Living Smart 101: Ways to save when you travel

Obviously, very few of us are making spontaneous travel plans and that's a good thing! You can plan ahead and find ways in advance to save money but still have fun. We are planning a trip to Charleston for our school system Winter Break and here's what I've already started doing to get ready.

1. Check every point system you have.

Delta Miles, Wachovia Rewards, Hotel Points, My Points etc. etc. See what you have accumulated and what you can cash in for. Maybe a restaurant gift certificate, a couple of free nights during your stay, a gas card, tickets to an attraction- anything! Just make sure you do it about 6-8 weeks out so you know you'll get the reservations or reward on time to plan to use it.

2. Check out www.restaurant.com for the area you are headed to.
Even if you can't find great restaurants where you live- check out the area you are traveling too. I checked out Charleston and found some great places to check out. My family is from Charleston and I lived there so we do have our habitual haunts that we have to go to while there but there are meals that need to be covered and could take advantage of the savings. The best thing about Restaurant.com is you can view the menu and do google searches to find out reviews about the different restaurants being offered for an area. I found some great places around the Market that would be perfect to take advantage of the savings and try some new places at the same time!

3. Start watching the grocery lists for deals on snacks and things needed to travel.
When you have time ahead- it's great to watch the deals and the lists before your trip to take advantage of items you can utilize and enjoy on your trip. Snacks, water, personal effects, even deals on clothes etc. will "magically" appear when you get the mindset to be on the lookout for them. Taking snacks, packing a cooler full of water will keep you on the road, not spending money on the "little things" and get you to your destination faster! Plus the higher price of said items at gas stations makes the seasoned couponer cringe!!

4. Prepare your vehicle.
If going by road then you have to do a maintenance check and make sure everything is working at 100%. Tires are rotated if needed, fluids are full, oil is changed so that you risk nothing going wrong. Can still happen but the best bet is to do a check and take care of things in anticipation versus fixing the problem in a town where you don't know who is good, who is fair, the cheapest etc.

5. Plan ahead if you are traveling by air.
Research the security wait lines, review the policies and allow yourself plenty of time to get there. Know you have tickets, know the weather and any delays. And especially if you are flying to a cruise- make sure you give yourself "wiggle room" to get to that ship if you get bumped or delayed in any way. Planning smart and even waiting around on the end of your journey is much less stressful than screaming at a gate attendant because you are going to miss your ship.

6. Create a travel binder.
I do this for even a day trip. I have my hotel confirmation, coupons, tickets, gift cards, directions etc. in this folder and it's the first thing I put in the car. I have all in a central place so if any part of the itinerary changes then I have the information at hand, numbers to call to get directions, tell a hotel we are going to be late etc. can be done with ease and little stress.

7. Make a Packing Spreadsheet.
Sounds a little OC/AR but weeks before your trip, sit down and make a spreadsheet of what everyone needs to go on this trip. Sounds nerdy/dorky I know but you have a clear head 2 weeks out versus the day before. I have a Disney spreadsheet and a Beach spreadsheet saved. I sit down and think of everything needed for everyone, the electronics going, the kitchen stuff and what's needed to either hit the beach or the parks. I've said before- Who wants to hit the Walmart everyday on vacation? And you're hating it that you are spending money on things you have left at home and now have a duplicate of.

8. Check Couponmom.com for lists in the area you are going.

HUGE savings- we did it when we went to the beach in September and killed on the list of essentials we needed for the beach week and still rocked some deals. And if you really like to coupon- it's fun to do it in another state and at stores different than your own.

I have more ideas but will address later. Bottom line is a little research, a little maintenance and a little planning can make a trip less stressful, save money so you aren't dreading coming home to bills and more relaxing plus fun in the process.