Can You Save Money With Hotwire?

The answer is "YES"!

In my family we are Disney freaks and have the Disney Vacation Club, so we use our DVC points for accommodations on most of our vacationing. It is a great deal - but that is another post for another day!

Recently we had the honor of attending the wedding of my best friend's son. It was about 500 miles away, so of course we stayed the weekend. It also gave me the chance to visit with my friend and her family!

We live on a tight budget, so we had to carefully plan the trip. My friend had talked with hotels close to her home and found out the best rate. We needed 2 rooms because my son and his family were also going. Since my friend was not reserving over 10 rooms, she could not get the best "bulk" rate the hotels offered. Don't get me wrong, the price was better than the advertised rate, and better than I could get booking online. I just thought I could get a better price...

I spent one evening scouring the web trying to find a discount code or something that would help. Then my husband (smart man he is) recommended I check on Hotwire.com or Priceline.com.

So, we used Hotwire.com and put in our date and location. We knew the "star" rating of the hotel and the part of town. Hotwire.com lets you narrow your search by several things, including the rating and general location. You don't know the name of the hotel until after you book a room, but you do know the amenities, customer reviews, and which hotels are normally in the star rating category.

As it turns out, we found the same hotel and same type room as my friend was quoted. But - the rate was over 30% less than the best rate we could get otherwise! That sold me!

Hotwire.com has discount prices on hotels, rental cars, airfare, cruises and vacation packages. It might not always be your best bet, but it sure is worth checking out. Just remember - you won't know the exact hotel until you book, and booking requires a non-refundable payment.

Remember - Learning to be thrifty, to create a budget, and live by your budget is one of the most valuable money skills you can have!

Janet

Halloween Safety

This is not my normal thrifty or frugal comment, but since I've been doing some Halloween posts, I decided to mention Halloween Safety!


When you go Trick-or-Treating with your children, be sure to set rules before heading out. Here's some to consider:

• Children must have an adult or responsible teen with them at all times. This is especially important for children under age 10. If your older kids trick-or-treat, an adult needs to be with them.
• Stick to your own neighborhood.
• If the house is not well-lit, pass it up. If the homeowner is participating in trick-or-treating, they will have their porch light on.
• Do Not go inside the home of someone that is not a friend or family member.
• Walk on the sidewalk if there is one. Don't cut through lawns.
• Walk on the left side (road or sidewalk) facing oncoming traffic.
• Try to trick-or-treat before dark.
• There is safety in numbers. Go with a neighbor or friend and be sure you can handle the number of children you are responsible for.
• Children should not eat candy until you get home and have a chance to check it

On another note...

Until this year, we lived in a very rural area where we had to drive the kids to trick-or-treat. Many of the people in our little town are relatives or friends. So, we used this time to also socialize! We spent time visiting with each household we stopped at. Although the kids may have not received a huge amount of candy (which is fine with me!), we actually set a tradition. As they have gotten older and having children of their own, they still want to trick-or-treat with the people from their youth! I am so glad that most of the households we visit are still living there and look forward to seeing my children and grandchildren. I lost my Dad 3 1/2 years ago and still miss him terribly! We used to end our trick-or-treat route at his house and have homemade soup or chili. These are memories my children and I will always cherish!

So - create your own tradition. Just be safe and enjoy the beautiful fall season!

Janet

Halloween Goodies

Trick-or-treating is a fun for kids, but can put a dent in your budget!

There are several options for saving money. One is to shop at Sams Club or other warehouse shopping clubs. Buying a larger quantity saves you money, and if your neighborhood is like mine, you will have a lot of trick-or-treaters!

Check your local grocery store and drug store weekly ads for sales. Also check the mail ads for K-Mart, Wal-Mart, and Target sales.

Buy candy at the Dollar Tree (everything is $1) or other dollar stores. You may not get the same brand as you find at Wal-Mart but it will be a comparable product. You can also get goodie bags there if you plan to bag up your items.

The discount stores also have non-candy items to add to your bags, like Halloween pencils, pencil tops, erasers, plastic spiders, and spinning tops.

Check your newspaper or mail ads for coupons. You can also find many online that you can print out and use at most grocery stores, drug stores, and discount stores.

Here's a few online coupon sites to check out:
Coupons.com
SmartSource.com
CouponMom.com
WOW-Coupons.com
Remember to have a safe and fun holiday - but stay within your budget!
Janet

Thrifty Halloween Costumes

Halloween is a fun holiday for kids and adults. We like to dress up and eat fall candies and goodies. Purchased Halloween costumes are so expensive, and many are cheaply made. So we usually put together our costumes. It can also be fun to come up with ideas.

If you sew or someone you know sews, buy some inexpensive fabric at Wal-Mart or a fabric store and make a costume.

You can also put together costumes from things around your house, like a vampire from black and red clothing or material. A white sheet makes a good ghost. Lots of us have a tie dyed shirt to create a hippie costume or a sheet or piece of material to make a toga and go as a Roman God / Goddess. Be a pirate or cowboy / cowgirl from things you probably already have. Use that old bridesmaid dress as a princess costume.

Check out your local thrift or Goodwill store for costume essentials if you don't already have what you need.

You can get cheap accessories at the Dollar Tree or other dollar stores. Get makeup, jewelry, tiaras, fake nails, hair color, bunny ears, or hats to make your costume complete. Be creative!

The real key to a great costume is not spending a lot of money, but having fun putting it together! One year, I had a blast dressing up as the Greek goddess, Medusa. I bought a large piece of cheap black material and make a toga like dress. Then I took a cheap costume wig and attached plastic snakes all over it. Another year, I was the Statue of Liberty using a simply made straight dress, shawl, and crown.

Have some thrifty fun and do your own costume!

Janet

PS - check for after Halloween sales if you just can't do without a store bought costume. Put it away for next year! That's also a good time to buy decorations.