France Travel Cheat Sheets














Free France Travel Cheat Sheets  You are here: About > Travel > France for Visitors Travel Go France Essentials New Year's Eve in Paris and France Worst of France 2005 Paris Travel Guide Top French Ski Resorts Best New Year's Eve Champagne Articles & Resources Destinations Trip Planning Transportation Interests & Situations Money, Safety & Issues Things to Do in France Where to Stay in France Staying Connected Blogs Picture Galleries Culture, Language & People Fun, Freebies & Quizes Relocating to France Nudism, Sex & Gay Travel D-Day & Historic Travel Buyer's Guide Before You Buy Top Picks Sites Selling French Products Before You Buy the Gift of Travel Gifts for the France Fanatic Product Reviews Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the France for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses   Search France for Visitors Free France Travel Cheat Sheets France for Visitors Blog « France: The Bad Side | Main | Terrorist Arms Factory Found Near Bordeaux » March 30, 2004 Free France Travel Cheat Sheets Why do France the hard way? Get a little assistance with these free France Travel Cheat Sheets, which provide tips on getting around, the French language, the French people, important and emergency numbers, and more. Get a personalized (and free) guidebook for your trip with my new France Travel Cheat Sheets . Email a Friend Display Latest Headlines Read Archives Advertisement Related Blogs Dispatches from France Blog Paris Blog French Word-a-Day Blog La Coquette Blog Chroniques dune Fraise Nice Blog Rsidence Les Marronniers Provence Blog L'Oiseau Blog Chocolate and Zucchini Blog Forty Days in Paris Blog Most Popular "Naked City" Christmas in Paris Photo Tour Paris Sex District Top Paris Attractions Christmas in France What's Hot New Year's Eve in France Paris Gay Pride Parade Host A France-Themed Party Nice, France Photo Gallery Camping in France Related Topics Europe for Visitors French Language French Cuisine Honeymoons / Romantic Getaways Wine        Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About New Video iPod - Review POLL: Must-Have Gadgets VIDEO: Portable Gaming VIDEO: Choosing a TV Hugh Hefner's Life What's Hot New Year's Eve in France Paris Gay Pride Parade Host A France-Themed Party Nice, France Photo Gallery Camping in France Headlines Lose Weight with the French Diet The French eat rich foods, drink lots of wine and Worst of France 2005 The year 2005 was a tough one for France, as Top Ski Resort Hotels in France France features some of the world's best skiing, be it New Year's Eve in Paris and Other French Cities The French really know how to celebrate New Year's, whether



