This has been an unusual week - we are taking off on a ski trip Friday after school. So, no real menu plan - just eating up what's in the fridge. I didn't go out and do my normal shopping runs although I may still get to Walgreen's and CVS this week. However, there has been a lot of time spent packing, researching deals and planning our time away.
I'm sure I'll have a full report when I return on how we manage an annual ski trip for very little money - at least compared to the thousands we used to spend to go skiing every year!
In the meantime, I promised to talk about how I re-organized my kitchen in January.
I started by going through EVERY cabinet and drawer. I took out everything I hadn't used in a year and either took it to Goodwill or tagged it and put in in the garage sale box. Then, I reorganized each cabinet one at a time. A few things I changed: I elminated most of the mugs and cups. Simply by moving extra mugs and wine glasses to the basement - that way when we have large parties I can run down and get them, but the 90% of the time that it's just my husband and myself drinking coffee and wine we have what we need and have lost all the clutter. I also moved the potholders from under the sink to the drawer next to the stove - makes a lot more sense! I eliminated all small appliances except the Kitchen Aid, waffle maker, rice cooker and small George Foreman - these are the ones I use on a regular basis and they are now hidden in a cabinet near the sink. The coffee maker and toaster are on the counter.
I also redid my pantry - I got lucky early in the month and my son took a long nap ond day, my daughter had a friend over and my husband had a card game going in the basement so I had several hours to accomplish this task. I did a shelf at a time and used a lot of baskets and plastic containers to contain similar items (chips in one, mixes in another, puddings/jellos, etc.) The very top shelf is used for "extras" - I can see what I have extras of and can use my stepstool to grab them when needed. It's been a month and a half and the pantry still looks great!
Finally, I did a deep clean of the entire kitchen. I've made an effort since then to pick it up every night and at least wipe down the counters and sink. So, overall, it's stayed in pretty good shape. I do have two junk drawers near the laundry room that are getting out of control again - I may have to invest in some containers to help corral that mess.
This month I've been focusing on the Master bedroom and it's looking good!
Showing posts with label Vacation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Vacation. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Travel Thursday - What to do?
Almost at the home stretch of this series! So, now that you know where you are going, how you are getting there, where you are staying and how you will eat, what else will you do?
This is a fun and pretty easy topic. There are definitely ways to save money on almost anything you want to do. Since you looked at the area when you decided where to go, you probably have a good idea of at least some of the activities.
1. Sit down with your family and brainstorm what you would like to do - get everyone involved. If your kids are too little, think about their favorite things to do - for many little ones a pool or a playground is as much fun as an amusement park.
2. Make a list of 5 or 6 "must do" activities - include something for everyone.
3. Do a search on the web for the location you are visiting. Look for the tourism office, check citysearch and check a few travel forums like frommers or fodors. Check for activities as well as discounts.
4. Go to the library and check out a tour guide on the area.
5. Combine your ideas from #2 -#4 and pick out your top ones. If your kids are older, consider letting them each take a day and "plan it out" - that can be a lot of fun for them and if they are more involved in the trip, they will enjoy it much more.
6. Now, get back on the internet and look for deals - type in the name of the attraction and then the word "coupon" or "deal" - this will often pull up a few sites where you can get discounts. If that doesn't work, call the location and ask about deals. For example, last time we went to Sea World I called and asked them if there were any deals on ticket prices. They told me that if I brought in a Pepsi can or bottle we would save $10 off admission - quick and easy. Another place to look for deals is if you are a member of AAA. There are often discounts associated with that membership. Of course check the Entertainment book also.
7. Don't forget while you are on vacation to ask the locals (at restaurants is a good place) if there is anything special you should do while you are there. Last time we were in Florida near the ocean the waitress at breakfast (a nice local joint) told us where to go to see Manatees. It was free and fun! This is a good way to find State or County parks which can be a lot of fun - especially if you pack a picnic lunch.
8. Finally, don't pack your days too full - especially if you have little ones. Sometimes the most fun can be had playing in the pool at the hotel, stopping at a school playground to play or just relaxing on the patio with a good book and a coffee while the kids nap or play in the room.
