What I Really Want By Debbie Storms
We all work hard for our money to the extent there are songs written about it. How would you feel if you could make your money work for you on your shopping sprees? Get a real bang for your buck! Saving while spending can happen. It all starts with knowing what, where and when your treasure hunt begins.
Cambridge dictionary defines 'treasure hunt' as a game in which the players are given a series of clue-pieces of information to direct them to a hidden 'what' prize. I like to think of my prize as a new pair of shoes; the where to be determined after a bit of research and the when I like to believe can happen when my heart desires.
This is a great time of year to take an inventory of my belongings to make room for the bargains I find. The gift cards I received this past holiday season for places I don't frequent is a great way to get some cash for the things I really want. Here are a few sites to visit that will give you cash for those cards. GiftCardGranny.com, GiftCardRescue.com and CardPool.com. They buy your unwanted gift cards at a discount and sell them at a discount. The newly purchased cards are generally good for up to 180 days. Let's go shopping!
San Diego offers great shopping opportunities. There are four outlet malls offering over 200 stores within a fifty-minute radius. That will surly keep you busy when you are on a major shopping spree. To receive updates about sales and specials join the VIP lounge on premiumoutlets.com. The Premium Outlet Stores offer 25% to 65% off everyday retail prices. Stop by the Information Center especially if you plan on doing a lot of shopping and pick up your VIP coupon brochure, which offers discounts for select stores. It is free with an AAA membership card otherwise it costs $5. Have no fear when you are on a road trip, traveling on business or just out of town take a peak at outletbound.com and you will find 200 outlet stores and malls at your fingertips.
And speaking of traveling, a perfect time to hit the outlets is when you are ready to go on vacation. Travel professionals have stated that taking a cruise is an economical way to travel. Comparing the average nightly stay on certain cruises can be less than staying at a Motel 6. The cruise line industry has been making upgrades to the dining and entertainment for cruisers. It is a competitive industry and that makes it great for finding a great deal for your vacation. One of the many benefits of living in Southern California is that we have cruise line ports within driving distance. The San Diego and
Los Angeles area ports have year round sailings. Driving offers flexibility versus arranging airline flights to fly to your departing port. Last minute cruises offer great discounts on sailings. Each cruise line has their own web-site offering deals and specials such as on board credits to spend while sailing. Cruisecritics.com is a good resource to find deals or use as a price gauge while you are shopping for your vacation. An informed consumer will get the best deals. The web site offers pricing for what ever cruise your heart desires and also offers reviews. Wherever you choose to purchase your vacation this will be a tool to let you know if you are spending too much. Vacationstogo.com is another good source. If your travels are taking you to another state or country to board your cruise and you are booking your airline flight with the cruise, or independently checking the airline prices for participating airlines using farecompare.com, will narrow down the airlines offering the best prices for the route you are flying. It offers pricing, stops and schedules by each airline servicing your destination and saves travelers a lot of time. It links you to other travel sites and helps cut out a few steps that save you time and money. Booking your flight a day or two before your cruise departs is recommended in case you hit a hiccup or two during your travels, and, allows you to visit a location you have already paid airfare for. I like to think of it as a bonus!
Timing is everything: A quick look at the best times to book a cruise to help you figure out how to get the best value for your cruise. For those of you looking to cool off and head to Alaska and take in the spectacular scenery the cruise season is from May to September, with peak cruising in July and August. The best prices will be found in early May or September. The short season and high demand make it a little bit of a challenge to get a big discount so look for the specials that the cruise lines are offering for land excursions, free gratuities and on board credits. Gratuities are added to your account based on a set daily rate and remember to get your fare including taxes and fees on all cruises.
If you’re looking for more sunshine and need some time in the tropics May is the best month to sail south to the Caribbean. Since most cruise lines operate year round keep in mind the discounts from August to October are during hurricane season: If you are dreaming of tropical breezes and pristine beaches in paradise sail over to Hawaii in March, April and May. The prices drop during these months. Some fares are as much as 70% lower than the most popular time to cruise to Hawaii; Fourth of July and Christmas holiday season. The Mediterranean off-peak cruise season is May or November. The opportunity to find an amazing fare to sail the Mediterranean is available. Don't count this trip out until you have done your research. The deals are amazing and difficult to pass up. We went on a cruise treasure hunt a few years ago and found a fare for a 10 day Mediterranean cruise that was too good to be true so we decided to empty out one of our frequent flier miles accounts and had an amazing vacation.
I have been on a cruise for rest and relaxation and I have been on a cruise that was action packed. Cruising is like being happy, it is up to you.
Most important? What I really want is...Let me know what deals you have in mind. [email protected]