Spain Travel

Spain Travel Guide and Destination Overview on Concierge.com Destinations USA + Canada > Europe > Caribbean > Latin America > Asia > Australia + Pacific > Middle East + Africa > See All > Ideas Beach + Island > Cruise > Culinary Travel > Global Style > Luxury > Romantic > Ski + Adventure > See All > Best Of Gold List > Readers' Choice Awards > Hot List Hotels > Hot List Tables > Hot List Nights > Ski Resorts > Top Spas > Gourmet Guide > See All > Tools Destination Finder > Hotel Finder > Forums > Travel Tips > Currency Converter > Maps > Photos > Weather > See All > Deals Booking > Travel Deals > See All > Destinations | Europe | Europe Condé Nast Traveler Read Condé Nast Traveler Subscribe to Condé Nast Traveler Articles > Lists > Travel Tips > Great Drives > Room With a View > Where Are You? Contest > Word Trips Contest > Subscribe > See All > forums spain Barcelona Stunning, still evolving architectural... more Granada The Alhambra, a glorious complex of Moorish... more Madrid Now head-to-head with Barcelona in hip... more Intro Map Fact Sheet Photos Why Go? Balearic nights-chill on Formentera or party on Ibiza Weigh in on the Barcelona vs. Madrid debate-but only after you've thoroughly researched both Seville-city of sun and late night religious processions (and flamenco) All spain Guides Toledo Granada Madrid Barcelona Valencia Seville Balearic Islands Barcelona Madrid Toledo Valencia Balearic Islands Seville Granada Deals Experience Italian hospitality with MSC Cruises Andalusian Style, Resort Exclusivity in Marbella Book your 2006 cruise now and get 2-for-1 fares, free airfare, and more Resort Exclusivity in Marbella, Spain Cultural Discovery, Unique Style in Madrid More Related Articles October 2004 Europe on Adrenaline Beyond—way beyond—the piazzas, the... July 2004 Long Live Convivencia! It means coexistence, and it's in... June 2004 Getting to Know Me Guy Martin's mission was James Bondian: To... May 2004 Stop Press: Europe Responds The March 11 terrorist bombings of four commuter... April 2004 Finding the Inside Track Agents who can open doors to hidden worlds April 2004 The Next Seven Wonders Municipalities are the new Medicis, erecting... March 2004 Ten Routes to Remember Automotive editor Stephan Wilkinson's roads... March 2004 Lost in Translation Simple strategies for safe foreign driving March 2004 Stop Press: Freewheeling Through Europe Tips for trouble-free car rentals March 2004 Prestige "Spain: In the Wake of the Prestige Despite freshly scoured beaches, the politics of... from CondéNast Traveler December 2005 Experiences That Only Insiders Can Deliver You can delve deeper into an unfamiliar culture... November 2005 Pick a Card City cards promise savings and convenience at top... September 2005 Around the World in 50 Films They don't call them motion pictures for nothing:... August 2005 Ombudsman: Turbulent Transaction A couple find themselves out $8,000 when an... August 2005 Trip Tech: Snap Happy Organizing and sharing digital photos has never... March 2005 Word of Mouth: Hostel Takeovers As Spain pushes its number of government-owned... From our Forums Share opinions, advice, and travel tales about Spain Information may have changed since date of publication. Please confirm details with individual establishments before planning your trip. Subscribe Now And Save 78%! Subscribe Enter to win the Condé Nast Traveler Greek Paradise Sweepstakes Enter to win HOT TIPS Site Map | Contact Us | Contributors | Newsletters | Subscription Services | Press Center | Advertising Visit Our Sister Sites Concierge / Epicurious / Men.Style.com / Style.com / Allure / Architectural Digest / Cargo / Domino Glamour / House & Garden / Lucky / Self / Teen Vogue / The New Yorker / Vanity Fair / YM Subscribe to a magazine: View Special Offers View All Titles - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Allure Architectural Digest Bon Appétit Bride's Cargo Condé Nast Traveler Details Domino Elegant Bride Glamour Golf Digest Golf For Women Golf World Gourmet GQ House & Garden Jane Lucky Modern Bride Self Teen Vogue The New Yorker Vanity Fair Vogue W Wired Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy . Concierge.com © 2005 CondéNet Inc. All rights reserved. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached, or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of CondéNet Inc. For more information, please contact us . CHOOSE A DESTINATION Amalfi Coast Amsterdam Angkor Anguilla Antigua Antwerp Aspen Athens Atlanta Avignon Bahamas Baja California Balearic Islands Bali Bangkok Barbados Barcelona Bath Beijing Belize Bequia Berlin Bermuda Big Island Bologna Bombay Bordeaux Boston British Virgin Islands Brooklyn Brussels Budapest Buenos Aires Cairo Canadian Rockies Cancún Cape Town Capri Central Coast Chamonix Charleston Chicago Cilento Coast Colonial Williamsburg Copenhagen Costa Rica Côte d'Azur Cozumel Cyclades Dallas + Fort Worth Delhi Devon + Cornwall Dresden Dublin Dubrovnik Ecuador Edinburgh Fernie Alpine Resort Fez Fiji Florence Fort Lauderdale Fort Myers + Naples French Polynesia Garden Route Glasgow Goa Granada Great Barrier Reef Grenada Gulf Islands Hamburg Hamptons Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City Hong Kong Ionian Islands Israel Istanbul Italian Lakes Jackson Jamaica Kauai Kenya Key West Lake District Lanai Laos Las Vegas Lisbon Ljubljana Loire Valley London Los Angeles Luxor Madeira Madrid Malaysia Marrakesh Marseille Martha's Vineyard Maui Megève Melbourne Memphis + Graceland Mexico City Miami Milan Montréal Moscow Munich Mustique N. CA Wine Country New York City New Zealand Norfolk Northern Vermont Oahu Orlando + Disney World Oslo Pacific Coast Palm Beach Palm Springs Panama Paris Park City Peloponnese Peru Philadelphia Phoenix + Scottsdale Porto Prague Provence Puerto Rico Puglia Québec Rhodes Rio de Janeiro Rome Salzburg San Diego San Francisco San Miguel de Allende Santa Barbara Santa Fe Seattle Seville Shanghai Sicily St. Barths St. Lucia St. Moritz St. Petersburg Stockholm Sydney Tallinn Telluride Tokyo Toledo Toronto Trinidad + Tobago Turks + Caicos Tuscany U.S. Virgin Islands Vail Valencia Vancouver Venice Vienna Vieques Warsaw Washington D.C. Weimar Yucatán Zanzibar Zurich