If we are visiting a place like Disneyworld, we usually only go to the parks 2 days out of 7. Then 2 or 3 days are spent at the pool and the other days just exploring Orlando - the outlet mall, parks, other attractions, etc.
This is a fun and pretty easy topic. There are definitely ways to save money on almost anything you want to do. Since you looked at the area when you decided where to go, you probably have a good idea of at least some of the activities.
1. Sit down with your family and brainstorm what you would like to do - get everyone involved. If your kids are too little, think about their favorite things to do - for many little ones a pool or a playground is as much fun as an amusement park.
2. Make a list of 5 or 6 "must do" activities - include something for everyone.
3. Do a search on the web for the location you are visiting. Look for the tourism office, check citysearch and check a few travel forums like frommers or fodors. Check for activities as well as discounts.
4. Go to the library and check out a tour guide on the area.
5. Combine your ideas from #2 -#4 and pick out your top ones. If your kids are older, consider letting them each take a day and "plan it out" - that can be a lot of fun for them and if they are more involved in the trip, they will enjoy it much more.
6. Now, get back on the internet and look for deals - type in the name of the attraction and then the word "coupon" or "deal" - this will often pull up a few sites where you can get discounts. If that doesn't work, call the location and ask about deals. For example, last time we went to Sea World I called and asked them if there were any deals on ticket prices. They told me that if I brought in a Pepsi can or bottle we would save $10 off admission - quick and easy. Another place to look for deals is if you are a member of AAA. There are often discounts associated with that membership. Of course check the Entertainment book also.
7. Don't forget while you are on vacation to ask the locals (at restaurants is a good place) if there is anything special you should do while you are there. Last time we were in Florida near the ocean the waitress at breakfast (a nice local joint) told us where to go to see Manatees. It was free and fun! This is a good way to find State or County parks which can be a lot of fun - especially if you pack a picnic lunch.
8. Finally, don't pack your days too full - especially if you have little ones. Sometimes the most fun can be had playing in the pool at the hotel, stopping at a school playground to play or just relaxing on the patio with a good book and a coffee while the kids nap or play in the room.
If we are visiting a place like Disneyworld, we usually only go to the parks 2 days out of 7. Then 2 or 3 days are spent at the pool and the other days just exploring Orlando - the outlet mall, parks, other attractions, etc.
Saturday, August 9, 2008
Big Restaurant Savings!
Today and tomorrow, go to http://www.restaurant.com and you can save 80% off of your purchase. I just picked up three certificates (one for $25 and two for $10) for less than $4.00!!! I've mentioned this site in my blog before. Make sure you read the fine print as there are restrictions for use - must spend a certain amount, 18% tip is usually added to the bill, one per table, etc. but overall this is a terrific way to save money on a meal out. I bought three for my hometown this time, but I have purchased them for vacations before - in fact on our recent trip to Vegas I used two $25 certificates, and we had $35 - $40 meals for $14 - $19.
After you select your items, use the code: FIRST at the checkout.
Enjoy! This will be some fun inexpensive date nights or vacation meals!
After you select your items, use the code: FIRST at the checkout.
Enjoy! This will be some fun inexpensive date nights or vacation meals!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Travel Thursday - Where to eat?
Well, it's technically Wednesday night but since tomorrow is our anniversary I'm not going to be online at all!
Next in the series is all about food! What to eat?
This is a great area in which to save money. You can blow a lot of cash by eating out while on vacation, but I have some great tips to help you keep the costs to a minimum!
- You don't have to eat out for every meal. How easy is that one? Seriously, there are alternatives. If we are in a condo, we almost always eat breakfast in the room, often lunch and even a few dinners. I pack easy foods from home if we are driving or make a stop at the grocery when we arrive if we fly. I also always pick up a case of water, pop, etc. as this will really cut your costs. It can be fun to eat out on the patio with the kids after a full day of sightseeing. Or sandwiches on the beach, or after dinner drinks looking out over the ocean, etc.
