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Dear healthwellness82@gmail.com, I call February "the longest short month" of the year... and one thing that’s getting me through this dreary weather is planning a family vacation -- which I’m getting for an unbelievable price, thanks to some advice on bargain airfares and meal deals from Jeff Yeager, author of The Ultimate Cheapskate’s Road Map to True Riches. And don’t make the mistake of thinking his tips are all about camping in a state park -- Yeager shares the secrets that let him spend a month visiting Spain and Morocco! So now you’re intrigued by the thought of a great vacation for less... but you’re not sure where to go? Judy Kuriansky, PhD, clinical psychologist and author of The Complete Idiot’s Guide to a Healthy Relationship, reveals the four factors you should weigh before deciding where to go -- follow her advice and you’ll enjoy your best vacation ever! All the best,  Jessica Kent Editor BottomLineSecrets.com  Blast Away High Cholesterol. Lose 67 Points in Just 28 Days Fulfill Your Travel Fantasies Jeff Yeager Question: Where does a cheapskate go on vacation? Answer: Just about any place he pleases. Surprised? Don’t be. I’m known as The Ultimate Cheapskate, but my wife and I recently returned from a month-long trip to Spain and Morocco. In fact, over the years, I have traveled to every state in the union and on every continent except Antarctica. And I’m sure we’ll get there someday, too. No, I haven’t lost my passion for penny-pinching, but I have learned some secrets for traveling the world on a minimal budget. When you travel on the cheap, you can travel more often and for longer, plus you get a real feel for the places you’re visiting and the people who live there. Here, my advice for vacationing on a budget... Beware of guidebooks. Sure, borrow a good guidebook from the library to bone up on the places you’ll be visiting (I like the Lonely Planet series, www.LonelyPlanet.com), but don’t use guidebooks to plan your every move. If a hotel, restaurant or tourist attraction is recommended in a guidebook, it’s likely to be overcrowded -- and overpriced -- as a result. Staying flexible and scouting out the best deals as you go -- by asking around, checking local publications, etc. -- saves you money and is more likely to give you a taste of how the locals really live. Know when to go. No matter what time of year you vacation, it’s always off-season somewhere. That was key to scheduling our recent trip to Spain and Morocco. By traveling in winter and immediately after the year-end holidays, we got the lowest possible rates on flights, ground transportation and lodging. Had we traveled during peak season, we could have afforded to stay only about half as long. And while it wasn’t lay-on-the-beach weather, it still was plenty comfortable and the absence of tourist crowds was heaven. Check www.CheapTickets.com for a list of when it is least expensive to visit destinations throughout the US and worldwide. Time activities. In addition to looking for off-season travel bargains, it pays to time your activities to maximize savings. Examples: Hotels catering to business travelers often charge less on weekends. Flights that are very early or late in the day can be cheaper. Check the Web sites www.FareCompare.com and www.AirFareWatchDog.com to find the cheapest times to fly. And if you want to splurge on that five-star restaurant while on vacation, consider going there for lunch instead of dinner -- it’s less expensive but just as good. Maximize frequent-flier and credit card rewards programs. Redeeming miles/rewards credits can be a great way to cut airfare, hotel and other travel costs. We had enough points on our credit card for one free round-trip ticket to Spain. But with so many different frequent-flier and credit rewards programs these days, it may be hard to figure out which are best for you. Check www.SmartTraveler.com and www.CreditCards.com/reward.php for a comparison of different plans. Don’t make hotel reservations. During nonpeak travel times, it can pay to travel without advance hotel reservations, as we did on our Spain/Morocco trip. Particularly when traveling overseas, hotels that can be easily reserved in advance often are more expensive chain hotels catering to Americans, and sometimes they charge a premium rate for advance bookings. Finding bargain-priced, locally owned accommodations usually is best done once you’re there, and innkeepers are sometimes willing to discount their rates for "walk-in" guests if they think a room will otherwise remain vacant for the night -- it never hurts to ask. Just be polite and say something engaging, such as, "Any chance you might have a lower rate for a tired traveler?" If you like the security of reservations, visit www.SideStep.com to comparison shop. Consider alternatives to hotels. Because lodging is likely to be your single largest expense, consider some creative money-saving alternatives...