Travel Guides Hotels Flights

VirtualTourist.com - Worldwide - Pictures, Tips and Reviews Worldwide Travel Guide. Tips, Reviews & Photos plus Hotels, Restaurants, Activities & More Ready to Book? OneTime.com compares deals on Hotels, Flights, Cars, Cruises & Vacations. member log in | join for free! | help Home Travel Guides Hotels Flights Deals NEW! Members Meetings & Events Do It Yourself Guides Forums VirtualTourist TRAVEL GUIDES Choose a Destination Over 2.2 Million Locations Top Spots Paris Hotels , Things To Do London Hotels , Things To Do New York City Hotels , Things To Do Prague Hotels , Things To Do Rome Hotels , Things To Do Amsterdam Hotels , Things To Do Barcelona Hotels , Things To Do San Francisco Hotels , Things To Do Venice Hotels , Things To Do Bangkok Hotels , Things To Do Las Vegas Hotels , Things To Do Vienna Hotels , Things To Do » view all travel guides » view special interest guides FEATURED DESTINATION: Paradise Island Home to luxurious beaches, a world class golf course, gigantic casinos and world class entertainmentParadise Island lives up to its name. Sponsored by the Atlantis Resort Travel Reviews by VT Members 1,246,831 Reviews 2,166,992 Photos Read About: Write About: Hotels Things To Do Restaurants General Tips Nightlife Off The Beaten Path Tourist Traps Warnings Or Dangers Transportation Local Customs Packing Lists Shopping Sports Travel In: Paris London New York City Prague Rome Amsterdam Barcelona San Francisco Venice Bangkok Las Vegas Vienna Budapest Berlin Sydney Istanbul Kuala Lumpur Brussels Chicago Beijing other location... Monument Valley State Park Things To Do Visitor Center by Trekki If you are visiting Monument Valley Tribal Park, please try and not do it in a rush, but plan minimum 1 day (including 1 overnight stay). Only this will allow you to breath in this incredible beauty of the land and the landscape. Prior to entering the park, please check the Visitor center, which is located at the entrance. You can learn a lot about what you are going to see ! Even though I have visited Monument Valley 3 times over the last... [read more] Geraz do Minho Local Customs Tall Haystacks by Bwana_Brown On our way south from Cabeceiras de Basto, I was intrigued to see these tall Portugese-style haystacks outside of the village of Canedo de Basto! I don't know how they put them together, but it looks like a lot of work to me! A few vines growing in the foreground are probably used to help make some of the local wines! Update: VT-member 'JohntheFinn' tells me that they have similar haystacks in Finland, with the hay formed around a vertical... [read more] The VirtualTourist Travel Community in Action Newest Tips. 883 tips in the last 24 hours Manyana just created a new Hotels tip on London MJB123 just created a new Transportation tip on Pescosolido Brillemeister just created a new Things To Do tip on Atlanta sandysmith updated a Sports Travel tip on Gwynedd salisbury3933 just created a new Hotels tip on Yaroslavl' nhcram just created a new Hotels tip on Prague nhcram updated a Restaurants tip on Prague Brillemeister just created a new Things To Do tip on Snellville » more new tips Newest Forum Postings. 1,116 new postings in the last 24 hours chaco2589 . Spain forum: " RE: Southern Spain, from Malaga to Cadiz " Fourka . Sweden forum: " RE: RE: Lunch (-Dinner) Cruise Stockholm " Basterma . Cairo forum: " RE: RE: Meeting In Cairo " lasseg . Sweden forum: " RE: Long time car rental " Roadquill . Spain forum: " RE: 2 weeks-Honeymoon " w_james . Illinois forum: " RE: Urbana-Champaign University on summer!!! " istanBULent . Istanbul forum: " RE: RE: Where will I find the Cable... " lasseg . Stockholm forum: " RE: New Year's Eve - open public sites " » more forum postings Newest Page Comments. 1,209 new comments in the last 24 hours ellielou on aemilys's Homepage : "hope you make it to baltimore,..." RoyJava on matcrazy1's Amsterdam page: "Good to read about the soul of..." joits on BorderHopper's Homepage : "Thanks for the comment. As far..." RickinDutch on Tasmania's Homepage : "Birthday greetings from Alaska!" RickinDutch on lavnya's Bangalore page: "Ah - Bangalore - one of my..." aussirose on meaganelizabeth's Ko Samui page: "What a lovely page..." iris2002 on wartman's Homepage : "Halluuuuuuuu --- echo echooo..." RickinDutch on InnocentOne's Homepage : "Ameera - birthday greetings..." » more page comments Newest Deals. 