Episode 33 – Money Saving Travel

Special Guest: Keith King
For money-saving travel tips, check out www.keithkingreport.com/

Colleen & Catie’s Picks for Money-Saving Travel

Colleen
Destination: Chicago, big cities are doable on a budget!
Accommodations: A place like Stay Alfred or AirBnB that allows you to rent a home or apartment are a great way to save money if you’re bringing a family.
Meal/Restaurant: If you do stay in a home or apartment, you’ll have a kitchen so you can cook your own meals. My family and I did this during a stay at Stay Alfred in Chicago.
Free/Low Cost Activity:
Museum Free Days
Parks, art shows, festivals
Beaches for swimming and relaxing
Money-saving tip: If you’re traveling to a big city, don’t stay right downtown. Stay in a hotel in a nearby suburb or neighborhood, where the cost may be lower.

Catie
Destination: The Grand Canyon, Arizona or Napa, California
Accommodations: Camping is a great way to save money and experience the Grand Canyon.
Meal/Restaurant: Bring your own lunch or make sandwiches along the way to save money.
If you’re going to Napa, you can also bring your own bottle of wine with you.
Free/Low Cost Activity: State or National Parks for hiking. Exploring the local towns and window shopping.
Money-saving tip: If you’re driving, bring your own snacks and water, so you’re not stopping and spending extra money along the way. You can even brew your own iced coffee and put it in individual bottles so you can enjoy that afternoon pick me up without the Starbucks price tag.

“What’s” with the “Trip Sisters”

What’s in Your Suitcase?
USB-C Travel Dock from OWC – Available for $28.98 on www.macsales.com
This travel dock that allows you to charge multiple devices at once with ports for USB 3.1 Gen 1 | SD Card | HDMI | Mac | PC. Also supports 4K display resolution – up to 4096 x 2160 at 30Hz and is fully compatible with all Thunderbolt 3 equipped Macs & PCs.

What’s on your phone?
Swagbucks – Free, available on iOS or Android
Swagbucks is a free online rewards program where you can do simple things like take a survey, watch a video, or shop through their portal and earn cash or gift cards while doing so.

What’s the tip?
Tips for Traveling on a Budget (from MoneyUnder30.com)
1. Decide what you need—and what you can live without – Prioritize what you want on your vacation.
2. Join a travel rewards program – It’s free to sign up and if you’re new to the program, you may be able to earn tens of thousands in bonus points for opening up a travel rewards credit card.
Travel rewards programs aren’t limited to airlines—hotels have them, too. And you can earn points on a wide variety of purchases through the loyalty program’s partners.
3. Do your research to find the lowest airfare – WhichBudget is a good place to go next. You can search for cheap flights on hundreds of airlines in over 200 countries. Also try to limit your packing to a carry-on bag so you can avoid checked luggage fees. You can do laundry in the middle of your trip if you need to.
4. Find a free place to stay – Plan a trip to a friend’s city and ask to sleep on a couch or spare bed. Another option is CouchSurfing or MindMyHouse for house sitting options.
5. List your space with airbnb – Get extra travel money by renting out your home on AirBnB or a similar site while you’re gone.
6. Curb your dining expenses by cooking at home – Use your kitchen at an AirBnB to save money on eating out.
7. Be flexible with a last-minute deal – If you’re not picky about the timing or destination of your next trip, you can save money with last-minute deals on hotel rooms, vacation packages and airfare. (Hotel Tonight (hotels), Jetsetter (hotels and packages), Hipmunk (flights))