Bargaineering tells you how to claim your $250 Social Security Stimulus check
Cash Money Life separates the wheat from the chaff: credit card offers
Did you miss ABC’s special “Unbroke” Friday night? Here’s a recap from Free From Broke.
Sephora is giving away 6 free MP3 downloads (out of 13 choices) when you use code BEAUTYBEAT (Coupon Cravings)
Recession Wire has a handy update with all the headlines you need to know about the recession
Frugal Dad says screw staycations, I want a real vacation!
Plus, two important travel links:
AOL’s travel page has five low-budget vacations for families.
Get an automatic 3 percent cash rebate from eBates.com when you book a vacation package on Southwest airlines. eBates also offers 1 percent back on Air France and 2 percent back on Priceline or Hotwire!
Thanks, Dad!
A site I contribute to called Toddler Magazine is giving away a 7-night stay for four people at an all-inclusive Club Med resort on Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. The prize does not include airfare. Sign up for the contest here.
You can enter everyday if you like. The contest ends August 1, 2009.
This contest certainly dwarfs the $25 gift cards to Trader Joe’s or Target that I am giving away! Luckily, you can sign up for both. Win my contest and you can purchase a new swim suit to wear at Club Med if you win on Toddler!
Solid colored flip flops are $1 at Old Navy this Saturday, May 23, 2009 only. I went last week and they were $2.50 a pair. Guess sales were not going too well. Scroll down to the very bottom of this link to see the ad.
Caveats: excludes metallic and fancy flip flops. Limited quantities.
Thanks, Tina!
Just got an email that Southwest is having a $49 summer fare sale! The $49 one-way fares are for flights on Tue and Wed. Don’t wait because the best fares and flight times go quick.
Caveats: 14-day advance purchase required. Purchase by May 14, 2009, 11:59 pm Pacific Time. Travel through October 28, 2009. Fares are nonrefundable but may be applied toward future travel on Southwest Airlines.
A friend tipped me off to a little known fact – many campsites are free! She writes:
You have to pay at any state or regional park or national monument (aka Yosemite), whether you make a reservation or not. Where you don’t have to pay for camping is in federal wilderness, BLM land and national forests — in many cases you can camp anywhere you feel like it provided you have a camping permit.
To check the facts I called Kevin Mack, who is campaign director at the Wilderness Society in Washington, D.C. I found many free camping options are rustic – but not all!
Wilderness areas are the most protected land in the U.S. Some require permits but often there is no fee associated. Mechanized travel is not allowed, so no cars or bikes. Campgrounds are not carved out like at national parks and there is no running water or toilets. You can park on the edge of a wilderness area and hike in, or go by horseback, kayak, or canoe. Once you get there you can hunt, fish, hike and rock climb. For more info visit Wilderness.net, which has a handy map of wilderness areas.
A whopping 89 percent of Bureau of Land Management territory does not have fees. Some require a permit, others don’t. Most are unmarked and waiting for you to find them. Typically, BLM land has minimal or no services (like running water, pit toilets, or designated campsites). You may be able to drive in on a 4-wheel vehicle, hike in, or park on the road and pitch a tent. “But it doesn’t have to be a primitive experience,” Kevin said. “I have done car camping on BLM land. You can bring a cooler and have a gin and tonic at the end of the day. The only difference is you are by yourself and you have to think creatively about your bathroom facilities.”
About 10 percent of BLM land is managed by the National Landscape Conservation System, which offers more traditional camping options.
Most National Forests are free to camp in and ideal for folks comfortable looking at a map and contacting the local ranger station for info. But you don’t have to be a burly man or 20-something backpacker, Kevin said. “Just be willing to step off the paved road…and drive down a dirt road and chose your own camp spot,” he said. National forests that are highly trafficked usually have fees. Search for sites by state on this page.
RV sites for less than $10 a night: If you RV, check out FreeCampgrounds.com, which list extremely cheap places to park overnight by state. The list includes parks, rest areas, store parking lots, and more. The site also lists Wal-Mart stores that do NOT allow overnight parking.
