Travel Time

Holiday Travel Tips For Your Car-Safe Journeys

2012-12-17T09:00:00.000-08:00

It’s that time of the year again — the season to gather the family and head over to Grandma’s house for a holiday dinner or to spend some time with relatives or friends on a winter vacation.

But if you are planning any kind of extended road trips, it’s wise to prepare the family car ahead of time. Being ahead of the game is a whole lot better than getting stranded because you didn’t take some precautions.

Here are a few tips to help ensure your family road trips come off safely this holiday season, courtesy of the folks at Hemet Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram:

Your car needs help for the cold weather. While not everyone lives in or will travel in areas with extreme winter temperatures or locales where the nighttime temps dip precipitously low, it’s always better to do a little prep ahead of time to make doubly sure your family car will be able to withstand the cold. That means check the antifreeze, battery, brakes, exhaust, heaters and oil several days before you plan to head out on the holiday road trip. And be sure to allow extra time for any required repairs to your vehicle.

Carry these necessities. Be sure you have legible road maps (or use your car’s navigation system, plugging in your destination). Carry a tool kit, shovel and flashlight at all times. It’s also a good idea to bring some warm blankets, water and non-perishable snacks.

Some items may need replacing. It may seem like an unnecessary expense, but it really isn’t when you consider the safety and well-being of your family may be at stake. Are the tires worn? Maybe it’s time to replace them.

At the very least, check the air pressure to make sure all tires are properly inflated according to the manufacturer’s recommendations (see the tire pressure inflation sticker on the driver’s door or check the vehicle owner’s manual).

That windshield wiper fluid may have served its purpose during the summer and early fall, but wintertime requires cold-weather fluid. Replace the windshield wiper fluid now.

10 Ways to Save on Christmas Travel

2012-12-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

During the festive season wallets are given a thrashing, Christmas stockings will be bulging and Australians will be overindulging.

The biggest expense, however, is often travel, and research last month by the Commonwealth Bank found 3.2 million Australians are planning a Christmas holiday and each adult will spend an average $1152 on their trip.

So we've asked the experts to explain how you can cut travel costs this holiday season.

1. Be flexible.

MyBudget founder and director Tammy May says flexibility "is the key when planning a holiday."

"You can check the date ranges and choose the ones that are the most affordable," she says.

"Flying on a Monday versus a weekend may be cheaper, but the longer you leave it things do get more expensive."

2. Set a budget.

Be realistic and include all your expenses that you will be hit with while you're away, May says.

"Include hire car fees, taxis, food and all those expenses," she says. "You can get caught out on holidays shopping because you get into the mindset of spending more money when you don't need to."

3. Use wi-fi.

May says when travelling abroad look at ways to communicate with friends and family without being hit with huge expenses.

"Look at using Viber, if you're on wi-fi, it allows for free calls, texts," she says. "There are other apps you can use that are free to leave voicemail messages too if you are hooked into wi-fi."

4. Credit card costs.

AMP financial planner Tony Rigby says look carefully at the fees attached to using plastic, especially if travelling overseas. "Take into consideration the normal fees you are paying," he says.

"And if you haven't budgeted properly and you've blown out your budget when you're overseas, are you going to be able to cope when you get back with the interest rates on cards around 20 per cent?"

Rigby says ATM charges can vary from bank to bank.

5. Currency exchange.

If heading overseas, don't leave buying foreign currency to the last minute, avoid expensive airport conversions, and take a combination of cash, travel cards and credit cards, the Commonwealth Bank says. "By reviewing the resources and financial products available before departure, travellers can avoid being hit with unexpected international transaction fees," CBA executive Michael Cant says.

AMP's Rigby says prepaid travel money cards are a great way to carry money, and remove the issues that surround carrying large wads of cash.

"It's a bit like a credit card except it's a standard cash card and it's loaded up, for example by using BPAY," he says.

"They offer all different currencies and you are locking in an exchange rate in advance. You know exactly how much you are going to pay and can reload it whenever you want."

6. Travel insurance.

Rigby says there are ways of cutting costs when taking out travel insurance cover.

He says some financial institutions offer insurance cover with credit cards, but it depends on how much you spend on the card to whether or not you'll be entitled to insurance cover.

7. Sign up to travel newsletters.

If you haven't booked yet, Fulvia Montresor, senior director at comparison site hotwire.com, says it's wise to sign up to online travel newsletters. "Some hotel and airline sites have a weekly sale period or "happy hour" where prices get slashed," she says.

"If you don't like spam clogging up your inbox, start a new email account for deals."

8. Country choice.

With the Aussie dollar remaining strong, hovering about US$1.04, Montresor says look at the currency rates at destinations you might like to travel to in order to make your holiday more economical.

"Think about travelling to the US and Europe as you will get more bang for your buck in these destinations," she says.

"Also don't forget to claim back your value-added tax (VAT) if you've shopped in Europe." It can be up to 20 per cent and varies between retailers and depends on how much you spend.

9. Reserve a car now, shop later.

Montresor says there are ways to get good deals on car hire. "Find a great rate now and reserve it (the car)," she says. "As you get closer to your travel date be sure to check deal sites to see if any last-minute, discounted rates have become available."

If there is a better deal, cancel your reservation, which should be fee-free, and lock in the cheaper option.

10. Accommodation choices.

Rigby says make sure you are booking accommodation that's in a convenient location.

"Look at booking a place that is self-contained or has cooking facilities to cut down on costs and make it cheaper. Research your location and spend the time to make sure the place is within easy reach of things you want to see, make sure you're within reasonable walking distance of places."

