Check out these AWESOME travel tips from your fellow Tumblrs

So, earlier today, I asked you all for some of your best travel tips.  The response was great, and here are several of the best answers.  Be sure to follow these fine folks if you like their suggestion!

  1. outlawedthinking answered: Never sleep in a Hotel/Motel. Get a Van.
  2. w0lv3r1n3 answered: remind myself i need money for food
  3. ethicka answered: AAA membership.
  4. markimusprime answered: hospitality of others. People love to share with foreigners…especially if you have an accent :):)
  5. acrypto answered: In Japan the internet cafes have overnight rates, free tea/coffee/soft drinks & lockable booths. I’ve often used one as a cheap hotel.
  6. 5fingerrunner answered: Don’t buy anything you don’t absolutely love or want.
  7. mcalimv answered: Stay in hostels (hostelworld or hostelling international, to get started). Buy food from tiny groceries; bread, cheese and a hunk of meat.
  8. plankprayers answered: Not travelling…just staring at pictures of the place online..
  9. amnesiatits answered: Make a budget and take that amount out in cash before I leave. Reserve the money still on my card for emergencies.
  10. socialpirate answered: travel by night, hang out by day
  11. casiceilo answered: I always set a daily limit on my debit/credit cards so I have some limit to my shopping sprees and I only use the cash I take out.
  12. kennedy said: Couch surfing, travel hacking, talk to locals vs tourists
  13. suchawasteofaprettyface said: Also buy meaningful souvenirs! A shirt/necklace/keyring is cheaper than most things and will fit in your suitcase easily!
  14. suchawasteofaprettyface answered: Eat where the locals eat not where other tourists go.
  15. zelda-catharine answered: something in your purse, something in your socks and the last money for contingency in aa little box at the bottom of your case. its safe!
  16. strangeandbeautifulthings said: Also, liquor- go to a store, not a bar… or don’t drink.
  17. badxblog answered: pack your own food.
  18. strangeandbeautifulthings answered: Go camping.
  19. stungunsurain answered: Haha, not spending.
  20. tannerherriott said: Let the client pay for it.
  21. wolfperson1 answered: Take advantage of free breakfast by making it a big meal. That way you can skip lunch and splurge a little on dinner.
  22. bumbleful answered: Not buying any souvenirs!
  23. abeauregardpoole answered: rumrunner flasks on a cruise saved us easily 500 dollars or more (my girlfriend and myself)
  24. mumstheword2012 answered: Always request a micro-fridge when staying in hotels. Buying groceries will save you A LOT of money!
  25. tomorrowstea said: Buy food to make meals (sandwiches, fruits, &c.) and stay with people, if you can. Spend money on experiences over souvenirs. Book travel either long in advance or be extremely flexible to long waits or last-minute opportunities.
  26. oregoncoffeechocolate answered: go to grocery stores and not restaurants when buying food.
  27. quequotes answered: Just take a daypack, so you don’t have to pay extra luggage charges. Plus learn the language, it helps to get better prices and better deals
  28. rockpprsizrs answered: Public transportation and mcdonalds
  29. nikoikon answered: couchsurfing
  30. chigayyy answered: Avoid shopping areas. But who can resist? After all, shopping is part of travel budget, i suppose? :)
  31. teknopolitik answered: Stay with friends, not hotels.
  32. kiplinger answered: Per mag writer Susannah Snider: Set daily deals sites to city you’re visiting a few weeks in advance, then save 50%+ on food/attractions.
  33. marsis5quare answered: I personaly don t eat really
  34. brighteyesdown answered: Take out a certain amount of cash per day and don’t allow yourself to spend more than what you withdrew.
  35. smarinic answered: Be sure you know the exchange rate before you start to exchange
  36. mysticalchris answered: Take the night train. It saves one night of hostel money!
  37. aquea answered: spend in the least until the last day of stay, that day I spend every last penny
  38. noodlebrain11 answered: Couchsurfing. Hitch-Hiking, not eating out (buy food at grocery stores,), not being afraid to sleep outside and be ready for the unpredicabl
  39. ahugwouldbenice answered: Supermarket supplies. ^^
  40. kushandfriends answered: Sleep in your car
  41. repeatall answered: Check sites like livingsocial.com and groupon.com in other countries to save money before i go
  42. nintendubus answered: Honestly? Appetite suppressants.
  43. bike-monkey answered: Avoid tourist hot spots. Their merch is always a rip-off. Not to mention garbage.
  44. femme-enforme answered: Get a room w/ a kitchenette. Bring/buy foods to prepare in the room easily & eat only 1 or 2 meals out. Or stay where there’s free breakfast.
  45. docmartn answered: This maybe isn’t my best but it’s certainly one trick - take snacks with you to avoid overpriced airport and gas station stuff.
  46. harryolsen548 answered: carry your own food!
  47. i-should-be-zelda answered: Pre-booking all the way! Also too check up on money-saving ways of travelling or staying before hand, even if it is a little out of your way!
  48. muse-in-thought answered: don’t go to places designed for tourists, rather opt for authentic eateries and activities whenever possible
Order Off the Secret Menu at Starbucks (and Other Coffee Shops) for Better, Cheaper, or More Powerful Drinks Most coffee shops have at least a few unlisted drinks for patrons in the know. “For some shops, there are unwritten drinks, based on popular drinks some customers may ask for,” Dominy says. Most established baristas can make off-the-list fare, he says, though managers prefer they stick to the menu. So what’s popular in the unposted coffee drink arena? The Dirty Chai, a chai latte with a shot of espresso. Another is the Espresso Panna Cotta (listed on the Starbucks website, though not in stores), an espresso topped with whipped cream, he says. And if you’re after a megadose of caffeine, order the Red Eye or Black Eye, a drip coffee plus one or two shots of espresso, respectively. At Starbucks, says Duong, one of the most popular off-menu orders is coffee served through a French press.
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Order Off the Secret Menu at Starbucks (and Other Coffee Shops) for Better, Cheaper, or More Powerful Drinks

