If you’re thinking about putting the brakes on your family vacation because you’re worried about your wallet, consider a surprisingly easy way to save a few hundred dollars on that summer getaway: the travel package. While most people book their flight, hotel and car rental separately, it’s actually way cheaper to opt for a vacation package — up to $300 cheaper, even.

Get More Bang for Your Buck

Vacation packages are the best way to save on travel no matter where you decide to go. And we know that the destination can be hard enough to narrow down. But vacation packages really allow you to stretch your travel dollar further, and are also way more convenient than booking and keeping track of separate itineraries.

A vacation package can make a huge difference in savings for a single vacationer or an entire family looking to get away. And frankly, who doesn’t want to get more value out of their vacations? Bundle your flight and hotel and save.

Opt for an Online Travel Agency

Check with third-party travel sites. There are lots of great online travel agencies out there that allow you to choose your preferences using a vacation package finder widget. These handy little helpers take all the guesswork out of planning your trip and offer terrific deals on travel packages at the same time. Plus, user-friendly tools allow travelers to customize their packages with specific flights, hotels, rental cars and even attractions and tours — a great way to ensure a trip that best suits your needs. And don’t forget to look for specials like Travelocity promotional codes to lock in some serious savings.

Online travel agencies provide some of the best offers, often accompanied by Best Rate Guarantees, which promise you the best prices out there. Some will even offer to reimburse you for the difference in price if you find a cheaper offer elsewhere.

Check with your favorite airline

Many airline carriers and hotels offer some pretty substantial savings on travel packages. Scour their sites for last-minute deals and offers on packages first. No luck? You can also get ahead of the savings game by choosing to sign up for travel alerts that will let you know via email when the prices drop on specific destinations. So if you’ve got your eye on Hawaii this summer, sign up let them do the work for you. When you get an alert, take advantage of packaging your flight and hotel together to capitalize on the savings versus booking separately. This is a great way to avoid extra fees.

Plan Ahead With Trip Tools

Many online sites allow you to plan now and pay later. Once you’re set on a flight, hotel and rental car, look for the option to add extras like airport shuttles, tickets for local attractions, city tours and more. Usually, all you have to do is select your desired travel features and then print the email confirmation and online voucher for redemption when you’re ready. You’ll also find resources like maps, weather alerts and trip-planning tips to help make your vacation a memorable one. It’s an easy way to plan ahead and concentrate on the important things, like having a great time.

Vacation packages are one of the biggest money-savers when it comes to travel. You’ll not only save time and cash with great offers on vacation packages, but you’ll enjoy a fantastic little getaway with the family, as a couple or solo without wrestling with buyer’s remorse. When you book as a package deal, you’re more likely come out on top savings-wise.

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He’s already more aggressive with his toys and play and he gets into everything. He just won’t sit still. He’s all boy and I love him.

Wednesday night he was walking toward a toy fell and split his lip really good. I picked him up to check on him and he was gushing blood. Once Melissa wiped his face she saw how bad the cut was and said we have to take him to the ER.

The ER crew was great with him, thank you North Ottawa Community Health 

He ended up getting five stitches on the outside and two on the inside (from his tooth biting though his lip)

Here’s a picture of him the next day. He’s doing fine with the stitches and gets them out next week. They don’t seem to bug him.

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Live around or plan on heading toward New Jersey?

If so make sure you stop by Morey’s Piers in Wildwoods, New Jersey. They have it all, two beachfront water parks, three piers with all sorts of rides, and some awesome resort accommodations.

Raging waters is fun for the whole family including waterslides, two children’s play areas, as well as picnic and grille areas.

Ocean Oasis Water park and beach club is more of a resort experience, children are welcome, but here you will find free wireless internet, private and family cabanas and relaxing hammocks. But they still have a 1000 foot lazy river and plenty of crazy waterslides.

After a fun day in the water make sure you check out the Ghost Ship at Morey’s Piers With 15,000 sq ft of terror, Ghost Ship promises to be an instant Boardwalk icon, it is a mesh of live actors, stunts, and animatronics that has guests …screaming! “The Ghost Ship is worth a trip to Wildwood!” comments one facebook fan.

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Sponsored Review

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When you’re moving to a new area with your family, finding all the resources you need, and doing it gracefully, can be quite the challenge. There’s also the potential culture shock of a new region with new friends and activities- sometimes your self esteem can take a blow because you feel lonely or like you don’t fit in. You need to make sure that you can find your way around, so you can get the things you need to maintain the lifestyle you want, and become a part of new communities to keep your personal mojo flowing. Here are a few great tips to easily navigate and start your life again in a new place.
Don’t Be Afraid to Ask

Why did you move to the area? The most frequent answer to this question is the move happened because of a new job. If this is the case, your job provides a network of new acquaintances who will provide a foundation for your social network in the new region. Don’t be hesitant to ask your new colleagues about the area, since most people are excited to talk about the activities, places, and groups that they have come to enjoy. Don’t expect a tour guide, but don’t be afraid to ask your new work associates or neighbors about their preferred areas and activities.

