Tips for Traveling Frugally After Retirement

English: Bora Bora (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Many people dream about traveling after they retire. They often have a hard time affording to take trips when they don’t have a regular paycheck anymore. Fortunately, you can still achieve your dreams if you know how to travel frugally. Here are some tips that you will want to consider.

Avoid Popular Travel Seasons

Travel expenses vary considerably throughout the year. You can save nearly 40% off your travel costs by traveling in the offseason. This may mean that you won’t get to swim on the beaches or partake in some of the other activities that are typically available in the summer months, but you can still have a nice time. You may even enjoy traveling offseason more because you will avoid most of the crowds.

As a retiree, you will have a lot more flexibility to set your schedule. You can plan your vacation when you can get the best rates.

Become an AARP Member

One of the perks of getting older is that you qualify for a number of great discounts. One of the best ways to get discounts is by joining AARP. AARP members often save between 20-60% off their airline tickets and can save over 15% off other travel costs.

Many popular tourist destinations give senior discounts as well. You should always ask about them if you are over 55.

Time Your Decisions Carefully

You can save a lot of money by timing your purchases. You can usually save money by making your decisions ahead of time. Most airlines start selling tickets for flights 60-90 days in advance. You can usually get a great discount by buying early.

However, there are also times when it is smart to make your decisions at the last minute. You can often save a lot of money by booking hotels in cities like Bora Bora at the last minute. These establishments don’t want to lose money when they haven’t found people to fill their rooms. You can often negotiate a great discount if the rooms aren’t booked. You probably don’t want to try this during peak travel seasons though, because you may have a very difficult time finding a room at all and they may charge a lot more when vacancy rates are very low. According to Terrance Zepke the author of a on cheap traveling, hotels are much more likely to give deals when they are at 45% capacity than if they are have booked 95% of their rooms.

Contact the Companies Directly

There are a number of great travel sites that can help you find deals and make the right purchases. These sites are great starting points for your travel plans, but you should try to look beyond them.

You should try to contact the companies and verify their rates. You will often find that many hotels and airlines are willing to give you better deals if you talk to them in person and specify what you are looking for. Many businesses also don’t advertise on these sites so you will need to do some additional research to find the best deals.

A Smarter Way to See the World

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Money, the great inhibitor to traveling abroad. But if you’ve got to a stage in life where you have a little more free time to see the world, then it shouldn’t be wasted. With some careful planning, it doesn’t have to be: the key is knowing where to look and being flexible with your time. Here are some money-saving holiday tips for smart seniors who want to stretch their travel savings further this year…

How to Save

It’s now a well-known fact that the cheapest flights to any destination are often the last minute ones. When airlines are scrambling to fill those unused seats, that’s when you can save up to 70% off your ticket. The key, and this is difficult for most, is being able to leave on short notice. One way to get around this is to have multiple destinations in mind, along with a block of time you’ve put aside for traveling. That way when the time gets closer you have options to choose from, and are prepared for a trip.

If you prefer the certainty of an airline ticket beforehand, savings can still be had, depending on when you book your flight. Flying during the holidays is going to be the most expensive, but there is a benefit to that. The week before and after major holidays see a major drop-off in numbers of people traveling, therefore tickets will be cheaper as well.

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Where to go

These destinations are relatively inexpensive to get to, but more importantly where a dollar gets you a lot, not a little. That leaves London and Paris off the list, but there are still many beautiful places to go.

While the Caribbean is not generally known for being a budget-friendly location, this picturesque island is the most geared up towards tourists and can be very affordable, as long as you know where to look. Generally, the cheapest holidays to Barbados tend to happen in the off-season. May is the best month to go, sandwiched between the end of peak season (December to April) and the start of hurricane season (June). Once you get here, the all-inclusive resorts are a very good value, since much of the cost of visiting Barbados is tied to the cost of food.

The East has long been a top destination for backpackers, due to how cheap it is. Take Bangkok, for instance. $50 gets you at least a 3 star hotel, with more than enough money for three decent meals and almost any attraction around. Speaking of attractions, a big draw is the Buddha park, where less than $3 gains you access. Once inside you’ll see over 200 Buddhist and Hindu statues; to say that there is nothing remotely like that in America would be an understatement and it’s well worth seeing once in your lifetime. A visit to any eastern country affords a valuable glimpse into a culture and lifestyle most Westerners are unfamiliar with.

Of course, these are just a couple of suggestions for cheaper destinations. Depending on where you’re based, you might also want to check out Eastern Europe, which has opened up to tourism in recent years but remains a surprisingly good-value region to travel within, as well being home to many cultural treasures like the walled city of Dubrovnik (Croatia) and the Bridge of Mostar (Bosnia-Herzegovina).

In short, there are plenty of ways to make your golden years ones of discovery, so start planning and you can soon start saving…

Images by David, Bergin, Emmett and Elliott, and Arian Zwegers, used under Creative Comms license

5 Traveling Tips for the Retired

We should all agree that your retirement should be planned accordingly. And most importantly, it signifies the beginning of a new chapter in our lives, therefore we must do something memorable. And what better way to celebrate your retirement than to plan a vacation and enjoy it to the fullest? We are not talking here about family vacations though, but a more daring approach: travelling alone or with a group of strangers seeking the same adrenaline. Here is a small guide for a unique traveling experience to celebrate your retirement. 

