Summer Fun Family Travel Guide 2014 Begins Soon #summertravelguide

Hi all! School will be out soon and the kiddos will be home all day, every day. I'm excited to have both my boys home, but I know after a week or so, we'll be going insane and looking for things to do. That's why I decided to put together a list of fun travel ideas for the entire family. I'm putting it all together now and we'll have some great reviews, giveaways and other travel features for our readers all summer long.

Our Summer Family Travel Guide will officially kick-off at the end of the month and I'm so excited to not only share our adventures with readers, but give you a chance to visit the same places and have some fun, too.

Stay tuned! Summer will be here before you know it!

Sponsors Still Needed
We are still seeking sponsors to add to our roster for the Summer Travel Guide. If you have a great summer activity idea you'd like to include or know someone who does, please email us at childrenteachingmama@gmail.com! We'll be closing the list in a week, so get those requests in soon.

The Contours Bliss 4-in-1 Baby Stroller System: A Must-Have For Parents & $100 Babies 'R Us Gift Card

As first-time parents, we are unprepared for many things to come, but one thing I never expected was the need for a quality stroller and how much it would be used. I've admittedly spent too much money over the years on strollers and I've learned that you definitely get what you pay for. When Josiah was a baby, he went through three strollers! Some strollers just don't make the grade, but the worst waste of money is having to purchase a new stroller when the other is outgrown. If only I had known what I know now! The Contours Bliss 4-in-1 Stroller System is all you need for your baby all the way up to 40 pounds, so there is no need to purchase a new stroller every few months. We all know babies grow so quickly and, unlike clothing, strollers can be super expensive. Now you can save yourself from the daunting task of stroller shopping and also save money!

About the Bliss
This all-in-one stroller is an innovative system and the first of its kind. It is a stroller, pram and on-the-go carrycot. In addition, the system includes an infant car seat adapter that fits over 20 different car seats, so you can easily use for your travel system when on the go.

I absolutely love the pram feature of this stroller system. I can imagine my little baby napping comfortably as I walk go on a walk or even as I fold clothes at the house because the carrycot can be removed! The seat has 3 reclining positions and there is a removable padding on the seat, which makes it soft like a mattress and is the softest I've ever felt on a stroller.

As baby grows, the stroller changes, too. You can adjust the 5-point safety straps to different levels as the baby gets older. So, from birth all the way to 40 pounds, your child will be comfortably safe in the Bliss! In addition, there are front wheel locks, which are very useful when walking in hilly areas. Other features include an adjustable cup holder and a storage basket underneath the seat.

Our Review
On the 14th of September, my family had the opportunity to visit Disney World through Make A Wish Foundation. We'd never been on such a huge a family vacation and for entire week! A few days ahead of time, I made my lists and began to pack everything we needed. Luckily, we received the Contours Bliss 4-in-1 Baby Stroller System to review because we needed a sturdy stroller for the trip and knew it would come in handy, but we didn't realize just how much we would appreciate it!

Before leaving for our trip, my husband and I assembled the stroller in no time. Seriously, it was one of the easiest strollers we've had to put together. The instructions were straightforward and showed via photos how to transition the stroller to the different positions. Before we knew it, we were strapping in Liam and adjusting everything to fit him perfectly.

Our first stop was the airport and we decided to keep our stroller and check it at the gate. We immediately learned why it's important to have a good stroller when traveling. Since the stroller has extra room underneath for carrying items, we were able to keep our carry-on luggage there instead of hauling it down all the different halls and trams while trying to keep up with the kids at the same time. Considering we had to take off shoes and go through security with two kids, the stroller actually ended up being extremely helpful for lugging things. When entering the airplane, we easily folded the stroller and hopped on the plane. When we got to Orlando and off the plane, our stroller was waiting right outside for us, so the others who stored it under the plane also figured out how to close and open the stroller with ease.

We spent an entire week in Orlando, visiting 3 of the Disney Parks, SeaWorld and Universal Studios. The stroller fit perfectly in our trunk each day and was ready to use when we got there just by the touch of a button and a pull of the handle. The parks allowed the Bliss to double as Liam's wheelchair the entire time we were there. Let me just say, this was really a blessing because Liam would be unable to walk very long without having a stroller. Plus, with the wheelchair pass, we were able to push him right up to a ride, put him in and the stroller was there right when we got out. Not all strollers can double as a wheelchair at parks, but the employees inspected the stroller and were quite impressed with not only the features, but how sturdy it was. I cannot imagine carrying a small child or baby around such a big park for miles and miles. The Bliss was seriously an amazing stroller that made each day easy, fun and exciting for Liam.