- When you do eat out, ask the locals. My family is not a fan of chains. Oh, they have their place in life, but when I'm on vacation I want to eat something from that area. I'm not picky about going to a "dive" either. We usually ask a few people throughout the trip for recommendations. Maybe ask someone you run into at the grocery store, or run into a video store if you are near a college campus. Even ask your waiter at a place you are eating at and enjoy. We always make sure and ask specifically for something local, good and not a chain. What's so funny is many times we'll get told "Chili's, Olive Garden, etc." What part of not a chain didn't they understand? Don't get discouraged if you don't get good answers every time you ask. I'd say for every four people we ask, we actually take the recommendation of one. But that one can be a good one - some of our best were the $7.50 (for both of us) Mexican restaurant in a trailer (yes, really) in San Antonio, or the wonderful Tapas place in Saint Louis . . . yum!
- Do some research ahead of time. If you love to eat out (like I do), do a little research ahead of time. I usually check out http://www.frommers.com/, go to http://www.citysearch.com/ and maybe do a general search on the location and then see what I can find in the way of restaurants.
- Split a meal or order less food. Unless you plan on taking your leftovers back to the condo (which can be a good idea), don't order the full nine yards. For my family of four, we usually order one entree and either an appetizer, side dish or one kids meal. We typically don't have leftovers and our bill is half the price. My philosophy is that if we are still hungry, we can always order more food. Guess what? In the fifteen years we've been doing this, we have never ordered more food - not once..
- Look for happy hours, early bird specials or kids eat free nights. Most restaurants in a touristy area have at least one of these options. This can save you a considerable amount of money. A great example was our recent trip to Las Vegas. One of our favorite restaurants there is a tapas place with great Sangria. From 4 - 6 a huge selection of tapas and all their sangrias were half price.
- Don't be afraid to use coupons. You use them at home, why not on vacation? Some great sources are http://www.restaurant.com/ and http://www.entertainmentbook.com/If we are going to be someplace for a week I will sometimes order the entertainment book for the region. We have found some terrific new places this way and I always get my money's worth. When we leave I either give it to someone there, or put it on freecycle when I get home.
We often make a game out of saving money on food - while still eating well. You know the show Rachael Ray's $40 a day? My husband and I often will keep track of what we spend and try to keep it at $40 a day for the two of us - then we'll joke about how we beat her at her own game - we're dorks, I know . . . but it does go to show that you can save a lot of money on food and still really enjoy your trip!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Travel Thursday - Where to stay?
This week we are talking about one of my favorite parts of a trip - where to stay. This one can make or break your vacation. There are four main options I'd like to review:
1. Hotels/ motels/ Inns: there are a lot of sources of deals for a regular hotel room. I would make sure you sign up for all the loyalty programs. They often offer easy ways to earn points for free nights. I am a member of all of them, but I tend to stay loyal to the Holiday Inn Priority Points program. I have a VISA that earns me points and when I travel for business I try to stay in a Holiday Inn property if possible. It is super easy to redeem points in this program - in fact I have never been blocked out at all. Also, if you stay in a Holiday Inn Express it typically only takes 15,000 points and you'll get a free breakfast also.
If you don't have points I would try a similar method of booking a room as I explained with airfare. First check http://www.travelocity.com/ or http://www.expedia.com/ to find the properties located where you are staying. Find the best price, then call the hotel directly to see if they can offer you something better. Often they can. Another alternative is to log onto the hotel website and see if they have a web only deal. If you aren't sure where to stay (in a city you don't know it can be especially hard) check out some of the travel boards like http://www.frommers.com/ or http://www.fodors.com/ and get some advice. Other moneysavers are http://www.entertainmentbook.com/ or Triple AAA.