14 new entries in the last 24 hours carteki commented on myriam_c's Hotel Deal on Brussels alenardini commented on sandra's Flight Deal on Brazil nicolaitan commented on bijo69's Flight Deal on Europe HORSCHECK commented on bijo69's Flight Deal on Europe shirez commented on baronedivandastad's Flight Deal on Italy cnango commented on TeresaB25's Flight Deal on London zuriga commented on bijo69's Flight Deal on Europe giampiero6 commented on bijo69's Flight Deal on Europe » more deals Today's Birthdays. 648 members are celebrating today pentimento lives in Turkey , born December 27, 1979. Pookie46 lives in Crescent City , born December 27, 1946. bridgettebay lives in North America , born December 27, 1971. Genester lives in Halifax , born December 27, 1947. JManz lives in Bay City , born December 27, 1972. smurfmania lives in Edinburgh , born December 27, 1979. nocalg lives in Vallejo , born December 27, 1962. Manu&Manu lives in London , born December 27, 1977. » more birthdays New Members. 315 new members in the last 24 hours seattledude , ZipZap , TimmiT , jparr13685 , CI66 , 4shelleyb , ThisGirl , PeggyBr , Tasha1759 , Lisciandru , lovezino , 681 , Brillemeister , ddvt , dkrasne , LancePalmer , igoypilgrim , azdaved , mpgod , marth600 , demaret , sgtpeppr56 , gman1 , webrew2 , rosecat4 , ... » more new members Community News -- December 27, 2005 361st day of the year - 4 days remaining in 2005 Birthdays: Louis Pasteur b. 1822, Marlene Dietrich b. 1901, Gerard Depardieu b. 1948 In this corner... Weighing 8 pounds, 12 ounces and at a height of 20 inches long, lays the beautiful, new arrival of VT Member, Cruisingbug , and her husband. Daughter, Kate Serenity, was born November 17 at 7:08 pm. Mommy is recovering well and baby Katie is doing great! We LOVE hearing from VirtualTourist members and visitors alike. We frequently get notes just letting us know that you're out there and you're enjoying VT. Very often we'll forward the mail around to the rest of the team, to share the love. Drop us a note, we'd love to hear from you. You can see more community news items from previous days in the community news archives Drop us a note at feedback@virtualtourist.com if you'd like your item to be considered. Destinations Members Keywords VirtualTourist MEMBERS 212 online now 661,410 total 315 new today search for VT members FEATURED MEMBER Lalique Lives in Moscow Member since: September 17, 2001 "Crashing your mind! - Chasing the Sun....." 31 countries 162 locations 688 tips » make your own map VirtualTourist FORUM VT Travel Forum Ask about a trip you're planning. VT Technical Help Forum Help using VT, computers & more VT Miscellaneous Forum Fun and friendship with fellow travelers FEATURED TRAVEL FORUM TimmiT asks about Comunidad Valenciana Q. Looking for an apartment for 8 persons during Fallas "Hi! We're (we = 8 belgians) planning on visiting Fallas in Valencia! Since we will only stay there for 4 days (16th till 19th march) we are searching for an apartment, house, big studio that is and close or in the centre of Valencia & reasonable in accommodation, price & ..." Read this posting 0 Replies so far FREE VT Deals Newsletter great deals, inside tips & no spam FEATURED DEAL BY VT MEMBERS flyingcaribou posts a Flight Deal for Paris Montreal-Paris Jan.18 "Departure from Montreal. Leave from Pierre-Elliot-Trudeau, montreal, Wednesday, January 18, 2006 at 7:05 PM. Air Transat Flight TS310. arrive at paris, Charles De Gaulle at 7:55 AM, Thursday, January 19, 2006 . Return to Montreal. Leave from Paris, Charles De Gaulle, Tuesday, January 31, 2006 at 1:40 PM. Air Transat ..." Read this Deal posting Next VT Member Meeting " VT Meet a la Quebec City! " Date: December 27, 2005 Location: Quebec » more meetings and events Travel Resources Car Rental Cruises Vacations Luggage NEW! VT Photo Search Keyword: Destination: Category: - Please Select - People Animals Ocean/Beach Mountain Flowers/Foliage Landscape Architecture Local People/Customs Monument Desert Ice/Snow City/Street Scene Planes/Trains/Automobiles Other Find: Destinations Members Keywords Matching: Advanced About VT | Contact Us | Site Tour | Advertising | Local Merchant Login | Travel Tools | VT Chat | VT Gear | Help User Agreement | Privacy Statement Virtual Tourist® ©1994-2005 VirtualTourist.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.



