Disney Park Passes

Did you know that you can purchase Disney World, and Disneyland park tickets through Airmiles.ca?

You simply go into the Dream Rewards section and choose your desired passes. They will cost you around 3000 Air Miles per pass.  The current retail price is over $300 US or about $400 Canadian funds.

There are a few other amusement parks who also offer tickets through Air Miles. Just make sure you give yourself 3-4 weeks to receive the passes in the mail, prior to your trip. Though, the last time I purchased Disney passes this way, they were delivered in 9 days so I had plenty of time.

When the Canadian dollar is weak, and you still want to make your dream trip a reality, I encourage you to think creatively and use rewards credits like this. I would book my flights and hotel and pre-pay in Canadian funds, use Air Miles for the park passes and limit my souvenir purchases. Eat bigger lunches and small dinners and your dream trip can still come together at an affordable price.

If you have any other tips on saving money in the USA without skimping on the family fun, please add them in the comments. Thank you!

Fast Five Travel Tips: Travel More!

I think we can all agree, vacation feels good. And, in my opinion, the more vacations the better. For me, a vacation does not have to be a 5 star resort on the beach, it can be a weekend in the city, three days in the desert, two nights on a friends' couch in Calgary or even a night in a hotel in your own city. The thing that makes it a holiday from life, is the absence of dishes, chores, and the burdens of your own work routine.

So here they are, my tips for getting more of that vacation feeling in your life.

1. Don't wait for an occasion.  It doesn't have to be your anniversary to have a couples' getaway.

2. Don't wait for the whole gang to get their act together. You'd love to have a girls' getaway but two of your friends have a hard time committing or finding the money. Don't stress or start resenting them. If the timing isn't right for them, that's OKAY. Don't let it spoil your fun. Plan and go!

3. Let the budget pick the destination.  Rather than feeling blue that you don't have $5000 for your dream vacation, rejoice in the fact you have $800 and see where that will take you.  ($800 will take a couple to Vegas on Allegiant Air and still leave you with a little money for dinner and fun.) Actually, I could think of a dozen trips for $800 and I often list the bargains here on this site.

4. Use your points. You hear me say it all the time.... collect points. Something. Anything! Use Avion, Aeroplan, Air Miles, etc to subsidize your travel.

5. Travel solo. Or if going alone scares you, declare your interest in travelling and let your friends, co-workers and family members know you are up for travel with them should a business trip or other opportunity come up. You will be surprised how many invitations come your way when your social circle knows you are interested in travelling and can pay your own way or share expenses.