Tip#1: Helpful Online Visual Tools and Options

The first thing to do is to search for online resources and tools that can help you in planning your vacation just the way you want. From accommodation, to city tours, exhibitions and even outdoor activities according to age. Use tools such as Google Earth, Pinterest, Google Street view to get an idea about what a city or country is like, visually speaking. If you love what you see, then dare to experience it. This means applying the next tip. 

Tip #2: Don’t Be Afraid to Research Your Location

This means taking time to search and read reviews, be it TripAdvisor or local online travel reviews sites. The main idea is to document your travel plans in the way that you get a solid base on which you can build new experiences. Nobody says to research every small detail, you can leave space for unforeseeable great experiences, just remember that a plan needs a solid form. So do your best in creating the form, then open yourself to new, exciting things. 

Tip #3: Online Interaction Before Offline

Think of this as the new millennial approach: you have the chance to socialize with people all over the world, and most of the times, you get to socialize in the online environment. The aim is to get in touch with local communities and groups on Meet Up, Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and even forums. If you are a blogger, you might get the chance to find other bloggers and get in touch with them. Never start your travel plan with limitations, just be open to anything. Retirement is after all about being open to a whole new perspective and life chapter. It doesn't hurt to know someone in a city you plan traveling to, even if you travel in a group. It’s that route to escape boredom. Nothing is better than a genuine local guide, showing you the good stuff (coffee shops, pubs and bars, the local history, architecture, art, music, theater etc.). 

Tip #4: Don’t Be Afraid to Go Tech

Age should not be a limitation of any kind. And well, being a tech grandpa for e.g. is really cool for the kids. Dare to try out the new gadgets, don’t be afraid, and always motivate yourself in staying connected to the “today” – the present. When you travel, having a gadget and traveling apps can be a life savior. At least you don’t get to stress yourself with booking and planning, yet you can stay up to date with weather, flights, transportation means, hotels, best deals, restaurants, recommendations and actually get to enjoy a great vacation or getaway. Plus, it is easier to connect with people through gadgets and actually keep in touch after you return home. Nowadays, nobody has enough time to talk for 1 hour over the phone, but instead spend 2 hours on social media platforms. 

Tip #5: Stay in Touch with People at Home

When the kids grow and become adults, build families of their own and have children of their own, they start to panic and get worried. So make sure you give them a call at least once a day and talk for at least 10 minutes, to prevent unnecessary worries and problems. And if you travel to a foreign country and worry about phone costs, then worry not. Companies all over the world offer prepaid sim cards which have the same fees applied as if you were calling from the same country. This is also the case of Aussie Sim, a company that offers prepaid cards for Australians who venture outside the country for holidays and vacations. They also suggest fancy travel vacations on their blog at aussiesim.com.au. 

Word of advice: take as many pictures as you can. Because it is a great therapy to take a look at enjoyable happy memories. although we were discussing earlier about a daring approach, we don’t necessarily advise you to buy the first plane ticket to destination Nowhere. 

Rather, we advise you to search for group traveling options for the retired and adhere to a nice mixed group age, even if you plan your own vacation schedule. Reasons: it is fun; you get to communicate with different people; you can choose according to your preferences; you don’t have to worry, just “enjoy the ride”.

Why Dealer Transparency Is Key When Making a Foreign Exchange Deal

When looking to make an exchange or payment worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, there is no doubt that transparency should be everything when it comes down to your chosen broker or exchange company.

After you have registered with a larger foreign exchange provider, the usual process is for one of their dealers to ring up and negotiate a transaction over the phone.

Without actually seeing the figures and rates at hand however, this can get confusing, and you may not actually be getting the best deal.

In fact, some brokers even calculate their rates on the status of the customer, meaning that depending on who you are, or how big your business is, you may be paying more than others.

Companies such as www.4xcurrency.com calculate their rates as a percentage away from the inter-bank rate and according to the size of the trade; so that everyone gets the same exchange rate.

Choosing the right broker is therefore imperative if you are looking to save your business as much money as possible.

Ideally, you should be able to see the exchange rate on a computer screen before you make a deal, so you can compare the price you receive with other providers. Often this will be streamed to your computer via the broker’s exchange system.

If it is done correctly, this means that you should be able to view currency rates in the exact same manner as large corporations and foreign exchange traders; allowing you to make the right payment at the right time, with maximum ease and security.

In addition to this, some brokers even back up their deals so that you will always get the agreed amount of foreign currency at the time of when the deal is made. This is bonding, even if the rate of exchange changes overnight or when the transaction is fully complete.

But what about bank exchanges?

Though bank exchanges offer great security, the truth is that the primary business of a bank is not in foreign exchange, so you shall probably be given a lesser rate and charged for the exchange that you are about to make. In fact, some banks impose fees of up to £30 - £40 per exchange.

Not only that, but if you go with a specialised broker, it is far more likely that they will spend the time and effort into making sure that their clients are given the best rates possible.