A few of my favorite Contours Bliss Features:

1. Liam is on the bigger side of the spectrum for this stroller, weighing in around 34 pounds. Luckily, the 5-point harness has three points in which you can adjust the straps to fit around your child or baby's shoulders. I also feel like Liam is very secure in his stroller with this sturdy harness and think this makes it perfect for smaller children as well.

Strapping Liam in!

2. The stroller is very easy to fold and break down for storage. We could easily fold and place in our trunk. Plus, when parking at the Disney parks, we'd have to ride trams occasionally. There is a side handle so we could lift up the stroller and haul it just like a piece of luggage. It's not light-weight, but it's not extremely heavy or hard to lift either. I had no problem folding, lifting and placing the stroller each time we needed to.

3. Brakes are a must-have for strollers, especially when you live in the mountains like us. The first time I pulled the Bliss out of our trunk and placed it, in folded form, on the ground, the stroller shot down the hill and I went screaming and running after it like a crazy person. That's when I learned to always put the brakes on when not pushing, especially when Liam is in it!

4. I never knew how much I'd appreciate the extra storage underneath the Contours Bliss stroller system. There was more than enough room for a diaper bag, jackets, a purse, and more. In the airport, we were able to place two carry-ons, a pillow and 2 stuffed animals in it with room to spare!

Look at all the storage room!

5. A shade is great for babies, especially in the summertime when the sun is hot, hot, hot. We used this often when on our trip and Liam highly enjoyed the comfort of it. What I liked about it was the little window, which allowed me to peek through at him while pushing the stroller so I could continue pushing while checking on him instead of having to pull over and stop.

6. When outdoors I, more often than not, have a drink with me. This cup holder is not your typical holder. Some clip on loosely and other strollers have holders built into the top of the handles. This cup holder snaps securely into place, so I know it isn't moving. The cup holder is down on the side of the handles and is at a much better place for reaching it when needed.

The Contours Bliss is available in Wilshire Black (the one we reviewed) or Valencia Gold color options and has a suggested retail price of $399.99. It can be found in select retail and online stores. The Bliss is not your typical stroller and, as a well-built 4-in-1 system, you can expect it to last a very long time. From birth to preschool age, the Bliss is sure to provide everything your baby needs and more. I honestly cannot say enough about the Contours Bliss 4-in-1 Baby Stroller System. This system will be put to good use for many years to come.

Liam wants to send a special thank you to Contours for this wonderful stroller! He had such a wonderful trip and it would not have been the same without the Bliss! 

Sleepy & relaxing on our last day of fun!

Wouldn't you love to own one of these beautiful strollers? Contours wants to help out our readers on the purchase of their very own Contours Bliss! So...

Are You Ready For A Giveaway?

Thanks to Contours Baby, One Lucky Children Teaching Mama Reader Will Receive a $100 Babies 'R Us Gift Card! 

This giveaway is open to US readers, 18+ years of age and will end on Sunday, November 10th at 11:59pm. To enter, use the GiveawayTools form below. Good Luck!

Entry-Form

Disclosure: A giveaway and Bliss stroller was provided from Contours for the writing of this post. No other compensation was provided and all opinions written are my own.

Summer Fun at Six Flags Over Georgia with Mom Central and #WetOnes

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Wet Ones. I received free admission to Six Flags, attended an informational and complimentary luncheon, and received a gift bag and promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Just recently we had the opportunity to visit Six Flags Over Georgia with some other amazing Atlanta bloggers, Stacy DeBroff, the CEO of Mom Central, and Wet Ones, our favorite antibacterial wipes!  Josiah, my 6 year-old and I decided to make a mother-son weekend out of the trip and he was so excited, especially because this was his very first time at Six Flags. He really had no idea what to expect and I couldn't wait to see his reaction.

We parked and met up with everyone right inside the front gates to begin our day. From there, Josiah spotted roller coasters, a candy shop and much more. He was ready to explore, but first we met the president of Six Flags (pictured below with Tweety) and learned about the vast history of Six Flags, which was amazing in itself.

We took a few great group pictures...

Do you see Josiah? His head is between Tweety and Sylvester. :) 

Then, we followed our guide to the next stop, a train tour, which circled completely around the park, giving us moment to cool down and rest our legs. Afterwards, we were on our way to the Monster Mansion, which has been one of my favorites since I was Josiah's age. I remember coming to Six Flags for the first time when I was only 5 years old (many, many years ago) and now it's Josiah's turn! 

