Car Rentals: Worth It When Traveling?

January 8, 2013 By 2 Comments

Rental Cars Can Make or Break Your VacationThere are several things to consider when planning an upcoming vacation. You have to choose a destination, book your hotel, create a daily itinerary and decide how you’ll arrive at your location. There’s the option of driving your own car to save on airfare, thus freeing up additional cash for your vacation. Although your car may be in great condition and able to handle a road trip, there’s also the option of renting a car from companies such as Alamo Car Rental.

The time to think about a car rental is weeks before you leave on vacation. Whether you decide to rent a car and drive to your destination, or book a flight and rent a car once you arrive, an early booking can result in a better price. But before you head online to book your car rental, it pays to weigh the pros and cons of this choice.

Pros of a Car Rental

1. Save on your mileage. If your destination is only a few hours from home, it makes financial sense to drive your own car. However, if you’re traveling a distance, driving your personal vehicle increases your mileage. Not a problem if you have a low-mileage car. But if you have an older vehicle, a long drive increases the chance of experiencing problems on the highway.

2. Avoid extra maintenance. Car maintenance is costly, and many people have to space out repairs. If you’re planning a road trip in your vehicle, you don’t have the luxury of pushing back needed repairs, such as new tires, new brakes or a new timing belt. You’ll need to take care of these issues before leaving to avoid a breakdown.

3. Save on gas. If your personal car is a gas guzzler, driving this car when traveling can create a huge financial burden. But if you rent a smaller vehicle, you’ll use less fuel and pay less at the pump.

Cons of a Car Rental

1. Cost of the rental. Rentals aren’t cheap, and the price varies depending on where you reserve your car. For example, it may cost less to get a rental from the airport as opposed to your hotel. What’s more, the price of a rental may increase on the weekend or during holidays, which are popular travel times.

2. Age restrictions. Regardless of whether you’re responsible, have a job and living on your own, some rental car companies will not provide a vehicle if you’re under the age of 25.

Choosing the right mode of transportation is just as important as selecting the destination and hotel. When deciding whether to rent or drive your own car, consider your budget, the distance and the condition of your car. Select the option that makes the most sense, which can help you avoid any mishaps on the road.

 

Photo credit: Denis Dore Photography via photopin cc
Filed Under: Family Fun, Family Vacations Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. In most cases, products are provided to Moms Living Thrifty for review. All product reviews are written according to the writer's honest opinion, experience or beliefs. Your opinion may vary. To see more on our disclosure policy, please visit our Disclosure page

Wacky Wednesday: Five Wacky Places to See Before You Die

September 26, 2012 By 1 Comment

Most of us have a place in mind if we were given a chance to go anywhere in the world. You may live for tropical islands and want to visit Hawaii or Jamaica. Perhaps you love architecture and want to tour historical places throughout Europe. The list goes on and there are many places that you want to see before you die, such as the Grand Canyon and the Great Wall of China. Here is a list of some other places that you might want to add to your list.

1. Salar De Yuyni, Bolivia

Salar De Yuyni is located in Bolivia and is the largest salt flat in the world at 10,582 sq. kilometers. It is located near the crest of the Andes Mountains in the southwest part of the country. The elevation of the salt flat is 3,656 meters above sea level. The flat was forms as a result of several prehistoric lakes being transformed.

2. Angkor Wat, Cambodia

Angkor Wat was built by King Suryavarman II during the early part of the 12th century. It is a temple complex and was dedicated to the god Vishnu. It was then used as a Buddhist temple. The temple appears on the flag of Cambodia and is one wonder that you should see before you die.

3. 12 Apostles, Australia

Located on the coastline of Victoria, Australia, the rugged 12 apostles rise up from the depths of the ocean. The towers of rock were created by erosion of limestone cliffs that started roughly 10 to 20 million years ago.

4. Bryce Canyon, United States located in Utah

While the Grand Canyon is on most people’s lists of must see places another stop should be made at Bryce Canyon located in Utah. This National Park contains some of the most unlikely rock formations on earth.

5. Seychilles

For those that are looking for that perfect island getaway, Seychilles offers 115 scattered islands located in the Indian Ocean. The beaches offer luxurious white sand and topaz water all backed by big glacis boulders and lush hills.

Filed Under: Family Fun, Family Vacations Tagged With: , ,
This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. In most cases, products are provided to Moms Living Thrifty for review. All product reviews are written according to the writer's honest opinion, experience or beliefs. Your opinion may vary. To see more on our disclosure policy, please visit our Disclosure page

Chicken – It’s not Just for Dinner Anymore

June 6, 2012 By 5 Comments

I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the phrase, “Tastes like chicken.” In fact, I heard it tonight while watching Deadliest Catch! But you know what? There’s a brand new site that is giving the word chicken a whole new meaning. So cluck…I mean “click” on over and check it out!

