Posts Tagged ‘Travel’
What we did right (and wrong) on vacation
Our trip to Fort Myers came and went so quickly! I can’t believe it’s already over. That’s how good times go, I guess–they fly by! We did a few things right, in terms of saving money, but there are a few things we should have done much better.
Right:
We chose a vacation rental house for the eight of us, rather than getting a few hotel rooms. This option proved to be more affordable, and we had more space to lounge around. It felt homier than a hotel. It was more quiet. We had a private swimming pool. And, we were able to cook some meals at the house. Definitely the way to go when you’re traveling with a group (or even a small family, perhaps).
Wrong:
Even though we had a fully equipped kitchen, we didn’t do the food thing right at all. People went to the grocery several times, and most of the time without a list. We picked up a cartload of snacks and one quick meal of frozen pizzas for $100. Bad. Most of the food got eaten, but without a list, we had so much junk, and no real meals out of it. The other night we ate in, we had bratwursts and hamburgers on the grill. That seemed to go a little better. I don’t know how much people ended up spending on food, but if we had been more organized and created a list (and stuck to it) we would have been way better off.
Right:
We bought our plane tickets as early as we could (January). Prices have gone up quite a bit since then.
Right:
My mother-in-law rented a car that seated five. But, we were a group of eight. So, she kindly shuttled groups of us up and down the island as needed. Even though that was a hassle, it wasn’t that bad. And, it was cheaper than renting two cars, or a larger car to hold all of us. I had planned on taking a taxi from the airport to the rental house, but she wouldn’t hear of it, and picked Shane and I up. She ended up saving us quite a bit of money in doing that. Also, I expected we could take the island trolley to and fro. That thing was seen just a few times. I don’t think it was running on its full schedule.
Kinda right, kinda wrong:
I bought an Entertainment Book for Fort Myers, thinking we’d get at least a little bit of use out of it. Nope. Not a single bit. But, it wasn’t expensive, and my Ebates money covered the purchase price of the book. Plus, as we were leaving, I gave it to the bride & groom, who live in the city. They’ll probably be able to save money with it.
Right:
I’ve mentioned in the past that Shane and I are total debit card people. We hate using cash, generally. But, on vacation, I think it’s the right way to go. We took $300 in small bills to cover all of our trip’s expenses while there. Having that cash helped us keep tabs on what we were spending (we didn’t have internet access and couldn’t logon to see our debit card balance…though we could call several times per day if we wanted). We knew we wouldn’t have trouble buying things at stores that didn’t accept plastic. And, it was easier to deal with at restaurants. The day after we got back, we deposited the remaining cash back into our checking account, so we can use it as normal.
Right:
We spent our money as we had originally intended. I bought a refrigerator magnet (I always do) for about $3. We bought some meals out. And that’s about it.
Wrong:
We didn’t take off our rings before jumping in the ocean. ‘Nuff said.
Food to take on our flight to Florida
It’s less than a month until Shane and I fly to Florida for his sister’s wedding! We’re so excited for this little vacation, and to spend some time with family.
As I’ve mentioned, eight of us are staying in a vacation home, complete with a full kitchen. To save money, we’re going to cook some of our meals in the vacation house. I’m planning on packing a suitcase full of non-perishable foods purchased from my Aldi store in Pittsburgh, as there doesn’t seem to be an Aldi near where we’re going. We’ll pick up perishable items from a Publix nearby, for which I have a $5 off $50 coupon thanks to my Entertainment Book. (By the way, for those of you who shop at Publix: Do I need a store card to get discounts?)
Here’s some meal ideas I’m considering. I’d really appreciate your help with other ideas. We’re looking for foods that are easy to prepare and don’t require a ton of extra ingredients or special cookware.
Ingredients with a * indicate I’ll buy them at Aldi and bring down.
Drinks:
Lemonade* (powdered stuff)
Coffee* (When going to hotels, I typically save the individual coffee packets. I’ll take some of those and some extra filters).
Breakfast:
Fill a small container of oats for oatmeal*
Dry boxed cereal*
Pancake mix*
Syrup*
Traveling on a shoestring and a prayer: Cheap places to sleep
Looking for new, cheap ways to travel and meet people as you go? I read a few ideas in the March 31, 2008 issue of TIME (page 61) that I’d like to share with you.
Do any of these sound appealing to you?
Guest swap
Sort of like being a foreign-exchange student, you could have a guest swap. Travelers can serve as both guests and hosts. In the story’s example, a lady from France visited a lady from Japan in her home; the next year, the Japanese woman visited the Frenchwoman.
You’ll see how locals live, meet new friends, and when you’re serving as a host, you’ll be able to show a bit of hospitality and also get to know your own area a little better.
Kind of nice, considering the alternative could be staying in a pricey hotel and eating all your meals in a restaurant.
If you can’t host someone overnight, you could also be a "day host."
For more information, visit Servas.org.
Earning your keep
If hard labor instead of hospitality is more your style, consider working to earn your keep. In the TIME example, one woman picked figs while she stayed with locals in Greece. I guess that’s one way to fit in your workout while traveling!
"I wanted to remind myself that there are other ways of living and earning," she says. "It was hard work, but I wouldn’t have been able to go otherwise. I didn’t spend any money that month."
For more information, visit Helpx.net.
Couch surfing
Finally, here’s the one idea that I have heard of already. You could try couchsurfing–basically crashing on a host’s couch for the night for free.
It’s not all about the free sleep accommodations, though. According to the web site, "it’s about participating in creating a better world. We strive to make a better world by opening our homes, our hearts, and our lives. We open our minds and welcome the knowledge that cultural exchange makes available."
Essentially, you’ll get to know someone a little better and learn how others live.
If you’re concerned about safety (who isn’t?) there’s a member verification process as well as a vouching system.
Have you tried these ideas? Would you? What are some other ways to have free accomodations?
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