Though transparency can vary between individual banks, it is generally held that they do offer a good level of clarity when making an exchange, even if the bank charges more than a broker.

How to Survive Travel in Your Retired Years – With a Dependent

Travel Guides (Photo credit: Vanessa (EY))

For most retirees, freedom from watching over little ones while at home and abroad is what puts the golden in “golden years.” While caring for dependents has its own personal rewards, isn’t getting away from that sort of responsibility what retirement is all about? 

Unfortunately, retirement doesn’t mean absolute freedom from caring for dependents for many retired individuals. This can be complicated enough at home, but it doesn’t need to impede on the dreams of most retirees to travel the world. To make caring for dependents while overseas more manageable emotionally and fiscally, here are a few reminders anyone can follow.

1. Take the risk out of traveling abroad with proper insurance

While traveling abroad, you and your dependent will be exposed to all sorts of new and exciting places and events. But the unintended consequences of travel can be dire, too. Considering that young children and elderly adults are among the most vulnerable to physical injury and disease, it’s more recommendable for these travelers than anyone to invest in traveler’s insurance.

This form of insurance can cover accidents, illnesses, disablement, return of a minor, and even overseas ceremony expenses in the case the worst happens. Make sure that your provider is very familiar with the region that you’re traveling to; when traveling to the Carolinas, for example, it would be prudent to get coverage from Charlotte insurance agents rather than European providers.

2. Find activities that will keep both of you entertained

Most conflicts that happen between travel partners in any trip results from a conflict of interests. Naturally, limited time in exotic locations can leave travelers feeling pretty divided on the best way to spend time abroad. This might seem to be even more exaggerated between young children and their elderly caregivers. As difficult as it can be to compromise, making accommodations for any dependents in your party is necessary (because no child will ever, ever behave themselves in a country club or art museum.)

Finding common interests and making the most of your journey is one way to approach attending to their needs. Spending time on your various flights to brainstorm some potential destinations together can work wonders down the line. If there is another caregiver in your party, taking shifts to experience things individually might be the best approach in making sure that you can make the most of your trip without compromising too much to provide care.

3. Always have a back-up plan for when compromise won’t work

While it’s comforting to think that there will always be something available for a child to keep themselves busy while you enjoy traveling, you might find that compromise isn’t always possible. Keeping activities readily available with you in order to make traveling more entertaining for children could be a good alternative; but while portable game consoles and coloring books might help wile away a few hours, engaging your dependents more meaningfully about their travels will help them enjoy the more “boring” aspects that they might otherwise prefer to avoid.

If you’d like to see a museum, become your party’s own tour guide. If you’d like to enjoy local cuisine, become your group’s taste tester. You don’t need to be an expert; rather, engaging your children as a cooperative learner as you explore new environments and experience new things can provide a world of perspective for children to take in their surroundings more meaningfully.

Having them take notes and learn from their journeys will not only actively engage them in the traveling experience, but it might garner their appreciation of traveling and of the world as a whole. And while traveling should certainly be more about “you” in your golden years, there are few lessons that match that importance.

Five Tips To Saving Money On Your Next Holiday

When people want to go on holiday, the last thing they imagine that they want to experience is stress. Paying out some of the current high prices for travel packages would certainly push the old blood pressure up the charts! But how can someone save money on their next holiday, and still have a decent vacation?

Time To Hit The Internet

When searching for deals on holiday packages, the best place to begin your is the internet. Pick a location, and warm up your favorite search engine, and see what comes up. While looking, try to avoid limiting your choices to those offered by travel agencies, or even airlines. These days, you can find travel deals on all kinds of websites: coupon sites, discount deals, social networking sites, hotels, banks and even credit cards will often have unadvertised specials from time to time.

Book Early Save More

Some travel package deals will have some very specific requirements you will have to meet before you can reap the full benefits. One of the most common of these requirements is that you book within a certain period of time, usually between three to six months of your intended departure date. Even if you do not take advantage of a particular deal, it is just common sense to book a trip as early as you can. Not only will it save you money, it guarantees the booking, and may even allow you a change or refund should something happen.

Think About Getting The Band Back Together

Have some friends that you haven’t seen in awhile, but used to travel with in the past? Some of the best holiday deals are actually geared more towards groups these days, as opposed to individuals. This can be especially true for international packages, like those for countries like Portugal, China and Australia, just to name a few. Could mean the difference between saving a few hundred or a few thousand.

Plan Ahead On Packing

One of the fastest ways to create unexpected expenses while on holiday is to omit needed items from the packing. By doing this, you will wind up spending needed money unnecessarily, not to mention raising the aggravation level. Plan ahead, make a complete list, and check doublecheck it against what you packed before leaving. You will be glad you did.

Squirrel Away For That Next rainy Day

You never know when even the best planning can break down, due to circumstances beyond your control. Should you get trapped in one spot due to bad weather or missed connections, you don’t want to go broke having to pay for extra items that were not planned for, like additional meals or extra nights’ stays. To discount this, plan ahead by squirreling away a few dollars into a ‘just in case’ fund, that will be kept separate, and safe while you travel about. Just keep in mind that if you blow it, you will hate the results.