Also check out FreeCampground.com, which lists a limited number of free sites by state. There were just 7 free campgrounds in California, none in Maryland and four in Oregon.
Thanks, Mariel!
I mentioned this site to exchange homes yesterday and just found out they are offering 25 percent of a $99 year-long membership to Bargain Babe readers. Use discount code BB09, which expires May 31, 2009.
I’m jealous if you have the moolah to travel abroad this summer, but not too jealous. International travel is exPENsive! Here are ten tips to keep costs low.
1. To cut down on your food tab, make a trip to the grocery store when you arrive. Stock up on cereal and milk or whatever you like to eat for breakfast. Buy bread and PB&J or sliced meat for lunch, plus snacks like apples, muffins, cookies, trail mix, and chips. If you have access to a fridge, add in carrot sticks, string cheese, yogurts, etc.
2. Check if your credit card charges a foreign exchange fee, says Christopher Elliot, who writes the syndicated Travel Troubleshooter column. This fee can be 2-3 percent of your transaction, sucking up dollars when you could be using cash, traveler’s checks, or a credit card without this fee. Credit unions do not typically charge this fee, Elliot said.
3. Find a place to sleep on Couchsufing.com, which connects travelers with locals willing to open up their homes and a spot on their couch. The site emphasizes the cultural exchange that can happen between host and travelers, not just free shelter. Some say this group is the modern-day equivalent of Servas.
4. Avoid restaurants that are tourist traps (i.e. the cheesy place 10 feet from the tourist attraction) and venture out to places where locals fill their belly. Many countries have excellent fast food and street food options, which are tres cheap, Elliot said.
5. Use mass transit. Americans are not used to taking the train/bus/metro in our hometowns because the systems are, with a few exceptions, terrible. But many cities in Europe have excellent mass transit. Buying a day or week pass is almost always cheaper than taking a taxi or renting a car. Plus, mass transit offers great people watching.
6. If you want to go on a tour but need to save money, book a trip through Untours.com, which boasts cheaper (and less structured) trips than a guided tour. You stay in a home or apartment instead of a hotel and Untours plans as many or as few excursions as you want. Trips are 7 days minimum and meals are not included.
7. When you are planning your trip, look for free days at any museums you want to visit.
8. Rent an apartment instead of staying at a hotel. Use your best judgment when making arrangements. If it sounds too good to be true…you can always go to Google street view to see what the place looks like. Also check for comments from others that have stayed at the apartment or house. Pay with a credit card – never cash or wire transfers – to protect yourself.
9. Stand up for a dose of culture. “Even the most expensive theaters and operas have a backdoor option and that is standing room,” Elliot said. “It sounds like hassle but I’ve done standing room and it costs literally dollars” to see the same production everyone else is paying through the nose for. At intermission, you can fill the seat of someone who has gone home.
10. Research free performances. Arts are so heavily subsidized in Europe that there are plenty of free options. “If want to see a band or orchestra, do a little research and you might find they are performing free in the park the day after they give a concert.”
Note: if you are traveling abroad and need a last-minute passport, AllStarPassports.com, which has offices in LA, can turn it around that same day (for $200), the next day ($150) or in five to seven days ($99). Info at 1-866-525-7255.
Hi folks,
Today and tomorrow I’m focusing on saving money on your summer vacation. I’ve suggested five week-long trips you can take for under $1,000, tips to cut down on airfare, and a great site for getting a deal on a cruise.
Come back tomorrow for even more tips about reducing the cost of your summer vacation. And please chime in with your own tips!
~Julia
aka Bargain Babe
Here are five week-long summer vacations that cost less than $1,000.
1. Go camping. For big families camping is the classic cheapo vacation that can be a ton of fun. Look for sites that have a water hole or river nearby, trails and other activities to keep the kids occupied. You can make reservations at federal, state and private campgrounds through ReserveAmerica.com. If you camp a LOT, consider joining PassportAmerica.com, which costs $44 a year but offers camp reservations up to 50% off. Think camping is too rustic? Most KOA’s have WiFi.