Tips on Buying a Timeshare Resale

2012-11-12T09:00:00.000-08:00

Have you ever bought an inexpensive car only to find that upkeep and dissatisfaction made it more expensive than if you had just bought a better one in the first place? The same is true in timeshares. The "satisfaction quotient" of a timeshare will actually be determined by your buying the right one in the first place. This is true whether buying a developer's timeshare or a resale. The only difference is that you will buy the resale for one third to one half the price. Consider the following attributes when purchasing:

The Location. Is it in a demand area? Can you walk to shops, restaurants and other off-site amenities? Does it have major attractions close by? The property on the beach is better than the property a block back. Some resorts feature solitude and a "get away" location with great views of the wilderness. What will suit your lifestyle and desires?

The Design. Was the project a motel conversion or purpose built? Some motel conversions are excellent. Others result in turning a substandard motel into a substandard timeshare. Is the property a mix of Studio, One and Two Bedroom units? Is it attractive and well laid out or just a box? The more attractive the physical layout of the property and the unit floorplans, the better.

The Management. First and foremost: Are the units clean? Look for dust, non-working windows, squeaking doors, seedy landscaping, etc. The better maintained the property, the higher the value. Does the appearance please you?

The Fiscal Stability. This is harder to find because it is not visible. Ask for a copy of the Owner's Association budget or financial statements. If this is out of your area of expertise, ask the Owners around the pool. Have there been a lot of special assessments? If there is a professional Property Manager (a CPM or RRP), ask them. Is the project "living beyond its means"? Look for the reserve study. When will the property need a new roof and will the money be in the bank to pay for it? Another non-technical way is to review the last few minutes of the Board of Directors meetings.

The Unit Size. As a general rule, the people who buy the larger units are the happiest. The ability to bring friends and family along on a vacation is not to be overlooked. Two bedroom units offer this possibility. In other cases you may not want this possibility to exist so a smaller unit will be the best selection. Think it over not only for the present, but also for the future. Young singles have bought studio units. They don't work so well after the marriage and the third child.

The Season. Buy the high season if that is what you wish to consistently use. If the summertime is high season and you are a schoolteacher who can only vacation then, you should go ahead, bite the bullet and buy that season, even though it may be at a premium price. If you have school age children the same applies. Sometimes, the reverse is true. For example, we have many Owners of Southern California beachfront resorts who live in the east and Midwest and have specifically purchased the "off season" because it gets them out of the cold. It works perfectly for them.

The Price. This is last on purpose. You are looking at buying a lifetime possession. If you get the wrong one, the dissatisfaction will be present long after you have forgotten what you paid for it. At current resale prices, I don't think there is any way to lose. Resale timeshares are like antique furniture. They will either hold their value or increase with time. Look at resales as though they will not really cost you money, they will save it. The worst that will happen is that you will have a lifetime of incredible vacations and at the end you will sell it and get all or most of your money back. The longer you own, the better it will be because alternate accommodations (hotels) will only cost more in time due to inflation. The best units in the best season in the best projects have held their value best. Currently, resale prices are generally half of the original developer sale price. In some cases it may be less and in some more. To assure yourself of not paying more than you have to, shop around. Call a title company in the area to find out what the resales in a specific resort are going for. Ask a resale Broker to show you some comparatives. In other words go about it as you would buying a house. Obviously it is not as major a purchase, but time spent getting the right product is absolutely worth it. Remember that you will own it for years. Another trap to avoid is that of buying a cheap timeshare for exchange. Make no mistake. Low quality exchanges for low quality with only rare exceptions.

5 Simple Holiday Travel Tips

2012-11-05T09:00:00.000-08:00

These simple steps can save you time and headaches with air travel, baggage and crowds.

1. Avoid Flying at Peak Times. If your travel schedule is flexible, avoid flying on the busiest days of the season: the day before Thanksgiving and the two days immediately preceding and following Christmas and New Year's. Also, book flights at off-peak times, such as early morning. If at all possible, fly on the holiday itself, when airports have an almost empty, tumbleweed-blowing-in-the-desert feel.

2. Hit the Road With Technology by Your Side. Portable GPS navigators are wondrous things, providing the fastest and most direct routes to your destination — and voice auto-commands help keep your eyes on the road. Upgraded models offer real-time traffic information, but unless your car has built-in GPS capability, these can be pricey. A much more economical alternative — as infree — is Google Maps, available on most smartphones. It not only provides driving directions but also has color-coded lines indicating the severity of traffic ahead: green lines indicate good conditions, yellow means fair, and red or red/black signal poor conditions.

3. Travel Light. Don't be weighed down with packages. Order gifts online, and have them sent directly to the recipient, or mail your packages ahead of time. If you're a procrastinator, you can take advantage of the annual Free Shipping Day on December 16, when some 1,500 merchants guarantee free delivery by Christmas Eve. And, if you're flying, don't wrap the gifts you bring — airlines have the right to open any wrapped package.

4. Don't Check Your Bags. The Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays are traditionally the busiest times to fly, which means the odds of losing your luggage rise exponentially with the increased air traffic. Not to mention the expense of paying $25 or more per bag. Be on the safe side: carry on your luggage.

5. Take the Back Roads. Driving the interstates can be dull at any time, but holiday travel often adds big-time gridlock to the mix. If you have some time on your hands, why not leave the major highways behind, and hit the back roads for serendipitous pleasures? Of all the holiday travel tips, this one will help you to focus on the joys of the season most of all.