Save Some Money With Travel Coupons

Travel can be so expensive. For our family of six, we have to plan very carefully or one road trip can blow our budget. Transportation costs, food, accommodations, gasoline, and even the souvenirs can all really add up. For us, the biggest costs are transportation and food. I can’t believe how expensive it is to dine out! A dinner for six at a family-style restaurant can easily cost us $100. Ouch, that really hurts.

Fortunately, we aren’t at the mercy of high expenses anymore. I use Savings.com coupons for as many things as I possibly can. Savings.com is the best coupon site I have found. The site is outstanding– well organized, neat and clean, helpful, and has TONS of coupons. They have savings for such eatery businesses as Red Lobster, Burger King, McDonald’s, Chili’s, Restaurant.com, and others. For travel, the savings are profound: Best Western Hotels, Travelocity, Expedia, Comfort Inn, AARP, Avis, Orbitz, City Sights NY, and so many more. And that’s really only scratching the surface of all the discounts there. There are countless stores and you can find discounts everywhere. Now that the holidays are upon us, there are even more ways to save as stores are offering lots of special deals and discounts on goods and services.

Of course, Savings.com has tons of coupons and discounts for other stores, any store you can think of. They also have a very helpful community where you can ask members if they are aware of certain deals or discounts. Savings.com also has a blog so you’re always informed. This is THE place to go if you want to save some bucks. And Savings.com is absolutely free! There’s no cost to use coupon codes, and membership in the Savings.com community is free (and they welcome new folks). Definitely take a look. I know you’ll be as wowed as I was when I found them!

Heavenly New Zealand

Ray Comfort, a famed evangelist from New Zealand but now in California, often interviews people on the streets. He was interviewing a young gentleman one sunny California morning. He said to the person, “What do you think happens to someone after they die?”

The young man responded, “I think they go to a better place.”

Ray said, “Where’s that?”

The guy is quiet, thinking for a moment.

Ray jokingly retorts, “New Zealand?”

We joke about that interview from time to time, especially after I see panoramic photos of New Zealand’s breathtaking green beauty and dramatic landscape. I only hope I get to see New Zealand before arriving to my destination place!

New Zealand teems with history as well as beauty. The Maori settled the islands sometime in the 13th century, calling the area Aotearoa, or “long white cloud.” The Dutch found the area in the mid 17th century, and named it Nova Zeelandia after “Zeeland,” a Dutch province. British explorer James Cook changed the name to New Zealand.

Once a deeply exotic but dangerous jungle, New Zealand today balances the dazzling natural environment with organized development and a stellar tourism industry. While New Zealand is a British colony, it is still a good idea to invest in travel insurance New Zealand before visiting. Tourism is a booming business, and it’s no wonder. Visitors are drawn to the azure waters peppered with craggy ocean precipices, the thick, lush landscapes and the unique blend of Maori-European activities and entertainment. Tourists can swim with the dolphins, dive in Poor Knights, one of the world’s superior diving areas, hike the rainforests or snow-capped cliffs, enjoy the extraordinary native music, and browse the streets laden with native foods and locally-crafted goods. My favorite experience would be perusing the exquisite Larnach Castle Gardens, as it affords spectacular views of the coast and mountains! I can certainly understand why someone would consider New Zealand “a better place.” It certainly comes in as Number 2 in my book!

What Happens When You’re Sick on Vacation?

I don’t know about you, but it’s an apprehensive suggestion: what happens when you are sick, traveling away from home? Today, travelers are encouraged to pack ultra-lightly. It’s not like we can go through security and hop on an airplane loaded with Pepto-Bismol, ibuprofen, and antibiotics. Those days are over. If you are traveling out of the country, what happens when you need medicine or medical help?

A relative of mine was traveling through Mexico a few years ago. She had become sick with an abscessed tooth, and needed dental care and antibiotics. Thankfully, she located a Mexican dentist who took care of the tooth and infection. As a matter of fact, my relative said she’d never had such good, inexpensive dental care before then. She did not share how she managed to find that dentist. What happens when you need help, and you are in a foreign country?

If you can access the Internet, there is a website called SickAwayFromHome.com. The website was started by a young man who, while traveling to Africa, saw people with horrible diseases and sufferings. He was told that simple medical treatment would end the suffering of so many people. This is true– this is why Christian missionaries are also usually medical professionals; they can carry with them the medicines and techniques necessary to help people. It’s a tragedy that the native countries themselves cannot help themselves with such simple medical treatment.

So SickAwayFromHome is a website that lists doctor reviews and contact information for all hospitals, clinics, and more than 15,000 medical providers, including those listed by American Embassies abroad. The website is available for mobile devices as well as computers, and is in fifty languages. This is a terrific resource. You may not be able to carry the bottles and tablets of medicine with you when you travel, but you can carry an electronic resource to help you should you need aid. Check out the website, bookmark it before you travel abroad! And stay safe!

Outstanding Travel Tips and Discounts

I had the opportunity of researching airline fares for a trip to Indianapolis (decided to postpone my trip until my home renovation is completed). Holy cow! Airline fare is pricey! I haven’t been on an airplane since 1988… I’ll bet a lot has changed since then. The prices certainly have changed. For a round-trip to Indianapolis, it would cost me $650, with one layover. Egads!! I nearly freaked.

By the way, I found a gem of a resource for airline travelers: the Transportation Security Administration has a good website called Travel Assistant that I found helpful. And the U.S. Department of Transportation has Safe Travel Dot Gov, which has the latest news and security news about traveling by air. I found these excellent resources in preparing me on what to expect when I travel.

Anyway, I did a little digging into discount airfare and other travel accommodations, and discovered a veritable jackpot at http://savings.com. I’ve perused the site before for promo codes for Home Depot and Dell computer coupons. Savings.com has a huge section devoted to travel discounts and codes, including but not limited to: Orbitz, Travelocity, Expedia, Cheap)Air, Rail Europe, Hotwire, and others. Excellent! Some discounts and promo codes offer exceptional deals. It would certainly pay to keep an eye on airline and hotel specials there.

The Internet is an incredible resource for travelers. Don’t pass up such excellent opportunities to save money! It costs nothing to use the codes and coupons at Savings.com.

This post is brought to your by your friends at Savings.com.

Adventure Travel Photo Contest

How are you with the camera? If you are pretty handy (and I know quite a few of you who are), you may be interested in a really great contest, the Adventure Travel Photo Contest. The prizes are amazing! You could win a trip for two to such places as the Galapagos Islands aboard National Geographic Endeavour; go polar bear watching at Churchill, Manitoba; spend eight days in Tibet; go on a 6-day biking or walking excursion in the Czech Republic and Austria; or go rafting in the Salmon River in Idaho. Wow! All you basically do is submit your best photo of your adventure travel, and then invite your friends and family to vote for your submission.

The contest has been running monthly since July, and ends in November, so it’s advisable that you enter quickly. New winners are chosen every month. You can read more about the rules and regulations by following the link. to the the Adventure Travel Photo Contest. Winning photos will be posted on the Adventure Collection website.

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