Money Saving Tips: Paycheck to Savings Account

A good money saving tip is to think of a percentage you want to put toward your saving account before your pay check even arrives. This way you barely get a chance to look at all of the money before it is put away in savings and will not be tempted to spend it. Think of this as 'paying yourself' so this money can go towards that trip or item you are saving up for! This money will accumulate quickly if you do this for every paycheck. Just think, the more you save now, the more you can spend later. Won't that reward all be worth one less Starbucks trip a week or not eating out that one extra day?

I try and do this with my paychecks. Even putting $5 or $10 away each paycheck will add up after a while.

Day Trip Idea: Tubing

A fun thing to do for a day trip is to go tubing. Whether it be tubing on snow or down a river, it is always a fun thing to do! Both are fun with a big group of friends or family!

River tubing is like being on your own lazy river out in nature. For me it can also be a bit scary when you start thinking of all the fish and snakes and creatures that could be swimming around you at any moment. But it is fun when going over small rapids and looking at your changing scenery. If going in a group a good idea would be to bring some rope to tie your tubes together so you can stay together on your journey.

Snow tubing is fun too! This can be done by yourself if you own a tube, or at a ski resort or mountain. Some places have big family tubes that you board at the bottom of a hill, then a pully system pulls you to the top of the hill and lets you loose at the top to slide down the hill again.

Tubing is a fun activity you can do at almost any time of the year. River tubing in the spring and summer and snow tubing in the fall and winter.

Weekend Trip idea: Camping

Camping is a great weekend trip. Find the closest KOA, grab a tent and sleeping bag and off you go! Make smore's and hotdogs over the fire, bring your fishing rod and there is your weekend fun! A weekend is a good amount of time to get away from it all and take a break from the 'real world' to get in touch with nature. Two nights are enough for the older members of your group to be sleeping on an air mattress or ground as well haha. I have not been camping in a while, but I definitely want to go again soon. My family and I used to go a lot when I was younger, but now that my parents are getting older they do not want to be sleeping on air mattresses anymore. Nothing beats smore's and a camp fire at night under the stars.

Destination of the Week: Niagra Falls

I went to Niagra Falls many years ago when I was in elementary school, I do not remember it all that clearly but I do remember doing the Maid of the Mist tour and seeing the falls from both the American and Canadian side. I remember the ponchos and rain shoes we wore. I especially want to do the Maid of the Mist tour again because that is where Jim and Pam from The Office got married haha. I want to go back to be able to appreciate it more now and have it be fresher in my mind. I also want to see the falls lit up because when I went something was wrong with the lights so they were not on. The surrounding area would be interesting to see as well as read the signs and everything surrounding the falls to learn more about the history of the area.

Pros/Cons to traveling by PLANE

I have been on an airplane a few times, the most recent being when I went to Alaska. This trip involved flying from Philadelphia to Seattle and from Seattle to Vancouver. This was a VERY long trip. We left Philadelphia around 2pm EST and got to Seattle at around 9:30pm PST. Then we had an hour and a half layover and finally got to Vancouver around 1am. These pros and cons do not necessarily apply for first class, seeing as how I have never flown first class....

Pros to flying:
-fast way to get somewhere
-free drinks!!! (on most flights)
-free snacks!!! (on some flights)
-free movie to watch (on long flights)
-awesome view out the window! (if you have a window seat)
-leg room (if on an aisle seat)

Cons to flying:
-little to no leg room (if bigger then the average person or if you do not have a window seat)
-having the middle seat sucks
-small bathroom
-cramped
-turbulence
-stiff from sitting for so long
-you get dry skin
-baggage fees
-having to sit on the airplane if there is a delay
-waiting in line to go through security
-waiting in line to check in
-waiting in line to get on the plane
-waiting in line to get off the plane
-waiting in line to get your bag off the belt
-when the person in front of you reclines their seat

Money Saving Tips: Only Carry Cash

Another great money saving tip is to only carry and use cash to pay for things. By only using cash I have to physically count the bills out and I see my wallet getting slimmer, this makes me think twice about if I really NEED something or not. I like to always have an even amount of money in my wallet so I can figure out how much money I spent at the end of the night. I see my friends who whip out there cards for $1 purchases, what is the point of that? To me it seems like an even greater opportunity for someone to steal your credit card numbers. Some places do not even accept cards, so cash is always convenient.

