When you are planning a vacation or a trip, do you often find yourself wondering how you are going to afford it all? Or are you a wanderer at heart who is confined to the back yard because you think you cannot afford to zoom off to all those beautiful destinations, which seem outside your reach? Well, then it is time for you to get introduced to a niche called budget travel.
With budget travel, you can log on to various websites in search of cheap accommodations, cheap air travel fares, and many other such elements that will help you create a successful budget travel plan. Here is a quick list to implement your plan!
Set a realistic budget: Before you actually start traveling or even do your bookings, it would be a good idea to set a budget that would be realistic. For this, you will need to take in various costs like travel fares, accommodation, conveyance, sightseeing and food, among other factors. Do a little bit of research on the destination you are planning to go to by logging on to the various question and answer forums. Once you have a daily budget, convert this into your currency and then multiply with the number of days that you will be on the go. If this figure matches a reasonable spend as far as your savings and earnings go, then you can go ahead and book the holiday.
Sign up for updates and alerts: One of the best ways to plan and do the bookings so that you can enjoy budget travel is to sign up for emailers and newsletters of the various airlines and travel portals. You can also sign up for accommodation portals like Air Bnb so that you have a fair idea of what to expect even as you get constant alerts for the best deals that have to do with your preferred destination. This will help you make good use of the best prices and even coupons or codes that you can avail for the trip.
Buy direct, fly direct: You can buy your air tickets directly online from the airlines. This will help you in getting the best deals even as you get constant updates about the upcoming destinations in the various travel seasons. This will also help you in creating a budget travel plan.
Railway passes versus stop by stop: When you are on the go in a new place, find out if it will be cheaper to get a railway pass for the duration of your stay, or if it will be cheaper to get a stop by stop fare. Ditto for buses! This will help you stick to your budget travel plan as well.
Traveling across countries can be an unforgettable and joyous ordeal. There are loads of things accomplished and memories created. Anyone who travels out of their own country would tell you that the experience is unforgettable. However, traveling internationally often does come with a heavy price tag. It is, in fact, one of the primary reasons why people don’t go for it. This is where the offers and discounts, which are often seen on cheap international flights, come in handy.
There are several airlines that are priced at affordable rates. If you go for a two-way trip using the same airline, you are bound to save a lot more. Here are a few of the cheapest international flights from the USA.
Do not let the high prices of airline tickets hamper your dreams to enjoy international vacations. You can always check the above-mentioned airlines for affordable flights to your dream destination. The broad connectivity with several international destinations also allows you to choose the airline you like.
There is no dearth of travel sites on the Internet which will let you books hotels at your preferred holiday destination. These travel websites require you to make bookings in hotels according to your budget and other preferences. However, most of these popular travel sites require you to pay fees for making hotel reservations and even charge a cancellation fee if you decide to cancel your trip at the last moment.
Though these travel sites reduce the burden of making reservations by eliminating all the intermediate factors, you’ll have to make payments for booking and canceling. Moreover, not all the transactions on such websites are transparent; you might be charged additional fees or have to pay more for a hotel room that is available at a lesser cost on some other travel site. Since most sites require you to shell out money, a travel website that has credible cash rewards programs and amazing discounts is a welcoming change.
HotelGuides™ has an incredible cash rewards program, which will enable you to earn money on booking hotels! Read on to know more about the same.
Cash rewards program
HotelGuides™ has made over 5,000,000 bookings till date, and the users have received money in return for the bookings. According to the cash rewards program by HotelGuides™, when you make five hotel reservations, they’ll send you $25 in return. There is no limit to the number of times you can make the reservations. The travel site writes reward checks to the individual who makes the reservation. This means that you can book hotel rooms for yourself, your business, or any organization, and you can easily earn some extra cash this way. It is quite easy to get started with the cash rewards program. All you have to do is make a hotel reservation through HotelGuides.com and save your confirmation number, once you have five confirmation numbers, email these to rewards@hotelguides.com along with your name and contact number. You’ll soon receive a check for $25.
Another highlight of opting for this cash rewards program is that it is in the form of an extra benefit, which means that the money you receive here will not be deducted from the traveler’s hotel chain rewards point. Also, you can send the confirmation numbers after completing the trip as these rewards do not expire. To reap the benefits of this cash rewards program, you can start anytime you wish.
We do not travel to escape life, but for life not to escape us, is a famous quote that you might have come across. Vacation is what we need after a tiresome period of regular work.
Vacation means planning the destination, deciding on the mode of traveling, choosing hotels and most importantly, planning the budget. There is no dearth of places to relax in the US, and you have resorts and motels that range from inexpensive to lavish to suit every need. But what most holiday-goers look for are budget-friendly destinations and all-inclusive vacation packages. These packages generally cover food, lodging, and some special treat like a spa session at times. So before you embark on your next trip, take a look at this list of holiday destinations with all inclusive deals for you to choose from.