Yes, it’s another deal site, but definitely one to keep an eye on if you like to travel in, around or even beyond your city. We all know that the cost of traveling isn’t cheap, so why not save a little scratch and let Deal Chicken hook you up? This site can save you a small fortune on your next weekend getaway or fun family vacation! However, you have to keep an eye out to see what deals they will be hatching next!

 

Deal Chicken

Have You Tried Deal Chicken Yet?

If so, be sure to leave us a comment to let us know about the great deal you snagged!

 

 
Filed Under: Deals and Steals, Family Vacations, Saving Money, The Best Sites for Deals Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. In most cases, products are provided to Moms Living Thrifty for review. All product reviews are written according to the writer's honest opinion, experience or beliefs. Your opinion may vary. To see more on our disclosure policy, please visit our Disclosure page

Family Vacation Ideas on the Cheap

February 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Vacation Season is Right Around the Corner!

Spring break is just around the corner and just after that is the summer. This is when most families decide to take a vacation. The kids are out of school and it is the best time of the year to travel. However, the cost of going on a family vacation can be quite expensive. For this reason, finding ways to save money on a family vacation can be crucial for most of us on a limited budget.

Finding a way to take a cheap family vacation will take some legwork. You are going to need to do a bit of research in order to find the best deals on hotels, restaurants, and other necessities for your time away. There are several ways to go about your research, but the most important thing to remember in order to save money on a family vacation is flexibility.

Why Flexibility is a Must

Some of the best family vacation spots will be resorts or campgrounds. Many resorts offer all inclusive vacations that can greatly reduce the cost of your trip. Look for online specials to find great savings on some of the best resorts around. Some of the best sites to check out are:

  • TripCruises

Here’s a nice discount I found from Sandals: Companion Flies Free to ALL Sandals Resorts Destinations!

Places to Stay

There are many options for places to stay no matter where you go. One way to take a cheap family vacation is to visit family that may live far away from you. Visiting family and staying with them can greatly reduce the cost of your vacation. However, this may not be the ideal family vacation that you are looking for.


Another option, which is one that many thrifty families prefer, is cabin, condo or vacation home rentals. These typically have partial to full kitchens, which allows you to save money by giving you the option to cook while on vacation vs. spending a fortune at restaurants. You can find great cabins and vacation homes that offer multiple bedrooms and are located in close proximity to the attractions you and your family are interested in and it is often a lot cheaper than a hotel room that will have you all squeezed into two beds or two rooms! Here are a few great sites to help you locate these types of vacation rentals:

Compare prices of different destinations. You will also want to compare the cost for several different time frames in which you are available to travel. Being flexible with both the time and the place that you travel is the best way to get a great price on your family vacation.

There are always hotels as well and some hotel chains offer free meals included in the price of your stay. Typically this will include breakfast and dinner and you are on your own for lunch. Always check to see what the hotels that you are interested in offer before booking so that you can budget accordingly.


Entertainment – It’s not a vacation without it!

Of course, entertainment should not be overlooked. Did you know that there are several services that offer entertainment options at a discount? Seriously! You can save money on a TON of the hottest spots in the world, like Universal Studios Orlando, Disney World, Sea World and more! Here are a few links to give you some ideas on how much you can save, but there are lots of other great sites out there that specialize in these types of discounts as well. Always check the destination city’s tourist information site to see if they have any sites like this listed and you’ll save a small fortune for a ton of fun.

  • NY SkyRide

 

In addition, don’t forget to take advantage of any free attractions, such as parks, hiking trails or beaches while you and your family are on vacation. These can often be the best part of the trip!

Review Your Budget and Plan, Plan, Plan!

Entertainment, transportation and lodging are going to be the biggest expenses of your trip, but food costs can be very steep as well. Take the time to plan and budget for these things and take every opportunity that you can to save money on vacation. Take advantage of rental car deals, airline discounts, train discounts and cruise discounts whenever you get the opportunity. It is often best to plan six months or more in advance to get the best prices on the latter three, but rental car deals can pop up at any time. The only thing to remember is that if you choose to travel using a rental car, make sure you have unlimited mileage.