2. Timeshares: If it's just my husband and myself on a trip, we usually stay in a hotel (using points), but if it's the whole family, we usually use our timeshares. I know what you are thinking - there is no way a $25,000 timeshare is a moneysaver. However, if you do your research, you can buy a resale timeshare for about $1500 - $7000 depending upon the brand. This is what we did. I spent a good year researching my options using resources such as http://www.tug2.net/ and determined exactly what I wanted to buy (for me it was Fairfield points). Then, I went onto ebay and started bidding. It probably took me a dozen auctions before I won one at the price I wanted, but I did eventually pick one up for $1500. Because my system is Fairfield I can trade in my points in increments as low as 28,000 to RCI in exchange for weeks at other properties in their system. I probably couldn't get Hawaii at that exchange, but I've had no trouble picking up 1 or 2 bedrooms in Orlando, Michigan, etc. In fact, through the board I mentioned above along with a board specific to Fairfield, I've managed to figure out how to stretch my one week into 3 to 5 weeks a year. Adding in maintenance fees, RCI exchange fees, etc. it ends up costing us about $360 a week. This is for a very nice, 1 - 2 bedroom condo with pools, activities, etc. If you can't afford the maintenance fees or aren't interesting in committing, you can typically rent a timeshare on ebay, http://www.redweek.com or http://www.tug2.net.
3. Friends/ Family I'll be honest, to me this isn't really a vacation, but it can help cut costs! A good example is our last trip to Florida. We drove and since it's a 15 hour drive, we stopped and stayed for two nights with friends in Altanta (about halfway). We had a nice visit, the kids played and it broke up the drive. If you do stay with others, please be a thoughtful guest and pick up after yourself, bring along a nice housewarming gift and take the family out for a meal!
4. Camping We aren't big campers, but this is a viable way to take a very inexpensive vacation. You will need a tent, but you can usually borrow one, pick one up at a garage sale or even on clearance at a discount store. Other than the tent, you can make do with what you have at home - blankets, pillows instead of sleeping bags, a cooler for food, etc. No need to go spend a fortune on expensive camping gear.
I know I just touched the surface in this post, but I hope I've shared some viable options of ways to find a great, inexpensive place to stay for your trip. If there is any interest, I'd be happy to delve futher into any of these topics in a future post.
1. Hotels/ motels/ Inns: there are a lot of sources of deals for a regular hotel room. I would make sure you sign up for all the loyalty programs. They often offer easy ways to earn points for free nights. I am a member of all of them, but I tend to stay loyal to the Holiday Inn Priority Points program. I have a VISA that earns me points and when I travel for business I try to stay in a Holiday Inn property if possible. It is super easy to redeem points in this program - in fact I have never been blocked out at all. Also, if you stay in a Holiday Inn Express it typically only takes 15,000 points and you'll get a free breakfast also.
If you don't have points I would try a similar method of booking a room as I explained with airfare. First check http://www.travelocity.com/ or http://www.expedia.com/ to find the properties located where you are staying. Find the best price, then call the hotel directly to see if they can offer you something better. Often they can. Another alternative is to log onto the hotel website and see if they have a web only deal. If you aren't sure where to stay (in a city you don't know it can be especially hard) check out some of the travel boards like http://www.frommers.com/ or http://www.fodors.com/ and get some advice. Other moneysavers are http://www.entertainmentbook.com/ or Triple AAA.
2. Timeshares: If it's just my husband and myself on a trip, we usually stay in a hotel (using points), but if it's the whole family, we usually use our timeshares. I know what you are thinking - there is no way a $25,000 timeshare is a moneysaver. However, if you do your research, you can buy a resale timeshare for about $1500 - $7000 depending upon the brand. This is what we did. I spent a good year researching my options using resources such as http://www.tug2.net/ and determined exactly what I wanted to buy (for me it was Fairfield points). Then, I went onto ebay and started bidding. It probably took me a dozen auctions before I won one at the price I wanted, but I did eventually pick one up for $1500. Because my system is Fairfield I can trade in my points in increments as low as 28,000 to RCI in exchange for weeks at other properties in their system. I probably couldn't get Hawaii at that exchange, but I've had no trouble picking up 1 or 2 bedrooms in Orlando, Michigan, etc. In fact, through the board I mentioned above along with a board specific to Fairfield, I've managed to figure out how to stretch my one week into 3 to 5 weeks a year. Adding in maintenance fees, RCI exchange fees, etc. it ends up costing us about $360 a week. This is for a very nice, 1 - 2 bedroom condo with pools, activities, etc. If you can't afford the maintenance fees or aren't interesting in committing, you can typically rent a timeshare on ebay, http://www.redweek.com or http://www.tug2.net.