Travaasa Austin: The hotel, located on a hilltop, half an hour from Austin, Texas, is a spa resort with 72 rooms. Each room comes with a private balcony overlooking a forest or canyons. The cuisine of the restaurant offers local food along with organic food that is procured from the resort’s farm. The amenities include a luxurious spa and an infinity-edge pool with a wooden deck. It offers a-la-carte but also has all-inclusive packages that offer all meals along with $175 daily resort credit for one person for spa treatments.
Historic Topoco Lodge: North Carolina mountains welcome its guests to the Historic Topoco Lodge at Robbinsville. It is situated near the Cheoah River. The lodge has 31 rooms, and all of them are furnished with mini fridges, TVs, microwaves and some offer river view too. This lodge offers an all-inclusive package with a hearty breakfast and three-course dinner. The only point to be noted about this place is that children under the age of 12 are not allowed.
Blackberry Farm: This is a farm hotel in Walland, Tennessee, with 4200 acres of land. The Barn, which is the restaurant here, helps the guests to indulge in farm-to-table dining experience with the produce of their farm. You can select one of the two types of lodgings available, the cottage or a room in the main house. The all-inclusive deal includes all meals, and access to stocked pantries anytime. The Farm has necessary amenities for spa treatment as well.
Woodloch Pine Resort: The resort has been welcoming guests since the year 1958. Unlike other resorts in Pocono, this one in Hawley welcomes families. It has motel-style outbuildings as well as private lake houses. The place offers a horde of activities throughout the year for its guests. Some of the popular activities include hiking, sailing, sledding, bumper boats, go-carts, ice-skating and group contests. The all-inclusive package comprises of meals and most of the drinks.
White Stallion Ranch: Run by a family for 50 years, White Stallion is an all-inclusive ranch with 41 western-style rooms. The venue looks like a movie set with mountain, desert, saguaro cacti, and real cowboys. It offers several activities like rock climbing, horse riding, rodeo skills and hiking. It’s all inclusive package offers three meals and all day snacks.
Choose the kind that you fancy and have a great vacation with an all-inclusive deal! This way, you can stop worrying about planning the various aspects of a vacation as well.
If you have plans to visit Los Angeles, the second most populous city in the country, then you are going to find this article helpful. The list of to-do things in the city is large, which clearly means that you have to spend a great deal of time there. However, if you are planning a visit with limited time in hand, then consider the following top fun things to do in Los Angeles.
Disneyland
A visit to Disneyland is certainly one of the top fun things to do in Los Angeles. It feels like the happiest place on Earth, which delights children and adults alike. The park spoils visitors for the choice of cool things to do, ranging from taking rides to spending quality family time in restaurants, bars, and clubs.
38 Degrees Ale House & Grill
Located in downtown Alhambra, 38 Degrees Ale House & Grill is a great choice for those wanting to experience one of the best trivia nights in LA. Beginning at 9 pm every Tuesday night, the Action Trivia gives people opportunities to win prizes by answering an eclectic mix of questions. Even if you don’t get any prize, you are certainly going to remember the night and the place as one of the fun things to do in Los Angeles.
Rodeo Drive
Rodeo Drive is certainly more famous for shopping, especially if you have an eye for designer goods. You can enjoy a pleasant stroll in this lane while clicking fun photographs and dining at some great restaurants.
The Broad
Yet another option in our list of fun things to do in Los Angeles is The Broad, a contemporary art museum. This museum in LA is packed with great works of artists and cool modern art. Depending on your interests, you can easily spend an hour or more there. The museum offers great photo opportunities as well.
Griffith Observatory
Owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles, the Griffith Observatory is a public observatory. The observatory, having a planetarium, public telescopes, café, bookstore, and exhibits, offers the best views of the Los Angeles basin. Entry to Griffith Observatory is free and it provides ample parking space for visitors.
Asanebo
Los Angeles is a great place for sushi lovers. If you are fond of sushi, you can go to Asanebo, the finest Japanese restaurant in the city. Enjoy top-quality sushi and a range of other innovative dishes there.
Australia is known as “The Land of the Golden Fleece”. It is an exciting geographical location well-known for its natural wonders. It is one of the biggest countries in the world and offers something for every traveler right from beautiful beaches in Sydney to the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland. Since the climatic conditions may not be the same throughout the country, the best time of your travel depends on the location you are heading to.
To put it another way, the country offers beautiful places to visit throughout the year. A few may operate for a shorter duration during the off-season. While you can choose to travel through Australian trip packages or go on an individual trip, this article might be helpful as we talk about the best time to travel to Australia.
