Frugal Travel Rewards

Per Lana, this is a great site to earn much coveted and highly valued "travel miles" simply by "viewing and responding to marketing messages" like answering surveys and such. So check it out, answer a few questions, rate services, and maybe even test-view a new TV show, all for free, and rack up miles/points for travel on your designated carrier while you're having a little frugal fun. To learn more visit: http://www.e-miles.com/home.do

Frugal Reading!

For all you frugal readers, check out this well-read site where you can sell your previously loved paper back books in exchange for new-to-you books. Tried and tested by several Frugal Club members, this site promises pages and pages of frugal fun. Read all about it at: http://www.paperbackswap.com/index.php

Clothing Exchange!!

At the Feb. 10 meeting, plans were discussed for a clothing exchange. Tentatively scheduled for March 10, the exchange will be of clothes in good condition, previously adored and ready to be loved by new admirers. All sizes okay-accessories too! Leftovers will be donated to Interfaith and Rape Crisis centers of Ocala/Marion County. Remember, FREE is the best way to be frugal so contact Cara for more information.

What's the Deal??

What's the deal? Dillyeo!!! A frugal and fun site-every day a new deal. Some days, the deal is a gift certificate to use on the site and the deal is that the gift certificate is priced at waaaaay below face value. Essentially, it's like free money!! The deals range from weird kitchen gadgets to navigation electronics. The also provide comparative shopping info that you can double-check just to see how frugal their deal really is. You never know, so check it daily, sign up for the notifications, and catch a great bargain. What's the deal? Find it here.... http://www.dillyeo.com

Clark Howard-CNN-Frugal Sites

Here's the link Lana shared at the Frugal Club meeting on Feb. 10. To view the list of websites she shared, scroll down the page and look on the right. You'll see the full listing there. http://www.cnn.com/CNN/Programs/clark.howard/

Coupons & Catfood

At the February 3rd meeting, Cara shared the following coupon and money saving websites:

• http://www.centsoff.com/ : You can purchase any 50 coupons for $8.50. Cara tried this and purchased 50 coupons with a face value of $52.50!!!
• http://www.coupons.com/ : Print manufacturer’s coupons for free from this site.
• http://www.giveabowl.com/ : This site offers $4 off Purina cat chow or dog chow for filling out a survey.

Note: Please remember to check with your grocery store manager or customer service rep to ensure that web-printed coupons are accepted at your store of choice. Savvy shoppers have had much luck at Winn Dixie, Publix (who will also take competitor's coupons) and other stores. Happy Shopping!

Thriving on Less

Here’s a link to the "Thriving on Less" article Cara shared at the Feb.3rd meeting:

www.cf.edu/~bennettc/thrivingonless.pdf.

Frugal Living

At a recent meeting, Cara shared an e-zine article on Frugal Living. The article is available as a PDF from Cara or you can visit the following link and access this article and many more on finance and frugality by E-Zine expert author Martin Lukac: http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=martin_lukac

Saving Dough

At the February 3rd Frugal Club meeting, the "how to" of freezing bread was mentioned. To add to our discussion, check out this interesting frugal-focused site that further explores saving dough, both in your wallet and your freezer! http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf662290.tip.html

Frugal Travel Abroad

Gate1 Travel: At last week's meeting I mentioned this travel company that I've used on non-guided trips to several countries in Eastern Europe. With this agency, I've visited Paris, Rome, Geneva, Vienna, Prague, and Budapest during the last 5 years. Because I travel on a strict budget (which allows for a larger shopping budget!!) this site has worked well for me because it offers competitive rates on inclusive packages. Generally, I travel abroad for a week on a budget (airfare and lodging only) of approximately $1,000 and I travel during Thanksgiving week which puts you in most places in early winter which results in less crowds and lower prices-and no turkey cooking!! This may not be ideal for every traveler.

Regarding accommodations, it should be noted that hotels in Europe, if you aren’t familiar, are not always of comparable standards to U.S. hotels, especially the more affordable establishments. I’ve stayed in several budget hotels abroad that had wonderful staff and nice accommodations and I’ve stayed in luxury hotels in the states that I would never return to...it's all relative to what you want your lodging to be like. I strongly suggest investigating online any hotel abroad (or in the states for that matter) that you may wish to be a guest at. Traveler review websites are a huge help and often provide info that is not advertised on the hotel website. Also, I'm a huge proponent of public transportation, so I've not rented a car with Gate 1 on any of the travels listed above. Instead, in most cities, I purchased a metro (subway) card and traveled with the locals, which is the best way to travel. I've also had very good luck purchasing museum passes (which allow for entrance at mutliple museums for one price-a bargain in Paris). Remember, be a world traveler, not a tourist and you'll have a much better experience abroad. If anyone is considering an adventure to Europe, I’d be glad to share the tips and tricks I've learned from other savvy travelers. For examples of frugal travel deals visit http://www.gate1travel.com/