By incorporating my tip from last week, you can save up even more money. At the end of the night you don't want any change and you want an even number of bills in your wallet. Deposit this excess into a jar or piggy bank and don't touch it. This will add up FAST. The more you do this, the more you will save. I like to think of it like I am kind of 'paying' myself. It always brings a smile to my face when I see just how much I saved after a few months of doing this.

Day Trip Ideas: Fun Factory

There are a lot of great day trips near me that my family has gone to together. I think a great trip especially for younger kids is something where they get something from it. Go to a chocolate factory and get free candy, make candles or other crafts somewhere or get free samples at an ice cream factory. Look up fun factory tours near you and there is sure to be a fun day trip out there waiting to happen!

Hershey Park is close to where I am from and it is a great day trip! We go up and go on the FREE Chocolate World ride which shows how chocolate is made, then at the end of the ride you get a free piece of chocolate! This ride is outside of Hershey Park, so we don't even need to pay to enter the park and go on any other rides if we do not want to. We just go on this free ride and walk around the big gift shop with all of the Hershey products! They sell giant sized reese cups, hershey bars,twizzlers and more!

The Crayola Factory is also fairly close to me. I have not been there since I was a little kid but I remember it being a lot of fun!

I've also been on tours of ice cream factory's, beer brewery's and coal mines! So many options!!

Let me know where you go on day trips!

Weekend Trip Ideas: The Beach

Ok, so I know that it is winter right now and it is FREEZING COLD where I live. But just because its cold doesn't mean you can't go though, I once took a day trip with friends to the beach during a tornado warning....maybe not the smartest idea but it went fine.

For now,lets just float away and remember those warm summer days. Or you could be experiencing them now if you live in the south....

A GREAT weekend trip is a trip to the beach. Who doesn't like the beach? Leave Friday after work and be home Sunday night for work on Monday. A quick trip is all it takes to relax and recuperate. You know what they say, "The cure for anything is salt water: sweat, tears or the sea."

39% of people in the US live in a county that borders an ocean. Think of how many people live in the counties next to these counties, that is still within a days driving distance. A beach trip is great. During the day hang out on the beach, go back in the late afternoon to the pool and hot tub, eat dinner and get ready to go out, then go out to bars, restaurants,shows, and shops and enjoy the nightlife. Don't forget the sunset over the water and walking on the boardwalk!

Destination of the Week: Redwood Forest

One of the things on my bucket list is to go and see the giant Redwood trees in California. They look very beautiful and I would love to be surrounded by their greatness. It would be like I am in that one planet of the ape's movies where the apes run into the woods at the end (haha jk....thats just what I thought of).

Looking at pictures I can't imagine just how big these trees really are. They are HUGE!!

Last first day of school

Tonight comes a special post because tomorrow is my last first day of school ever. I can't believe it. Where did the time go? All of my schooling has lead to what will come at the end of this semester. Graduation.

After this semester I do not know what comes next. For the past 16 years I have know what I was going to be doing the next year. Now I have no clue where I will be 5 months from now. It is a scary time and one that I am going through with my friends and many others around the world.

My first days of school have always been special. I would wake up and have a special outfit planned and I would have a special breakfast. Pancakes and bacon being the most popular. Then after I ate, my sister and I would get our picture taken in front of our door. These traditions have changed some over the years, but even in college I still took and will take a first day of school picture. That is if we do not have a snow day haha.

To all the other second semester seniors out there (wow that is weird to say), this is our year! Good luck and have a great last semester!!!

Pro/Cons to traveling by BUS

I have traveled by many different types of buses. Luxury Coach buses, school buses, public transportation buses and trolleys (those are kind of like busses right?).

School buses

Pros:
-VERY close to friends?

