Happy Holidays to You & Yours

I'm spending the holiday with my family, so I just thought I'd bring you a few pics of people out ice skating at our local mall and their decor.

Have a great weekend and you'll have a new post on Wed. My last post of 2021! I really can't believe it's already been another year. 

What are some of your hopes for 2022?

5 Last-Minute Holiday Travel Gifts

I can't believe this month is almost over. I have talked to a lot of people who still aren't done with their shopping. If this is you and you still can't figure out what to get for that traveler on your list, or you just got paid, so haven't been able to shop until now, I have some great last-minute ideas for you. They're also perfect if you're traveling to visit people and need to save room in your carry-on.

Airline miles

If you know what your recipient's favorite airline is, you can gift them miles to let them fly for free or more cheaply on their next trip. Right now, lots of airlines have deals going, like Alaska, who right now has 40-50% bonus miles on purchases, depending on the number of miles you buy. 

Southwest Airlines just has a straight-up buy or gift page, no special deals at the moment, but I know a lot of budget travelers who strictly fly them, so your money may go further. 

Language classes

Right now, you can give Babbel as a gift to someone at up to 60% off. They have online classes, tutorials, an app, and more, all included in a monthly subscription. Get a 6- or 12-month subscription for 50% off, or a lifetime subscription for 60% off. A lifetime, guys! They can learn 14 different languages, and if more are added in the future, they can learn those, too! We just booked a trip to Paris for September, so I might even get this for myself!

Go City attractions pass

Get them the gift of sightseeing and attractions for their next or favorite city with Go City. I've used their passes many times and they save so much money, but they also make amazing and thoughtful gifts. They can see and do more for your dollars than if activities were purchased separately. In fact, many times you can save up to 40% off by rolling it all into this one pass. Choose from 29 cities worldwide or get them a gift of London Pass, Paris Pass, or Dublin Pass. They may even get special discounts for other things in the city, like transportation and restaurants. I love it and so will they!

Staycation box

Gift the traveler in your life a subscription box to Try the World. They'll get a box full of gourmet foods, drinks and snacks from a country and learn all about the flavors of the destination. Each box also features recipe cards and stories, plus the products inside are all curated specially from small, family-owned companies who use traditional methods to give you (or your giftee) an authentic experience. 

Right now, your gift counts for double, because with any box you buy or gift, you'll get a second box free. As always, the more you purchase up front, the cheaper each box will end up being. Choose from 1-month, 3-month, 6-month or 12-month subscriptions. This deal is only for the food box, but if you're looking for a more frugal option, snack boxes are also available.

Experiences

I'm a big fan of experiences over stuff. It creates lasting memories and you can include everyone in them if you want. We've purchased experiences for our entire family to participate in before and it was a big hit. Check out daily deal sites like Groupon, Goldstar, and Living Social for things you can do or gift to others. I am also a big fan of city scavenger hunts. Check out Urban Adventure Quest for deals on small groups, couples, and big groups. You play on your phone, so it's super easy to follow along while you're out there, and it's Covid-friendly!

I hope this helps with your last-minute gift scramble. You can probably still get many things on my regular gift list in time for Christmas from Amazon. Have a wonderful holiday, and if you don't celebrate Christmas, or your holidays are already over, have a great weekend!

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links that may result in me being monetarily compensated if you make purchases through them. Thanks in advance, as it allows me to keep this blog running. 

Winter Long Weekends & Microcations

On average, Americans get two weeks of vacation time and most only take a portion of that, and some don’t take any at all. First of all, that time is owed to you, so you need to take it, especially if you don’t want to burn out. We all need time to recharge, but we don’t always have the time to take a full two weeks, or even one. I love a long vacation, but then knowing I spent all my vacation time in one go is a big bummer. No more recharging for me, right?

Well, more and more people are taking long weekend trips (3-4 days) and microcations (average 4 days) in order to get away. It’s known that getting away, even for this short amount of time can be good for your health and sanity. We all want that, don’t we? Even a short getaway is better than no getaway, and it really helps us feel better about ourselves and relax, plus it makes your vacation days last longer if you aren’t using them all at once, and you can look forward to more than one trip per year.

Imagine taking 3-4 mini vacations a year rather than one big one. The daunting idea of coming to a humongous pile of work waiting for you becomes a more manageable little pile of work that doesn’t make you long to go back on vacation and never come back. You don’t feel guilty taking 1 or 2 days off a work week and hotels are even cheaper Sunday-Thursday nights, so you’re saving money too!

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A post shared by Shereen Travels Cheap (@srayle)

So, where should you go?

Here are some perfect budget destinations for Winter, which gives you some time to plan, pack, and book:

Las Vegas: Three days is the perfect visit to Sin City, especially if you don’t leave The Strip. If you do, you can easily find lots of free and cheap ideas to fill your time. You don’t even need to gamble.

Catalina Island, CA: Maybe you don’t have time to fly to the Bahamas (which is also a great winter destination), but you can get a bit of that feel with lovely California weather.

Panama: Got time to get out of the country, but not that much time? Hit up Panama where you can swim, snorkel, see some historical sites, explore the rainforest, go sailing. You name it, you can find it there.

Puerto Rico: Technically, still in the U.S., plus there’s great weather and white beaches and it’s practically empty during this time of year.

Montego Bay, Jamaica: While the flights aren’t super cheap, the hotel rates are, so if you find a great rate on airfare, this is the perfect winter getaway.

Spain: Take yourself for a short trip to Europe, where the weather is awesome, the exchange rates are great, and you can spend your days sipping drinks on the beach, admiring historical buildings and eating your weight it delicious tapas.

So, now you know where you're going and since you won't be there that long, you don't have to take that much either. That means your budget trip just go more budget-friendly. Need help with your packing list? Check out my post here or see my IG post above. I'll be posting another packing post soon, with how I'm packing for 4 days in Arizona - for 2 people - in a small carry-on and a tote for the plane. 

You'll still want to check out the travel advisories and restrictions for trips out of the country and think about getting travel insurance or what you might do if you get sick while away from home. Or you can start planning for next winter when we'll undoubtedly be able to travel more freely. If you do plan to travel now, please consider getting vaccinated (if you haven't already) and boostered. I want everyone to be as safe as possible for themselves and everyone around them. 

What are your favorite winter destinations?