Look for meal deals. On longer trips, we like to prepare most meals ourselves because dining out costs a small fortune. Plus, we love to shop in local markets and use ingredients that we can’t find at home, even if it’s just local fruits, vegetables, breads and cheeses for a picnic. When you stay at tourist-class hotels, hostels or swap or rent a home, you usually have access to at least basic facilities where you can store and prepare your own food. If you’re not into cooking on vacation and you’re traveling the US, buy Entertainment Books (www.Entertainment.com) for the cities that you’ll be visiting. These offer coupon savings on dining and area attractions. You also can get discounted meal gift certificates from www.Restaurant.com. Wherever your travels take you, here or abroad, hightail it to the nearest college campus, where you will find inexpensive dining establishments nearby that cater to cash-strapped students. Split expenses. Have some extra space at the summer cottage you’re renting? Consider inviting along friends or family members to share in the fun -- and the fixed expenses. Long-distance ride-sharing to save money (and driving) getting to your destination also is becoming popular. Check the Web sites www.eRideShare.com and www.ShareYourRide.net. Remember that membership has its privileges. At hotels, restaurants and tourist attractions -- and whenever you’re buying any type of travel service or package -- always ask if any discounts are available, particularly if you are a member of AAA, AARP or one of the increasing number of online travel clubs, such as www.TravelMembershipClub.com. Membership warehouse clubs, such as Sam’s Club and Costco, also offer discounts on travel services. And it might help to flash your business card at hotels and car rental offices to see if they’ll give you a discounted corporate rate. Go cheap on souvenirs. Look for practical items, such as clothing and housewares, that you’ll actually use. And don’t forget to check out secondhand shops, thrift stores and even garage sales when you travel -- you’re likely to turn up some one-of-a-kind, bargain-priced souvenirs. Bottom Line/Personal interviewed Jeff Yeager, the author of The Ultimate Cheapskate’s Road Map to True Riches and the upcoming book The Cheapskate Next Door (both from Broadway). Yeager honed his cheapskating skills during 25 years of working with underfunded nonprofit agencies. He lives in Accokeek, Maryland. www.UltimateCheapskate.com  The Perfect Vacation for You Judy Kuriansky, PhD Columbia University Teachers College Vacations can cause more pressure than they relieve -- unless you size up beforehand what you need. Consider your... Stress threshold. If daily life is draining, use your time away to relax. Choose a setting where you won’t have to struggle with a foreign language or change hotels frequently -- such as a quiet mountain resort or a lakeside bed-and-breakfast. Bring some novels and knitting... leave the laptop computer at home. Boredom level. If your regular routine seems humdrum, choose a charged-up venue. Stimulating: Visit historic sites and museums... take a "learning vacation" at a culinary or language institute... hike foothills or cycle cross-country. Travel companion. When your dreams don’t match your partner’s, compromise to avoid conflict. Example: If he’s stressed but you’re bored, pick a destination that offers simplicity and stimulation -- a beach at the edge of a bustling city or a five-star spa near an archeological site. Biorhythms. Travel is tough on the body clock. The day you arrive at your destination, stick with activities needing minimal planning (a brief bus tour, dinner at your hotel). Arrange major excursions (day-long snorkeling, all-night dancing) for mid-trip. The last day, take it easy again (a bit of shopping, a show) -- so you arrive home refreshed. Bottom Line/Women’s Health interviewed Judy Kuriansky, PhD, a clinical psychologist and sex therapist on the faculty of Columbia University Teachers College in New York City. She is author of five books, including The Complete Idiot’s Guide to a Healthy Relationship (Alpha). www.sexualtherapy.com/therapists/jkuriansky.htm Important: Help your friends get much more out of life -- forward this E-letter to them. Better: Send it to many friends and your whole family. This is a free weekly e-mail service of BottomLineSecrets.com and Boardroom Inc. Boardroom Inc. 281 Tresser Boulevard Stamford, CT 06901-3229 ATTN: Web Team You received this e-mail because you have requested it. You are on the mailing list as healthwellness82@gmail.com. Or... a friend forwarded it to you. 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