Traveling on the Cheap

This past week I had the fabulous opportunity to travel to Poland, with the goal of trying to develop an international collaboration between some NC schools and Polish schools. If you want to check out the details of the trip, hop over to my other blog. This post will focus on the details of traveling on the cheap, while not sacrificing any of the experience.

1. Travel on someone else's dime, if possible. I had the opportunity to take this trip through the local university, since it was a partnership between the universities and K-12 schools in both countries. Other trips I've taken, I try to weave in some professional experience so that I can apply for grants and scholarships to help offset the expenses, including plane tickets, lodging costs, and museum/conference fees.

2. Make lodging inexpensive. Most countries abroad (especially in Europe) have a hostel network, home-stay network, or university lodgings that are significantly less expensive than the cost of a hotel. For this trip, we stayed in university lodgings that were dorm style, with each room having its' own bath. The lodgings were the typical sparse dormatory feel, but they were certainly sufficient, since we didn't do much there besides sleep. These lodgings also provided breakfast, so that was one less meal that we had to pay for. The cost per night was about $30; much less expensive than a hotel in the area. When I've traveled in other countries, I've done the home-stay thing, which gives you a much better sense of the local culture and day to day life. If you're looking for inexpensive lodgings in the States, most KOA campgrounds have camping cabins that are quite serviceable and cost about $15-20 per night. For these, you have to provide your own linens and plan on trips to the bath house, but going this route frees up more funds for sightseeing and other expenses.

3. Follow the local culture in terms of meals. In Poland, we found that there is a tradition of a light breakfast around 8:00, then "second breakfast" around 10:30 (this term makes me thing of The Hobbit... anyone else remembering that?), and a heavy lunch around 2:00-3:00 in the afternoon. Dinner is either skipped or is a light sandwich around 10:00 pm. Following the local culture in terms of meals and food means that you get a more authentic experience and aren't disappointed when restaurants close earlier than anticipated. With this particular trip, the local university in Poland treated us like royalty, so there were very few meal that we had to pay for overall.

4. Pack light. When I travel in a plane, I have learned not to check baggage unless absolutely necessary. This means that I don't run the risk of the bag not arriving with me at my destination, I don't have to wait at baggage claim, and I can make easy use of public transit to get me from the airport to my lodgings. It also means that I don't have to pay a fee for checking baggage, which is becoming more and more frequent and popular with airlines.

5. Choose small, but meaningful, souvenirs. I often make my souvenirs a local street artist painting of a typical scene in the area, a Christmas ornament, tea towel, or something edible (condiment, tea bags, etc. make sure it's in a sealed package, so you don't have a hard time with airport security). Depending on my packing space, I choose one of these, or some combination. (My grandmother always likes to bring home jewelry for the same reason.) This time, I was able to find a painting, Christmas ornament, and something edible that would all easily fit into my carry-on luggage. I like the paintings because they're small and flat, which means they easily pack away, and the Christmas ornament can be padded with clothing. Generally, I come back with some condiment that seems indicative of the area, so this time it was some rose hip jam, with which I'll make thumb print cookies at Christmas. If you get too carried away with souvenirs, especially large ones, it can mean paying for shipping or an extra checked bag on the return flight.

6. As I've mentioned before, make use of public transportation. We found the tram/trolley system in Poland to be very easy to navigate, once we learned the main routes. The particular city we visited was also very pedestrian friendly, so it was easy to walk to the market area or bakery without losing our way.

7. Take advantage of museum deals or entertainment. A few people from our group attended a ballet at the local opera house while we were there, and found the tickets to be quite reasonable with the conversion rate (about $12). I opted for a night walking tour of the historic square that evening, with window shopping and people watching included for free. I find seeing a new place at night an interesting way to learn more about the local culture and more about the pop culture, since this is usually when the younger generations have time to bar hop, play street music, etc. There is often one day of the week when museums provide discounts, so this is another way to take in the culture. When I was in Germany, this day was Sunday, so it was easy to go to a few museums in the course of the day and end up paying less than the cost of going to one on a regular week day.

So, what about you? How do you travel on the cheap, while still enjoying the scenery? Do you have any tips for sight seeing or eating on the cheap while you travel? I'd love to hear from you!

Deer Me!

Stick with me... I'll get to the title in a bit...

Over the weekend, we went to visit my college roommate, her husband, and their almost two year old son. It was a fabulous way to end the summer and incredibly relaxing. They're so easy to be with and love much of the same stuff that we do, so it's super fun to spend time with them.

