

Do you have a favorite budget travel location for the end of Summer?