Shereen Travels Cheap

Fly Far with Budget-Friendly Fares

2013-05-18T18:00:00.000-07:00

Want to win a fun travel bag? Go enter the Travelon-sponsored giveaway.

Planning a vacation can be really fun, but once deciding on a destination next on the list is usually finding affordable airfare. While you may think that all airlines charge the same price, it’s simply not so. Airfare is based on many factors, including gas prices, popularity of your destination and how many routes actually fly there and how often. There are more aspects involved, but there is a way to tip the scales in your favor, no matter where you want to travel. Here are five ways to get cheaper airfare.

Fly in the fall and winter. The majority of travelers with children travel in the summer, because that’s when school is out. Unfortunately, summer is when many destinations will be most crowded, hotels have higher rates and store merchandise will be full price. Airlines take advantage of your time off by raising fares and adding more fees, which they disguise with obscure names, like “miscellaneous surcharges”. Even though most attractions are not open as long in the winter and fall, not having to wait in line allows you to see just as much in a shorter amount of time. Then you can spend a bit more time relaxing before you start again the next day. If you don’t have the luxury of traveling off-peak times, search for travel dates on Wednesday, Saturday and Tuesday, as those are the cheapest days to fly, respectively.

Check prices on Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. The new rates for airfare are put out on Tuesday/Wednesday and then again on Saturday, for those that wait to book things on the weekend. Tuesday and Wednesday will almost always have the cheapest rates, but if you have some time before you have to book, get up bright and early and check prices on Saturday. Every so often you will find a super cheap rate that was put into the system incorrectly that you can snatch up before the error is caught. It doesn’t happen often, but when it does it’s a total bargain for you.

Fly to a smaller airport near your destination city. Hub airports that the majority of travelers go through can actually cost you more for your plane ticket. Because they are so popular and convenient, airlines can charge more to fly into them. Try looking at alternate airports in the vicinity of your destination. You can often save a lot by doing it this way, and as long as you aren’t paying more for transportation than you saved, it’s worth it to check into it. Use an airline search engine like Dohop.com to find the cheapest alternate routes.

Set up airfare alerts. Although I love researching airfare and other parts of my vacation, I have a life and can’t be checking the prices all day every day. Chances are you don’t have that kind of time either. Set up airfare alerts on your favorite airline websites and booking engines. You can also use Yapta.com, which is great for constantly checking fares and sending you alerts when prices drop. Not only that, but once you’ve purchased your ticket(s), add your itinerary to your account with Yapta and they will let you know if the prices drop further and if you’re eligible for a refund.

Sign up for frequent flyer awards. You can now accumulate frequent flyer miles by doing many things that aren’t even flying. You can gain points – or miles – by dining at restaurants, buying groceries, shopping online and much more. Miles can get you free flights, upgrades and discounts. Check out all your favorite airlines have to offer regarding collecting miles, like the iDine program, signing up for online reward programs that let you trade in your points for miles or even paying a small fee to turn your bank’s debit card into a mileage-making utility. If you’re going to spend that money anyway, you might as well make it work in your favor.

There are plenty more ways to save on airfare, but these are five of the easiest to do. They don’t require much extra effort and are free or almost free and also can save you the most money. Planning your vacations don’t have to be stressful, so over-thinking it will work just against you. Have fun with the research and planning and even more fun when you get there! What's your favorite way to save on airfare?

Elementary, My Dear Watson!

2013-05-15T18:00:00.000-07:00

Want to win a fun travel bag? Go enter the Travelon-sponsored giveaway.

It’s one of the most famous addresses in London, if not the world. Almost everyone knows that Sherlock Holmes lives at 221B Baker Street and even though he’s a fictional character, you can visit the home of the renowned detective that solved countless cases throughout Arthur Conan Doyle’s book series. From the Hound of the Baskervilles to the Valley of Fear, wander through Holmes’ study, bedroom and more down on Baker Street at the Sherlock Holmes Museum.

Don’t turn around and assume the museum is closed when you find that there IS no 221B in sequence on Baker Street. The historical building is run by the Sherlock Holmes International Society and protected by the government. It still boasts the correct number, but it’s a bit further down the street than expected. Admission is fairly affordable at £6 for an adult and £4 for ages 16 and under.

Explore the home of Holmes and Watson and you may even get to try on the famous detective hat and hold the magnifying glass. I did! Sit in the study, wander around Watson’s bedroom and also Mrs. Hudson’s room (the landlady). On the top floors you will find “evidence” and their stories as well as figures depicting characters from the mysteries, which can be a bit disconcerting, but still interesting. You feel as if you’re stepping back in time when you visit the museum and can find some unique and fun souvenirs at the gift shop before you leave.

Some of the steps are a little narrow and the museum itself isn’t all that wheelchair friendly, but make sure to check out the tiny attic loo and bring along your camera to snap a shot of yourself with “Holmes”, the Victorian maid and on the steps outside the door showing the infamous address – possibly with the “bobby” on security duty.

We gained free entry into Holmes' house with our London Pass. Though it's no longer included, it is still a great deal to do other fun stuff around town.

Review: OKA b. Shoes for Men and Women

2013-05-13T12:00:00.000-07:00

Want to win a fun travel bag? Go enter the Travelon-sponsored giveaway.

