As cool fall weather sets in, our thoughts turn the holidays. It is time to start planning to make travel arrangements to go home and be with loved ones. Now is the time to start planning so that we will be able to get the best deals out there.
With the economy the way it is and airline and travel expenses on the rise I would like to offer some assistance. To help you with your planning I would like to offer you a free report filled with cheap travel tips. Check out this Free Report from Globe Cheap. See how much you can save on your next getaway.
Whether you are dreaming of a winter skiing destination, or would rather escape to a warm paradise, these tips will help you save big on your next winter vacation.
1. Make a vacation budget and stick to it
How much can you afford, exactly? Find out now, or else have a plan to have a specific amount saved up by the time winter rolls in.
2. Plan well in advance
When it comes to budget travel, time is one of your most important tools. You need time to make advance reservations
and to research the best deals.
3. Shop around
Now is the time to go comparison shopping for travel options, accommodations, and major attractions.
4. Compare different modes of travel
Depending on where you would like to go, various means of traveling will have different costs. Also consider how many people are traveling. If you are a family, it’s usually cheaper to drive than to fly. If you’re traveling solo, you may have more options – including carpooling with friends or family.
5. Ask for discounts
Sometimes you just have to ask, to receive discounts. At the hotel or airline, for example, ask for free upgrades on your room or flight. Ask your credit card provider about travel options they offer to clients at reduced rates, such as travel insurance coverage, etc. Don’t forget to ask hotel/hostel owners and tour operators for discount coupons, such as to the nearest attractions.
6. Share a vacation rental
If you are traveling in a group, or can find family and friends to vacation with, sharing a rental house for a flat fee can be very economical.
7. Try a hostel
Hostels go for as as low as $20/night, so they’re a budget option you should consider.
8. Cook your own meals
Eating out can be very expensive. Stay in hotels or rentals where you can cook your own meals. Or pack your meals in a cooler, if you are traveling by car. Check out the hotels that offer a free breakfast. This is especially helpful when you are traveling with children. It is amazing how expensive just getting coffee can be and it adds up over a period of a week or two.
9. Get as many discounts as you can
If you are a student or traveling with a student, make sure to bring student ID cards or International Student Cards. This free report from Globe Cheap lists other discounts you or a family member may be eligible for. Also explore discount passes when buying online or by certain dates. If you are a Senior Citizen be sure to ask for your discount price.
10. Borrow equipment
If you are going skiing, bring your own or borrowed equipment rather than renting them at the resort. If you plan to go skiing often, it’s probably cheaper to buy our own equipment in the long run, instead of renting every time.
11. Explore discount packages
Hotels and travel agencies usually offer packages that include travel, accommodation, meals and entrance to various attractions. These usually cost less than if you paid for each one individually. They usually also offer discounts for early booking. One word of advice is to be sure to check out the cancellation policies.
12. Travel off-season
The peak season for traveling in winter is around Christmas and New Year. If you don’t mind traveling around those dates, you’ll find everything cheaper. It’s also usually cheaper to travel on weekdays or midweek rather than on weekends.
13. Consider warm-weather destinations
Looking to escape from the cold? Consider places where the US dollar goes farther, such as small Caribbean islands, Mexico, and parts of Central America and Asia. Some destinations within the United States are also cheaper in the cold season.
14. Don’t touch the minibar
Bring everything you need so you won’t have to open the water bottle in the hotel, or get snacks from the minibar. You’ll pay ridiculous prices for these! Some hotels also charge extra if you request additional towels and toothbrushes. If you must, buy extra supplies at the nearest grocery store, not from the hotel. And don’t forget to pack those over-the-counter medications you usually use! It is amazing what a package of aspirins costs in a vending machine.
15. Stay off the beaten path
Consider staying a little farther from major attractions. You will save tons on accommodations – as long as you will not be paying through the nose for public transportation or parking.
16. Camp out
If you’re going to a warm destination, plan to go camping. It’s a very cheap traveling alternative. If you’re driving, find the cheapest places to get gas.
