3 Sep 2015

Labor day road trip? Save money - and enjoy!

Submitted by Wanderlust Andi

Taking a road trip this Labor Day weekend? You can save money with a few steps. For example:

Get your car checked before your trip. You can save an expensive, emergency car care expense on the road. Plus, fully inflated tires save gas.
Find apps that tell you where the cheap gas is. If you are crossing state lines, this is particularly important, as many states have added major taxes on gas. New Jersey, for example, has a $.31 tax on gas, whereas Pennsylvania has a $.70 gas tax.
Use the Google map app with 'avoid toll booths' feature turned on. However, make sure that the toll money you save does not get spent in gas for a longer trip to get around the toll booths.
Find cheaper hotels. I have found the Priceline Express deals can save significant money - if you can live with the fact that you are locked into a hotel.
Pack your own food - or buy food from the local farmer's market and heat it up in the hotel's microwave instead of using expensive restaurants.

Most of all - enjoy your trip! Often times, the free activities, like singing silly songs with your kids in the car, are the activities that make memories.

Reduce travel stress

Submitted by Wanderlust Andi

Traveling is stressful, and the stress doesn’t necessarily stop when you reach your destination. So make life easier by having the addresses you need on hand. Also, set the GPS in your phone for audible directions to get you where you’re going. Rent a car, unless you are somewhere taxis or public transit are easier to use, and when you rent, use a loyalty program to save time and paperwork. Check the weather too, to avoid surprises. Finally, allow yourself plenty of extra time.

19 Jan 2015

Are you warming your car before driving? You could be fined.

Submitted by Wanderlust Andi

Many of us have been told to warm our cars before driving in the winter. Although that was a good procedure in cars before 1990, this is not a good procedure today.

18 Jan 2015

Almost all travelers now use the internet for travel bookings

Submitted by Wanderlust Andi

Only 10% of the people booking their travels do not use the internet. All others do use various travel sites to book their travels. That is a huge increase since 2006.

18 Jan 2015

You might want to avoid these cities if you are planning a road trip

Submitted by Wanderlust Andi

You might want to avoid a car trip to Washington, DC; New York; and Boston, since these are deemed to be the worse cities in America to drive in.

17 Jan 2015

Would you book a hotel room with your car’s GPS?

Submitted by Wanderlust Andi

Book a room nearby with your car's GPS

General Motors has a new service that will let you book hotel rooms right through your car. The paid service is called "AtYourService", and will allow you to find and book a room near you through OnStar at the hotel of your choice, right through Priceline.com.