Italy Travel

Rome Travel Information | Lonely Planet Destination Guide worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links : Explore : Italy Rome Rome The sheer imperial scale of Rome is sure to knock you out. At a Glance Fast Facts WORLDGUIDE Introduction Background Info See Eat Sleep Night Shop Image Gallery Activities Events Transport Money General RELATED Thorn Tree Forum Postcards Travel Links View Map Click here Feature Attraction San Giovanni in Laterano Founded by Constantine in the 4th century, San Giovanni was the first Christian basilica constructed in Rome. It is Rome's cathedral and the pope's seat ... more It's hard to say what you'll find most breathtaking about the eternal city - the arrogant opulence of the Vatican, the timelessness of the Forum, the top speed of a Fiat Bambino, the millions of cats in the Colosseum, trying to cross a major intersection, or the bill for your latte. Make like the locals and souse your senses in the glut of pleasures the city has to offer, from the grandiose thrill of feeling centuries of turbulent history under your feet to the small but potent intoxication of eating chestnut gelati on a hot day. When To Go The main tourist season starts at Easter and runs until October; peak periods are in spring and autumn, when the tour buses pour in and tourists are herded around like cattle. Numerous outdoor festivals and concerts and the fact that Romans desert the city for the beaches and mountains, which means very light traffic and a less-crowded city centre, makes summer almost worth the heat. If you do visit in summer, try to hit the sights early, take a long lunch and a nap, and then head out again around 18:00 to take advantage of the cooler evening. Winters are usually mild with few tourists and some fun events around Christmas time. Factoid Thumbs Up! When in Rome, be sure to enrol in a short course in Gladiatorial Combat. Intensive three day training seminars are available. The Gladiator school is located on Via Appia. Lions supplied but please bring own trident. SPONSORED LINKS Enquire Accomodation Reviews Find Lonely Planet author reviewed places to stay * Required Fields Country * Please select Argentina Australia Austria Belgium Brazil Canada China Cuba Czech Republic Denmark Egypt England Estonia Finland France Germany Hungary Iceland India Ireland Israel & the Palestinian Territories Italy Japan Malaysia Mexico Morocco Netherlands New Zealand Poland Portugal Russia Scotland South Africa South Korea Spain Sweden Taiwan Thailand Turkey USA United Arab Emirates Vietnam City * Please select Travel Services · Flights · Hostels · Hotels · Travel Insurance More Services › Disclaimer: We've tried to make theinformation on this web site as accurate as possible, but it isprovided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injuryor inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information.You should verify critical information (like visas, health and safety,customs and transportation) with the relevant authorities before youtravel. text & images © lonely planet 2005 about us | privacy | feedback | advertising FAQs worldguide | shop | thorn tree forum | travel services | travel ticker | theme guides | on the road | postcards | travel links



