Traveling Tips!

 Hello to the 11 of you who follow us! The weather lately has been super nice and I haven't felt like sitting in front of a computer or updating the blog. I'm too busy gettin my tan on! And maybe watching reruns of 16 & Pregnant. However, I wasn't too busy to take a trip with Ross to Washington D.C. over Memorial Day weekend. The trip wasn't planned to be a budget friendly vacay, but that's how it ended up. Thanks to our lovely hosts Dillon and Vanessa, I'll show you how they helped us have a blast in the nation's capital!

Tip #1

Take a vacation where you have friends or family!

Our awesome friends Dillon and Vanessa!

There are SO many reasons why this can save you money. First of all, if you have sweet friends like we do, they will let you crash at their place for free! Plus, they know the area and all the cool places to visit. Our hosts were especially nice because they made us breakfast and fondue for dinner! Even if you're not comfortable staying with your friends and family, I would still recommend visiting a city where you know people, because they would still (hopefully) pick you up from the airport, have you over for dinner, tell where to go, etc.

Tip #2

Check out the free places!

Lincoln Memorial

Lincoln Memorial

 The Smithsonian with Kermit and Dorothy's slippers!

If you want to visit a place that has tons of free options, GO TO D.C.!!!!!!!! Literally, EVERYTHING we visited was free. We went to the Smithsonian, the National Archives, Arlington National Cemetery, and most of the monuments and memorials. I know everything is different depending on where you visit, but of all the places I have visited, there is always something to do for free. Just do some research and you'll be surprised with what you find!

Tip #3

Splurge on one big item. 

For Ross and I, it is impossible to drive somewhere for a week long vacation. Because of work we are only able to take weekend trips, which means we have to fly to our destination. Plane tickets are always the one item we splurge on. We have lots of options to visit because I am excellent at keeping in contact with friends from high school and college. Plane tickets can get really expensive, but we don't mind paying for them if we save money by crashing with friends and checking out the free attractions. 

Fountains from the WWII Memorial with the Washington Monument in the background.

 The front of the White House. 

Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery. 

Thanks again to our awesome friends Dillon and Vanessa for hosting us! We had a blast and can't wait to come back! If you like reading this blog, please share it on Facebook, Twitter, whatever. Also, leave us comments on what you would like to hear about! Ashlie lives for reading comments!

May the odds be ever in your favor.

-Ari-

Some of my Fav Local Deals

Hello out there! It's been a bit since I've updated this stupid blog, so I thought I'd try something a little different. St. Louis was just voted as the most frugal city in America, and I can definitely see why! With summer right around the corner and baseball season in full swing, here are some of my favorite deals to keep you out and about this summer. 

1. CARDINAL GAMES!

There are SO many deals to save money at Cardinal games and you can basically go for free. The first thing you need of course is a ticket! If I don't get free tickets, I always check Stubhub if I want to go to a game. Now, the tickets are always more expensive if it's a weekend game, or if they're playing a rival like the Cubs. But if you aren't picky, you could get tickets as low as $3. I checked Stubhub today, and I saw tickets for around $2 for some weekday games. You can even print your tickets at home! Now, you still have to pay tax and a Stubhub fee, which is usually around $5. Ross and I do this ALL the time and it's usually at the last minute, so go, go, go!

The second way to get cheap tickets is through the First Pitch Tickets deal. Basically, this is a ticket lottery. These tickets are sold before every home game starting at 9 a.m. 275 pairs are sold for $11 and the tickets could be from front row to standing room only. Just like Stubhub, you're more likely to get standing room or nosebleeds if it's a weekend game or if they're playing the Cubs. But again, if you're not picky, it's an awesome way to get to a game for cheap. 

The next thing you need to go to a game is transportation. Now, you locals who are reading this are probably thinking Metrolink. But all of you are WRONG! The train is still about $5 round trip, and that can add up quickly if you are taking a family to the game. The best FREE way to get to the game is the Casino Queen Shuttle. Just park at the Casino Queen, and wait by the entrance for your free ride! It drops you off right in front of the stadium and will be waiting when the game's over. You don't have to play at the casino to ride it and kids are allowed on as well. The driver does have a tip jar, so I recommend bringing a buck or two for him. If you live on the Missouri side, you can still take free shuttles from Soulard! 

The next thing you need when going to a game is FOOD! This part is super easy because you can BRING FOOD INTO THE STADIUM. Because I can't get enough hot dogs, I always buy them from a street vendor. Obviously alcohol isn't allowed to be brought inside and coolers have to be the soft kind. But besides that, everything else is good to go! I also know a way to get a free soda at every game as well! If you go to guest services before the first pitch you can pledge to be a designated driver. If you sign up, they give you a coupon for a free soda! Cool, right? I do this at EVERY game. And for those of you who are thinking, "I don't want to drive anyone home", it's not like that. It's more like a pledge to say that you won't drink and drive, so no worries!

Just in case those ideas aren't helpful enough, here's a link to all of the other Cardinal deals. 

2. The Fox

I'm sure everyone who reads this knows me, and knows that The Fabulous Fox is my favorite place in St. Louis. Tickets to the theater can be REALLY expensive, and my favorite way to get cheap tickets is through the rush offers. Now, the rush offers vary each show, but usually teachers and students can get orchestra tickets 2 hours before the show with a valid ID. You are allowed to buy two tickets with each ID and they are usually $20 each. If you don't know a teacher or a student, there is usually one performance of each show that has $15-$20 tickets. The last time I did this we were in Row M, and our tickets were originally about $80 each! Holler! 

3. Free Places!

Everyone from St. Louis knows that the Zoo, Science Center, Art Museum, and History Museum are free. But one of my favorite places to take kids is The Magic House!

This place is SO fun for kids, but it is a little pricey. Admission for everyone over a year old is about $9. Again, that can add up quickly for a family but I am here to save your day! Currently, you can get free admission the third Friday of each month from 5-9. Last year, there was free admission every Wednesday in the summer from 5-9. I haven't seen it advertised for this summer yet, but I'm sure they will do it again!

Wow. That post was way longer than I intended. If I was reading this, I probably would've stopped a long time ago. I hope this post helped you! Please share it if you like it!

May the odds be ever in your favor.

-Ari-