HOW TO STRETCH YOUR DOLLAR ON VACATION

When we jet setted to Puerto Rico with Richie in 2011

Hey everyone!  One of the questions I am asked most frequently by a lot of you is how can we jet set as much as we do.  Trust me, I would love to travel more, but with Rich's job, two kids and a dog, we have time restraints as well as financial ones too!  So how do we do it?  First, we are big fans of traveling in either the shoulder season or off season to get better deals on hotels and flights.  We are also taking a lot more road trips these days because it's much easier with all of the stuff we have to pack with the kiddos, and there's a lot to see by way of car.  Remember, travel doesn't always have to mean getting on a plane.  Recently, I was flipping through my latest issue of Coastal Living magazine and found the following article and thought I would share it with you all since it has good tips on how to stretch your dollar on vacation.  I've said it before, and I still believe it and live it....if you JetSetSmart you can jet set more often!

How to stretch your dollar on vacation: Coastal Living Magazine June 2014

Go ahead, stalk on Facebook: Sure, it may send more advertisements your way, but giving your favorite properties a thumbs-up may yield freebies, discounts, and promotions- very "friends with benefits."

Book your hotel and flight at least 21 days in advance for the best price.  Last-minute deals?  Well, they still exist, but hotels and airlines know that if you're in a pinch, you'll pay to get there.

Flash sales are hot right now.  Sign up for e-mail alerts from sites such as kayak.com, airfare watchdog.com, and budget.com for deals only available for a super short window of time.

Road trip?  Reserve the least expensive rental car available.  Because it's the most popular option, companies run out fast, making you more likely to luck into an upgrade.

There'a a lot of power in plastic:  Credit cards can offer mileage points for flights, room upgrades, and other perks.  Two standouts:  The American Express Platinum Delta Skymiles card gets you free checked bags and priority boarding; Starwood American Express members get a 5,000 point bonus when applying 20,000 points to participating airlines.

Based on an interview with Bob Diener, travel guru and co-founder of hotels.com and getaroom.com

WHAT'S OLD IS ALWAYS NEW

I've written about Old San Juan, Puerto Rico many times before on this blog.  Not only do I love it because my family is from there and I grew up vacationing there, but also because of its proximity to New York, its beautiful Caribbean waters, and its rich culture and delicious food!  So you can imagine my excitement when I saw an article in my December/January issue of Coastal Living magazine raving about Old San Juan, Puerto Rico as the perfect waterfront weekend spot!  They even compare the beautiful, tiny island to having the charm of Cordoba, Spain, yet much closer and with blue water surrounding you.  Here are their suggestions of what to do and where to stay when you visit...some I've been to (Hotel El Convento, Isla Verde Beach and Old San Juan), and some will be on my list of places to visit next time I'm there!
STAY: Hotel El Convento
SIP: Coffee with steamed milk at Cafe Cuatro Sombras
SHOP: Ole Boutique in Old San Juan
PLAY: Isla Verde Beach
DINE: Aquaviva- a restaurant serving modern Latino-Caribbean fusion cuisine