Cheaper Activities Through Daily Deals

Okay, you guys! It’s time to save some money. It’s right around that time when I am near my vacation and using daily deals to save tons on my trip. I have taken three trips this year, with another two on the calendar, so it’s more important than ever for me to save wherever I can, so we can fit the trip into our budget. It’s probably the same for you. I feel like if I find a daily deal for things I was going to do anyway, then it’s double-awesome. Sometimes I find deals for things I didn’t know existed or for fun restaurants, which shape a new unique vacation for me.

When we traveled to the UK and Europe, I found and purchased deals from Groupon UK and ncrowd for my trip to take a bus tour around London, a scavenger hunt through the Underground, a tour to Stonehenge, a dining card and afternoon teas. Why would I not use these savings to make my travels better where I can? Now I've got more than half of my food and activities paid for through Groupon for my New Orleans trip and when I come back, I'll be looking for a few in Los Angles. I used quite a few for Las Vegas as well.

Let’s talk about my favorite daily deal site: Groupon. I’ve used it at home and away and saved tons of money. For those of you who don’t know what Groupon is, it’s a pretty simple concept: Each day there's a new deal put up from a local company - and often more than one. They can be a salon, tour company, restaurant, yoga studio, shop or any number of other things. They will offer rockin’ deals for Groupon customers. The discount is almost always at least 50% off. 

Groupon means “group coupon”, so that explains why they need more than just one person to take the deal in order for it to help both you and company offering the deal. Companies get their name out to customers, customers try them out and everyone wins!

One of the cool things about Groupon – among many – is that it’s not just for the U.S. Nope, it’s available for the U.S. Canada and 40 other countries around the world including Colombia, Uraguay and Singapore. Pretty much anywhere you go, you can purchase Groupons to save you big time on your trip. If I want to do a bike tour in Mexico or get a manicure in Greece, I can do it, providing those things come up as discounts before I go. This is why I’m watching it daily until my trip.

Groupon has teamed up with Expedia to bring you fantastic(er) deals on travel! With amazing discounts on luxury hotels and accommodations, you can’t afford NOT to travel well while still on a budget. The rates may not be slashed to 90% off, but they will be great and you’ll drool over their gorgeous photos and long to go everywhere all at once.

So, how do you sign up for Groupon? It’s easy and free! In fact, you can use your Facebook account to sign in if you want. Use either your home location or your next vacation destination as the one you wish to get deals for and then look for them in your email. I’m getting updates for London, Paris and Vancouver, but can click through to look at my local area as well, and I can change my preferred destination anytime I want. I also have the Groupon app on my phone, so I can get the deals on-the-go and also save paper by bringing up the deal on my phone to use at the merchant, restaurant or attraction.

Do you know what’s even cooler? You can get 3% cash back on all your Groupon purchases by using Ebates, too, to make your savings even larger. If you aren't familiar with Ebates, you can read my post on it here. Why NOT save as much as possible on everything you do if you can? 

Other sites I like to use are Living Social, which is like Groupon's little sister, and Travelzoo, where you can also find great deals on travel.

Who else uses Groupon or is excited to sign up  for it? Or do you have another favorite daily deal site? 

Getting More Exercise on Vacation

I don't exercise much, but I do try to keep in shape by eating right and parking further from the store to walk more and taking the stairs. When on vacation it's hard to eat healthfully, so I look for ways to burn more calories when I'm out and about...and eat make the effort to order vegetables. 

Walk Whenever Possible

Instead of driving or taking public transit, try walking. Some destinations are more walkable than others, but you can easily walk 4-10 miles in a day (or more if you're going to a theme park) without even noticing. Look at your map and see how far your destination is for the day (maybe plan some things that are close to each other) and strap on our walking shoes if they are doable. At a slow pace, you can walk a mile in 15 minutes, which isn't that long or that far. Of course, if you're like me, you're more likely to want to walk in the morning when your feet are fresh, so give yourself some motivation to get up and stretch your legs. You can take the subway later in the day. You may face lots of stairs with this option, too. 

Besides the obvious benefits of walking, you will be able to slow down and see more of your destination, possibly finding some hidden gems along the way. We saw a really good portion of London by just wandering around. Just remember to stay aware of where you are and what's around you to stay safe. 