Weather in Australia
The best time to opt for any of the Australian trip packages is spring, which runs from September to November. If you plan to visit the country during autumn, then March to May is the ideal time. During the season, the country hosts a wide variety of food festivals and wine festivals.
Summer in Australia lasts from December to February. This is the time during which you can enjoy New Year celebrations in the country. Thunderstorms and downpours may occur during the summer. Winters start in June and extend for another two months.
Best time to travel
The East Coast of Australia extends from Cairns in the north to Melbourne in the south. If you are choosing Australian trip packages that include the East Coast of Australia, keep in mind that weather and scenery vary with season. Your choice of activity should decide the time of travel. The Great Barrier Reef has more or less warm climate throughout the year. Be prepared for tropical rains if you are traveling during summer. If the sprawling beaches of the Australian continent are your main attraction, it is better to follow the weather update of your location you plan to travel. For best vines and harvest festivals, late autumn is ideal.
In short, you can say that there’s never a bad time to visit Australia. Also, your choice of weather, interests, budget, preferences, etc., must be taken into consideration before you choose one of the recommended Australian trip packages.
Are you looking out for a holiday destination and don’t know where to go? Without even blinking twice, you should head towards the Caribbean coast. It is a haven for travel fanatics. With the sun and sand, you can have a lot of fun and still have a relaxed time. The Caribbean consists of the Caribbean Sea, islands, and the surrounding coasts. It is a picture-perfect holiday spot for those who want to unwind and relax. It has a plethora of holiday options right from the calm and quiet beaches to a reverberating nightlife and great water sports to bustling port towns. It is best to go in for all-inclusive Caribbean vacations so that all the expenditure and the effort of planning the holiday is taken care of.
In fact, today, the all-inclusive holiday concept is gaining prominence everywhere and for good reason. These packages are designed to include everything starting from airplane tickets, accommodation to food and drinks and at times, even some recreational or outdoor activities. The main advantages of booking all-inclusive Caribbean vacations are as follows:
No stress – When the entire holiday is charted out and paid for, there is no stress of searching, planning, and organizing for air tickets, hotels, and more. Just relax and enjoy the holiday to the hilt.
Time-saving – All-inclusive Caribbean vacations let you save time in organizing and planning a holiday. You can concentrate completely on enjoying your vacation.
Highly safe – If you go in for a reputed travel agent and let them plan the entire vacation, then it is safer as they already have tie-ups with hotels. This way, the chances of fraud are minimal.
More affordable – Usually, the all-inclusive holidays are more affordable. This is because the travel agencies have a tie-up with various hotels and airlines and hence, get the same rooms or tickets at a cheaper rate than you would get on a personal booking. Also, many a time, these agencies also offer a few freebies, thereby making the deal more lucrative.
Meet like-minded people – When you are on a holiday, you want your vacation to be spent with like-minded people. In an all-inclusive holiday package, you will be able to meet other people who have similar interests, thereby making your holiday more enjoyable.
So, go on, plan for these all-inclusive Caribbean vacations and enjoy every bit of your holiday!
There are many things that we like to do in order to fill our time. Many of us pursue hobbies when we are not at work. Travel is one of the biggest passions that many people have. Yet, if you thought that traveling is a matter of making and spending copious amounts of money, then you need to think again. From back packers to others on a shoestring budget, there are a number of ways that one can use in order to embark on budget travel where you will not break the bank in order to see the world.
Finding the best deals is now as simple as clicking on all the right links and doing a little bit of research on your phone or computer, from the comfort of your home or even the cubicle of your office. You will literally find a whole world of opportunities out there at the best prices possible. Here’s a quick list of tips to follow!
Reasonable air fare: When you are getting from place A to place B, air travel is the source that can suck out the majority of your travel funds. If you are serious about budget travel, then you should seek out the best deals on websites like Fare Compare, Kayak and even the various airlines that run across the country and the globe. This will help you find and compare the best possible deals so that you can book your tickets.
Advance booking: One of the best things to do in order to get the budget travel options is to ensure that you book your tickets and accommodation well in advance. Try grabbing the early bird offers to get the best deals online. If you book on a Tuesday, Wednesday or Saturday, you will get still lower prices especially for air fare because these are the days when there is minimum traffic as far as tourists and business or other travelers, go.
Taking care of accommodation: Do plenty of research before you book your accommodation. For budget travel as a back packer, you can try out various hostels so that you can share a room and the tariff as well. This works well especially in European countries. Also, you can find many couch surfing options and home stays in various locations on websites.
