Search Results for: blog more road trip reminders

How a Road Trip Can Save You Money… and Your Relationship

Newsflash: A road trip with your spouse can help you save money on couples’ counseling… and potentially an expensive divorce. Despite what you saw when Oprah and Gayle did it, a new study finds that extended periods of time in a car with a friend or significant other can be good for your relationship. YourTango and Ford Motor Company just released the results of a poll that queried more than 1,000 people who had driven long distances with a spouse or significant other. According to the poll, 84 percent said that the road trip experience strengthened their relationship. The bulk … Continue reading →

Vacation Reminders

Summer is winding down and for many families that means taking one last getaway before the chaos of a new school year starts. Whether you are planning a road trip to the beach or you’re jetting off to a major theme park, you’ll want to cover all your bases. In addition to packing as efficiently as possible and getting the kids geared up for the haul, you’ll also want to take steps to protect your home while you are away. For starters, don’t use social media to inform the world that you will be flying to Orlando and your home … Continue reading →

Inexpensive Road Trip Boredom Busters

According to AAA, a record number of Americans will be hitting the road during the upcoming Fourth of July weekend. Whether you are planning a two-hour car ride to grandma’s summer cottage or you are embarking on a 10-hour haul to a family reunion in Omaha, you’ll want to make sure that your youngest passengers are entertained during the trip. The following sanity savers will help you survive the ride without a single headache: Disposable or Digital Cameras: Purchase a disposable camera for each child (depending on age), so that he or she can take pictures on the road. Snapping … Continue reading →

Road Trip Sanity Savers

Happy kids equal happy parents. That goes double when you are traveling in the same vehicle together for long periods of time during a family road trip. When the kids are miserable, summer car trips can be unbearable for parents. If you are trying to figure out ways to preserve your sanity on an upcoming road trip, then arm yourself with the following kid-friendly boredom busters: BAKING SHEET BINGO Pack a baking sheet in your vehicle and you will quickly see how versatile it can be on a long car trip. The baking sheet is multi-faceted. It can be used … Continue reading →

Road Trip Reminders

For some families taking a summer road trip is a seasonal rite of passage. It was when I was growing up. Interestingly, a new study by AAA reveals that due to budget constraints more people are planning to drive to their summer vacation destination this year rather than fly. However, there are risks involved when driving long distances. If you are planning to hit the highway on a summer adventure in the upcoming weeks, then consider these simple tips to help keep your family safe: PARKING Whether you drive a 2010 Lexus SUV or a 1999 Toyota minivan, you want … Continue reading →

Travel Tidbits: Ice Cream Special, Free Vacation, and More

ICE CREAM SPECIAL Not that you needed one… but here’s another reason to visit the Windy City: getting a personalized pint of ice cream delivered to your hotel room. As part of a special summer promotion The Fairmont Chicago is offering you the chance to design your own ice cream flavor and have it delivered via room service so you can eat it in bed. You simply consult with the hotel’s executive chef in advance of your stay to design virtually any flavor imaginable. Dark chocolate mixed with pumpkin, basil, or rose petals? No problem. What about vanilla bean ice … Continue reading →

More Road Trip Reminders

For all of you brave road warriors about to set off on a cross-country summer adventure—-all the best. Just kidding. If you are choosing to laugh in the face of record high gas prices in order to hit family-friendly hotspots from Seattle to Sarasota you aren’t alone. According to AAA, more than 65 million people will be traveling more than 50 miles from home this summer for what they hope will be an unforgettable family trip. To make sure your travel plans go as smoothly as possible consider employing these simple tips: KEEP YOUR CAR CLEAN Sounds easy enough, but … Continue reading →

Road Trip Reminders

It’s that time of year again… Time to see just how much you can squeeze into the family minivan before it begins to sag in the middle. Time to see how far you can get before a child calls out: “Are we there yet?” And time to see how just how many miles exist between McDonald’s locations when you are cruising through Pittsburgh. Ah, yes, the family summer road trip of 2007… surely it will be one to remember (or at least one that will include events that will be hard to forget). Before you head out on the highways … Continue reading →

Smart Phone Apps for Savings

It’s probably not hard to tell how much I love my iPhone. I blog about my iPhone a lot. There is so much this smart phone can do and I do a lot with it. I think there’s an app for just about everything. So what are some of the best apps for saving? Shopkick This is more of a rewards program than a savings program. It’s free for the iPhone and looks like fun. When you go into a participating store, check in to Shopkick to earn Kickbucks for later use. Holiday Gift Guide This free iPhone app will … Continue reading →

Summer Travel: Kids’ Choice

My neighbor’s 12-year-old son, Chase left for his first sleep away camp yesterday. However, instead of it being a somber moment, my neighbor came up with the brilliant idea of turning the event into a mini vacation for the rest of the family. Chase’s camp is located in the northern part of Wisconsin, a good four hours away from our hometown. Instead of driving four hours there and four hours back in a single day, the family will be spending two nights in a rented lakeside cottage in a town not far from Chase’s camp after they drop him off. … Continue reading →