We chose this past weekend (and not another summer weekend) to go because it was the annual crafts fair (54th annual) in Burnsville, NC and it's an event that we discovered through Donna and Jeremy. We had a blast checking out all the handmade stuff from all over the region, including a wealth of pottery, fused or stained glass art, fiber crafts, and others. While we were there, we picked up a pottery mug and some culinary lavender, since we'd run out of what we had from Annie at Sunshine Lavender. We also ended up leaving with about eight Rose of Sharon bushes that they were wanting to get rid of, so I'll plant those along the fence line here. They'll be beautiful next summer.

While we were away (here's today's focus topic), the deer totally chowed down on my veggie garden. The tomatoes that were almost ripe are completely gone. The peppers (even the hot ones!) were chewed to bits. They even ate the fuzzy zucchini and cucumber leaves... who knew they'd eat those?! And they went after those when there were tons of apples from our tree in the woods...

So, we're contemplating how to keep the deer out next season. We've tried flowers (marigolds and herbs) with some success (the peppers in the flower garden haven't been touched... so glad I tried two locations). A local friend said that you can try human hair or urine around the perimeter. (I'm thinking that I know several three year olds who would love the opportunity to pee in the yard!) And then there are the obvious... fences. The varieties are endless... picket (pricy), barbed wire (dangerous), woven wire (think chain link or wire mesh), and the list goes on. We'll probably end up going the woven wire route, since we have some left in the basement from a previous project. It's also one of the cheaper options, and the fence itself would serve as a great trellis for beans, squash, climbing flowers, etc. The trick is going to be to make it look attractive and tall enough to keep the deer out. Ultimately, we want a solution that will be earth friendly, and even healthy for the deer, while keeping our veggies safe and sound. Yet another project to add to the DIY list... :)

If anyone has any tricks for fencing or keeping deer out of the veggies, I'd love to hear them! Here's to living and saving green in garden pest control!

It is Happy Hour somewhere...

Allyson most recent post and mine might share some content in common because we wrote them independently of each other, but they are both good reads.

Somehow Allyson has this ability to get me to do stuff that I normally would not want to do. Example...writing guest blog post is one of them. She sees stuff like writing, gardening, crafty stuff, and pretty much anything else like that as fun. I however see those activities for what they truly are...that's right people...you guessed it...WORK!! I however love my wife way too much, so therefore I guess I can begin the long and "tiny little path on the side of a cliff that even a mountain goat couldn't travel along" journey to finding the zen nirvana state of enlightenment that is writing blog post.

As you know from the most recent post we are in lovely San Diego on a vacation/work trip for Allyson. We have had a great time and been able to see and do a lot of fun things. My post today will be about something I don't often do, but feel I have totally been passed on by the "saving green" bandwagon. HAPPY HOUR...that's right...as much of a save green person that I am I don't have much experience with going to happy hour specials at restaurants. Best I can figure it is because I often like to cook at home or just haven't been in a more urban place where these types of specials are more prevalent.

Enough of the talk...you are here to read about the savings.

We spent yesterday morning and early afternoon touring the USS Midway. Decommissioned after Operation Desert Storm and later made into a floating museum, we had a great time learning all about the workings of aircraft carriers and their role in the naval fleet. We left and took the bus to Ocean Beach to get tacos and such at South Beach Bar & Grill. It has become a good local place to go for non-traditional fish tacos. They have some of the best flavor and really fresh ingredients. Mahi, Wahoo, Baja, Shrimp they had a good selection. The prices were good even if we hadn't gone at happy hour, but they are even better during that time. Tacos - 2.50, beer - 3.00 (pints), and appetizers - 1/2 off. We ended up doing carne asada fries (fries, cheese, sour cream and guacamole, and carne asada) and a taco sampler (5 different tacos) plate and two drinks. With tip came to 15 and some change.

The evening was finished off with a trip to Trader Joe's to pickup some things for the return trip, a bottle of wine to pair with our 3 dollar dessert (another 5 dollar coupon for cleaning our room ourselves) we would get at the hotel.

What I learned in all of our eating this week are that there are deals to be had, but you just have to search them out. Happy hours specials are not something I immediately think of doing, but they have been great finds for us this week. I guess I will be a little bit more mindful of these in the future.

There is truth in the statement that it is 5:00 somewhere, but along the same lines of it is 5:00 somewhere that also means that it is happy hour somewhere too.

Happy Eating and good luck making this a weekend for living and saving green.

Awesome Foodie Deals for the Hungry, Budget-Conscious Traveler

This week of travel and sight seeing has been all about finding the local food deals for us, and picking up tips to pass along to you for your future travel adventures.

