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The Best Ways To Save Money On A Road Trip

If you and some family members (or friends) are planning to take a road trip, then this article is perfect for you. The reason why is because we figure that there’s a pretty good chance that one of the reasons why you’re opting to travel in this fashion is in order to save a buck or two.

So, as you’re packing up the things that you want to take and mapping out the places that you want to see, we wanted to provide you with five of the best ways to save even more money on your road trip. This way you can spend more time having fun rather than counting pennies.

Do your research. While a part of the fun of a road trip is that you can enjoy not being on a strict schedule, this doesn’t necessarily mean that you shouldn’t adhere to a budget. If you are taking your car, research the places in each city/state that have some of the cheapest gas prices (Gas Buddy is great for Androids and Local Gas Prices are good for iPhones) and if you’re going to stay in a hotel, price them out via websites like Hotels and Hotwire so that you can get the best rate possible.

Rent a hybrid. As people are becoming more “green aware”, so are rental car companies. The good thing about this fact is that even if you can’t afford to buy a hybrid, you can at least rent one for your trip. Not only does this mean there will be fewer emissions in the air, but you will have to make less fuel stops on the road too.

Pack up a cooler. Aside from gas, probably the next biggest expense with road trip travel is food. Indeed, if you spend several hours in a car at a time, you’re bound to make a few fast food stops and that can really add up. That is why it’s best to make it a point to do some grocery shopping ahead of time and to pack some food up in a cooler for your journey. It’s healthier, it’s cheaper and you’ll end up with a lot more options to choose from.

January 26, 2013

Travel & Entertainment

How To Throw An Over The Top Party On A Tight Budget

Most of us can’t afford to go to the extremes of “real housewife” Taylor from Orange County when it comes to throwing lavish birthday parties for our kids, and neither do we enjoy a corporate budget to pay for an evening soiree. But just because you’re working with an extremely limited budget doesn’t mean you can’t go all out for your upcoming celebration. There are plenty of ways to save on the regular party fare, and if you want to go nuts with a bash that none of the attendees are likely to forget, a little creativity and a lot of elbow grease are going to be your budget-friendly strategy. Here are just a few suggestions to help you get started and save along the way.

The simple truth of the matter is that when you’re looking to save money you’re likely going to have to sub in time and effort instead. Don’t want to pay for a catering company? You’ll just have to make the food yourself. Can’t afford professional entertainers? You’d better warm up your vocal cords or learn to juggle. Okay, that might be a bit extreme. But when you’re looking to cut costs at every turn you’re certainly going to have to come up with some creative solutions that will help to keep you from overspending. Luckily, there are options that will allow you to save both time and money.

January 20, 2013

Travel & Entertainment

How To Save Money On The Biggest Travel Expenses

Now that the holiday season is over have you already started scanning down the calendar for that next vacation date? The New Year brings excitement and a slew of resolutions, but resolutions take discipline and willpower, and the excitement wanes quickly in the chill of the long winter months. Planning that next vacation can help you get through the beginning of another year with a bit more grace and ease, and before you know it your travel date will be here. But most people are hurting a bit financially right now, due to the recession economy and the big holiday shopping days. Any upcoming vacation must fit within a tight budget, and any money saved can be spent elsewhere to make the trip the best it can be. Here are a few tips to help you save money on the biggest expenses for travel.

Airfare

Airfare is often the number one expense, and it doesn’t seem like the airlines are adjusting their rates during this tough economy. You’ll have to shop intelligently to save here, and that comes from one of two strategies. If you have specific travel dates based upon school vacations or certain national holidays, try to book your airfare as far out as possible. You can often find flights listed as far as six months in advance, and in the case of holiday travel you’ve got to book these dates quickly to lock in the lowest possible fares. On the flip side, if you can be flexible about your specific travel dates you might want to consider shopping for your airfare at the last minute. Inexpensive seats will often be released within the month you want to travel, as flights book up and new ones are added or as airlines scramble to fill empty seats. In either case start shopping online and make sure you’ve hunted down all options before locking in your ticket.

January 18, 2013

Travel & Entertainment

Inexpensive Options For Your Next Family Vacation

This may not be the ideal time to plan your next family vacation, with the massive spending of the holiday season still burning holes through your credit cards. But taking time away from the hustle and bustle of life to reconnect with the people you care about is one of the most important things you can do. It’s why you work so hard the rest of the year, and a great family vacation is worth more than all of the presents and elaborate meals money can buy. Luckily, even when your finances are at their tightest it is possible to enjoy a relaxing trip with the family. Here are just a couple of inexpensive options to help you plan your next family vacation.

First of all, consider alternate forms of transportation. You’ll never tire of first class airfare, but if that’s what stands in the way of affording the trip it’s time to get creative. Consider a closer destination you can drive to. With a full car of family members the car ride will always be cheaper than the flight, and significantly greener as well. You can cut costs further by taking a bus or a train to your vacation destination. They may not be glamorous forms of transportation, but they’ll save you the stress of driving in traffic and navigating through unknown territory. And you’ll have plenty left over in your budget to enjoy the trip itself.

January 11, 2013

Travel & Entertainment

How To Save Money While Eating Out

If you are like most people, then you absolutely enjoy eating out. This is normal; people don’t like to cook and would rather have their choice of anything that the restaurant has to offer. Now, it doesn’t matter if you are going to eat out at a fancy restaurant or a fast food establishment, there are some good ways to save money.

Before you rush out to your favorite place to eat, make sure you understand that eating out is not a good use of money. If you can cook at home as opposed to eating out, then you will be able to save a substantial amount of money. I know that most people won’t eat at home all the time and that is why I have a few solutions for you as to how you can save money.

July 23, 2012

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