3. Friends/ Family I'll be honest, to me this isn't really a vacation, but it can help cut costs! A good example is our last trip to Florida. We drove and since it's a 15 hour drive, we stopped and stayed for two nights with friends in Altanta (about halfway). We had a nice visit, the kids played and it broke up the drive. If you do stay with others, please be a thoughtful guest and pick up after yourself, bring along a nice housewarming gift and take the family out for a meal!
4. Camping We aren't big campers, but this is a viable way to take a very inexpensive vacation. You will need a tent, but you can usually borrow one, pick one up at a garage sale or even on clearance at a discount store. Other than the tent, you can make do with what you have at home - blankets, pillows instead of sleeping bags, a cooler for food, etc. No need to go spend a fortune on expensive camping gear.
I know I just touched the surface in this post, but I hope I've shared some viable options of ways to find a great, inexpensive place to stay for your trip. If there is any interest, I'd be happy to delve futher into any of these topics in a future post.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Travel Thursdays
Today I'm starting a series on saving money while traveling. I'll post a new topic every Thursday. Our family travels a lot - example, this summer we will have been gone for 37 days. Yet, we don't spend that much when we go places. To me, travel is important for several reasons:
- it exposes kids to new experiences and ways of living
- it creates strong family memories
- it allows you to spend a lot of family time together without the everyday distractions
I have always done a lot of traveling - as a kid, we didn't have a lot of extra money, but we would load up my Aunt's travel trailer or the tent and take off for several weeks each summer. In the winter, we'd drive down to Florida to visit my grandparents. These are some of my favorite childhood memories.
So, over the next few weeks, I'll cover my thoughts, ideas and suggestions on the following topics:
1. Where to go?
2. How to get there?
3. Where to stay?
4. What to eat?
5. What to do?
6. Misc. tips
7. Real life trip examples
Hope you enjoy this series and get a few helpful tips to get you on the road!
- it exposes kids to new experiences and ways of living
- it creates strong family memories
- it allows you to spend a lot of family time together without the everyday distractions
I have always done a lot of traveling - as a kid, we didn't have a lot of extra money, but we would load up my Aunt's travel trailer or the tent and take off for several weeks each summer. In the winter, we'd drive down to Florida to visit my grandparents. These are some of my favorite childhood memories.
So, over the next few weeks, I'll cover my thoughts, ideas and suggestions on the following topics:
1. Where to go?
2. How to get there?
3. Where to stay?
4. What to eat?
5. What to do?
6. Misc. tips
7. Real life trip examples
Hope you enjoy this series and get a few helpful tips to get you on the road!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Continue the vacation lifestyle
As promised, here is my post about the things we did on vacation that I plan on continuing at home - I really think it will help me keep that "vacation mindset" and lower stress!
On the drive home, I mentioned to DH that some of the things I enjoyed most were not the "big" activities, but small moments. That got us to talking about how we can encorporate some of those into our daily life . . .
1. Morning walk - my DS and I got up almost every morning before anyone else and went for about a half hour walk - great start to the day! We've been home two days and I've managed it one of them. My goal will be most days of the week.
2. Relaxing with a good book - be it while my DS was napping, laying by the pool while my DH and kids played, etc. I did a lot more reading than I do at home. So, several nights a week, I plan on shutting off the TV and opening a book. I'm also joining a book club with some girlfriends - we'll meet once a month to discuss our latest read.
3. Working out of the office. All my work was done from a Starbucks, Panera, McDonald's, hotel lobby - basically anywhere I could get wireless. I am blessed to work from home, but I did discover I could accomplish more in a day at Starbucks than I sometimes finish in a week at home. So, once or twice a week, I'm hitting the road. I figure I might spend an extra $5 - $10 a week, but if I can get more work done, that means more free time to play with the kids.
4. Which leads into the last item - playing with the kids. Everyday we did something together as a family - a walk, coloring, swimming, going to the park, etc. So, I'm going to make sure we continue that at home. Last night after running errands we stopped at A&W and all got Rootbeer floats (minus rootbeer for the kids as they don't drink pop!). We sat in the booth for an hour and just talked. It was simple and fun and free!