Disney Vacation Other Disney

MouseSavers.com - Ways to Save for Your Disney Vacation Great deals on all things Disney! Find out how to save on: Walt Disney World Disneyland Disney Cruise Line Transportation for Your Disney Vacation Other Disney Travel Savings Discount Disney Shopping Mall Live Disney Shows Disney Freebies Disneyland Resort Paris Disney Parks in Asia Disney's Vero Beach/Hilton Head Non-Disney Theme Parks & Attractions More information: About MouseSavers Frequently Asked Questions Trip Reports and Articles Links Testimonials Privacy Policy & Legal Stuff Contact Mary Ways to Save for Your Disney Vacation Jump to: Vacation Savings Account Other Ways to Save in Small Increments More Tips and Tricks Vacation Savings Account One of the best and smartest ways to save for a Disney vacation is to open a separate savings account specifically for your vacation fund. If at all possible, jump-start the account with a lump sum, such as a tax refund. Have a certain amount auto-debited from your paychecks and deposited directly into that savings account. That way you never see the money, so there is less temptation to spend it. And of course you'll be earning interest! If you put $25 a week into your vacation account and earn 2% interest compounded daily, you'll have $1337 in the account a year after you start saving, and $2677 in two years. If you're able to "jump start" the account with $500 and then add that $25 a week at 2% interest, you'll have $1847 in your account a year after you start saving, and $3197 in two years. By the way, it is very worthwhile to shop around for the best banking deal . The best I've found is the Orange Savings Account from ING Direct . I have one of these accounts myself. You can open one in 5 minutes or less and transfer money into it electronically. The ING account pays a variable 3.75% Annual Percentage Yield on savings with no minimum deposit and no hidden fees or service charges. (Compare this with what your bank or credit union pays on savings accounts. I predict you'll be amazed.) It's FDIC insured. You can easily set up an automatic savings plan with this account. Other Ways to Save in Small Increments Here are some additional, relatively painless tricks people use to get themselves to save. It's all about setting priorities -- and in some cases, tricking yourself into saving. What works for one person, won't work for another. Try one, or try 'em all. Remember, every penny helps! Buy US Savings Bonds You can purchase them online and spend as little as $25 each time. US Savings Bonds must be held for at least 1 year before you can cash them in. There is a 3-month interest penalty if you cash an EE or I Bond within the first five years from its issue date. There is no penalty for cashing EE or I Bonds that are at least five years old. Bonds pay very good interest compared with a regular savings account and since they are issued by the government, they are an extremely safe investment. Buy Disney Dollars Personally I would never use this method because it doesn't earn interest, but some people find it very helpful because you can't spend Disney Dollars anywhere but Disney! Disney Dollars are "cash equivalents." One Disney Dollar = one US dollar, and you can buy any even dollar amount, so for example if you have $31 saved you can buy that amount in Disney Dollars. You can also give your children Disney Dollars for birthdays and holidays, and ask relatives to do the same, so the kids will have their own spending money for the next Disney vacation. Disney Dollars can be purchased at any Disney Store or Disney theme park, or through Walt Disney World Mail Order at (407) 363-6200. The Change Jar Make a rule that you never spend coins. Save all your pocket change and throw it in a big jar. Label the jar (i.e. "Our Disney Vacation") to remind your of your goal. Periodically you can roll the coins and see how much you have. (This is a great job for kids.) Once it's rolled, put it in your vacation savings account. If you don't want to roll the change, see if your bank takes unrolled change . Some banks have change-counting machines and they'll count your coins for free or for a very small fee. There are CoinStar machines in many grocery stores that will allow you to dump in a ton of change and get a slip redeemable for bills at the cashier, but you'll pay a hefty premium (somewhere around 9%) for the service; if you do this, at least pluck out the quarters and roll those! Variations on the change jar: Never spend quarters , or never spend dollar bills . Put those in the jar. Checkbook Games When writing a check, round up your checkbook entry to the nearest dollar. For instance, if you write a check for $57.12, record it in your checkbook as $58. Not only does this help you prevent overdrafts, it also means you're accumulating a little extra in your account every time you write a check. Another good thing about this method is that you're earning interest on that extra money, assuming you have an interest-bearing checking account. Round down your deposit entries to the nearest dollar. For instance, if you deposit $300.91, record it as $300. Again, you're accumulating a little extra "ghost" money in your account. A variation on the checkbook rounding method: charge yourself a dollar every time you write a check, plus round up . So if the check was for $47.39, round it up to $48 and add a dollar, making the entry in your checkbook $49. Another variation on the checkbook rounding method: round up to the nearest five dollars . So if the check was for $52.23, round it up to $55. If it was for $9.51, round it up to $10. More Tips and Tricks If a payment ends, keep making it -- to yourself! For instance, if you pay off a car or a credit card, keep making that payment, but instead write the check to yourself and deposit it into your vacation savings account. Make a rule that "found" money goes in the vacation fund. For instance, if you get a rebate, tax refund, gift check or work bonus, deposit