3 Strategies for Affordable Travel in Your Golden Years

After decades of the long grind, you’ve retired and finally have the time to travel the world and do things you’ve always dreamed about but couldn’t do on a working schedule. As liberating as this realization may feel, it can come as both a shock and disappointment when we have the time but lack the finances to start marking off our bucket lists. 

However, keeping a few tips in mind, one shouldn’t need to sacrifice all of their retirement plans due to limited finances by keeping a few bits of advice in mind when planning their retirement travels:

1. Plan early and plan now

Nobody is too old to start planning for a better retirement. In order to be able to afford everything you need and desire in retirement, it’s first important to address how much you’ll need to survive. 

Folk who want to project their needs in the United States can use this retirement calculator, and others from New Zealand or Australia can find helpful financial tools at Suncorp Superannuation. These estimates can help those approaching retirement to gauge their assets and learn how much they’ll need to save to comfortably retire.

As with any sort of planning, the sooner you begin – the better. Retirement can be extremely difficult to accommodate without funds in old age, but it is possible. Many retired individuals continue to hold part-time jobs for additional income and employee benefits, which can help as health insurance premiums begin to rise drastically with age. 

It’s also important to consider the most cost-effective living situations in order to stretch your retirement fund as well as possible.

2. Book in advance (but not too far)

Life can be unpredictable, but your travels shouldn’t ever rely on chance or spontaneous decisions. Booking any flights you require and hotels that you’ll need to stay at least a month in advance is necessary. 

This can give you time to account for the costs of dining, travel, and other expenses you might incur while abroad. Those who scope out tickets during slumps of airline traffic can end up paying half or less for their travel fare.



However, take care to not plan too far in advance, since the personal illness, inclement weather, delayed flights, events in the family, and other issues can punch a hole through an otherwise immaculate travel plan and cause you to waste money. Tickets are almost always nonrefundable except for limited circumstances. 

When you finally have your destination chosen you should start a checklist of what you need to pack. Get out your luggage and check for damage and proper function of the latch components. Also important is your carryons, you want to have the best carryon luggage, you don't want to find out your luggage should have been updated when your already many miles from home.

When browsing, seek times between holiday seasons since travel prices go down drastically all around during periods of low traffic. Last-minute plane tickets alone can waste hundreds of dollars, and scoping these prices far in advance can reduce the likelihood of being gouged.

3. Choose thriftier destinations

While choosing destinations like Paris, London, Tokyo or Sydney might be on the top of your list for travel destinations, these options are frequently far more expensive than other options. 

Even worse, they’re often littered with tourist traps and opportunistic crooks. Choosing the road less oft traveled when choosing your travel destination can make a trip cheaper, safer, and more culturally authentic.

It’s worthwhile keeping up with current events to determine when the right time to start buying tickets. Depending on how a country’s currency is holding up, conversion rates may favor your dollar much more strongly than usual. 

This means that your dollar will hold stronger when buying tickets and on any other expenses while abroad. According to CNN Travel in 2012, tourists enjoyed vacations to Mexico, Egypt, and Greece at record low prices due to the fluctuating value of their currencies.

While affording your dream vacation might be difficult when your retirement fund needs to be stretched, managing your expectations and being smart with fiscal planning can result in your golden years is the most adventurous of your life.

Traveling in Times of Crisis

Travel Guides (Photo credit: Vanessa (EY))

During the period of financial crisis traveling is not easy and that is not good for many countries in which the tourism sector, is one of the most important. People still want to travel but are more reluctant to do so because of the current crisis hitting Europe in general and more particularly countries like Portugal, Italy and of course Spain. Of course this crisis causes problems to all over the world or it will in the near future.

Due to the current situation there have been many questions tourists have made, such as whether to save rather than traveling or is it better not to travel at all as this usually involves excessive spending on many occasions.

There are many deals on offer in travel agencies and wrapped packages made to consume, but this is not to everyone's liking, since more and more tourists like to choose what type of accommodation, flights, dates or days will travel. So there have been many alternatives to travel in order to save more. One could point out a way to move between neighboring countries or within the same country, for those who like to travel by car but not wishing to have the option to share car. This medium is unknown for many but very effective and very safe also, you pay a price per trip, depending on the length of it and there is no concern.

For trips where the destination is not so close, we all know the famous company Ryanair which is cheap and with a multitude of destinations. Make you sure you have an international travel insurance that covers all your needs and pocket. What is left to do is choosing accommodation and for that there are many deals if you are looking for an alternative to standard hotels and usually the price does not reference quality. To find a property to the desired extent you can do your research online where you can find different types of accommodation such as a room in a shared flat, an apartment or an entire house, as well as Bed and Breakfast, hotel-like accommodation with basic facilities for sleeping and breakfast.

With all the alternative media that exist today is hard to resist making a vacation or a trip without having to spend a large portion of the payroll. Thanks to these new ideas materialized in companies, we can save enjoying the pleasure of traveling.