Josiah thought Monster Mansion was a little scary, but he's already asking when we can go back and ride it again. The great thing is that we had our Wet Ones. While touring the park, just imagine everything we have to touch (the rides, gates for the rides, etc.). Wet Ones helped us clean off the germs and have an amazing time. Not to mention, the day was a typical Georgia summer day- hot and humid. Luckily, the kids spotted a spray station where we could cool off while walking around and I think we could have stayed there all day. 

We made a quick stop for a surprise gift... super hero capes for everyone! Josiah said he was going to give his to his brother, Liam, since he could not be there with us. Liam has worn that cape almost every day since we gave it to him. Before lunch, we were able to walk around Bugs Bunny World, an area with rides specifically for little ones. Josiah was in heaven and wanted to ride everything. Here's a collage of all the fun he had:

He absolutely loved the swings and said that was his favorite ride. After about 30 minutes, we met up for lunch at Bugs Bunny's Carrot Patch for pizza and chicken fingers.  That's also when we got our Wet Ones goody bags full of all kinds of great gifts, including Wet Ones, our drink cups and bracelets for unlimited refills. We immediately used the Wet Ones to clean our hands before eating food and were so excited to have the unlimited drink bracelets! On such a hot day, those were really a lifesaver and we refilled our cups many times over the course of the day. 

Josiah read a book recently about bears riding bumper cars at an amusement park, so that's where he wanted to go next. We waited patiently in line until our turn and he had a blast! He wanted to get in line and do it again, but that was one loooong line! In our Wet Ones bag, we also got one exit pass to be used to cut the line on any ride of our choice. When he saw the old timey Hansons cars, he had to drive them, but the line was the longest we'd seen yet, so we went through the exit, got in our car and we were riding away in no time. 

Near the bumper cars, Josiah spotted fair games, including the one where you spray water and race your horse to the finish line for a prize. We actually ended up winning a few prizes to our surprise, which made the games even more fun. We wanted to meet up with the group for a cotton candy break, but got lost somehow! I was all turned around, so we eventually gave up, but I made sure to buy some for Josiah before leaving, along with a caramel apple for myself. Yummy! Believe me, we really needed some Wet Ones after this deliciously sticky situation. For our last ride, we got on the Sky Buckets to head back to the front gate. Here's a picture of Josiah saying goodbye to Six Flags one last time. After a long day of fun and games, we were ready to rest up, but weeks later he is still talking about what a great time he had and continues to ask when we can all go back.

As I mentioned earlier, Wet Ones were perfect for our Six Flags trip. Why? Because the travel-sized packs  and singles easily fit in a diaper bag, purse or bookbag. The singles can even fit in your pocket with ease. We were able to pull them out in between rides to wipe up and keep the germs at bay. Since Liam is still in the middle of his chemo treatments, we do what we can to stay healthy and keep the germs away, so Wet Ones have really helped out when being out in public. Kids don't often think about what their hands touch and can easily put those dirty hands into mouths! Eck! That's why it's important to keep Wet Ones nearby. You never know when they will be of use. Liam's doctor has the antibacterial gel instead, but this is NOT a great option for kids. First of all, if they have any cracks or boo boos on their skin, the gel burns like nobody's business. Plus, it smells like alcohol. Wet Ones smell great and are lightly fresh scented. They also don't cause rashes on Liam's extremely sensitive skin, so that really tells me a lot about the product. 

I don't think I had been to Six Flags since I was a teenager, so it was great to see how much the park has changed over the years. After having such a fun time with Josiah, I have a feeling we will be back in the near future with both boys, but I think we will wait until October for Fright Fest since the weather will be much cooler! 

What's your favorite ride at Six Flags? If you are going this summer, don't forget to pack your Wet Ones for the trip. Believe me, you will end up using them quite often and will be happy you brought them along!

I wrote this review while participating in a campaign for Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Wet Ones. I received free admission to Six Flags, attended an informational and complimentary luncheon, and received a gift bag and promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.

Want to be healthier? Change your wallpaper!

If you steer clear from gyms, and have trouble motivating yourself to do any exercise (apart from repeated lifting of beer bottles) Travelodge might have the answer! Their fascinating study, shown by in infographic, reveals the psychological impact of different wallpaper colours, including on exercise, health, sleep and even relationships!