If you have the opportunity to rent a condo or vacation home that has a kitchen, you can save a lot on dining. Of course, if you can manage to plan a trip with multiple families (it’s not unheard of for adult siblings or friends to take their families on vacation together) and split a larger rental property, you’ll often save even more money. Not only can you split the lodging costs, but all parties can contribute to the meals, making it a cheaper trip all around. Even better? If you can get a group of 20 or more (generally 4-5 families), you can often snag bigger discounts on entertainment because you’ll qualify for the group discount!

The important thing is to make sure that you stick to your budget so that you can have a fun and cheap family vacation that you’ll all remember for a lifetime. Isn’t that what it’s all about anyway?

Have a favorite site that you like to visit when planning your family vacation? Let us know!

 

Image Credit: Roger’s Eye

 

[signoff]
Filed Under: Cheap Family Activities, Family Fun, Family Vacations, Home & Family Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,
This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. In most cases, products are provided to Moms Living Thrifty for review. All product reviews are written according to the writer's honest opinion, experience or beliefs. Your opinion may vary. To see more on our disclosure policy, please visit our Disclosure page

Organizing a Cheap Family Vacation

February 1, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Every family needs a vacation now and then, a time to get away and relax together. However, many families find that the cost of a vacation is too expensive and cannot take one. The good news is there is a way to plan a cheap family vacation.

Low Cost Vacation Ideas

When it comes to planning a cheap family vacation, the most important thing to remember is to be flexible. If you are set on a certain destination and staying in a certain location it is going to be difficult to save money on vacation. If you are willing to be flexible on the dates that you can travel as well as the exact location that you travel to, you will be able to save money on vacation.

Some cheap vacation ideas include:

Camping

While camping is not for everyone, it is a great way to spend time with your friends and family. Additionally, the cost of staying in a tent at a campground will be much lower than staying at any hotel. Another added benefit of camping is that most state and national parks will have plenty of activities available throughout the day and evening hours to keep you busy.

Beach Vacations

Many people assume that going to the beach is going to be expensive. However, cheap vacation destinations on the beach include parts even Florida. Many resorts offer great deals on family vacations and are definitely worth looking into.

Volunteer Vacations

What better way to teach your children about another culture or area of the country than by exposing them to it. There are many organizations that look for volunteers to help out with their programs and activities. Signing up with one of these organizations is a great way to have a cheap family vacation that is also a learning experience for everyone involved.


Timing

Finding great deals on hotels for your vacation is really all about timing. Plan your vacation well in advance in order to find a great deal on your hotel room. Some of the best cheap hotels will be found using sites like hotwire.com, priceline.com, and other such online search places.

The time of year that you choose to take your vacation can help save you money as well. Popular travel destinations in the winter are places that are warm or ski resorts. Traveling to these places in the off season can help lower the cost of your vacation. Traveling during the weekdays is also another way to save money on your vacation.

Everyone deserves a vacation and with a little planning you will be able to afford a great one.
Filed Under: Family Fun, Family Vacations, Home & Family Tagged With: , , , , ,
This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. In most cases, products are provided to Moms Living Thrifty for review. All product reviews are written according to the writer's honest opinion, experience or beliefs. Your opinion may vary. To see more on our disclosure policy, please visit our Disclosure page

Planning Our Fun and Frugal Babymoon

September 8, 2011 By Leave a Comment

When I was pregnant with my twins, my husband and I wanted to spend some special time together before our little family of three turned into a family of five. We decided to take a small getaway before the babies arrived, often called a “babymoon.” Since my hubby had a 3-day weekend off work over President’s Day, we decided that would be the perfect time to spend a couple days in Chicago. We booked a babysitter (my mama) for our three year old and started to come up with babymoon ideas.

The first criterion of our trip was that it be cheap. We were busy buying baby gear, paying for doctors visits and facing all the costs that would come along with two new babies. Fortunately, I had saved a few hundred dollars for just this occasion. A cheap babymoon starts with a great hotel deal, so I booked two nights at the best hotel offering the cheapest rate with the best location on Travelzoo.

I was excited to learn that we would be in Chicago during Restaurant Week, when fancy places around the city would be offering meals at a dramatic discount. I booked reservations at two restaurants we’d been wanting to visit: a Brazilian steakhouse and a romantic little fondue place. Both offered heaps of food, which was perfect for a pregnant gal! Our hotel deal included a $25 gift card to a nearby restaurant, so the cost of one lunch was covered.

We didn’t plan much for shopping or activities. We simply wanted to have a relaxing time together (soon, we wouldn’t be able to hear each other talk for a while!). I was mainly focused on the food! We did, however, have to do a little bit of baby shopping. There was a Marshall’s across the street from our hotel, where we picked up some pink onesies and socks. We went to a movie, a relatively cheap activity, and visited the Field Museum of Natural History.


