What To Know Before You Go
A smooth, stress-free vacation begins well before the trip. Use these ideas to streamline vacation travel planning and preparation:
Establish Travel Central. Whether it's a new divider in a Household Notebook notebook, a dedicated section in a paper planner, or a Vacation category in your handheld organizer, keep all travel information in a single location. Include contact information for airlines, car rental agencies and travel agents, passport and frequent flyer numbers, and itineraries.
Three most important factors for vacation planning: lists, lists and more lists. Filed in Travel Central, vacation lists can include personal packing lists for each family member, a "before you leave" checklist, instructions for house-sitters, packing checklists and camping checklists.
Enter the packing zone. As you plan and prepare, set aside an area to gather travel essentials. In addition to tickets, passports, and travel documents, add travel-sized toiletries, tissues, travel appliances and personal care items.
Pack It Light, Pack It Right
Packing prowess separates veteran travelers from the armchair variety. Keep these ideas in mind as you pack for vacation travel:
Lighten the load. It's an old saw that still cuts--when traveling, less is more. For each family member, lay out all clothing and personal care items needed for the trip. Remove half before you pack the rest.
Forget what mother told you, and pack your oldest underthings! Collect worn-out socks and underwear throughout the year. When traveling, wear and toss. You'll lighten the load and make room for souvenirs as you go.
Investigate packing organizers. Pack clothing, socks, underwear and personal items in zipper food storage bags to cut wrinkles, protect clothing, and organize suitcases. Commercial organizers can be worth the cost for frequent travelers. Check them out!
Pack children's clothing day-by-day. For easiest travel with kids, use large zipper food storage bags to pack a complete outfit for a single day. Dirty clothing can be re-stored in the bags.
Plan for T-shirts. Family vacations mean t-shirts, t-shirts, t-shirts. Deliberately under-pack, knowing you'll add these garments along the way.
Take care of yourself! Put together personal care kits for each family member in a zipper bag or cosmetics organizer. Include sample-sized bottles of shampoo, shower gel, lotion and sun block. Use motel supplies along the way to replenish care kits. At vacation's end, re-stock care kits and store inside suitcases for the next trip.
On The Road
Pack the snacks! Airlines have cut back on meal and snack service, while roadside treats during car travel can be expensive and nutritionally unsound. Carry a small collapsing insulated bag and include a selection of healthy snacks to stave off the Cookie Monster.
Keep the customers satisfied. A visit to the Dollar Store can go a long way to amuse children while traveling. For maximum impact, package small toys, books, and games separately and dole them out one at a time.
Scale back on souvenirs. Don't let vacation travel saddle your household with more clutter! Instead, consider these clutter-free options: collecting small ornaments for a holiday "travel tree", purchasing postcards, assembling a scrapbook or keeping a personal travel journal to remind you of your trip.
Cut "buy me, buy me!" clamor with a Souvenir Budget. Use an envelope for each child, and deposit a small amount of cash earmarked for souvenirs at the beginning of the trip. Each child may spend the money in the envelope any way he or she chooses. Make it clear that there will be no more money forthcoming! When they control the cash, children become savvy souvenir shoppers.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Thursday, January 24, 2008
10 Honeymoon Vacation
Since money is a big factor for a lot of couples, planning budget honeymoons is a must! Flexibility and creativity is the key to a cheap honeymoon. If you insist on staying in a over-the-water bungalow in Bora Bora, the price tag will match that, no matter if you travel off season. Don't return from your honeymoon with thousands of dollars in debt, think "cheap" and plan ahead! Here is a list of ideas and tips that can help you save some money:
1. Stay Close to Home.
There are beautiful resorts all over the place. Find a local, secluded resort within a few hours drive of your wedding. This could cut your honeymoon cost in half since airline costs are extraordinary. This will also allow you to save money but enjoy the luxury of a 4 or 5 star resort. Your location, the time of year and your preferred honeymoon will all need to be taken into account. Or, pick a beautiful, dream location within a few hours flight of your wedding. If you want a tropical honeymoon, choose a destination that is a 4 – 6 hour flight instead of 10+ hours. This will cut down in the price and you can still have that island paradise. Compare islands in a region as well. Some islands are more expensive primarily because they are more popular. There are many great deals that are more affordable and just as nice as that popular resort and destination you see in all the advertisements.