2. Go home. This works best for groups trying to pick a destination. Why not head to the house of a group member? Reader Tammy said she and her family are considering going to her sister’s house, which has a pool, for a money-saving vacation. “Fun can be had anywhere,” she said.
3. Swap houses. Cut your hotel bill down to zero by vacationing in the home of a family member, friend, or stranger while they vacation in yours. As long as you are not in your own home, it will feel like getting away! Swapping homes with a stranger sounds scary, but there are ways to ensure your safety. Ask for and check references. Arrange to meet the person face-to-face before the swap, if possible, and alert your neighbors to look out for odd behavior. Have a backup plan just in case.
I had good luck setting up a house swap in Paris via Craigslist and saved $700 over 5 nights. You can also join HomeExchange.com, which costs $99 a year and has detailed descriptions of homes being offered for swaps. Browsing the site is free. (For the vacation-starved this is like dangling paradise in front of your face).
4. Get in the car and drive. Flying is a major expense that you can cut out by staying relatively close to home. So what if a road trip is not exotic? Make the most of it because you’re on vacation! To keep costs under $1,000 for the week, stay in budget hotels or camp.
5. Go to the beach. Many beaches are free or require a low-cost pass, so your main expense is going to be lodging. If you can keep that to $500 or less for the week you should be able to come in under $1,000 for the trip.
To keep all your expenses low, check out my next post on tips to cutting corners while traveling.
Here are five ways to lower the cost of flying on your summer vacation – or any trip!
1. Sign up for the email list of your favorite airlines. When a fare sale starts, airlines often email their loyal customers. I got a round trip ticket to New York City for less than $160 because Jetblue emailed me when they dropped their fares. Hubby and I paid $39 each way to fly to Portland because we got an email about a fare sale from Southwest. Yes, you will get some annoying emails from signing up, but usually you can tell from the subject line if the email is about a sale or not.
2. Thoroughly search Kayak.com, a site that aggregates travel deals seen on Travelocity, Expedia and others, before you book. I find most of the lowest fares I have booked through Kayak.
3. Fly mid-week for lower fares. Simple but it works.
4. Once you book your flight, register it at Yapta.com. If the price drops, Yapta will email you how to get a refund or credit. Many airlines charge a re-booking fee so the drop has to be significant (generally $75 to $250).
5. Check out TravelZoo.com. I love this site because it sends me travel deals from my local airports. They have many vacation packages and oftentimes the vacation specials page has deals that are eye-popping.
Which airline has the best luggage policy? National Geographic travel writer Chris Elliot says hands down it is Southwest.
One way to take a cheap vacation is to redeem perks you earned when you were still using your credit card. Those were the days!
So many people are doing this that redemptions for the Hilton HHonors Card from American Express jumped 25 percent in 2008 compared to 2007. If you don’t already have a credit card that earns great hotel and travel perks, consider these top-rated ones from CreditCards.com, which earns a fee from credit card companies when you fill out an application.
If you already have a lot of credit cards, don’t get another one. Each time to apply for a new line of credit it diminishes your score slightly. Not to mention the temptation of spending more.
The Capital One No Hassle Miles card gets you 1.25 miles for every dollar you spend and the miles never expire. There is no limit to the number of miles you can earn and there is no annual fee. A similar card from Capital One earns you 2 miles for every dollar but has a $39 yearly fee. Call them directly and ask them to waive it.
The Starwood Preferred Guest Card gives users up to 6 free nights at a hotel when you earn 25,000 points. Earn double points at participating Starwood resorts and properties. The card has no annual fee the first year but is $45 each following year. Make a note in your calender four weeks before it expires to call ask them to waive the fee.
Another site I like for rating credit cards is Bankaholic. For spenders looking to rack up hotel perks, they also recommend the Starwood card and also the Blue Sky card from American Express.