After my presentation on Tuesday, I came back to the room to change into walking shoes and jeans. We met Linda, my colleague, in the lobby and walked to Little Italy and part of the Gaslamp District here in San Diego. Linda had picked up a tip from the concierge about Two Dollar Taco Tuesdays here in the city (every Tuesday, there are two dollar tacos--yummm!), so we found one of the places that came highly recommended. In addition to the two dollar tacos, they also had two dollar margaritas and Mexican beer, so we each ordered two tacos (you could choose from fish, chicken, or carne asada--steak) and water. Benny ordered a margarita, just to try it out, and later we ordered a fried ice cream for dessert. (Which was huge! Definitely worthy of splitting.) Sorry there aren't pictures of the tacos, we were hungry and I forgot to snag a pic before we all dug into our fantastic grub. Sitting on the street-side patio gave us priority seating and an excellent place for people watching. After our four miles of walking, we opted to take a cab back (which we split) to the hotel, since we hadn't quite figured out the public transit yet.

For breakfasts, we've been doing a protein-packed, high-carb (whole grain variety) meal from room service, which has been exceptionally good and FREE with our AAA $50/day room credit. This has allowed us to cut our eating budget tremendously, and gives us enough energy to get through the day and hit happy hour times after the normal workday for folks, giving us great prices on food and drinks. (I'm not much of one for the bar atmosphere, but I love bar food (fries, potato skins, tacos, etc.), and it's kind of in keeping with the spirit of the city here, so it allows us the chance to see more of the local atmosphere. So, we've been finding some awesome deals on local foods, with a little research.

On Wednesday, after the zoo, we hit up Basic Pizza, which offered an awesome, urban loft dining experience. We started with an organic greens salad, which came highly recommended by the bar tender. Topped with candied walnuts and slices of pear, it was fantastic and plenty for the two of us to share. Since it was happy hour at 4:30 when we stopped by, we had the luxury of discounted wine and beer (Benny enjoyed some of the local brews, while I had a wonderful prosecco), as well as samples of their wood fired pizza (AMAZING!). The wait staff was very well trained and attentive, without hovering.

Yesterday, we took the city bus ($5 for a day pass, vs. bookoos of bucks for cabs) out to the Midway Aircraft Carrier (we took advantage of the student/educator discount, which was better than the AAA discount) for some sight seeing. After touring the carrier and seeing awesome views of the bay, we took the bus out to Ocean Beach, where we had some awesome views of the Pacific, as well as seeing some of the residential areas we might not have otherwise seen if we'd stuck closer to the hotel and conference center. While in Ocean Beach, we ate at the South Beach Bar and Grill, which Benny researched (so we knew to have our IDs out and ready, since they card everyone; a great practice OMHO). They had awesome local takes on bar food, such as mini seafood tacos and carne asada fries. Since it was happy hour (yep, we timed that on purpose), we were able to get these for half price, since they were appetizers, and drinks were reduced. I had an awesome raspberry iced tea, while Benny enjoyed a favorite beer. (Pics of this food to come on Benny's guest post.) When we left the restaurant, we found a strip of antique stores, which we enjoyed puttering around in for a while. (As an aside, we found some super cool abacus lamps, but I couldn't figure out how to get them in our carry-on luggage to get them home--or where I would put them at home.)

Each day, we've found that we had enough left over from our $50/day tab at the hotel to allow for a dessert in the evenings, which has been a nice treat. (I feel like we can do the extra calories, since we're walking an average of 4-5 miles each day.) The creme bruele has been wonderful, especially with the fresh raspberries. So, if you're at the Sheraton Bay and Marina location in San Diego, check it out.

All in all, we've been able to keep our food budget to about $20/day (not including our AAA deal at the hotel for breakfast). Not too shabby for two people who love to experience travel through food!

So, a few tips for traveling on the cheap, but still getting the taste of local cuisine:

1. Do your research, and don't be afraid to ask. (If we hadn't, we wouldn't have known about the two dollar tacos on Tuesdays.)

2. Take advantage of happy hour deals, even if you don't drink. Bartenders are happy to serve you something nonalcoholic, and they will often do "virgin" versions of popular drinks, if you ask. Since they stock a wide variety of juices and sodas, there's no reason not to ask. The food at these places can be amazing, if you do your research.

3. Use public transit to beef up your food budget. The public transit is cheaper and gives you more of a feel for how the local folks live, which is nice (I think).

4. Check our newspapers and brochures for coupons or advertised deals. Often, if you mention an ad, you'll get some sort of discount or free appetizer.

5. Ask about membership or student discounts. If you're in a college town, they will likely have student discounts, even if they're only 10%. (This allows you enough to offer a nice tip.)

6. Pack snacks or find a grocery store to purchase some at a reasonable cost. We keep these in our book bag so that we don't have to pay tourist prices for so-so food at sight seeing destinations and the airport. We also take a stainless steel canteen to fill with water before we leave the hotel; this way, we always stay hydrated and don't pay $3 for a drink somewhere.

What about you? How do you save money on food when you travel? Any tips for others traveling to San Diego?