Get Up Early and Use the Gym

Lots of hotels we've stayed in have had workout rooms that are free for all to use. Now we stay in vacation rentals or timeshares, but many of them have gyms included as well. The same goes for cruise ships. Now, I find that I never actually make it to the gym, even though I say I will, but if I made more of an effort, I would at least make it down to get on the elliptical for a bit. If you're on a business trip, this may be the only exercise you get, so make sure to pack suitable clothes. My pajamas are generally a pair of running shorts and t-shirt, so I am set.

Or  Exercise in Your Room

This is easier to do when you have a vacation rental or a suite, where there is actual room for you to move around, but even if you only have a little free space and a chair, you can get in some extra calorie-burning:

• Chair crunches - I love the fact that if you have a chair, you pretty much have a low-impact gym. Sit on the edge and pull legs up or do the bicycle or other ab exercises like these. 
• Work your triceps - These also use a chair, though you can use anything flat and sturdy. At home, I use my coffee table, but you can also use a park bench. 
• Planks - Work your core! They hurt, but I assume when I see results, they will be all worth it!
• Squats - Work your butt. You can do these outside, too, but people might you funny looks. If you want to get more advanced, go find yourself a bench and do some step-ups.
• Calf raises - Do these anywhere, like brushing your teeth, watching the news or waiting in line to get into the Louvre.
• Arm curls - You can do these just about everywhere. Buy a couple of water bottles and use them as make-shift weights. If these aren't doing the trick and you don't have anything heavier around that could work, check out these traveling dumbbells called AquaBells that you fill with water for your workouts. 
• Resist! Pack a resistance band (or set) in your carry-on and do more strenuous workouts in the time you have available. There are also these fancy loop bands you can use to strengthen your legs/thighs 

Get In the Pool

Eric prefers to get his extra workout in the form of swimming. If there's a pool, he's going to get in it and do some laps. I'm not a swimmer, but I'll come sit for moral support. Usually, this is when I do laundry. Lugging a laundry basket to and from my room counts as exercise, right?

Rent a Bike

The only thing better than walking your destination is getting around by bike. Lots of destinations now have city bikes you can rent by the hour or the day. See the city in a totally different way by riding around and moving those legs. Bonus is that many of them have baskets, so you have a place to put purchases and/or your day bag. 

Drink More Water

This isn't strictly helpful in exercising, but it will give you more energy if you stay hydrated, meaning you won't want to just be a lump (anymore than usual) when you could be exploring the city on foot or checking out another museum. It also helps if you don't overeat. If you're hungry, but not starving, remember that most places will serve you at least 1.5 times as much as you should eat. Sharing a plate is a way to satisfy your hunger without loading you down with carbs and other foods, so you won't feel like a nap in the middle of the day and drag, because walking is more beneficial when you do it at a brisk pace.

Do you exercise when you travel? What's your favorite way to burn all those calories you ingested over the course of each day?

Halloween Costumes You Can Pack - Part 2

In my last blog post we talked about packable Halloween costumes for warm weather. It can be challenging, when traveling somewhere hot to find a costume that doesn't give you heat stroke. It can be just as difficult to find a costume that isn't too bulky and will keep you warm when the temps drop. We went to Paris in October a few years ago and had tickets to attend Disneyland Paris's Halloween party. This trip to Paris was totally different from our last visit where it was unseasonably warm in November. This time, there was a crazy cold snap and early October saw temps in the 20s. Ouch. Let's look at costumes that can be worn anytime and also when it's super cold, but that are still easy to pack.

Mild Weather

If you're lucky, the weather can be cool, but not too cool to warrant a jacket. That's kind of my favorite weather for Halloween, because you have a wider selection of costumes to choose from.

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Be a Lumberjack

I always travel with layers, whether I'm traveling in the summer or the winter. A plaid shirt makes a great layer, so you why not toss one in your bag with a pair of suspenders and a knit cap. Just like that, you can be a lumberjack!

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Toga, Toga, Toga
There are tons of different toga and toga-like costumes for both men and women. Make your own or buy one to be Caesar, Aphrodite, a frat partier, Socrates and more. Add a laurel and your favorite sandals and you're done.