On the drive home, I mentioned to DH that some of the things I enjoyed most were not the "big" activities, but small moments. That got us to talking about how we can encorporate some of those into our daily life . . .
1. Morning walk - my DS and I got up almost every morning before anyone else and went for about a half hour walk - great start to the day! We've been home two days and I've managed it one of them. My goal will be most days of the week.
2. Relaxing with a good book - be it while my DS was napping, laying by the pool while my DH and kids played, etc. I did a lot more reading than I do at home. So, several nights a week, I plan on shutting off the TV and opening a book. I'm also joining a book club with some girlfriends - we'll meet once a month to discuss our latest read.
3. Working out of the office. All my work was done from a Starbucks, Panera, McDonald's, hotel lobby - basically anywhere I could get wireless. I am blessed to work from home, but I did discover I could accomplish more in a day at Starbucks than I sometimes finish in a week at home. So, once or twice a week, I'm hitting the road. I figure I might spend an extra $5 - $10 a week, but if I can get more work done, that means more free time to play with the kids.
4. Which leads into the last item - playing with the kids. Everyday we did something together as a family - a walk, coloring, swimming, going to the park, etc. So, I'm going to make sure we continue that at home. Last night after running errands we stopped at A&W and all got Rootbeer floats (minus rootbeer for the kids as they don't drink pop!). We sat in the booth for an hour and just talked. It was simple and fun and free!
Friday, June 13, 2008
Heading Home
Well, after three weeks on the road we are slowly heading home. Stopping to visit friends tonight and tomorrow, then home on Sunday.
We learned a few things by being gone for so long:
1. We really can make due with fewer clothes - I only packed seven outfits for each of us and I never wished I had more or other clothing.
2. We can eat well and cheaply on the road.
3. We can continue to exercise while traveling.
4. We don't need much to be happy - we actually were talking yesterday that we could keep going for a few more weeks. It will be nice to be home, but it's been great to have no house responsibilities, few possessions, and lots of free time!
5. There are some things we can continue when we return to keep that "stress free - vacation" state of mind - I'll talk more about that in my next post.
I am dreading the mail pile I will receive on Monday! But I am looking forward to getting back into the savings game. We did one deal last night that Sears is offering for this week only - buy $100 worth of Dockers, send in a form and get a $75 gas card from Shell. My DH needs new pants for school next year anyways, so we stocked up last night and since you can do two per household (one per person) we did the deal twice! Here's the link:
http://www.206inc.com/dockersgiftcard2008
We learned a few things by being gone for so long:
1. We really can make due with fewer clothes - I only packed seven outfits for each of us and I never wished I had more or other clothing.
2. We can eat well and cheaply on the road.
3. We can continue to exercise while traveling.
4. We don't need much to be happy - we actually were talking yesterday that we could keep going for a few more weeks. It will be nice to be home, but it's been great to have no house responsibilities, few possessions, and lots of free time!
5. There are some things we can continue when we return to keep that "stress free - vacation" state of mind - I'll talk more about that in my next post.
I am dreading the mail pile I will receive on Monday! But I am looking forward to getting back into the savings game. We did one deal last night that Sears is offering for this week only - buy $100 worth of Dockers, send in a form and get a $75 gas card from Shell. My DH needs new pants for school next year anyways, so we stocked up last night and since you can do two per household (one per person) we did the deal twice! Here's the link:
http://www.206inc.com/dockersgiftcard2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Preparing for Vacation!
Doesn't it seem like you are busier than usual before going on vacation? I feel like I spend the week before rushing all around getting everything done. Add to that the fact that I like to leave with a clean house and . . . whew, I need that vacation more than ever!
I'm trying to keep it easy on myself this week by scheduling a few things everyday to accomplish and having it all finished by Thursday. That will leave Friday for packing the last minute things, a final pick up of the house, vaccum and take off! So far so good! I also tried not to schedule much for us to do this week - that has really helped out. Today is my last appointment - that leaves tomorrow wide open for finishing up work and cleaning. I'm working on this vacation as we'll be gone for so long, so I also don't have that stress of finishing up work before I leave.
