Money Saving Tips For Holiday Travel
Kachi Realty
Money Saving Tips For Holiday Travel
Money Saving Tips For Holiday Travel
Travelling during the holidays can be difficult and frustrating; on top of fighting the crowds, you also have to fight the inflated prices. Whether you’re going home for Thanksgiving or heading to the beach for Labor Day, these money saving holiday tips can help you do it on a tighter budget.
Plan For Meals
One of the biggest costs of holiday travel is the meals. This is particularly true if you are road tripping to your destination, but airport food is costly as well. You have to eat, however, so plan ahead.
Pack food that you can eat along the way; rest areas offer picnic tables where you can enjoy your lunch and stretch your legs without the high cost of eating in a restaurant every time. They’re also convenient if you have a pet along for the drive!
Book Hotels Ahead Of Time
In most cases, waiting to book a hotel is going to cost you a lot more. Many people choose a hotel on the fly when they are driving to a destination that takes more than one day. Instead, decide where you are going to stop for the night and book your hotel online before you go. You’ll be able to compare rates and find the best deal, and you won’t end up anywhere of questionable cleanliness and safety.
If you are flying, look to book your hotel when you book your flight. Many travel sites offer discount deals when you book both at once.
Sign Up For Fare Notifications
Airfares fluctuate over time, and it’s hard to be certain when it’s the best time to buy. Most major travel sites offer the option to sign up for fare alerts—you will get an email when your travel route sees a dip in prices.
Following the fluctuation of prices ahead of time will also help you to know what is a really good low fare and when you could do better—however, remember that holiday travel books fast, so if you see a deal it’s a good idea to purchase it immediately.
Be Flexible
It’s not always easy to be flexible on your travel dates over the holidays—after all, holidays are on a set date, and that can’t be changed. However, if you can work within a few days on either end to allow flexibility in your departure and return dates, you will get a better selection of prices.
Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays are generally the cheapest days to fly. This can change during the holidays—particularly at Thanksgiving when many people try to travel on the Wednesday before the big day. Checking flexible dates around your travel will help you find the best rates.
Holiday travel is expensive, but if you want to get there on the cheap, there are some ways to save. Plan ahead and know a good deal when you see one so that you can enjoy a little extra holiday money in your pocket.
Useful Information from Kachi Realty LLC
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WAYS TO GO GREEN IN THE KITCHEN Start a garden. Whether you opt for a full-out vegetable garden or a small window of fresh herbs, the taste of freshness will be unmistakable! Shop locally! Visit local farmers markets or choose locally produced produce whenever possible. Bring your own bags when you visit the grocery store. Switch to energy-efficient light bulbs. Save time and energy by cooking a double portion and setting half aside in the freezer for a quick meal at a later date. Get energized and leave the appliances alone. Whenever possible, mix and beat ingredients by hand, cook multiple items at the same time, and avoid washing dishes unnecessarily. Use energy-efficient appliances such as the slow cooker or toaster oven, which can use up to 30% less energy. Be aware of energy wasters such as excessive pre-heating or simmering. Ditch the wraps (such as saran wrap or foil) and make the switch to reusable containers for lunches and leftovers. Put a lid on it! Did you know that cooking with lids could save up to three times the energy? Keep all that steam inside the pot for a more energy-efficient (and faster!) meal. Go fresh—say goodbye to excessively packaged foods, which are often produced using processes that are harmful to the environment. Cooking meals from scratch using fresh ingredients is not only healthier, it’s often less expensive and better for the environment. Decide what you are looking for before you open the fridge, and never keep the door open longer than absolutely necessary.
Water Features For Your Yard A water feature can make a major change in your yard, and there are plenty of different ways to go about adding one. From a simple and small fountain to a koi pond or waterfall, you can use water to create a peaceful sense of a real escape from life in your yard. Small Water Features For small yards or for those looking to add something simple, a basic fountain is easy to add. They come in a variety of types, shapes, and sizes and can fit into any landscaping. Your fountain can be a centerpiece for the yard or can be placed near the patio. You can even get a small tabletop fountain for the patio table. Most fountains are easy enough to install by yourself. They use a pump system that circulates the water and keeps the fountain running. Follow all of the instructions for set-up, use, and care that come with the fountain and you can enjoy the sound of trickling water for many years to come. Adding A Pond A pond is a really eye-catching and special addition to any yard. You will need some space for it, but even smaller yards can manage one. Koi ponds are a very popular choice, as the fish are lovely and create an ambience in the yard. They fit in well with any sort of Japanese or other Asian landscape design, but really extend into other styles as well. Make sure your pond has a system for keeping the water circulating and clean; standing water can become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, and it can get quite dirty over time. It’s best to have a professional install the water system for your pond. Waterfalls You may not be able to have Niagara Falls in your yard to enjoy, but you can get a waterfall added as a feature of your yard. These can be falls that descend over a rock wall, a small stream that runs over consecutive drops in a sloped yard, or something in a corner where water falls down into a small pond. A waterfall adds the sound of moving water to the air all the time. Be sure you have proper drainage for the water system. Water features are a beautiful addition to any yard, and your imagination is really the only limit. Many professionals can help you to design the water feature that is right for your yard and your needs.