it in the vacation account. Give yourself an allowance for cash expenditures (i.e. groceries, gas, meals out, entertainment, etc.) and make a game of seeing how much of your allowance you can NOT spend. Anything left over at the end of the week (or month) goes into the vacation fund. Charge everything to Disney's Visa or a cash-back credit card and pay the card off each month. (Only do this if you can handle the temptation to overspend on plastic, and if you really will pay the balance off every single month. If you won't pay it off monthly, this is a bad idea.) Use the Disney Dream Reward Dollars or cash-back bonus toward your vacation. Cut out one small daily expense and put the money you're saving into your vacation fund. The savings can really add up. If you save $1 a day on something you buy at work, and you work 5 days a week x 50 weeks, that's $250 a year! For example: If you drink a cafe latte every morning, buy a travel mug and fill it with strong coffee and hot milk at home instead. If you usually eat lunch out or buy lunch at a deli, try bringing lunch from home at least 2 or 3 days a week. If you just can't get it together to make a lunch, at least try bringing a can of soda from home instead of buying one at the deli or out of a machine. Bring a snack from home instead of hitting the vending machines. Giving up smoking may save you enough money in a year to fund a family vacation. I'm not kidding! If you're smoking a pack a day, you're spending at least $800 a year on cigarettes. In places with high tobacco taxes, you're spending $1600 or more. Ask your family to help you save. Often children aren't very aware of how much small expenses can add up over time. If you point out that every nickel they can save the household will get them closer to seeing Mickey, they may surprise you! Solicit their ideas and suggestions, and then agree to put aside what you've saved for your vacation fund. Be sure you have a plan for keeping the saved money separate, so that it doesn't get spent elsewhere. That might mean writing a check for the amount of money saved and depositing it into your vacation account, or putting that amount of cash into the change jar. Whatever it is, do it consistently. Here are a few ideas your family might consider: Spend less on entertainment. Borrow videos from your public library instead of the video store: most public libraries offer this service for little or no cost. Instead of going to the movies, check the newspaper for free local family entertainment and events, or have a family game night. Eat out less. Face it, cooking every night can be tiring and a drag, and that leads to eating out, which is much more expensive. So find a way to avoid this. Think up something you can make in the crockpot one night a week instead of getting takeout. Or turn cooking into a fun project once a week -- for instance, make a pizza with the kids instead of ordering one. Use grocery store coupons. Particularly if you live in an area like Southern California, where the major supermarkets will double the value of manufacturer's coupons, you can't afford NOT to clip coupons out of the Sunday paper! I do this, combined with buying sale items and seasonal produce, and frequently save 40% or more on my grocery bill. Seriously, 15 minutes of effort and a $5 coupon organizer can save you an amazing amount of money. Kids who are old enough to use scissors can certainly cut out coupons. Older kids can also sort and file coupons in your coupon organizer. Sell your junk. Have a big garage sale. Take still-in-fashion clothes to a consignment shop. Sell unwanted books, CDs, movies and collectibles you no longer want on eBay . You'd be amazed at what your old stuff may bring. Don't assume no one wants it. (I once sold a ratty bathmat the dog had chewed up, which I was using as a rag, for a quarter. It wasn't even part of my garage sale -- someone just noticed it lying on the ground and offered me money for it!) If you are a family of recreational shoppers, start going to garage sales, consignment shops and thrift stores instead of the mall. One person's trash is another's treasure, remember? There is often good stuff to be had at these places! Take a certain amount of cash and don't spend more. You'll get the thrill of the hunt and the thrill of the bargain, but for much less than a trip to the mall. Shop around on your insurance at least once a year. It's remarkable how much you can save. Rates for an identical auto insurance policy can vary from one company to another by as much as 100%! An easy way to shop around is to use an online site such as InsureMe.com , which will get you quotes from several insurance companies. I used this site to shop for life insurance and ended up with a great deal from a top-rated company. Evaluate your spending on cable television and telephone services. Maybe you don't really need extended cable or call waiting. Check rates to be sure you're not paying more than you have to for long distance calls. I've used OPEX as my long distance carrier for several years. I have tried AT&T, Sprint, MCI and others in the past, and this company is just as good... for only 3.9 cents per minute! To compare long distance rates, you can use a site like longdistanceworld.com . Get everyone to turn out the lights when no one is in the room, and turn off TVs, radios and computer equipment when they're not in use. Fix dripping faucets and leaking toilets. These measures may only save you a buck or two a month on your utility bills, but it all adds up. Encourage "gifts of love" instead of store-bought gifts. For instance, give each other certificates for back rubs, car washes, and other kind gestures that cost you nothing but your time and effort. Or set a low limit (like $5) on gifts and see how creative you can get. Back to the home page Back to top Content of MouseSavers.com is © Mary Waring & MouseSavers 2001-2005. No part of this website may be reproduced in whole or in part without permission.