Another concern for us when planning a babymoon was my limited ability for physical activity. At 27 weeks pregnant with twins, I was the same size as a single 40-week pregnancy and wasn’t supposed to stay on my feet for very long (not that I wanted to or could anyway!). We live just two hours from the city, so the drive wasn’t bad. Once we were there, we took taxis where we needed to go, which hurt my frugal self, who always takes public transit around the city. At the museum, we requested a wheelchair for me, and my sweet hubby pushed me all around the exhibits.

Our babymoon ended up being a fun and much-needed getaway for the two of us. Just three weeks later, I was placed on bed rest, so I’m glad we took it when we did!

Have you ever taken a babymoon?

 
Filed Under: Family Fun, Family Vacations, Home & Family, Remembering Yourself, Saving Money Tagged With: , , , ,
This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. In most cases, products are provided to Moms Living Thrifty for review. All product reviews are written according to the writer's honest opinion, experience or beliefs. Your opinion may vary. To see more on our disclosure policy, please visit our Disclosure page

What Went Right: Reflections on a Great Family Vacation

August 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The last week in July, my family and I joined my extended family on a trip to Colorado. Those present were: my mom, my dad, my two sisters and their husbands, my baby niece, and two family pets. I know this style of vacation is not for everybody, but for us, it was a dream come true!

A few years ago, my sisters and I broke the news to my mom: “Mom, we really don’t need all these Christmas presents anymore; we’re all grown up!” But Mom would not hear of it; saving up lots of money for Christmas gifts is a family tradition, in her mind. So, my ingenious husband thought up a compromise: What if my parents saved their Christmas fund and every other year it could be used to contribute to a big family vacation?! Everyone was on board.

This year’s trip to Colorado was the first big trip like this that we have done. There were several factors that made it idyllic; here are just a few of them:

  • We had a cabin way up on a mountain. Not everyone was thrilled with the bumpy ride up and down the mountainside or the 25 minute drive to town, but I loved it! With no cell phone access and nowhere to escape to, we simply enjoyed each other’s company and the beauty of the pine woods all around us.
  • The weather was fantastic. I have lived my whole life in the mid-west, so I had never really dreamed that there were places that weren’t humid in July. Our cabin didn’t have air conditioning, and it didn’t need it! Every day we lived with all the doors and windows open, and no one ever broke a sweat. This one-week reprieve from the record-setting high temperatures we’re having this summer was a sweet relief.


  • Having so many beloved adults around was an incredible gift to my three-year-old daughter and to my husband and I. Our little one requires a lot of attention; so vacation has not seemed very vacation-y as of late. Not until Colorado, that is; the aunts, uncles, grandma, and grandpa were more than happy to take turns entertaining her!
  • This leads me to my next item: solitude. I am a creature of solitude. I need it just about as much as I need good sleep and food. As you know, solitude can be hard to come by for the working mom (or any mom). Having lots of babysitters on hand all the time meant that I could slip out on to the front porch, smell the pine trees, and soak in the absolute stillness of the mountainside. My soul was renewed.
  • And, last but not least, one big contributing factor to the great vacation we just had was the Family Variety Show. On the last night of vacation, we staged a show. Everyone contributed (except for my baby niece and my dog).  There was a little bit of everything—stand-up comedy, vocal solos, duets, quartets, dramatic readings, and excerpts from my daughter’s music program. It was hilarious, and we had so much fun entertaining each other.

I hope some of these ideas will be inspiring to you. I wish you many happy vacations to come!
Filed Under: Cheap Family Activities, Family Fun, Family Vacations, Home & Family, Remembering Yourself, Time for Mom Tagged With: , , ,
This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. In most cases, products are provided to Moms Living Thrifty for review. All product reviews are written according to the writer's honest opinion, experience or beliefs. Your opinion may vary. To see more on our disclosure policy, please visit our Disclosure page

Traveling with Children: Ideas for a Frustration-Free Vacation

July 12, 2011 By 1 Comment

A family vacation should be a fun time.  The prospect of traveling with children, however, can send chills of fear and nervous anxiety through even the most experienced of parents.  The thought of hours sitting in  car, plane or train with bored children constantly asking “are we there yet” isn’t something to look forward to, but with a little extra preparation you can make the dreaded journey into an adventure the kids will get excited about.

[Read more...]
Filed Under: Family Vacations, Home & Family, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
This post may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. In most cases, products are provided to Moms Living Thrifty for review. All product reviews are written according to the writer's honest opinion, experience or beliefs. Your opinion may vary. To see more on our disclosure policy, please visit our Disclosure page