Cons:
-cramped (especially seat with wheel in it)
-no air conditioning
-little heat
-very bumpy

We rode a bus like a school bus while my family and I were in Denali National Park. Nothing scared me more then when we were in that bus riding on the edge of a steep cliff with another bus coming in the opposite direction on a road that was only meant for 1 car at a time. SO SCARY. Riding on these also bring me back to grade school.

Public transportation buses could either be a step higher or lower then school buses depending where you are. These buses could be more or less crowded, bumpy and uncomfortable. My family and I rode on a public bus when we were in Bermuda. It was interesting because we were driving on the opposite side of the road. I thought it was cool how we were more 'immersed' into the lifestyle of the people that lived in the area when we were sitting among them on the bus. Its a great way to meet people too.

Luxury coach buses have to be my favorite way to travel by bus. My family goes on a lot of day trips where we take coach buses and they are always enjoyable. The seats are comfortable and there is air conditioning and heat as well as a bathroom! We took coach buses on marching band trips as well as when we were in Alaska. While in Alaska we got around the land portion of our trip strictly by coach bus. We had a driver who acted as a guide and told us the history and facts of the different areas we were driving through. Coach buses allow for ample storage as well. Our suitcases all fit for our journey in Alaska.

All of the trolleys I have been on have had wooden seats so they have not been the most comfortable, but they are stylish! I want to go on a trolley on rails that runs in the city. That would be fun.

All in all, bus experience differs depending on the quality and duration of the trip. Coach buses are by far my favorite but for shorter distances anything will do.

One Week Down: So far, so good

So far, so good! I have been sticking to my goal of making daily posts! I hope to keep this up for as long as I can! Go me! One New Year's Resolution I have been working hard at!

Money Saving Tips: Change Jar

Ever since I began saving for my Europe trip, I have found MANY ways to save money better. One of these ways my mother taught me. I keep a jar in my room and whenever I have change in my wallet, I automatically put it into the jar when I get home. I do not count the change unless I absolutely need it. I do not touch it. At my house, my entire family has a change jar that we put change into. It is one of those huge water jugs and we have saved a lot of money over the years that we have been able to spend on trips with eachother.
This tip is really handy when saving because you do not know how much you have until you have planned a trip and count the money to put towards the vacation. Before you know it you will have enough saved for a plane ticket!

Day Trip Ideas: Amusement Park

Day trips are just as good as longer vacations or even weekend trips! If you do not have a full weekend to spare, why not just spend a day relaxing and having fun?

Amusement parks don't have to be big and well known to be fun! It doesn't have to be Disney World or Six Flags. Smaller and older places can be just as good, if not better! There is an amusement park nearby that my mom grew up going to with her parents that I go to almost every year with my family and friends. This park has free admission, you only need to pay for rides/attractions and food. Technically you could just go and walk around and people watch and get dinner then leave. There is plenty of shade at this park so no dying of heat stroke in the harsh sun. The food is priced well (it even won an award for best theme park food somewhere I think!) and very good! All of the rides are fun and  I love how family friendly the entire place is.

Just look up theme parks near your town and I am sure there is a hidden gem somewhere waiting to be discovered! 

Weekend Trip Ideas: The Mountains

To get through this hump-day, why not start planning a quick weekend getaway? A quick trip to the mountains if just what you need! I live in Pennsylvania, so there is a mountain range not too far away I could drive off to. This may be hard for those of you in the middle of the country, but future posts can help you out too.

A quick weekend trip to the mountains is enough to rejuvenate anyone. You can rent a nice cabin in the woods for a romantic getaway, or for a family adventure. Go fishing, white water rafting, make smore's, go tubing; skiing and snowboarding are options as well for this winter! Cozy up to the fire with your significant other and enjoy the silence away from it all up in the forest. Unplugging from life and getting away from things like TV, video games, the computer and even cell phones can help you relax and enjoy the finer things in life. Leave it behind just for a few days and be back to work on Monday with a fresh start and more relaxed mindset to start another busy week!