Travel Nurses A Unique Specialty In A Medical Career

Travel nursing is a concept in the field of nursing that came about as a remedy to the shortage of nurses across various health institutions. What happens is that some segments of the medical sector sometimes provide nurses who are able to travel and work in various places that require them to fill temporary nursing positions. The nurses charged with these kinds of duties are the ones referred to as travel nurses. The nursing positions they go to fill are mostly in hospitals that are outside the area in which they work or reside. Despite the fact that the term travel nursing is regularly associated specifically with the nursing profession, the term is also used to refer to a wide range of healthcare positions, which could include physical therapy, speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, dentists or even doctors.

The requirements for travel nurses to meet include; they must have a minimum of 1 year of experience with a year being preferred in their particular specialty. They must also have a license in the state of which they have employment in. The states board of nursing usually grants this.

Travel nurses may at times receive some level of orientation when they reach the new hospitals that they are to work in, it is however minimal and in most cases, they receive no orientation at all. Travel nurses are required to have a high level of experience and knowledge. They are required to have the mental and physical capability to deal and adapt with their new environments while still being able to perform their duties.

Travel nurses play a crucial role and especially in hospitals where their expertises are in need. They help to offer services to patients who would have to wait in long queues or even days if they were not there. Their need and role cannot be underestimated in the medical sector.

4 Challenges to Take on After Retirement

retirement (Photo credit: 401(K) 2013)

You're finally there! You've been working tirelessly for decades, at a nine to five job, because you had to. Now it's time to retire and you can finally do what you've always wanted to do. Take a look at these four challenging things you can have fun doing in retirement.

Travel the World

There's no better time than retirement to travel the world because you don't have to worry about being back on a certain date to get back to work. You finally get the opportunity to see all the places you want to see, whether that is a trip to Egypt, Africa, Europe, or the Caribbean. Depending on how well you saved money for retirement, you can travel for most of the year. 

• Go on a cruise 
• Take a tour with a travel group 
• Take a road trip with several stops 
• Visit every state or every continent 

Take Some Classes

Learning doesn't have to stop just because you've reached retirement. As a matter of fact, it is one of the best times to learn because you can devote your full attention to learning something. Is there something you always wished you could do? Well, take a look at the classes at your community college or find other opportunities in your area to take classes. 

• Learn to decorate cakes 
• Learn how to be a good photographer 
• Get that degree you've always wanted 
• Learn some new dance moves 

Start a Business

Are you one of those people that will never truly retire? If you like to work and want to be your own boss, starting a business in your retirement will help you continue to stay busy. Plus, it will help you out financially if you didn't start saving for retirement early enough. According to Entrepreneurship Monitor, 18 percent of startups are made by people who are 55 or older and 7.9 percent are 65 or older. That's no surprise since older people have more business experience and know what it takes to be successful. The best businesses for retirement are those that are fun and rewarding. 

• Start a restaurant with gen2 cooking equipment
• Tutor children 
• Become a travel agent 
• Provide consulting services with your years of expertise 

Spend Time on a Hobby

Some people never have the time to learn a hobby until they retire. There just isn't enough time in the day to go to work, take care of your kids, and handle all your other responsibilities. So, retirement is a great time to learn a hobby because you are finally able to stay at home. The best hobbies are those that keep your mind active. 

• Start a blog 
• Learn how to paint 
• Sew or knit for your grandkids 
• Start a collection 

These are just a few of the challenges you can take on after you retire from your job. There are many more things you can do, too. What do you want to accomplish in retirement? Leave a comment.

Be Proactive By Taking Travel Cover Before You Board on a Flight!

Most of the people get very excited whenever there is travelling involved, business or holiday. At anytime, there are options to explore newer avenues of business along with the place as well when in a new destination. However, in excitement if people decide to forgo one of the most basic needs of travel insurance, it is more than just a blunder. At many times while travelling, it is the prime requisite to travel well-covered but it is not the only benefit you are getting. It depends upon which package you take, for how long and for how many people, individual or combined (in case of family or travelling business colleagues / partners). 

Here we will be focusing on the benefit one gets by getting family travel insurance.

In the event of Cancellation 

Let us start with the first and most basic positive outcome that comes with having this special cover. Due to any reason like some mishap in home or destination country or with the family or travel partners, you might have to cancel the whole trip. As a result, money put in getting the flight / charter bookings, accommodation reservations, transportation, etc will go waste. Exactly at this point, you save few hundred-thousand dollars by getting a suitable travel cover. Just don’t forget to know about the exclusions of your policy. 

Belongings’ Concern 

There is no question of not having any baggage while on a business or family trip. What happens if they get stolen or lost? You get reimbursed (partially if not fully because of the overall limits to the amount) with the insurance. The limit will be decided on the basis of what all the items were there in your bag are and how you have made the claim. There always remains the issue of saving receipts if you want the reimbursement. 

On the wrong side of Law 

You or your family members or another person accompanying you might never have thought of getting entangled in litigation's on a stranger land but sometimes things just happen. Having travel insurance might safeguard everyone under the cover from (some if not whole of) the cost involved in legal battles you will have to become a part of consequentially. 