 Home

 Travel And Vacations

 Travel Help Worldwide Call

 Travel Guides | Hotels

 Travelers (Children or seniors?)

 Travelers' Health Destinations Health

 Travel Education Special Reports

 Travel Guides Hotels Flights

 TRAVEL SERVICES TRAVEL TICKER

 Travel Education Special Reports

 Travel World

 Travel Planning Survey. Home

 Travel Advice UK Embassies

 TravelGuide.com All material herein

 Travelers (Children or seniors?)

 Traveler? Take a quiz

 Travel Business Travel Family

 TravelGuide.com All material herein

 Travel Guard | AgentLink:

 Worldwide Travel

 travel counselors love their

 travel services, discounts, information

 Travel > Global Style

 Travel

 Travel gift card today

 TRAVEL Welcome - Already

 Travel photography, travelogues and

 travel to and in

 Travel Guides Community Special

 Travel Notes™ Destinations Budget

 Travel

 travel counselors love their

 Travel Company (AMEX:OTV) Home

 travel books | camera

 Travelers Trust City: Check-in:

 Travel Cruise Visits For

 Travel Plan My Travel

 Travel Industry Association (ATIA).

 Travel | Destination |

 Vacation Homes Contact Owners

 vacation ever in beautiful

 vacations Sign in •

 Vacation Club (AFVC) ,

 VACATION West Middle East

 vacation is only a

 Vacation Work Information Exchange

 Vacation Rental Home here!

 vacation stories Win a

 vacation response? Going on

 vacation ever in beautiful

 Vacation Rentals Villas, Condos,

 Vacation Guides Free Brochures

 Vacation Rentals Take your

 VACATION FEATURES & EXTRAS

 vacation from the life

 Vacations Aruba | Bahama

 Vacation Rentals!! "Vacation Rentals,

 Vacation Rentals, Homes Vacation

 Vacations specialist. You need

 Vacations or Business Travel

 VACATION RENTALS Africa Asia

 Vacation homes, condos, villas,

 Vacation Guide: Sign up

 vacations : rental cars

 vacation rentals, bed and

 Vacation Club Check-in date

 Vacation Rentals and Vacation

 Vacation! BY DESTINATION BY

 Vacation Outlet Home Page

 Vacation Rentals RV Parks/Campgrounds

 Vacation Rentals at your

 Vacation Inn of Victoria

 vacation ideas from around

 Vacation® Inc. is a

 Vacation Information "The beauty

 Vacation Travel and Outdoor

 Vacation Rentals, Holiday Rentals,

 VACATION FEATURES & EXTRAS

 vacationing in Florida. Here

 vacation guide to Honduras

 Vacation Rentals - USA

 Vacation Rentals Hotels Real

 Vacation Rentals Hotels Real

 vacation rental, is available

 Vacations | Flight Schedule

 Asia Travel || Malaysia

 Asia Travel Tips ,

 Asia Travel || Hong

 Asia Travel

 Asia Travel Newsletter :

 Asia Travel || Laos

 Asia travel, Deluxe travel

 Asia Travel SINGAPORE HOTELS

 Asia Travel || Cambodia

 Asia Travel to assist

 Asia Travel Office Hours

 Asia Travel || Malaysia

 Asia Travel according to

 Asia Travel || Indonesia

 Asia Travel (65) 6235

 Asia Travel || Indonesia