The study found that a fifth of those with a silver décor in their bedroom said they are more motivated to exercise in their bedroom! Or if it’s digestion problems you suffer from, a warm shade of orange can aid this, so after a big meal, this would be your best bet!

Those with insomnia should choose their wallpapers very carefully. People with blue wallpaper, thought to create a feeling of calm, sleep the best. Other top wallpaper colours are yellow, green, silver and orange, all of which are thought to contribute to sleep by making people tranquil and restful.

However, Grey, Brown and Purple wallpaper is more likely to promote dramatic dreams and nightmares; leading to a zombie-like state in the morning! People with grey wall paper are also more likely to shop online.

So, for exercise, choose silver, for sleep, blue, and for digestion, orange. But the real question is, what if you had multi-coloured wallpaper?! Maybe that’s one for Travelodge to answer!

Visit the Travelodge blog to read the full fascinating findings!

Travelodge Bedroom Wall Colour Infographic

Tips for Taking Toddlers and Preschoolers to Disney

Little girls between the ages of 3 to 6 can probably tell you their favorite Disney princess.  Chances are your children have dressed up as a Disney character for Halloween.  Certainly they have watched their fair share of Disney movies.

Disney permeates our lives, and many people take their children to Disney Florida, which can be an exciting trip for young children.  They can ride rides, watch shows and meet their favorite characters in person.  Unfortunately, such an exciting trip can also be an overwhelming trip for many young children.
If you are traveling with toddlers or preschoolers, try these strategies so the entire family can have an enjoyable trip.

Plan Breaks
Young children can get overwhelmed and cranky.  If your children are early risers, try to hit the park early and beat the crowds.  Then, in early afternoon when the park gets busy, head back to the hotel and let the kids have lunch, unwind and play or take a nap.  Take a little time to play in the hotel pool.  Yes, you are on vacation to see the parks, but staying at the park ALL day can lead to tired, cranky, crying kids.

Bring Refreshments
Bring in some drinks and snacks for your little ones.  They get hungry frequently.  Keep them well hydrated and let them have some snacks, and you will have a more pleasant day at the park.

Dress in Layers
Dress the kids in light layers.  Depending on the season when you visit Orlando, the morning may start out chilly, but the afternoon may really heat up.  If the kids are dressed in layers, you can easily adjust their comfort level based on the weather.

Buy Tickets in Advance
There are many places you can buy Orlando ticket deals, which is a good idea because you will save money.  It is also a good idea because you can buy these tickets online, saving you time standing in line to buy tickets at the park.  The faster you can get into the park, the faster you and the kids can have fun.
The best way to have fun at Disney and other parks when traveling with young children is to take breaks frequently and to consider their physical needs.  Keep them warm (or cool, depending on the weather), as well as hydrated and full, and you will all have a good trip full of memories for a lifetime.

Find The Perfect Hotel & Great Prices With Room 77

Thank you to Room 77 for sponsoring my post. Room 77 is an intelligent and easy to use hotel search engine that allows travelers to find and book the best rates from across the Web in one fast and simple search. 

I love traveling with my family, but every once and a while it sure is nice to get away without kids! My husband and I celebrate our anniversary every year in December by going on a small trip for the weekend. You cannot believe how excited I am about this trip and it really couldn't get here soon enough. After a year of school, doctor's visits, MRIs and all the joys of being a stay at home mom, this trip is well deserved!Two nights without kids waking up early, without them trying to pile over us in bed and interrupting our conversation mid-sentence is pure bliss for parents and Room 77 is helping this dream to become a reality!

Room77 is an amazingly powerful search engine, helping people find the best hotel prices across the internet. I was excited to put Room 77 to the test to see what kinds of deals I could fin. Even though I want our vacation to be nice, we are still on a budget, so I have to plan accordingly. We wanted to plan our trip nearby just in case something unexpected happened, so we are going on a trip to Chattanooga, Tennessee. On the Room 77 site, I just typed in the location where we wished to travel, the dates and how many people would attend. I was also able to find AAA Hotel Discounts since we are members!

I found the best deal for rooms at The Chattanoogan for only $117 per night, which just happens to be my favorite hotel in Chattanooga! The regular hotel rate is $175+, so this really is an awesome deal. Unlike other hotel search engines, with Room77 there are no hidden fees. It tells you exactly how much you can expect to pay after taxes and a total for the days you wish to stay. I love knowing exactly how much I will pay ahead of time instead of owing even more than planned from the beginning.