17. Look for free attractions
Entrance fees to tourist attractions can also add up very quickly. Do some research to find free attractions at your destination. These could include malls, national parks and historic streets or towns. Find out when museums are open to the public for free.
More Cheap Travel Tips
You can get even more FREE tips for budget traveling from Globe Cheap’s Free Report. Grab it and see how much you can save from your next winter getaway.
I hope that this information has been helpful and that you will take this opportunity to obtain Globe Cheap’s Free Report. I wish you all a very safe trip wherever you may travel.
Blessings,
Judy Conway
2009 is coming to an end. How many of us have met our weight loss resolutions? Why did you not lose weight in 2009? It is so very hard. I want to encourage you that you still have 52 more days to still chisel away at those pounds! Do not give up! Just keep your goal in sight.
I know that I am not about to give up. I might not have lost all the weight I had set forth to lose, but at least I have not gained. To me that is a plus. Even if you finish out the year having lost only 10 or so pounds, you have done well. Congratulations! It is a beginning for more weight loss in 2010.
I have been on a diet since I was 13 years old. I have lost myself time and time again. I did have one short spell in my life for about three or four years where I had lost about 70 pounds and had kept it off.
Alas, then came divorce, I became a single mom, had a hysterectomy and quit smoking. What was I ever thinking? Bit by bit those pounds crept back on. I have tried the same diets I have gone on in the past and lost weight. The only difference is they are not working any more.
I look at people around me on the same diet I am doing and they are losing and I am not losing an ounce. Why? It is so very frustrating. Have you ever been in that situation?
Recently I read an article in the First for Women magazine, their November 16th, 2009 issue, entitled, “Always Craving Carbs?”. This article has confirmed to me what I have discovered lately.
You see, I have a Metabolism problem, and have even been diagnosed with insulin resistance. I have followed to the tee eating programs given to me by a nutritionist at my physician’s office. No progress whatsoever. I often feel that people are looking at me are thinking, “Yeah, right, she has got to be cheating on her program.” Trust me I am not. Lately, I discovered that carbohydrates are affecting me differently than they do other people.
This article deals with a book written by Diane Kress, R.D., titled, “The Metabolism Miracle”. She goes into detail about the fact that everyone is not a Metabolism A person. There are about 46% of us who fall into the alternative Metabolism B Category. This means that our bodies will not respond to the same diet program that a Metabolism A person’s body does. This is probably why the plan my nutritionist gave me did not work.
There are three steps to this program. I have just begun Step One which will last for eight weeks. This will be a low carb period to rest my overworked pancreas and liver while shrinking fat cells. During this period there should be a decrease in cholesterol (hurray), triglycerides (double hurray), blood sugar and blood pressure.
I am going to be devoted to this program for many reasons. Mainly, I do not want to live my life with deteriorating health conditions, increased medications and possibly insulin. Even as I write these words, it only confirms that this is a matter of life or death to me. I am 63 years old and have a lot more years I want to spend with my family and to be able to watch my grandchildren grow up and start their lives. I might be selfish, but I do not want to miss out on those times. My family is very important to me. It has been the glue that has held my life together.
Here are a few clues that you might have Metabolism B:
Of course, before you embark on this or any diet program, check with your doctor. At least get a full blood workup so you will be able to check you numbers and make a decision for yourself that this could be an answer to your weight problem.
I will be keeping you posted on my blog as to my progress. I have not had success with my physician’s guidance, or lack thereof, in losing weight. I do know that a lot of my symptoms are outlined in “The Metabolism Miracle” and I just cannot walk away from it without giving it a try.
I am also using Leslie Sansone’s, “Walk Away the Pounds Express” DVD which gives me a brisk two mile walk that amounts to thirty minutes of increased heart rate.
I am looking forward to welcoming 2010 on the road to better health. I will also have been able to lose weight in 2009! I am not going to be asking myself the same question this time next year, “Why did you not lose weight in 2010?” I hope that this has been helpful to you. Please feel free to comment and if you choose to try this program, let me know how you are doing. We can all encourage to one another.
Blessings,
Judy Conway
Skype ID: judy.conway