As a traveler who spends a good majority of time out walking and exploring cities, one of the things I will buy every time I go on vacation is a new pair of shoes – possibly two. My needs in a pair of shoes on my trips can vary. Maybe I’ll be spending all day at an amusement park. Perhaps I’ll be hitting up museums to learn about local art and history. I might be strolling along the beach or visiting a zoo. No matter what it is, keeping my feet comfortable is my number one priority. Second is keeping my feet looking cute. That’s why OKA b. shoes stood out to me. With their trendy styles and fun colors, they looked like shoes that would pack well, look good and keep my tootsies happy.

My husband and I had the chance to test out two pairs of OKA b. shoes: The Grant flip flops for men and the April ballet flats for women. One of the first things you’ll notice about this footwear is that it is shiny and the next is that the prices are crazy affordable. OKA b. sells their shoes for $50 or less, which means for the same price as a pair of running shoes, you can get two – or even three – pairs. Though they are inexpensive, they aren’t made to look or feel that way. In fact, all styles have arch support and conform nicely to your feet. You’ll see how they have bumps on the footbed, and that is designed to massage your feet. The reflexology aspect of the shoes makes them awesome for travel, because you know how much your feet can hurt walking around all day and your podiatrist would approve of your choice of footwear.

I chose the April flat, because ballet flats go with a ton of stuff. They look great with everything from shorts to dresses. Also, the cute bow detail in a nautical color and stripe are very on-trend, especially for summer. As you can see, they go great with skinnies, but you can also wear them with a variety of other outfits, so whether you find yourself in Hawaii, New York or Europe, you will always have the perfect shoes. And if you get caught in a rainstorm, you don’t have to worry about ruining your new foot candy, because they are waterproof. Obviously, this is a fantastic feature for shoes in the Northwest, since at any moment you may be surprised by a downpour.

The Microplast material that OKA b. uses for their shoes is amazing. It has a bit of stretch, so after a long day of pounding the pavement or 14 hours on the plane, even if your feet are a bit swollen, they are still going to fit comfortably in your shoes. The other awesomeness of this material is that it’s made from salt and fossil fuels – totally eco-friendly! Plus it’s non-absorbent, antimicrobial and colorfast. Wear them all day without smelling like you did, and if they do get dirty, toss them into the dishwasher to clean them without the colors running. Once your shoes are worn out, you can either place them in your recycling bin or send them back to OKA b. to be turned into new fancy shoes.

I enjoyed the flats, as they were bright, lightweight and felt like I was walking barefoot, but a step up, because they weren’t hard on the bottoms of my feet. They have a bit of lift in the heel, so you aren’t just flat-footing it walking around, they have nice massaging arch support and don't pinch in the toes like many shoes do.

Another fun thing about the flats is the box they come in. It’s like a gift on its own and looks like you could spend the same amount on it as you would for the shoes inside. The origami construction is lovely, which would make giving OKA b. shoes as gifts pretty impressive before the recipient ever put them on their feet. The flip flops will come on a hanger and not come in a fancy box, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t buy them.

Eric chose the men’s Grant flip flops to try out. He has a lot of flip flops, so he does have high expectations for them. He was drawn to the guava color, as it was bright and different than other colors that he currently owns. Unlike regular flip flops, he found them to be comfortable after walking around all day, with some nice arch support. They conformed to his feet and looked nice as well. He walked round in them all weekend and even tried to wear them while on the elliptical machine. While that didn’t work out, it wasn’t because of a support issue, but because they are flip flops. LOL!

I think these flip flops will be his go-to ones. It’s hard to find a pair that is comfortable enough to wear all day and not get ruined if you take them to the beach or pool and get them wet. Obviously, you can get them in more subdued colors, but we love happy hues for our feet. OKA b. shoes will also pack nicely – if you don’t wear them on the plane – because they don’t have rigid construction like other shoes.

Look at some more of their fun colors

More information

Where you can buy it: Oka-b online

Other colors they comes in:

April: black | red (shown)

Grant: hot chocolate | licorice | cobalt | guava (shown) | slate

How much they cost:

April: $45

Grant: $25

Other specs: reflexology-inspired design, anti-bacterial and odor-resistant, non-slip, non-marking, dishwasher safe, color fast, on-piece construction, made when ordered, made in the USA, environmentally conscious.

Connect with OKA b. on Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Instagram

Disclosure: We were provided with two pair of OKA b. shoes for the purposes of this review, but all opinions are 100% our own.

Infographic: Free Hotel Wi-Fi Expanding

2013-05-11T18:00:00.000-07:00

Want to win a fun travel bag? Go enter the Travelon-sponsored giveaway.

As a blogger, and an internet junkie, it is imperative that wherever I stay has Wi-Fi. It's great to be able to check my email to keep in touch with friends and family, as well as to research when attractions are open or find reviews of a restaurant (and make reservations). I get really upset when I pay good money to stay somewhere and they also want me to pay extra for an internet connection. It's not like if I didn't stay there and pay that money they wouldn't have internet. And how much can I really use anyway? Building it into the room rate should be something all accommodations do. I'm not going to pay $10+ per day to check my Facebook page. I could easily go to a Starbucks and get online for free. Also, if places like Ramada, Motel 6 and Travelodge can offer free Wi-Fi, then other chains (and boutique hotels) have no excuse. Hotel Chatter made this sweet infographic for hotel WiFi. Do you compare other similar hotels when Wi-Fi isn't included in your first choice?