Transport and other aspects: In case you are interested in budget travel, you should take care of other aspects like transport and conveyance. You can find the cheapest options by visiting various forums that answer questions and have posts by other travelers to the destination you are planning to visit. Also, you can find package deals that include travel, stay and transport on various websites, which will make you plan a reasonably-priced trip.
Minimalism adds efficiency to your workflow and simplifies your life. A minimalist wardrobe takes the stress out of dressing up. You don’t have to pile up multiple outfits and go shopping constantly. The best part is, it’s adaptable and long-lasting.
A minimalist wardrobe can simplify your work life. If you need a dose of inspiration, check out what the minds behind big tech giants such as Mark Zuckerberg and the late Steve Jobs wore. Even Obama wore the same navy suit and a white shirt every day. The logic behind this was that the brain and only make so many decisions each day and wearing the same thing takes one less decision a day.
If you’re not sure what to wear to work, you’re at the right place. Here’s why you should build up a minimalist wardrobe to wear to work or simply go out.
Capsule wardrobes
A good capsule wardrobe will consist of 10 clothing items you will wear throughout the year. Think skirts, trousers, work pants, work clothing and so on.
The concept behind it is you wear the same or similar outfit every day. Get a good quality blazer in a simple color choice like white or black. If you work at a creative outlet/environment, go for tee-shirts with simple color choices.
Capsule wardrobes will be your blessing in disguise because you don’t have to worry about rearranging or buying new items constantly. You can use them year after year and it will never fall out of fashion.
Less stress
If you’re an entrepreneur and you have a lot of decisions to make, switching to a minimalist wardrobe can help you cut down on wasted energy.
Plus, you don’t have to constantly think about how people will react to your outfit. It takes the worry and hassles out of the thought process. Fewer decisions also improve your productivity and enhance creativity.
More free time
Adopting a minimalist approach to your wardrobe can mean making fewer or no shopping trips. Plus, you don’t have to worry about if the clothes fit or suit you.
Adapting an identity
Remember those comics? Spider Man wore the same outfit and so did Batman. Think Sherlock Holmes! While we’re not telling you to turn into a costumed crime fighter, wearing the same outfit every day can create a brand.
Save more money
You don’t waste clothes, you save more money. Zero shopping involved too.
Work wardrobe
You don’t have to go all-out and wear the same outfit day in and day out. You can adopt this minimalist wardrobe for work only. With a pair of black pants, a crisp white shirt, and a statement piece of jewelry, you have a set work wear wardrobe.
Taking the stress out of your mornings and adopting a brand may be the right option for you.
The retail market offers many kinds of buying options that one can avail in order to procure goods and services required in homes and commercial spaces. And the wholesale market is one where you get things at prices which are closest to production or factory costs. For many wholesale items and brands, it is imperative to buy the items in bulk so that you can avail those prices. Among the major retailers in the USA, Costco is a chain of super wholesale stores that stands out.
Costco Online is known as one of the best places for buying essentials for the entire family. It has evolved as one of the best wholesale marts in America. So, read on to understand the buying guide when it comes to wholesale shopping.
• Toiletries: There are a number of toiletries that can be bought in bulk. The trick is to choose products that will not get spoiled or expire in a hurry. You can try buying a pack of ten toilet paper rolls or even scrubs and wipes in bulk, so that you can store them in the pantry and pull them out as and when required.
• Bargains for electronics: In stores like Costco Online, you can be sure that you will find good bargains and deals for many electronic and related items and accessories. The best way to do so is to ensure that you do not miss out on these deals. First, zero in on the phone or laptop or any other electronic item that you may want to buy. You can visit the dedicated store for the product and decide on the model that you want. Then, you should sign up for the newsletter and other emails of the store, so that you keep getting relevant news about the kind of products that are added every season as well as the deals and offers that are announced for the existing line. Chances are that you may have to wait a season for that brand new laptop, but the deal or the bargain price will make it all worthwhile!
• Family size equals bulk: Before you start buying things in bulk, you will need to do a few calculations. For example, you will need to calculate your family size with the items that are listed on the most frequently bought list. This will help you come up with a list of your own. If you have a large family with more than one or two children, then it would be a good idea to stock up on the multivitamins and other such pharmacy items which can be used and replenished by the month.
• Take stock: Before you get tempted to start buying items in bulk, it would be a good idea to take stock of the items that are already there in the corners of your pantry. The day before you hit a store like Costco, it would be worthwhile to first do a complete clean up of your pantry before making the trip!
One of the least likable aspects of the beauty industry is animal testing. Numerous cosmetics brands do product testing on animals. However, there are many other brands that refrain from animal testing and are cruelty-free. Many of these brands use organic ingredients in their products. Thus, it is possible to do your bit for the environment and your skin by using cosmetics of these organic and cruelty-free brands. Here are a few popular cruelty-free brands of cosmetic products.