Traveling on a Budget

So, this week I'll be posting from San Diego! I'm attending and presenting at a conference (Society for Information Technology and Teacher Education), and Benny is along for the ride and food. :) In typical McFalls family fashion, each day will be planned according to meals, not times, and we'll take in the sights as close to the local way as possible. But first, how we got here and are making it happen on a budget...

Continuing your education is a fantastic way to see more of the world, if you take advantage of opportunities as they come along. I've been able to see two countries and several parts of the US this way, mostly on someone else's dime. I am a huge advocate of applying for grants, especially for professional development. Since the state and local travel budgets are pretty non-existent this year, I've been fortunate to be awarded some grants that paid my way for this trip. Through ASU, I've been a part of a National Science Foundation grant that has allowed me to work with technology and middle schoolers, two things I love to do. This grant, along with the Leadership and Educational Services Department, paid for $1000 of my trip, since I'm presenting for both the NSF grand and the LES Department here at the conference. This money paid for most of my plane ticket and hotel room. I also applied for a Graduate Studies Grant, which was funded to the tune of $275, which will help to pay for the rest of my room. The county was willing to fund my registration to the conference, and PTO paid for my sub for the week. So, the only out of pocket expenses we have are Benny's plane ticket and food for the week. If you're considering professional travel, it often doesn't cost much more to take your family, if you plan well.

After doing a bit of research, we found a AAA deal on the conference hotel that would save us on food. Through this deal, we paid a bit more for the room (about $10 a night--but remember, this is being reimbursed), but it gave us a $50/day hotel credit that we can use toward any amenities at the hotel, including restaurants and room service. So, we've planned to get breakfast each day (a big breakfast), which will give us the energy to get through the day so that we have to spend less for lunch and dinner. The AAA deal also scored us an upgraded room with a king sized bed and a view of the bay. (Check out the photos below! Beautiful!) So, when you're planning your trip, ask about discounts and member deals, you may find that being an educator or auto club member will get you much more than just a few bucks off or roadside assistance.

When we arrived after a long day of traveling (no, air travel is not very green, but there are things you can do to offset this during your trip), we took the hotel shuttle from the airport to the hotel (free, although we did offer a tip for luggage assistance), and checked into the hotel. We found our room nicely furnished and several amenities, such as coffee, tea, and toiletries. We also read all of the hotel literature, as this contained the restaurant menus and information about housekeeping. (We also realized that this was the first time we'd ever stayed in a hotel together (and we've been married for almost four years)! Our vacations in the past have always been house swaps or camping trips, in keeping with our budget.) In an effort to save water and electricity, many hotels are providing guests the option of denying housekeeping for part or all of their stay. We read this information carefully and found that our hotel rewards this with a $5 coupon good at hotel restaurants for each day you do this. Woohoo.. more free food! So, if we stockpile these for a few days, we'll have the funds to have dessert and coffee/drinks one evening after a day of sightseeing. Lesson number three, read the hotel literature, as there are often deals to be found.

We started planning out our sight seeing adventures last night and this morning. We picked up some local travel literature in the lobby, which contained local maps, as well as coupons. So, we found a few restaurants that offer discounts when you mention an add or had a coupon. We also found the concierge desk folks to be extremely helpful, especially in figuring out the local transportation. One way to offset the carbon-based fuels we burned in our flight is to make use of local transportation and walking. By using public transit, we're using less fuel per person than taking a cab (although there may be times when this is necessary). So, while I was in my sessions this morning, Benny mapped out our route for the evening for walking and finding dinner and entertainment.

Traveling can be expensive, but if you plan well, you'll be able to stick to your budget and enjoy your vacation even more by experiencing the city as locals do! So, remember to:

1) Apply for grants if your travel is professional. Why pay yourself if someone else will pick up the tab?! :)
2) Take advantage of member discounts or deals that apply. You may get an upgrade, hotel credit, or other bonus option!
3) Look for green opportunities within your hotel (declining housekeeping, opting for compostable to-go containers, etc.), which may also benefit your budget.
4) Take advantage of tourist publications, such as sightseeing brochures, etc. which may contain coupons or discount offers.
5) Do a little research and don't be afraid to ask the folks at the front desk for assistance. They are in the business of hospitality and are there to help you!
6) Check out the public transit system; it's often more affordable than a cab and offers you a view of the city that many tourists don't get.
7) Always order water (when it's from the tap), unless you get a deal on a drink. It's usually free, and keeps you more hydrated than other options.
8) Plan for a big breakfast that's packed with protein and carbs (of the good, whole-grain variety) to keep you going throughout the day.

I'll post more tips and travel tricks tomorrow to make your vacationing budget-friendly and fun! How do you keep your travel under budget and fun-filled? I'd love to hear from you!

Sharin' the green love and savings!