Ways to save when you travel

Like I posted earlier- we took a 2 day trip for Spring Break. I have some tips for saving on a trip even when it's just overnight.

1. Research your hotel and read reviews.
Go to all the sites like Expedia and find the rates being offered. Read the reviews. A hotel with a rate of $29.99 might sound wonderful but if people are complaining about roaches and dirty bathrooms- you might want to skip it. Or it can go the other way. I found a Days Inn that was $65 total including tax if I prepaid. I read the reviews and they were wonderful! The hotel was behind a shopping mall and hard to find but people said it was super clean and comfortable to stay in. It was and we were pleased.
2. You found the room- now find the best price.
Try all the discount websites but most hotel companies now guarantee to beat the lowest price available. Many do so by asking for pre-payment with no refund or credit. You can get around it- I pre-paid for our room about 5 minutes before we left the house. I didn't want to pay for the room too far ahead of time, afraid Murphy's Law would kick in and someone would get sick or Mike's work would blow up. Also- make sure you sign up for a rewards program for the hotel you are staying at so you can get your points towards future stays.
3. Research the area and where you are going.
Check out the local Chamber of Commerce sites, sites like OpenTable.com or simply just google the area. Open Table has reviews for restaurants in certain areas so again- you can find out what people think, what is really good or bad on the menu, etc. I read about a "hip" West LA restaurant called Ketchup in Southern Living that is also in Huntsville. I researched and found the menu so I knew the prices, if they were kid friendly, the dress, and what people raved about or disliked. We went Tuesday night and the food was great- going off the reviews we knew what to order and we had a great time. I was reading a gossip magazine in the hair salon today and there was mention of Leonardo Dicaprio eating at LA's Ketchup this past week!
4. Research the attractions you are planning to visit plus your travel route.
Again, google the attractions and see if they offer Web specials or coupons online. Find out the hours, the ticket prices and what age child you have to start paying for. Our original plan was to go straight to Huntsville and go to the Space Museum that afternoon. By checking the website out- the cute 3-D movie is only shown at 11am each day. That changed our plans big time! I then did a Yahoo Map to see how we needed to go and realized the most direct way to Huntsville was through Chattanooga. That's when we added Ruby Falls to our plans. Planning ahead and trying to schedule your events keeps your trip in control and at least start the trip with as little drama as possible.
5. Stop at Welcome Centers and the lobby of your hotel.
Why? They are full of coupons and discounts for hotels, restaurants and attractions. We stopped as soon as we hit Tennessee and got a coupon for Ruby Falls. Your hotel will have discounts as well. And... if you don't find a coupon- ask the Welcome Center people. I didn't see a coupon for Ruby Falls but I asked and the guy working gave me a flyer with coupons for various restaurants and attractions in the area. Tell the Welcome Center folks where you are going, is your route the best and what they recommend to do in the area.
6. Check a restaurant out before you get everyone out of the car.
Again, you ask why? Perfect example on our recent trip. At the base of the mountain to go to Ruby Falls was a restaurant called Mt. Vernon. There was a coupon for a free appetizer. Lots of cars so we decided to check it out. Mike ran in before we got the girls out of the car and our friends got out and checked the menu. It was very upscale, sandwiches started at $12, no kids and patrons were obviously local and very professionally dressed. It would have been a nightmare to walk in as a party of 8 including 4 kids, dressed for travel and spend more for lunch than we did for dinner.
7. If you find a restaurant like we did- find out the group it falls under and sign up.
Ketchup is a restaurant in the Dolce Group which I found out during my research. I signed up for their email club and immediately got a coupon to print for free dessert for signing up. The four children split a wonderful Strawberry Shortcake Tower and thought it was just the neatest!
8. Take snacks, breakfast items and drinks with you.
Obviously in the car on the road but plan ahead for your stay and the attractions. Bring a 24 pack of water and put in your hotel frig. Freeze a couple and put in an insulated bag like one of those freebie diaper bags you get at the hospital. Don't spend $3 a pop on water when you can bring your own. Same thing on snack items- pack them and take advantage of the huge deals you get at home. And if your hotel doesn't offer free breakfast- take items like Pop Tarts, Breakfast bars, instant oatmeal packs and instant grits. You'll most likely have a coffee pot- run a pot of water through it to clean it (I actually bring vinegar with me) when you get there so the next morning you can run a pot of hot water and make breakfast while the family gets ready to go. Bring disposable bowls and spoons so you've not only saved money on breakfast but time skipping a place to have breakfast so you can go straight to the attractions.
9. Set the rules on souvenirs before you go.
Tell your children ahead of time how much money they can spend and that they need to choose wisely. For example, we told the girls they had a certain amount and they could spend when they wanted. Of course, immediately they saw stuff and it was the usual tourist junk at our first stop. I explained they could buy it but that was it or they could wait and choose at the Space Museum. OR they could take that money and buy a DVD or Wii game that they would enjoy much longer than a plastic souvenir that they would forget about by the time we got home. The girls chose the latter and got a Wii game tonight.
10. Plan ahead and think ahead.
I can't stand it when I forget something whether it's a week long trip or overnight. Think about what can happen and make it a goal to not pay full price for something last minute. When you pack- think about an "accident" and pack an extra outfit for your kids. Know that a child can get sick or hurt in a second- pack Tylenol, cold medicine, bandaids etc. I actually keep an emergency backpack in the car at all times with 1 outfit for each girl, basic first aid and over the counter medicine, a nail file plus clippers, sunscreen, bug spray, cold packs, etc. It only comes in handy every so often but it did on our trip this week. Mackenzie had a hangnail and all Mike had to do was go the car and get the clippers.

Trips can be fun but so stressful at the same time. Being smart and researching your agenda can make an adventure even more fun and you are still saving money. And it's nice when we were at Ketchup and I could tell our great friends what to order, what to avoid and we had a great dinner.

Again, saving money takes time and effort but when you have a blast and create great memories for your family and didn't spend a ton- it's always worth it.