Last Minute Club and Saving Money While Seeing the World

So maybe you are looking to travel this year, really keen to get away from all of this dreadful snow we are having. But the budget is tight and the economy still doesn't feel that great. Well, I have a couple of thoughts on that. There are a few ways to save money while seeing the world and one of those is http://www.lastminuteclub.com/ Last year for the first year ever I signed up for Last Minute Club. The club is a travel clearinghouse of sorts. You may have seen those old newspaper ads for Last Minute Club in the Toronto newspapers. The club has been around since 1977 ad is a well known company, especially in Canada. Well, these days the deals are faster than ever and sometimes deeper than ever when you book them on line right from the source. So what is required? Visit the site and sign up. For a fee of $29.99 you get an annual classic membership and can book your trip after selecting one of the various deals available on line. You just need that membership number. There are other premium memberships too. But really I think the basic level classic membership is all that is needed and $30 plus tax is not much if you offset that by the crazy savings you can get. Think about it. If you are two people travelling and you save $500 (modest in terms of the deals here) then the $30 fee is a really great deal. Right now if you book a package vacation by Jan. 25th and sign up for the club you get a free DVD player. (Worth about $129 US) That caught my eye. It's a nice little freebie incentive. Now truth be told, I have used the club as a comparison shopping tool. The Last Minute club posts amazing deals and there are telephone representatives available to help. But when it came right down to booking the travel deal I went in to my agent that I occasionally use at Sears Travel and I told her the property I wanted and the time frame so she could get me the same deal posted on line. I also got $60 in Sears points by booking our travel arrangements that way. There are now some incentives to booking on line and placing your package costs on the MBNA master card. I would have no qualms about booking through Last Minute Club after using them once. But I like lots of options and I love to save. Just remember if you are going to place the total on any credit card for points or rebates, make sure you can pay it off almost immediately, otherwise the interest rates will make that vacation skyrocket.

Top 5 Reasons to Rent a Timeshare: Guest Post

Top 5 Reasons to Rent a Timeshare for your Vacation
by Joann Whetstine of Redweek


The best-kept secret to affording a vacation at a luxury resort is - rent a timeshare. Timeshare rentals are perfect for families, retirees, girlfriend getaways, mancations, and even honeymoons. Here are the top 5 reasons to rent a timeshare for your vacation:

1. Budget-friendly. The amazing thing about renting a timeshare is that on a per person basis it can actually cost up to 50% less than a hotel room. When you rent a timeshare directly from the owner you can get a great deal on your vacation accommodations, allowing you to plan for a wonderful vacation within your budget.

2. Space. Who likes being cooped up in a cramped hotel room? This is especially difficult if you have children. Even a suite at a hotel doesn't give the room that an entire timeshare unit does.
When you rent a timeshare you typically get separate bedrooms, a living room, a dining area, a patio or balcony, at least a couple of bathrooms, and a fully-equipped kitchen. It's like a home-away-from-home. The extra space allows everyone to spread out and relax.

3. Amenities. Timeshares are typically attached to resorts, and the cost of the timeshare rental includes the use of the resort's amenities. You'll be saving money and having fun at the same time. Instead of the one small pool and hot tub generally provided by a hotel, at the resort you'll have the choice of many different swimming pools, often with waterpark features. You'll also find kiddie pools and children's playgrounds. There might be tennis, golf, volleyball, bocci ball, and arcade game rooms.

4. Kitchen convenience. The fully-equipped kitchen can turn out to be one of your favorite features of a timeshare rental. First of all it allows you to save money on meals. You can prepare most meals in your timeshare thus preventing the high cost of eating out at restaurants three times a day. This is also a nice touch for families with food allergies. Eating in your own kitchen away from home means you don't have the worry of communicating food allergies to people in a strange city or country. You'll also enjoy the convenience. It's nice to be able to provide breakfast without having to get every one up, showered, dressed and out the door just for a bite to eat. And it's easy to prepare nutritious and filling snacks through out the day for those constantly hungry youngsters.

5. Availability. Timeshare rentals are available all over the U.S., the Caribbean, Mexico, Canada, Europe, and around the world. When you are planning your vacation, no matter where you intend to travel, you have a good chance of finding a reasonable timeshare rental.

Redweek.com is an online marketplace where owners list their  timeshares for rent. Anyone looking for great accommodations can get a budget-friendly deal. Take a look through the listings and see the incredible bargains that are available:   http://www.redweek.com/timeshare-rentals
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Mickey Moms Club: Giveaway