Most coffee shops have at least a few unlisted drinks for patrons in the know. “For some shops, there are unwritten drinks, based on popular drinks some customers may ask for,” Dominy says. Most established baristas can make off-the-list fare, he says, though managers prefer they stick to the menu. So what’s popular in the unposted coffee drink arena? The Dirty Chai, a chai latte with a shot of espresso. Another is the Espresso Panna Cotta (listed on the Starbucks website, though not in stores), an espresso topped with whipped cream, he says. And if you’re after a megadose of caffeine, order the Red Eye or Black Eye, a drip coffee plus one or two shots of espresso, respectively. At Starbucks, says Duong, one of the most popular off-menu orders is coffee served through a French press.

Source: Lifehacker

How I Saved 8.7% on a Home Improvement Project

So, the tile in our master bathroom shower was falling apart, and I knew that it needed to be redone before I had some serious water damage to repair.

I’m doing the work myself, but tools and materials aren’t cheap.  I was looking for any potential savings that I could find.

If I’m buying a bunch of big stuff from Home Depot or Lowe’s, I like to order it online and then pick it up in the store.  They will put your order together and have it waiting for you at the customer service desk.  It saves you from having to navigate the store while carrying a bunch of 8 foot sheets of plywood.

Typically, when I buy something online, I’ll do a quick search for any promotional codes to cut down on the cost.  Unfortunately, there weren’t any for Lowe’s at that time.

Then, it dawned on me that there are services out there like Cardpool that let you buy discounted gift cards.  Low and behold, they had Lowe’s gift cards that you could buy at an 8.7% discount.  So, I selected enough gift cards to cover my order, and chose electronic ones so that they would be emailed to me right away.

Once the gift cards showed up in my email, I simply entered my order online for in-store pickup and paid for it with the gift cards.  I had about $735 worth of gift cards, but I only paid $671 for them.

So, for about 2 minutes of work, I saved myself $64.

Keep in mind, they have gift cards from all different types of retailers and restaurants, but it’s probably only worth it if you have a big purchase coming up.

Have any of you done something like this successfully?