2. Travel in the Off-Season.
If your mind is set on a certain destination, find out when they have their off-season. Some hotels offer significantly lower prices during the off-season. The off-season usually is a time when the weather isn't at its best, but this can mean hotter than normal weather for some locations, or rainy season in others.
3. Honeymoon Registry Gifts.
Ask for your honeymoon as a wedding present or build a honeymoon registry, where the expense can be divided among many guests, instead of one family member. Pass the word to your guests that your honeymoon registry is your gift preference. Registry information is best passed through family and the bridal party, and if guests find out that you need a little help in that area, they will usually be happy to purchase a gift they know you will enjoy.
4. Look for Deals.
Many resorts are trying to make it easier for couples to plan a destination wedding. Look for deals on rooms, airfare, wedding packages or anything else you need. Keep in mind that certain items you may expect to be inexpensive at the location may actually be more expensive; so be open to options and suggestions from the locals. Discount honeymoons are a great possibility, especially if you are flexible with your destination. Also, look for new hotels or resorts, which will be in superb condition but might not have the advertising to be fully booked.
5. Last Minute Honeymoons.
You can find many great, discounted vacations at the last minute. If you don’t mind planning your honeymoon in a rush and you won’t feel disappointed if you don’t get a specific destination, this is a great idea. Read the travel section in newspapers, online deals, travel agents and any other sources you find. Cruises often have great last minute deals, especially if you live near a cruise line port and don’t have to purchase airfare.
6. Timeshare Wedding Gifts.
If a family member has a timeshare that they may be banking instead of vacationing, let them know that you are having trouble affording a resort. They may offer you their timeshare as a wedding gift, which is easy for them and saves you a lot of money in resort fees.
7. All-inclusives.
Many couples spend well over their budget because of unexpected expenses or cost of food and drinks once they arrive to their hotel. This can bring a lot of unneeded stress to your honeymoon. One way to prevent this overspending is to choose an all-inclusive that truly includes everything from all meals, water, alcohol, non-motorized sports and sometimes excursions. Some all-inclusives are very expensive, but there are many resorts that are reasonable, especially in Mexico, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.
8. Bed and Breakfast.
Romance Stay away from those 5-star luxury resorts and opt for a romantic, secluded B&B for less than half the price and breakfast included. These are often well kept and have unique room interiors, as opposed to large, monotone hotel rooms. This is also a great way to travel through Europe. It will make you feel like you’re one of the locals.
9. Cruise Deals.
Affordable cruise packages are available, especially if you don't mind a smaller room and inside cabin. If you like to spend a lot of time in your room, try to get a suite, which can still be fairly affordable on a few lines. Liners like Carnival and Royal Caribbean are known for their party or family atmospheres, as well as their cheaper rates and deals. The crowds and children can be annoying to some. Yet, if you like a little more spice and are on a budget, consider one of these cruise lines for a cheap honeymoon cruise.
10. Camping Honeymoons.
Find a secluded camping site to have an outdoor, romantic honeymoon. This is an inexpensive way to enjoy each other’s company and getaway, without digging too deep into your bank account. Some nice camping sites even have cabins for rent for a reasonable price, which adds a little bit more luxury to the honeymoon adventure. Great ideas for beach lovers ~ there are many beach camping sites as well, which is a wonderful way to get beachfront romance for cheap.
In the end, honeymoon is always beautiful regardless of where you are as long as you are together happily ever after.
1. Stay Close to Home.
There are beautiful resorts all over the place. Find a local, secluded resort within a few hours drive of your wedding. This could cut your honeymoon cost in half since airline costs are extraordinary. This will also allow you to save money but enjoy the luxury of a 4 or 5 star resort. Your location, the time of year and your preferred honeymoon will all need to be taken into account. Or, pick a beautiful, dream location within a few hours flight of your wedding. If you want a tropical honeymoon, choose a destination that is a 4 – 6 hour flight instead of 10+ hours. This will cut down in the price and you can still have that island paradise. Compare islands in a region as well. Some islands are more expensive primarily because they are more popular. There are many great deals that are more affordable and just as nice as that popular resort and destination you see in all the advertisements.