I hate to admit it, but when we are on vacation, this is the perfect quiet time to get some work done. Many hotels charge absorbent rates for wi-fi, so I used the Room 77 search option to find only hotels that offer free hotel internet. The Chattanoogan has free wi-fi an many other amenities which I absolutely love, including room service!

A picture from our last trip to Chattanooga! We rode to the top of a mountain on the Incline Railway!

I think getting away is important for all parents. We want to keep our sanity after all, right? Never wonder whether you've gotten the best deal on your hotel room again. Check out Room 77 when planning your next travel adventure!

Disclosure: I was selected for participation in this campaign as a member of Clever Girls Collective.

Taking A Cruise As A Family For The First Time!

Traveling is a passion of mine that will always be important to me. When I was younger, I was able to travel to many different countries, including England, Italy and the Czech Republic. I also studied in Germany for a semester. Now that I have a family, traveling is a little trickier and also more expensive. That's why my husband and I have looked for a less expensive way to travel as a family. We have taken small road trips in the past, but now that the kids are getting older, we've decided to purchase a cruise from Cruise Kings.

Cruises provide a fun way to travel and see beautiful places around the world! I have been on several cruises in the past and Cruise Kings has a variety of cruises at amazing prices. You can take a world cruise, cruise one way and stay in an exotic location and travel via luxury cruise liners. There are so many options that you can really make your trip just the way you want it.When the kids are on their own, my husband and I will definitely take a world cruise.

I know from experience that once you go on a cruise, you will definitely want to go again and again. These prices allow families on a budget to see and visit places only imagined! I recommend paying a little extra for your own balcony. It's such a wonderful feeling to open your door, sit outside in the moonlight watching the waves crash all around you.

My husband has never been on a cruise before and didn't even have a passport until recently, so I wanted to make this trip special for him. I found some great Late Deals with discounted prices, which would allow us to go on an 11-day cruise. I cannot wait for him to see Venice and the Greek Isles for the first time. Greece will be a first for me, too, and somewhere I've always wanted to visit.

Have you been on a cruise before? If not, where would you love to go?

Planning A Family Vacation: A Trip To New York & A Cruise

Summer is once again nearing and we all know what that means: time for a vacation! Many of us (my husband included) looks forward to our vacation all year. We take a week each July for a family trip and I've already begun working on the details. Sometimes we go to the beach and other times we visit historical sites. This year I really want to take the kids up to New York!

I've been to several countries and many states, but have yet to visit New York, though I've always wanted to go. Now that I have children, I want to show them the world and what better place to start than the states nearby? We can see the Statue of Liberty, visit Times Square, and, of course the Central Park Zoo.

I was planning our trip to be just around the state, but then I found cruises from New York and the plan changed! We all know just how tiring a vacation can be, often ended up at home even more exhausted than before, but not this time. After a few days of being tourists around New York, we are going on a cruise. I love going on cruises and this time it's so affordable that I just can't resist.

I do love traveling with my family and visiting different states, but cruises are even more fun. Have you ever been on one? The last cruise I was on went to several different places, including Jamaica and the Bahamas. I was able to plan excursions to historical places and also go on other just plan fun adventures. The last time I went swimming with dolphins, but I've also gone mountain biking and horseback riding!

When I told my husband our vacation plans for this summer, he was even more excited than usual. He's never been on a cruise before, so this will be a first for him, too! I cannot wait for them to experience all of the excitement in New York and then on a cruise. What are your plans for this summer?

Love To Travel? Free Alaska Travel Guide

Click HERE to receive a FREE Alaska Travel Guide! I would soo love to travel to Alaska or take an Alaskan Cruise. Sounds like heaven!

10 Ways To Have An Unforgettable Vacation On A Budget

Ever since I was a little girl, I've loved to travel. Back then, my parents saved up their money all year for our annual trip to Florida. It was the vacation we looked forward to all year and couldn't wait to go. Now that I'm a parent, I know firsthand what it's really like when needing to scrimp and save, especially when we are planning trips. We always go to the beach for a week and the hubs and I always go away for a weekend to celebrate our anniversary. In between, we sometimes stay in hotels when driving to visit my parents out of state. 

I'm a stay at home mom and my husband is a state employee (enough said, I'm sure) so, we are always cutting coupons, buying things on sale, and trying to save money any way we possibly can. That's why it's been particularly important for us to learn the tricks to saving money when traveling! It's taken a few years, but we do have a few tips to share so, here are my 10 tips for a nice trip or vacation without breaking the bank:


1. Take Advantage of Paypal- We actually sell things on Ebay throughout the year to make some extra money and the payments immediately go to Paypal. By the time a trip comes around, we have a great amount of money saved up because we never cash it out. With Paypal, you can purchase trips, cruises, and hotels at a discounted price with your Paypal money! Even if you don't find a deal you like, you've saved up some money and can cash it out to your checking account free of charge. 