Some things I'm doing different this time:
Only packing a week's worth of outfits for each of us - I know we'll be gone three weeks and there is no point in trying to pack for that long. One week and we'll do laundry two or three times. I also packed my and the kids clothes last weekend - my DH is in charge of himself. I've been wearing jeans all week (since all my shorts are packed), but that's fine. Disgustingly I haven't even noticed the weeks worth of clothes the kids are missing - apparently they have too many clothes!
Not taking food along - we are staying with family the first week, so I'm going to do one grocery shopping trip the second week when we move to the condo. I'm taking my coupons and I'll make a list on the drive down. Definitely less packing, but it will probably cost more (still less than eating out every meal though!)
Packing the car tonight. We have a short deadline from Friday to when we have to arrive Saturday morning, so instead of staying up late tomorrow night packing and being tired for the all night drive, we are going to get it done tonight, leave the car in the garage tomorrow and go to bed early so we'll be well rested.
No appointments on Thursday or Friday. Usually I have booked myself up until an hour before we leave!
We'll see if these changes help! Any tips from anyone else on how to make the week before vacation easier?
I'm trying to keep it easy on myself this week by scheduling a few things everyday to accomplish and having it all finished by Thursday. That will leave Friday for packing the last minute things, a final pick up of the house, vaccum and take off! So far so good! I also tried not to schedule much for us to do this week - that has really helped out. Today is my last appointment - that leaves tomorrow wide open for finishing up work and cleaning. I'm working on this vacation as we'll be gone for so long, so I also don't have that stress of finishing up work before I leave.
Some things I'm doing different this time:
Only packing a week's worth of outfits for each of us - I know we'll be gone three weeks and there is no point in trying to pack for that long. One week and we'll do laundry two or three times. I also packed my and the kids clothes last weekend - my DH is in charge of himself. I've been wearing jeans all week (since all my shorts are packed), but that's fine. Disgustingly I haven't even noticed the weeks worth of clothes the kids are missing - apparently they have too many clothes!
Not taking food along - we are staying with family the first week, so I'm going to do one grocery shopping trip the second week when we move to the condo. I'm taking my coupons and I'll make a list on the drive down. Definitely less packing, but it will probably cost more (still less than eating out every meal though!)
Packing the car tonight. We have a short deadline from Friday to when we have to arrive Saturday morning, so instead of staying up late tomorrow night packing and being tired for the all night drive, we are going to get it done tonight, leave the car in the garage tomorrow and go to bed early so we'll be well rested.
No appointments on Thursday or Friday. Usually I have booked myself up until an hour before we leave!
We'll see if these changes help! Any tips from anyone else on how to make the week before vacation easier?
Thursday, April 3, 2008
Spring Break at home
I love, love, love to travel, and I was really hoping to go somewhere for Spring Break. However, as it's now Thursday and nothing has come up on our RCI search, it doesn't look good. I am trying not to be disappointed and instead to come up with a lot of fun things we can do here in town, but so far I haven't been able to pull myself out of the dumps!
Today's goal is to make a list of ten fun things we can do next week and to start counting my blessings instead of feeling sorry for myself.
Today's goal is to make a list of ten fun things we can do next week and to start counting my blessings instead of feeling sorry for myself.
Friday, February 22, 2008
The day before vacation
Why is it the day you leave on vacation is always stressful! There are so many things to get done - pack, finish up work, clean up the house, etc. It seems like we always leave mid to late afternoon, so I spend the morning scrambling around trying to get ready. Sometimes I wonder why I do it!! But then, once we are officially on the road (plane, car or whatever) I get such a sense of relaxation and happiness that I realize the extra stress was worth it. For a few days we get to do what we want to do when we want to do it. To me, that freedom is pure happiness - hence why I named my blog "saving money and being happy" - I feel that the more money we can save the less I can work and the more time I'll have to create happy moments for myself and my family.
So, when we return, I'll share some of the things we did on vacation and how we saved some money doing it!
So, when we return, I'll share some of the things we did on vacation and how we saved some money doing it!
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