Posts Tagged ‘Enough Money’

The 9 Best Places To Travel On A Budget

October 25th, 2011 Tushar Mathur

It’s a horrible affliction: being driven by wanderlust and a desire to see the world…but not having enough money to do so. And yet, while it’s true that most people don’t have the cash to jet off to the Seychelles for the weekend, or spend a summer in the south of France – that doesn’t mean that one should give up the dream of traveling and seeing new places. Because, the truth is, travel should be a necessity – not a luxury. As all travel-lovers know, experiencing different corners of the world is one of the most important things a person can do in order to find happiness and contentment – which is why you shouldn’t let the fact that you don’t make $100,000 a year stop you from doing some sort of traveling. So, without further ado, here are the 9 best places to travel on a budget:

 

  1. Nicaragua. A lot of Central American countries have recently experienced some pretty seriously inflated prices due to their booming tourist industries – but Nicaragua is not one of them. Roundtrip flights to get there are relatively cheap, and you can expect to spend somewhere around 10 to 15 U.S. dollars a day on both food and entertainment. The Central American Volcanic Arc runs through Nicaragua, earning the country the nickname “The Land of Lakes and Volcanoes”. It’s a beautiful place – in addition to the country’s many lakes and volcanoes, there are gorgeous fertile valleys and majestic mountains.
  2. Philippines. The Philippines is considered an archipelago, consisting of 7,107 islands – and this southeastern Asian country is home to some of the most stunning beaches you’ll ever see. There are also mountain ranges, rainforests, and gorgeous inland bodies of water. You shouldn’t spend more than 20 dollars a day here; in fact, even that amount would be pushing it. Go beach camping along the Zambales Coast, take up surfing, or sample some of the delicious local cuisine – including halo-halo, a dessert made of ice, fruit, milk, and ice cream. Yum!
  3. Chattanooga, Tennessee. Hold off on making any judgment calls about this city, because Chattanooga is one of the coolest (untapped!) cities in America. In fact, Outside magazine just rated it as the #1 best city in the U.S. – and if you like any kind of outdoor activity, then you should think about making a trip here. The city and its surrounding areas are home to some awesome white water rafting, boulder gardens, and hiking trails. And it’s pretty cheap, too – to put things in perspective for you, the median home value in Chattanooga is $128,000.
  4. Namibia.

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You’re Done Planning your Spring Break Vacation, but are you Forgetting Something?

April 21st, 2011 Tushar Mathur

So your spring break vacation is all planned out, and you think you know what all the risks are for where you’re going: don’t drink the water in Mexico, don’t go past the beach in Jamaica, don’t be homosexual in the UAE, etc. However, there’s one risk you may have failed to realize that you’re leaving your home unattended at a time when burglary rates are at their highest. Unless you’re a magician with your money, chances are that you’re not going to have enough money to spend on fancy wireless security systems since you just wasted it on a vacation. Luckily, there are a few ways to secure your home without wasting a couple thousand dollars.

The first key to not getting burglarized by the security company themselves is to not buy into the notion that video cameras are a necessity. The only thing that getting a setup loaded with security cameras can do is either waste your money or give you the option of watching a play-by-play of your house getting broken into. Unless the burglar is on drugs, chances are they’ll be wearing a mask, so unless you have a camera out on the driveway and are able to catch their license plate, a video camera will do virtually nothing to help you.

A much cheaper alternative are motion detectors. At about a fifth of the price of a surveillance camera, infrared detectors can be programmed to notify a monitoring center (or if you don’t want to spend $35-$55 a month on monitoring fees, your email or phone), giving the police an actual chance of catching the burglary in progress. Putting one in a hallway or on the front windows will cost a fraction of a price of an actual video system and give you a chance that the burglary can be stopped midway.

Lastly, and probably the most cost-effective solution (besides leaving your lights on and locking your doors), is to make sure your computer is secure. Yes, your computer. By downloading free anti-spyware programs, you decrease the chance of people phsihing your information from you, which could give them access to sensitive things such as credit card numbers, pin numbers for garage doors, and even when you’ll be leaving your house unattended (like going on vacation during spring break for example).

Although it may not seem conducive to a carefree spring break, it’s important to keep in mind that burglary rates are at their highest during this time.

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Traveling Tips to Save you Money

December 9th, 2008 Tushar Mathur
The number one reason that people do not use up all of the vacation hours that they earn at work every year is because they do not have enough money to take a vacation. Instead, they either work or find things to do around the house because they think that taking a vacation is going to cost them too much money. While traveling can be expensive, there are things that you can do to help cut the costs and still have a wonderful vacation. Everyone needs to get away from the daily stress of work and the routines that we all fall into. One of the easiest ways to relax and rejuvenate is to get away for a little while.

The thing to keep in mind when planning a vacation is that you do not need to travel to another country, or an island to experience the benefits of taking a vacation. Some of the most quality time you spend on a vacation could be in your neighboring state or even countryside. You do not need to take a two week vacation either, even a few days away from the stress of every day life can be enough to relieve your stress and help you become relaxed.

There are a lot of great options that may be closer than you think to your own back door. Check out what is going on for local attractions or nearby attractions that could turn into a fun little vacation or getaway. Finding a lake cabin or resort for camping can be an excellent way to spend good family time together and get out in nature away from the distractions of modern living. You can also find a hotel with a spa if you are looking for a little pampering on your next vacation. If you do choose to fly, you can be flexible with the dates and times that you fly which can save a lot of money for you. You can also check out what rates are available for taking a bus or train. That can also lend you scenic adventures along the way. If your family is really into the great outdoors, you can plan a camping trip and save yourself a lot of money by not having to stay in a hotel.

A good idea is to check out different travel sites to see what is coming up for specials and deals and where you can go to get a great vacation without having to spend a lot of money.

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