Time- and Moneysaving Tools and Websites

http://www.weather.com/activities/driving/interstate/
Going on a road trip? This handy website will ask for your travel route and then show you what the weather will be like along your route! Use this site to build a custom forecast for your trip!

http://www.bing.com/travel/
Bing™ Travel (formerly Farecast) is an invaluable tool for the bargain traveler. Enter your desired travel dates and “To” and “From” cities, and Bing™ will tell you whether fares are expected to rise, remain the same, or decrease over the next week. It will also tell you how certain they are in their prediction!  Bing™ bases its predictions on years of fare histories. Although it doesn’t yet have data for every possible city pair, the folks at Bing™ are always adding new combinations!

http://www.google.com/goog411/
Most of you have probably already used Google™. Have you heard of Goog411™? It’s a free 411 service you can reach on any phone (standard phone rates apply). Call 1-800-GOOG-411 (1-800-466-4411) from any phone, state the location and business type you are looking for (for example, “Pizza, Fairfax, Virginia”) and Goog411 will provide you with a list of choices. You can then have them send you a text message with the information, or be connected directly to the business. And it’s free!

http://www.surprise.com/
Need a gift for someone and don’t know where to start?  Instead of driving to the mall, visit Surprise.com for gift ideas for almost any recipient and almost any occasion. Or, for more targeted results, use the GiftFinder (http://www.surprise.com/gifts.html). Select the recipient, their personality traits, their lifestyle, interests, world view, and the occasion. Need a birthday gift for your shy, outdoorsy aunt who loves the arts and is spiritual? Surprise.com has got you covered with tons of fabulous gift ideas. Order them online and have them shipped to you or directly to your recipient!

http://www.retailmenot.com/
RetailMeNot has discount codes for thousands of websites across the internet. With coupon codes for everything from free shipping to 80% discounts (search restaurants.com!), RetailMeNot will save you money on almost anything you can order on the web.


What other time or moneysaving websites do you frequent? Please share in the comments section!

Tips & Tricks Travel: Where to Find the Best Airline Deals

Booking airfare can be a tricky business. Fares can change by hundreds of dollars in a matter of hours, and with so many booking options it’s hard to know where to start. While calling an individual airline or going directly to their website are certainly options, this approach will limit your options of finding the best deal. The best way to begin is to access a website that pulls airfare directly from multiple airlines. A few to check out are:

• Bing Travel - http://www.bing.com/travel/
  Bing pulls ticket prices from multiple major airlines and has a very user friendly interface. It also offers Farecast technology which utilizes past fare pricing data to predict if the fare is likely to go up or down.
• Expedia - http://www.expedia.com/default.asp
  Expedia is a well-known interface that pulls information from most major airlines and is commonly used by businesses for their travel needs. Should you need assistance, their customer service is almost always prompt and helpful.
• Booking Buddy - http://www.bookingbuddy.com/
  Unlike the other two sites, Booking Buddy pulls from the major travel sites like Expedia, Hotwire, Travelocity, etc. You can access more information this way, but it can be less user-friendly.

Things to note:

• Mondays and Fridays are popular with business travel and often result in higher fares. Changing your travel dates by just a day can sometimes save you a bundle.
• Southwest Airlines (http://www.southwest.com/) often has great deals but their information isn’t pulled by other websites. It’s a good idea to check their website before committing to another flight.
• Priceline (http://www.priceline.com/) can save you money on airfare but is definitely a gamble. You enter your travel cities and dates and name the price you want to pay but once you submit this information, you’re committed to buying the ticket if your bid is accepted. You also don’t have control of the flight times or stops. If you’re a leisure traveler who just wants to get to your end point, this can be a great option.

Whichever route you choose, the most important thing to remember is that shopping around pays off. It’s easier to head straight for your favorite airline’s website but you never know where a great deal may be waiting. Best of luck and safe travels!

Know Before You Go: Airport Regulations

Strict airport guidelines can add frustration and unnecessary time to your travel plans. Pay attention to these key tips to save time and energy at the airport:

• Check in ahead of time. Most airlines let you check in and print your boarding pass on their Web site 24 hours before your flight. For airlines that don't assign seats, like Southwest, this is especially important because the sooner you check in, the earlier you will board and choose your seat. Printing your boarding pass ahead of time lets you bypass the long line for regular check in and go straight to the bag drop off.


• Have your ID and boarding pass ready. Security agents will be looking for your photo ID and your boarding pass to be sure the names match when you join the security line. Save yourself the hassle and have these documents ready when you get in line.


• Speed through Security. No one likes a long line. Do your part by wearing shoes that are easy to take off, limit your layers, leave the heavy metal at home and keep electronics convenient. Have a plan in mind for when you get to those little plastic bins. Be sure to take out any electronics such as laptops, dvd players etc. and place them visibly in a bin outside of your carry on. Assume that everything will make the sensor go off and put all jackets, bulky sweatshirts, shoes and belts in the bins as well. If you're traveling with liquids, check out the next tip.


• Carry-on Rules for Liquids. There are very strict rules for bringing liquids through security and on the plane. TSA follows the 3-1-1 rule. Passengers are allowed to carry on containers of no more than 3 ounces each, concealed within 1 single 1 quart bag. The regular one quart ziploc bags are recommended. Any containers over 3 ounces will not be permitted through and will be thrown away (or you'll have to leave the security line and figure out what to do with them before returning). Water or soda purchased at the gate once you're through security is allowed on board but anything purchased before security will be thrown away. There are a few exceptions including baby formula and some prescriptions. For a full list of exceptions and prohibited items please visit the TSA Web site.

Keep these simple rules in mind for your next trip to have happy and safe travels!