Health Insurance- An Added Advantage 

Standard health insurances generally exclude travelling from the policy while giving cover only in the home country. So, in case you fall ill or get injured during flight or on reaching the destination, if you have taken this consideration, your health is also covered under the insurance coveting travel. Contacting your travel consultants is highly suggested so that you take care of all the aspects of such cover. 

The Entrance of Third party in the Scene 

Here, being subjected to any kind of claim is the main concern. In case someone or his property gets damaged by you (even if accidently), you are faced with claims that you have to deal with, like it or not. So, being prepared with liability insurance as a part of the cover you will use while travelling is the best way. Being proactive never hurts. 
All the above reasons are sufficient to convince anyone for getting a cover whenever on a go. Are you? 

About the author: 
Marie Ballu is an active blogger who is fond of sharing her views on insurance to help people secure their precious items. She has also presented many guest posts on travel insurance for family, ski travel insurance and much more.

Things to Consider for Housing When Moving Overseas

English: Punta Cana beach, Dominicana (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

The recession has made it tough on many folks to make a comfortable living. These people are now looking at countries abroad that can offer better living standards without raising the cost of living. Some of the Caribbean Islands qualify and come on top in such searches. Not only is the area very beautiful and scenic, but it also offers a good lifestyle for less. The governments has simple immigration laws that allow people to come into the country and start working without having to wait for citizenship. This also allows immigrants to get started with their new life instantly. 

The millions of tourists and visitors coming to the island shores ensure that all businesses work regardless of whether it is a small shop selling goods or a large business rendering a service. The islands are developing fast in terms of infrastructure and facilities, with great connectivity to other countries around the globe, good educational institutes for lower as well as higher studies, ample healthcare facilities and renowned hospitals, and so on.

When you are moving to a foreign country such as the Dominican Republic, one of your biggest priorities is to find a perfect home to move into. This being said, you first need to decide where you want to move and whether you want to buy or rent a home. For example, you can easily find Punta Cana apartments for rent through a real estate agency, but you need to first decide whether you want to move to this fairly small tourist town in DR. Once you decide on a country, do your research about the place in reference to your profession and needs. This means that unless you have already found a job and know where you need to move, find out where the demand lies for your profession. For instance, if you are a chef or working in the hospitality industry, or want to work as a taxi driver, you may want to check out the various tourist destinations in the country. These are where you might be paid the best, and get better job satisfaction.

You must also take into consideration your whole family and their needs before making your final decision about which town to move to. Take a good look at your family. Ask questions like how many people are moving? This question will tell you how big your future house needs to be. A family of four will at least need a three bedrooms, living and kitchen space to be comfortable. What about education for the kids? If you have young children, it is imperative that you first pick a good school and find a home that is close to it. After all, you don’t want to be a hop away from your work while your children have to travel 30 minutes just to get to school? Do you like peace and quiet or want to be close to the city center  This will help you to zero in on several areas that can be considered for a house to buy or rent. Also, keep in mind that if you have an elderly person in your family it may be wise to choose a locality that is in close proximity to a hospital.

Whether you want a humble apartment for rent or are buying a lavish villa, you can be sure to get nowhere without the help of a real estate agency. This is the precise reason why the first thing you need to do once you have decided on a place, is contact a good local real estate agency.

Bio

Bryan is a freelance writer for the http://www.gopuntacanarealestate.com/. He has lived in the Dominican Republic for a short period and recommends Punta Cana apartments for rent to vacationers as well as anyone who wish to move to this beautiful country. Being a avid traveler with an adventurous spirit, he is always hopping from one country to another and hope to do it until he dies.

How to Save Money on Travel

As gas prices continue to climb and the overall costs for travel soar, many think that travel is out of reach and shelve plans for their dream vacation for “someday.” Retirees may give up on the notion completely, thinking that a big trip just isn’t possible on a limited income. 

However, there are many ways that you can save money and make travel a reality. Here are just a few ways you can make just about any trip fit your budget: 

Travel Off-Season 

Everybody wants to go to Paris in springtime. Unfortunately, that means that lines will be longer, your options will be limited, and you will pay more for everything. While traveling in the dead of winter when it’s cold and snowy most places may not seem appealing, that’s exactly how you can travel for a fraction of the cost. 

Talk with a travel agent about what constitutes “off-season” for the place you want to travel. You may be able to travel in the fall or spring when temperatures and conditions aren’t ideal but are still bearable. Just put on a warm jacket or a packable rain jacket if it rains, the Eiffel Tower won’t seem any less amazing!

Save on Flights 

There are many ways you can save on airfare if you’re willing to do a little research or be flexible in your dates of travel. Start by researching the lowest fares on comparison sites such as Travelocity or Orbitz. You can find out what airlines are offering the lowest fares, then try to bid for lower prices on a service like Priceline. 


If you’re flexible with your travel dates, this can lower your fares significantly. Do a search that includes flexible dates and find the lowest fares. Even being flexible enough to fly Tuesday through Thursday can drop a lot off your ticket prices. Of course, last-minute fares – just a few weeks or less before travel – will also be significantly cheaper.

