The cold winds are here and the leaves are starting to fall reminding us that summer is truly over.  Of course, we live in California so I use the word "cold" very loosely LOL but I figured I should try to do a recap of our summer adventures since I failed to keep the site/blog active.

I was really worried that we wouldn't be able to have any adventures this year at all since I lost my job in January and Dora is still building her business but with a little tightening of the belt and imagination we were able to get some traveling in.  It's amazing what you learn when you are forced to look for alternatives to "regular" vacations.

Of course, we weren't able to take a passport trip (what I call our overseas/international travels) or visit a place on "the List" but we did take a few roadtrips and a cruise.  Which brings me to a few $$ saving tips I learned along the way:

1) Rediscover the road trip.  Even with gas prices the way they are grabbing a few friends and hitting the road is still one of the cheapest ways to travel. Especially if you use your own car vs renting (we did both this summer).  This is mostly due to the fact that you share the expenses and can stock up on food/snacks @ costco BEFORE you leave.

Turning a family event (like attending a wedding) or business trip into a road trip by extending it by a few days is great too.  You have to go anyway, might as well make a vacation out of it!  

2) Stay with family/friends. I find cramming together on a pull out bed or in sleeping bags on the floor with friends can be MUCH more fun that being holed up in a hotel room on your own. Of course, this depends on how hospitable your friends are but that's why they're called friends right? If absolutely out of the question, you can always tap into the growing network of couchsurfers.

3) Take a cruise. The cheapest trip we took this summer was a 5 day Carnival cruise.  Including a flight to San Diego and souvenirs - I spent less than $300!!! Since our vacations are usually jam packed with activities as we try to see everything, it was nice to be able to just relax on a ship for a few days. 

Subscribe to TravelZoo and Carnival's own email alerts to take advantage of the BEST deals.  Your food and entertainment (shows, dancing, etc) are included in the price of the cruise so your only extra expenses will be any of the optional excursions or souvenirs you buy.  Of course, you can skip both and save even more $$. 

A few things to note:

1. Internet access will cost you dearly - $20 for 30 mins.
   
2. Cell phone use will cost even more - with my AT&T plan $3/min for voice and $19.95/mb for data. 
   
3. Drinks other than lemonade & ice tea are NOT included. If you must have soda, I suggest purchasing a "Fun Fountain Card" for $19 which gives you unlimited drinks for the duration of the cruise.
   

How has the economy affected your traveling? Got your own $$ saving tips? Leave a comment below. We'd love to hear from you.