Planning a trip to Disney? Never before have their been so many great tools to help you map out all of the details. When is the best time to go? Where should I stay? How long is the lineup for Soarin' at Epcot? Are there any special character meals I should plan for, and how far in advance do I need to book them? My child has a peanut allergy, where can we eat safely? How far am I from the nearest hospital should anything go wrong? Disney is one of my favourite destinations and companies. They do a lot of things really well. Their service is the best, top notch, the standard by which all other companies should measure themselves. One other thing they do amazingly well is social media. Disney has an on line team of Moms, a panel, always at the ready to respond to your questions. Their job as bloggers and team Mickey is to answer your questions. Visit Disney.ca  and click on Moms Panel. Many of these Moms are Disney experts, who travel there routinely and know all the ins and outs. Once a year Disney puts the call out for a Moms panel and they typically receive thousands of responses. This year Kelli from The Yummy Mummy Club reminded me it was time for Disney to put out the call for applications and so I applied. Last month I found out I hadn't made the cut. But that won't stop me from applying again in the future. I adore Disney for all that they do well. The new Disney Moms Panel is to be unveiled soon and in the mean time anyone who applied is a member of the MickeyMomsClub with special access to more tips, maps and other kid's activities on line. Next year, if you are a tried and true Mouseketeer apply to join the panel and add your expertise to the formidable group. (Tip: I think they run this contest every fall and they quiz you on Disney trivia, so be prepared. Also you need to have been to Disney within the past 12 months. The Disney company is very good to their panel and flies them at least once a year to the resort for a Moms media event.) In the mean time I am now a MickeyMomsClub member. I have a giveaway to share that I picked up at Type A Mom conference. (See the pink bag full of Mickey Mouse Mom's goodies above.) Included is a photo album brag book, some travel candles, and handy purse-sized hand gels and other goodies. It's a nice little travel bag kit.)

Open to Canada and U.S. I will draw for the winner Nov. 20th with random.org. Good luck!

To enter:
1. Follow me on twitter. @inkscrblr
2. Follow thriftymommagogo (see GFC on side here.)
3. Leave me your email so I can contact you when you win.

Good Luck!

Asheville, North Carolina: Colourful and One of a Kind



The home of famous American author Thomas Wolfe

Asheville is a friendly, warm southern state filled with colourful stories, great restaurants and even more colourful characters. On arriving in Asheville, North Carolina, I encountered a group of musicians picking up their instruments from the baggage carousel. That's not something you see every day in London, Ontario where we try hard to hide our artsy secret lives beneath business suits or day jobs. Cab driver Tom Grandy confirms Asheville is a liberal, artistic, outdoorsy, community surrounded by states that are much less liberal in their politics. In fact located between mountain ranges the area is known as an energy mecca for artists of all sorts. It draws legions of practicing pagans and wiccans every year as well. Asheville is the largest city in Western, North Carolina, with great picturesque mountain ranges and hiking trails. In the winter there is skiing and in summer the rivers and golf courses draw some to the area. There is no end to the number of fun outdoorsy activities to enjoy with family. Zip Lining, mountain biking, sightseeing and hiking are healthy ways to spend the afternoon. From the street performers to the cab drivers, everyone has a story to tell. Some famed Hollywood stars are rumoured to have homes here, like Sandra Bullock and Andie McDowell. Cabby Tom Grandy is often called on when celebs like Gladys Knight and her family fly into the small town. About  70,000 people call this city home. It is tricky to get to for those of you, who, like me, are from Canada. There are no flights without stopovers and the drive from most places in southern Ontario is well over 12 hours straight through. But it is nonetheless a popular spot for other Americans and Canadians who don't mind the drive. I flew to Asheville for the Type A Mom conference recently and wished I'd brought family with me when I heard of the enjoyable hiking trails. If I were to travel here agin I would be tempted to drive with the whole family as flying was an ordeal with numerous stopovers and delays. A slower scenic drive might be more fun, when done with a group and with a couple of strategic tourist stops on the way. A fall trip to the mountains is majestic especially if timed to witness the changing foliage. Surrounded by the Blue Ridge Mountains, the climate in Asheville is temperate. Snow falls in the winter, but there are few snowstorms. Downtown Asheville is a thriving and beautiful spot to visit, whether on foot, by car, or inside one of the fun tourist buses. Street performers and artists lend the dynamic core a vibrant tone and life. Downtown there is an amazing drum circle every Friday evening that is brilliant. The small shops and mom and pop operations have lasted for years. Remarkably they have resisted change and the overall effect is a powerful lesson in civic planning. Asheville's downtown doesn't contain the big name stores that some places rely so heavily on, but it is vibrant and magnificent, one of a kind. Asheville architecture is unique, with many buildings remarkably preserved from the 1800s. Restaurants are plentiful and also varied in their themes. One evening we had the chance to dine at Chai Pani on Indian food. The atmosphere was fantastic, prices and service good and the food itself even better.  Before you leave take a trip to the top of Skybar, also on Battery Park Avenue. Inside, there is a quaint old fashioned elevator, equipped with an operator, and a ride to the top will net you the best view in town.

A street performer on Thursday night

Asheville is a place know for its art galleries, and is one of the only airports I've ever been in that boasts its own gallery. Culturally, it is a distinct community that offers a lot and takes some of its homespun flavour from the Appalachians. The Biltmore Estate is located here in Asheville, and if time permits, it is a piece of history that should be taken in. Known as the biggest home ever built in the United States and once lived in by the VanderBilt family, it has over 200 rooms and the house itself is a grand, opulent, chateau  - an American castle. It has been temporary setting to many movies over the past sixty or so years and was opened to the public as a tourist attraction back in the 1930s. I didn't know what to expect of this city before I visited. It was a charming place to visit and I would recommend it for a fun family adventure, especially if your family enjoys getting outdoors.  A jewel of the Carolinas, Asheville is well worth the visit.

Some of the architecture is well preserved and dates to the 1800s