Destination of the Week: Key West/ Florida Keys

I know I already did a post on my trip to the Florida Keys, but I have decided to do another one. My trip to the Keys was incredible! The water was so blue and beautiful. The snorkeling is fantastic (where I was at least). I wish I could have snorkeled near the underwater statues off of Key Largo but I did go snorkeling other places that were just as nice. Bahia Honda State Park was very pretty, with the Atlantic Ocean on one side and the Gulf of Mexico on the other, there are two great beaches only a few steps away from eachother. The water was calm the day I was here and the snorkeling was fun too. There were so many things to see! I did see signs to beware of the jellyfish so stay alert if you go here. I also would recommend wearing water shoes when you go to the beaches here due to the rocky bottom some areas may have with the rocks, corals and seagrasses that line the ocean floor. Water shoes may also help make other animals like stingrays who like to bury in the sand more aware of your presence so you do not accidentally step on them.

Key West was great too! I wish I would have gotten to spend more than just a few hours here, there was a lot to see and do! I started off my visit by buying a coconut from a street vender. He grabbed a coconut from a barrel, drilled a hole in it with an electric drill, stuck a straw in it and handed me a huge coconut to carry around! While I drank from my coconut, friends and I walked to wait in the line to get our picture taken next to the monument stating we are only 90 miles from Cuba and that Key West is the most southern point in the Continental United States. There were so many restaurants to go to, bars to drink at, stores to shop in and places and shows to see! I wish I had gotten to walk past Ernest Hemingway's House while I was there.

I would definitely recommend going to the pier at Sunset to celebrate with everyone and watch the sunset. Key West is the "Home of the Sunset" and that is for sure the truth! I have never seen a more beautiful sunset then the times I was in the Keys. Soak it all in, the sunsets are breathtaking!

Overall the Keys are gorgeous, with so much history, places to eat and shop and things to do, you will not be bored on your trip to the Keys! Just taking a drive and seeing the beach and blue water all around you is a fun time!

Pro/Cons to traveling by CAR

I have traveled via car a lot in the past year. I drove from the Northeast USA to Florida 2 times in 2013. Once From PA to Orlando, FL and back as well as from Virginia to the Florida Keys and back. These trips consisted of LONG HOURS in a car. This trip felt especially long when we drove from Virginia to the Keys. On that trip we actually stopped and slept at a hotel in Northern Florida, then continued to our destination the next day. I said that was enough long car rides for me, but alas, I will be driving from Pennsylvania to Georgia in a few weeks time.


Pros:
-travel at own pace (can take breaks whenever you want or need a break, can pull over for pictures, food, to stretch)
-can control your own heating/air conditioning


Cons:
-takes longer
-you have to pay for gas
-possibility of being stranded alone
-dealing with traffic or confusing signs
-hard to read if you get motion sick
-hard to drive long car trips by yourself (will need a buddy to switch drivers with)
-confined space to have to be close to others
-can be boring on veryy long carrides

Schedule for this Blog- Stay tuned!!!

I have thought up a schedule for this blog that I am going to try to stick to for this year.

Mondays I will discuss the pros and cons to different ways to travel (via car,plane,train ect..)

Tuesdays will be days where I talk about different places I have been that I would recommend others visit. These may also be places that I want to go in the future

Wednesdays I will discuss ideas for weekend trips

Thursdays will give you ideas for day trips.

Fridays will give money saving tips to help you think about money during the weekend as you go out.

Saturdays and/or Sundays will be more personal posts on things that have been on my mind recently or just random things I want to discuss and add here. Things that do not fit in the other categories will be posted on these days as well.

I hope you keep enjoying my blog and stay tuned for the upcoming posts to come!!

Graduating College: Plans for the real world

It turns out I will now be graduating this Spring!! While this is very exciting, the nerves are now setting in. Originally I had been planning to graduate in Spring of 2015 so all of a sudden changing plans and graduating in a few months has taken me off guard. Now I am thinking if I want to move to a different state, travel or both. I guess for now my plans are unclear until I start applying for jobs and graduation gets closer. I could be traveling sooner then expected which is great! My plan is to now save as much money as possible and see where it takes me.