Choose Low-Cost Lodging 

Low-cost lodging doesn’t mean 3-star hotels. You need to think outside the hotel. One popular option includes a hostel, which puts you in a room with a few other strangers but can cost as little as $10 a night. You can get a private room in a hostel, but the cost is a little higher (though still potentially cheaper than many hotels). 

A couple other options include renting an apartment for the week (usually less than the cost of a hotel), volunteering on a farm or non-profit organization (which usually offers lodging in exchange for the help), or couch surfing (in which you connect with good travel Samaritans who offer you their spare couch or room for a night or two for free). 

Skip Restaurants 

Eating out at home can be expensive, and it’s even worse when you travel. Don’t eat at restaurants, and you’ll save a lot of money. If there’s a kitchen in your hostel or your hotel room, you can purchase groceries from the local market and make meals there. If there isn’t, you can purchase ready-made items from local markets and grocery stores. 

Even if you don’t want to get your meals this way, at least grabbing snacks such as granola bars, nuts, and fruit can help you reduce the number of meals you have to buy out. 

Travel doesn’t have to be a distant dream for when you win the lottery or one of your investments finally pays off. By brainstorming ways to save, you can make just about any trip a reality. 

How do you save money when you travel? Share your tips in the comments! 

Charissa Newark is a writer and manager for Accountingdegree.net, where she has recently been researching requirements for an accounting degree. In her spare time, Charissa enjoys gardening and volunteering at animal shelters.

Tips For Saving Money on a Las Vegas Vacation

English: The Golden Nugget Las Vegas (Photo credit: Wikipedia)Summer time is over and it's back to school for the kids. Many family's have taken their yearly summer vacation to the usual destinations and family parks. But to change it up a little we recently took a great vacation to Las Vegas. Las Vegas has always been known for the cheap vacation in the past until the mega hotels took over and ran up all the prices. But if you look hard enough and prepare you can still find some great deals. You don't have to play online slots anymore you can play the real ones

Traveling to Las Vegas

Don’t procrastinate this year, a key factor in finding a better deal  is starting early, airlines typically start to release their cheapest seats for domestic routes about 3 1/2 months before departure. This is when they start to actively manage the cheaper price points on flights.

The cheapest days to fly to Las Vegas are Tuesday, Wednesday (the cheapest) and Saturday. Generally, for the best deals – shop for airfare Tuesdays at 3pm. Shop for your Las Vegas airline tickets one passenger at a time. This has to do with a quirk in the way airline reservations systems are set up; if there is only a single seat available at the lowest price, but you’re shopping for two tickets – the system automatically kicks your order up to the next highest tier where there are two “same price” tickets. So buy one at a time, even though it means doing two separate transactions, and you could save big on at least one of those tickets.

When planning a trip to Las Vegas, keep your dates as flexible as possible for your airfare. Or at least recognize that you will pay more, if you have to be in Vegas during peak party season.

Avoid dates around the Super Bowl, Valentine’s Day, and New Year’s. Historically, this is when airlines and hotels cash-in on the lure of Sin City (or the Wedding Chapel Capital of the World, on Valentine’s Day).

Use Twitter and Facebook for exclusive airline and hotel deals. Social media is all the rage in corporate America, and airlines are no exception as they have become pretty active on Twitter and Facebook, and you should be too. That’s because sometimes they’ll offer deals exclusively to their social media followers – as will other Vegas entities.

For example, look for deals on the Las Vegas tourism website and on its Twitter account (@Vegas), along with hotels like the Luxor (@LuxorLV) and Wynn (@WynnLasVegas) to name just a few.

Best Tip: Sign Up for Alerts – For Las Vegas Airline Ticket Price Drops

A great way to save year round: sign up for real-time email airfare alerts as well as Twitter airfare alerts, and you’ll know when prices drop, in real time.

Bottom Line for Deals to Vegas. Shop smart, be flexible, and stay alert to Vegas deals – and you will save on your next trip .

Thanks to farecompare.com for all the great tips.

Related articles

• Inside Travel Tips From a Reservation Agent (50plusfinance.com)
• Airline Booking Secrets To Use On Your Next Trip (savealittlemoney.com)
• Are Timeshares and Vacation Clubs A Good Deal? (50plusfinance.com)

All Inclusive Holidays Growing In Popularity

                              (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

There is a growing trend in holiday vacations that gather all the parts of a vacation into one package, for one price. These all inclusive holidays include your hotel, food, kids entertainment, and even drinks for one price. Imagine, not having to worry about running out of money while on holiday. 

This idea of all inclusive holidays was invented by Club Med over 60 years ago. It has had much popularity over the years but not like it's seeing now. According to a Vacation Holiday survey, one third of all vacations are all inclusive holidays and this is up 50 % over the last 4 years. 

This type of vacation has changed the behavior of people on holiday. When they arrive at their destination 90 % of the guests do not venture off the resorts property. They believe that they already paid for their food and drink, why go off resort and have to pay money at a local restaurant or bar.

This has put a damper on the mood of local establishments. Businesses feel the loss of income and sometimes are closing because of it. Local businesses are reaching out to the resorts for relief. The resorts are looking into the problem and may be able to create a dine around plan to help alleviate the problem.

