Printable Travel Log

Check out this link to get a printable, one-page travel log. http://members.tripod.com/~grambk11/printabletravellog.html

Saving at the Movies

Attend movies early when prices are generally lower. The general rule of thumb is that if the movie starts in the morning or afternoon, it´s a matinee. Any movie that starts in the evening isn´t a matinee, and will cost more money.

One-Way Wonders

If you´re up for a long drive, ask the rental car companies about this: You can often get rock-bottom rates for one-way trips in the fall (during foliage season is a good idea) and the spring (watching everything bloom). That´s when the companies move cars to cities where supplies are low.

Indoor Playgrounds

For a cheap family outing, take the kids to your local fast food restaurant to play in the big play center. You need not buy a meal there in order to play; just buy a soda or two and let the kids loose! Just be sure to feed them before you go there so that your only output is a couple of drinks. It is a much cheaper alternative to one of those high priced indoor playgrounds.

Borrow, Don´t Buy

Borrow books from the library, friends or relatives. After you´ve read the book, and decided that you MUST have it yourself, then buy it. Otherwise, you´ll be stuck with a book that you don´t like.

Care for Plants While on Vacation

Don´t let your houseplants wither up while you´re away on vacation -- just place them in the bathtub, water generously, and cover them loosely with clear plastic. This makeshift greenhouse will help them survive your absence.

Cheap Theater

If you enjoy attending plays, but can´t bring yourself to fork over the high cost of professional theater tickets, try attending high school productions of plays. Often high school theater departments produce classic plays and musicals. Ticket prices are affordable, and you get to sit closer to the stage. Watch the newspaper for ads for these plays, or ask high school students you know to keep you informed. Some colleges and local youth groups do this as well.

Join a Hospitality Club and Stay for Free in Members´ Homes

Join a hospitality club so that you can stay free in members´ homes when you travel (and they in yours). Call the Hospitality Exchange at 406-538-8770, or visit their website at www.goldray.com/hospitality for more information. Another website to try is www.hosp.org for more hospitality information.

Cheap Dates

For cheap dates, go on picnics, go to the park, wait for movies to come to the "cheap seats" in the theatre, have friends over and everyone pitch in on dinner and a movie.

Start a Music Club

Find a bunch of people that share in your music tastes to swap tapes/CDs with you and the rest of the group. It would be wise for everyone to put their address label, or some other form of ID on the tape/CD so that it gets back to its rightful owner.

Tourist Attractions

Take advantage of the free tourist attractions in cities and tourist areas such as free gardens, museums, restored villages, monuments, etc. You can find this information by contacting the visitor´s bureau of the town/city you will be visiting.

Size Does Matter

Use a small car for your travel needs, because small cars weigh half as much as large cars, and use about half as much gasoline!

Flexible is Frugal

Be flexible when planning air travel. If you travel at night or adjust your plans by one day, you may get a better fare.

Age 50+ Save on Hotels

"If you are 50+ (60+ in Australia), you´ll save 10% with our 50+ Mature Travelers rate. If you are 60+, you´ll save 20 to 30% with advance reservations. Just request the Sixty Plus Rate when you call 800.4CHOICE (800.424.6423)." Go to http://tinyurl.com/japn for more information, and to check out the numerous hotels that are part of this chain.

Save Money on Dining

We all know that when you´re dining you´re paying a lot more for a meal than what it would cost for you to make it. For those that enjoy going to restaurants to eat, and want to save money order something that will taste good re-heated. This way, if you don´t finish your meal, you´ll have some good left-overs. Another idea is to plan on making two meals out of it. When you´re at the restaurant, order a soup, salad or appetizer to help fill you up so that you will definitely have left-overs.

Burning CDs

So you love music, but don´t want to go out and buy every artist´s CDs. Instead, burn your CDs, or have someone else do it for you. No, this doesn´t mean to toss ´em in the fire place, it´s a fancy term for what we would calling taping, if we were talking about recording a tape.

The Un-Vacation

Consider staying home and doing all the things you never had time to do. Go on inexpensive day trips instead.

Consider Camping

A camping vacation can be fun, and save you a lot of money. National parks and forest service campgrounds let you stay for free, or for a very small fee. Just remember to bring a cooler for breakfast, lunch and snacks, so that you only go out for dinner.

Saving While Entertaining

For parties, use reusable plates, cups, glasses, utensils, napkins. You´ll have dishes to clean up, but you won´t be throwing money away in the form of expensive paper and plastic disposables. Also, your guests might feel special because you´re not using disposable products like everyone else does.

Ederhostel

Elderhostel is a non-profit educational travel goup. They have recently introduced a three generation trips (grandparents, their kids, and their grandkids 7-18. Call 1-877-426-8056 for more information.