2. Be Watchful of Good Deals- We are members of several daily deal sites and receive emails on a daily basis with all of their great deals. Some sell vacations and hotel room while others sell things like gift cards and store credit. You could possibly find a great vacation and find gift cards for restaurants and other fun activities in the area you wish to vacation!


3. One Word: Priceline - I honestly cannot say enough about Priceline. They often have great deals listed, but you can also name your own price. We've gotten 4-Star Hotels for amazing prices. Last month we stayed at the W Atlanta, one of my favorite hotels, for only $45 a night! Usually rooms run at prices around $200+! 


4. The Earlier You Start Looking, The Better! You may not be going on vacation for another 3 months, but that's ok. You may find some random deal somewhere. Plus, if you use Priceline, you can name your own price with the same requirements every single day so, if you don't get the price you want one day, you may get it the next day!


5. There's A Good Reason For Going Off-Season! We actually learned this just last year. My parents liked to go to the beach on the 4th of July, the peak season when prices are at their highest. My Mom-In-Law wanted a trip with the grandkids and had a break in September, which happened to work out amazingly. Many beach hotels and resorts run Buy 3 Nights, Get 1 Free specials during this time of year. We actually ended up with a wonderful oceanfront resort for 4 days at only about $65 a night! I was amazed because the resort was brand new, too!


6. Go To BiddingForTravel.com Before Purchasing Or Bidding! A friend just recently told me about this website and it's awesome. Basically, people who bid on hotels through places like Priceline.com list their deals on the BiddingForTravel.com forum. So, you can go look around to see how much hotels are going for around the places you want to vacation. You may be planning on bidding $80 for a hotel room and see that they are actually going for only $50. It's a great money saver!


7. Delicious Meals at Discounted Prices! Restaurant.com is the way to go for great deals on restaurants across the U.S.! I have a few tips regarding this service and my experiences. 1. Don't ever purchase the deals at regular price on the website. There are always codes for 80% off somewhere so you can get a $25 gift certificate for about $3. If there isn't a sale running that day, chances are there will be within a few days. They are always sending me emails with special codes so, sign up to start getting those codes. 2. Read all of the instructions for the gift certificate BEFORE purchasing it. You may think you are getting a great deal, paying $6 for a $50 gift credit, but they often require you purchasing at least $100 worth of food, which is near impossible at some restaurants! (Yes, this happened to me and we ended up gorging ourselves to reach the $100. lol!) 


8. Don't Eat Out, Dine In! You can spend so much money eating out at restaurants on vacation. In stead of eating out, get a condo or extended stay hotel with a kitchen(ette). You could go out to an Italian restaurant and purchase spaghetti for $19.95 per person OR make it at your condo for all of $6 total. It's a no brainer for someone with a big family. 


9. Don't Use Gas, Get A Pass! If you fly somewhere, consider NOT getting a rental car. There are many other cheaper options. You will probably pay at least $50 a day for your rental when you could easily get a transit pass (bus, train, underground, metro, etc.) for much cheaper. Depending which city/country you are in, this can not only be less expensive, but the preferred, quicker way to travel around. 


10. Just Cruisin'? If you want to save a ton of money, but want to go somewhere out of the ordinary, consider a cruise. You can find really great deals, especially if you are booking in advanced or even last minute. A few years ago I went through a travel agent several months before my cruise and ended up booking a suite with a balcony and seperate living area for only about $700 a person. That's $100 a day for everything- food, drinks (non-alcoholic), entertainment, and much more. Of course, there are expensive parts of the cruise, too, but there are ways to save money there, too. When looking for deals on a cruise, look for those that also include on-board credits! We booked through Travelocity once and got $200 in credit for the cruise!

So, what do you do to save money when vacationing? I'm always up for learning more tips about saving. We have definitely saved a ton of money from planning and just thinking ahead. Even when you save $1 through coupons, you may not think it's much, but  it honestly adds up very quickly! So, get out there and start planning your next vacation! Spring and summer will soon be here! Yay!

I wrote this blog post while participating in the SocialMoms and Alamo blogging program, for a gift card worth $25. For more information on how you can participate, click here.