If you put yourself in the shoes of the vacationer, what would you do? The kids are having fun, drinks are on tap, and you have all the food you want; why leave.

Vacation Travel Clubs Can Save You Money

Travel Guides (Photo credit: Vanessa (EY))

With the kids school year almost over and the vacation season around the corner, people are planning vacations. The family vacation is something we look forward to every year. But this year, even though money is in short supply, many people are still going to take that vacation so they are looking for ways to save money on their holiday. One way to save money is with a vacation travel club.

Most people are aware of vacation timeshare resorts but many have not heard of vacation travel clubs. A vacation travel club is group of business owners and corporations in the travel industry who join together to create wholesale travel packages. Many hotels, airlines, and vacation destinations use the travel clubs to offer discounts to their members.

If you have read any travel club reviews you know why they are so popular. Vacation travel clubs have many benefits that make it a good idea to join. Many clubs include several free trips per year. They offer seasonal and monthly specials to their members. There is usually a website, of the club, that offers chat rooms, forums and monthly newsletters explaining and keeping you up to date to a calendar of events. You aren't restricted to a small amount of destinations or trip options. Many clubs offer vacations to 1,000's of places. You receive discounts on car rental, hotels, airlines, and discounts on food and drink. Discounts can be up to 75% of standard vacation costs.

When you belong to a vacation travel club, you are given rewards for using the club. The more you use the clubs offers, the more free vacation rewards you receive. Keep in mind you won't receive free packages on every trip, but you will always have the deepest discounts offered to you.

Remember, before you join a vacation travel club, you should do the research and make sure they are legitimate and free form impropriety. Contact the Better Business Bureau, phone the company , and see what other vacation travel clubs members have to say about their experiences with the club.

Bon Voyage.

This Summer Will You Vacation Or Staycation?

Travel Guides (Photo credit: Vanessa (EY))

Will the rising costs of fuel keep you at home during the summer holiday season? According to a Times-Herald survey, many families will not be cutting back there vacation plans. Some people are feeling the pinch from extraordinary high fuel prices and have already canceled their summer holiday plans. But the bulk of people are adjusting their plans and are looking for cheap holidays.

Just how much does the cost of fuel affect a families decision to go on vacation or not? From the average high, to the latest top price, the difference is only 10 percent. This increase amounts to only $10 per tank of gas. If you fuel up twice the cost is only $20. Compare this to the rising costs of airfare and hotel stays which have much higher price increases. Though the prices of many other parts of a vacation are rising more rapidly, fuel costs should be the least of your worries.

According to the Times-Herald survey, 63 percent of families plan to spend the same amount or more on travel in 2012 as they did in 2011.

For those that feel the cost of fuel is to high to travel, they are making plans to stay home or only travel very short distances for their holiday. They are finding that they have many local destinations that suit them just fine and fit the bill for a wonderful vacation.

Finding destinations, in your region or state, can offer to you the opportunity for one day vacations or just over night trips. Most of us who travel know more about a vacation destination that is 1000 miles away than one that is only 50 miles from our home. Staying local and traveling to the shore, a lake house, or countryside cabin for a weekend opens up wonderful opportunities we have been missing.

When you are planning your next vacation on a tight budget, why not check out destinations closer to home.

Using the internet to cut your travel costs

Image via Wikipedia

In the last couple of decades, the internet has grown exponentially into a tool that can be used for just about anything, a tool that practically dominates our everyday lives. Today, it is often our first point of call to check the news, buy a new camera or book a cheap holiday. 

Holidays are famously affordable when they’re booked on the internet, with everything from the flights, hotels to the cheap holiday insurance sporting slashed prices on various websites. Before you go ahead and book the first deal you see, milk the internet for all it is worth to save yourself a small fortune.

As an example, if you want to secure yourself cheap travel insurance compare deals on price comparison sites like moneysupermarket.com. That way, you can assess a vast list of the best deals on the internet on one website and choose the one that’s best for you.

When it comes to flights, there is, as you will know, a multitude of budget airlines that will potentially save you hundreds in this area. Most of the best deals are advertised, inevitably, on the home page of their websites, but it doesn’t hurt to do a little digging around for something that not everybody is going to see. Sites like Expedia.com offer flight and hotel packages to save you even more, but many of these kinds of deals are only available on the internet.

The same applies to hostel websites. Telephone bookings often incur an extortionate booking fee, but if you turn to the web, you might be pleasantly surprised. We’re not saying that there are absolutely no booking fees on the internet, because there are, but you may well come across a money-saving gem if you do your research.

Another way you save money on your travels is by booking the airport transfers (if applicable, of course) before you actually travel. If it’s not already booked, people often take advantage of the fact that you have no other choice than to get a transfer from the airport by hiking up the costs of their services.

Advanced booking is also the way forward if you plan on doing anything special on your travels. Things that require specialist equipment, like rock climbing, or group bookings, like ocean excursions, not only have reduced costs but also guarantee that you actually get a place.

Not everybody plans this far in advance, but it just goes to show that it can save you a significant amount of money if you do.