2. Travel in the Off-Season.
If your mind is set on a certain destination, find out when they have their off-season. Some hotels offer significantly lower prices during the off-season. The off-season usually is a time when the weather isn't at its best, but this can mean hotter than normal weather for some locations, or rainy season in others.
3. Honeymoon Registry Gifts.
Ask for your honeymoon as a wedding present or build a honeymoon registry, where the expense can be divided among many guests, instead of one family member. Pass the word to your guests that your honeymoon registry is your gift preference. Registry information is best passed through family and the bridal party, and if guests find out that you need a little help in that area, they will usually be happy to purchase a gift they know you will enjoy.
4. Look for Deals.
Many resorts are trying to make it easier for couples to plan a destination wedding. Look for deals on rooms, airfare, wedding packages or anything else you need. Keep in mind that certain items you may expect to be inexpensive at the location may actually be more expensive; so be open to options and suggestions from the locals. Discount honeymoons are a great possibility, especially if you are flexible with your destination. Also, look for new hotels or resorts, which will be in superb condition but might not have the advertising to be fully booked.
5. Last Minute Honeymoons.
You can find many great, discounted vacations at the last minute. If you don’t mind planning your honeymoon in a rush and you won’t feel disappointed if you don’t get a specific destination, this is a great idea. Read the travel section in newspapers, online deals, travel agents and any other sources you find. Cruises often have great last minute deals, especially if you live near a cruise line port and don’t have to purchase airfare.
6. Timeshare Wedding Gifts.
If a family member has a timeshare that they may be banking instead of vacationing, let them know that you are having trouble affording a resort. They may offer you their timeshare as a wedding gift, which is easy for them and saves you a lot of money in resort fees.
7. All-inclusives.
Many couples spend well over their budget because of unexpected expenses or cost of food and drinks once they arrive to their hotel. This can bring a lot of unneeded stress to your honeymoon. One way to prevent this overspending is to choose an all-inclusive that truly includes everything from all meals, water, alcohol, non-motorized sports and sometimes excursions. Some all-inclusives are very expensive, but there are many resorts that are reasonable, especially in Mexico, Jamaica and the Dominican Republic.
8. Bed and Breakfast.
Romance Stay away from those 5-star luxury resorts and opt for a romantic, secluded B&B for less than half the price and breakfast included. These are often well kept and have unique room interiors, as opposed to large, monotone hotel rooms. This is also a great way to travel through Europe. It will make you feel like you’re one of the locals.
9. Cruise Deals.
Affordable cruise packages are available, especially if you don't mind a smaller room and inside cabin. If you like to spend a lot of time in your room, try to get a suite, which can still be fairly affordable on a few lines. Liners like Carnival and Royal Caribbean are known for their party or family atmospheres, as well as their cheaper rates and deals. The crowds and children can be annoying to some. Yet, if you like a little more spice and are on a budget, consider one of these cruise lines for a cheap honeymoon cruise.
10. Camping Honeymoons.
Find a secluded camping site to have an outdoor, romantic honeymoon. This is an inexpensive way to enjoy each other’s company and getaway, without digging too deep into your bank account. Some nice camping sites even have cabins for rent for a reasonable price, which adds a little bit more luxury to the honeymoon adventure. Great ideas for beach lovers ~ there are many beach camping sites as well, which is a wonderful way to get beachfront romance for cheap.
In the end, honeymoon is always beautiful regardless of where you are as long as you are together happily ever after.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Get Connected
Just a quick tip. It starts with bookings. You save more when you do booking online.
This is very true from my experience of comparing the conventional way of bookings. Certain hotels give up to 20% discount if you book the rooms via online. Same goes with flight tickets where you need to do early bird kind of booking.
So, what are you waiting for? Get online!
This is very true from my experience of comparing the conventional way of bookings. Certain hotels give up to 20% discount if you book the rooms via online. Same goes with flight tickets where you need to do early bird kind of booking.
So, what are you waiting for? Get online!
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