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Yer a Wizard! (Or witch)

You basically just need a black outfit, a cape and a hat for this one. If you're a Harry Potter freak like me, you possibly have a Hogwarts sweater in your closet that you can put on with a black skirt or slacks, slip your wand in your pocket and you can be a wizard- (or witch-) in-training.

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Any Superhero
Always wanted to be Superman or Batman or Cat Woman? Now's your chance. When the weather is mild, you can go full-out or a little skimpy and not be uncomfortable. Of course, you can always be a superhero in disguise by wearing a part of your costume underneath your shirt, like Superman does. This is creative and also easier to pack.

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Burglar & Police Officer

In the top pic, I'm dressed as a burglar, but you can't really tell, because it was so cold in France that I literally had on four layers of clothes. It was also raining, which didn't help matters. I wore all black and rimmed my eyes with some serious black eyeliner and carried around a money bag. The effect was a bit ruined when I also had to snug up in my coat and wear a scarf, but it was an easy outfit otherwise. Get your significant other to dress similarly or wear dark blue or black pants and a blue/black button-down shirt with a badge to be a cop.

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Doctor/Nurse
This isn't done nearly enough and can be really simple. All you need is a lab coat and some semi-dressy clothes underneath. Make a name badge for yourself (ex: Dr. Bob, Nurse Barb) and add a cheap stethoscope, so you can do your job, and voila! Change this up into a mad scientist outfit by adding crazy hair and some safety googles.

Prom King/Queen

We always bring some dress-up clothes with us on vacation. At least, we usually do, because we tend to do a couple things where we need to look a bit nice. Even an LBD can work for this. Pair it with a Prom King or Queen and a crown and you're ready to party. You can bring a paper crown you've made, pick up a cheap one at a party store or, my personal favorite, stash this inflatable crown in your bag. They'll take up little room and if they get wrinkled, you can just blow them up.

Cold Weather

It's going to happen. You find that you're going somewhere that the weather is too cold to wear the traditional costume, but that leaves you free to be more creative with your choices.

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Snow Bunny
Put that puffy coat and those furry boots you're wearing to good use. Adding an adorable hat and some ski goggles will really sell your outfit, especially if you've got a cup of hot chocolate in-hand.

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Mountain Climber
You can kind of wear everything for this costume, because you're climbing a mountain and it's freezing! This is when you'll want to break out that backpack again and put on a head lamp (you probably have one of these at home). Make yourself a cute little flag to make the peak and go conquer that mountain...and the cold weather.

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Polar Bear
So simple, it's ridiculous. White pants and a white coat, then add a pair of ears and paint your nose or wear this fun hat/scarf combo and run around going "Rawr!" The bulkier you are, the better, so don't be afraid if you have to put on some long johns underneath your clothes. 

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Mummy
This one works well with a bunch of layers as well, because you're just going to cover up with layers of white fabric. I'd suggest white underlayers and a set of thermals under that, since a coat would ruin the effect. You can use toilet paper for this, but if you don't want to unravel or walk around with toilet paper on your shoe, thing sheets that you've ripped into strips works really well. Just make sure you can get your pants off to use the restroom, or else you might hate this really quickly.

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Biker

There's not much warmer than leather/pleather, so why not dig out your pants and jacket, a black sweater, some comfy boots and wrap a bandana around your head and go as a biker. You might be taking most of that on your trip anyway, so put it all together and get tough. This works for everybody and you can add more layers as needed, like a vest.

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Sherlock Holmes

If you've got a trench coat, you've got a costume. Sherlock Holmes is easily recognizable, especially with his trademark deer hunter cap and pipe. This works for men and women, you just have to wear some decently nice clothes underneath. Your significant other can wear a suit jacket and driving cap and be Watson.

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Hunter
Get your camouflage on. You can most easily create the hunter look with a camouflage jumpsuit, but you can also do this by wearing dark colored clothing with a camouflage jacket and cap. Get all Duck Dynasty with a big beard and you'll also keep your face warm if it's that cold out.

Are you traveling somewhere for Halloween? If so, do you plan on dressing up?