Sink or Swim

Browsing through Outer Banks rentals is making me want to go on a beach getaway, stat. I’ve been cooped up inside the house for so long plus summer is officially here. I can determine the actual moment. It was when my laptop started feeling so hot against my hands and then died for no reason. I hope I can grab a few side projects this month so me and the family can have a quick out of town trip. God knows, the husband and I deserve it after working so hard! It’s fortunate that groupon websites have started to become so popular you don’t have to search high and low for a discounted vacation.

Just found the perfect gift for my photographer friend. Since he agreed to shoot my daughter’s baptism without charge (of course!), we’re showing our appreciation by getting him a pair of overshoes. I saw a pair being sold for as low as $65. It’s perfect since he does a lot of outdoor shoot and sometimes even in bad weather. It’s pretty cool that you can take it on and off when needed. Just wear it over your current footwear, no need to change!Now if I could just take a peek at his shoe size, then we’ll be all set.

You know that going on vacation is expensive, but you want your kids to experience areas a little farther away from home for a cultural experience. Family vacation is a great time for kids to learn about new areas, and without traveling, it is difficult to gain perspective on life because all you see is the same people and places each day when you are at home. Travel inspires thinking. Don’t you want your kids to have that experience?

If you want to have an awesome family vacation this year, make your plans early to ensure you can find the best deals so you don’t spend more money than you have to. You can find great travel deals and other coupons on Offers.com. Why pay full price for something when it is so easy to find discounts on the things that you are going to buy anyway? You can save on airline tickets, hotel accommodations, food and a variety of other items. You just have to take the time to find these deals, but don’t worry, they’re easy to find.

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If there’s one thing that I’d love to splurge money on, it’s vacations. I love how with a few bucks (or thousands depending on where you’re going), you can escape to any place that you want to go. Whether you’re escaping from work, the loving but sometimes can be too much relatives, kids’ squabbles or just simply need a time alone, vacation will never fail to give you that much needed downtime.

Choosing the perfect getaway always depends on the budget and time/schedule. If my wallet is overflowing with cash, I bring the whole family to a 4-5 days trip outside the country. If I only have the weekend, we usually go out of town and check in at a nice hotel or bed and breakfast for two nights. It could be anywhere as long as it’s near nature. Last summer, we went ahead and tried one of those affordable vacation rentals being offered online. I was hesitant at first for fear that we are being scammed. It’s because on some cases, it’s the owner of the house whose advertising and you have no way of checking if it’s the real deal. Still, we glad that we booked our first rental house.

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If ever I’ll learn how to drive, I’ll definitely get one of those roadside assistance plans. Too many of my women friends have experienced being stuck in the middle of nowhere with no help at all. It’s one of the reasons why I choose not to drive. With my sense of direction, who knows where I’ll end up?

Anyway, the roadside assistance that I’m talking about is for RVs or Motorhomes. I learned about it from a friend who recently bought an SUV and got an offer to sign up for emergency road service plan. It’s highly recommended as it can pay 100% of your towing fees, get immediate help during flat tire situations and have access to 24/7 toll-free roadside repairs. If interested, check out the link above and read about the other benefits that you can get from different plans. One can never be too careful when it comes to safety.

I just love getaways but what I love most is staying in hotel rooms. Of course, it has to be a very nice one, not those motel-types with smelly carpets and cockroach-infested bathrooms. So on to my list:

1. Scented rooms. It could be vanilla, lavender or just clean-smelling. When you enter a 4-star or 5-star room, you just have that feeling of stepping into another world just by the smell.

2. Big, comfortable beds that you can make a mess of and not have to fix in the morning.

3. Huge bath tubs and hot tubs with their neat hot tub covers, bathroom mirrors, lined up towels and free toiletries. The bathroom is the second thing that I check out after the beds.

4. Lighting. Never forget the lights. They set the mood perfectly

5. Comfortable chairs and sofas. As if the room is telling you to stay longer.

Lastly, room service. What better way to pamper yourself than ordering a sumptuous lunch /dinner or a heavenly one-hour massage in the comforts of your lovely hotel room.

I came across some really affordable Disney vacations online and remembered how fun it was the last time with my daughter. I never thought I’d enjoy myself in an amusement park but I was as mesmerized as my daughter to see Sleeping Beauty and Cinderella “in person”. The Golden Mickey’s show were amazing too that even my husband couldn’t help but say “wow” every act. I was told the one in Florida and Japan are much more magical so I really hope we’ll get a chance to try one of them someday.

One more day before our Hong Kong trip! I’m so excited that I can’t concentrate on my glass tiles research for my mom. She’ll probably call me ten times today but I just can’t stop browsing one forum after another so I can maximize our trip. From shopping to cab rates to good eats, I need to take note of all of them because we rarely get to travel out of the country. We have to get our money’s worth! With the new baby coming in the next couple of months, I’m sure we won’t be able to go anywhere until she/he’s about 7 or 8 months.