You can also expand your social network dramatically in the new area while discovering some fun activities. One of the best ways to go about this is to continue in your old hobbies while pursuing new personal interests. You can look for groups that are engaged in volunteer work, music, hiking, sports, or any number of other activities. Not only do you get the chance to become a part of these communities, but you have more people to help guide you in your new area. These groups can often be found through bulletin boards, online classifieds, or through simple web searches.

Check Out Bulletin Boards

Most communities have a number of “public bulletin boards.” These bulletin boards can help you find out about new restaurants, things to do in the area, groups that are starting, or any number of other things that might interest you. You can find bulletin boards of this nature at local coffee houses, music stores, libraries, community centers, and churches. In addition to providing online bulletin boards, some cities have local publications that highlight many of these same things.

Go High Tech

One easy way to start exploring is by conducting a Google Maps or Map Quest search for the sort of business you’re trying to find. There are also several major websites, including the city search guides and the uptake “things to do” search, which allow you to effectively check out the most prominent activities, tasty restaurants, and areas of interest in your new region. You can use tools like these to fill your weekends and expand your network.

You’ll also need to find a doctor, a dentist, babysitters, lawn care specialists, and other service providers in your new region. You can check out web review sites, online classifieds, and your insurance provider’s “approved” list for your region to find these new and important service providers.

Keep all these in mind, and when that day comes to move your family for a job re-location- or simply just relocating yourself- you’ll know how to navigate and stay on top of yourself without feeling low or out of place.

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I can’t believe my little girl is 3 1/2 and my little man is a year now, the time just flys by. Its nice with digital cameras its easy to take hundreds of photos and quick videos. Below is three pictures from the night. I hope you read this and you to put everything aside and go spend time with your family. Enjoy it because life changes so fast.

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A few weeks ago Melissa and I went and saw Dave Ramsey in Grand Rapids. This is the third time we have seen him live. But we haven’t read his books or went to FPU (Financial peace university). After the first time we started working on our budget and debt, in our own speed and own way. Well we have been able to pay off all but two debts (college and the RAV4) its taken way longer than it should have. So In April we will be attending FPU and kicking these last two debts to the curb. Then it will be on to baby step 3

Wish us look and I’ll update the site on our progress. We did a budget this month, but it wasn’t a REALLY tight one, we cut back but not a lot, maybe once we start the class we’ll see other ways to cut back. Right now it looks like it will be about 24 months before we have both debts paid off. I’ve been downloading Dave’s podcast and we listen to it during dinner. Why are we waiting until April to start? Well I have training this month for Sharepoint and its in Vegas. Melissa’s coming with me and we had this planned and paid for before we decided to go to see Dave Ramsey again.

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I can’t believe my little girl is 3 1/2 and we are looking into pre-K for her already. I remember when she was born, it seems like yesterday she just started to walk. Wow, the miracles that are children, they can only be a blessing from God.

Brad has started standing by himself yesterday. Its funny because he gets a big grin when he’s standing there like he knows he’s doing something new and special. He’s eating normally food like a champ, but doesn’t have any teeth yet.

I look back over the last 3+ years and realize how much kids change you, everything changes, your world gets turned upside down and you realize it doesn’t matter.

We are planning Brad’s first birthday, its going to be a monkey theme

So before you go to bed tonight, grab your children and give them a big hug. Forget about whatever stress or issue you might have had for the day and just remember how special your kids are and how luck we are to be parents.

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On Christmas Eve our church had a short service with communion. Since I just accepted Christ in September, this was my first communion. It seems fitting that my first communion was during a service celebrating the birth of Christ.

We spent Christmas day at home enjoying time with each other and playing with the new toys. Grace seemed more interested in Brad’s toys than hers. 

Melissa got me the monster icarplay 800 so I could charge and listen to my Iphone in the car. But its a FM transmitter and no matter what we did it sounded like bad AM. After looking online it sounds like all the FM transmitters suck. So I bought a cheap  line in cable and used the AUX port in the car. It works SO much better. Now I just need to buy a car charger and I’ll be all set for half the cost of the Monster unit.

Grace got a sled from Santa and after I snow blowed yesterday she wanted to go out and use it. I pulled her up and down the driveway, the packed down snow make it nice and slick to pull the sled on. Then we made snow angels and had a snow ball fight. Its funny when your playing in the snow with your kids, you don’t realize how cold you are, you just enjoy the time with your kids.

I hope all of you had a great Christmas and remember the real reason for the season, baby Jesus.

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Sunday we had another great service at Church. Came home and had a pretty low key afternoon. The Lions where fronted with a 14 point lead to start the game and still blew it. The offense looks like every other Lions team over the last 10 years, weak and timid. Stafford looks like he’ll be another Joey Ballgame. The Lions are the Cubs of football.

Tomorrow is going to be a ramp up at work. I haven’t worked a full 5 day work week in 2 weeks. Lots to do and get done.

later,jb

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Another successful Halloween. Melissa is out of but her Dad came to help out. The rest of the crew from Melissa’s work showed up. Grace had a horse outfit with a cowgirl hat and vest, by the time we were ready to go out to trick or treat, it was down to just the vest. It took us about 2 hours to make the small loop in our subdivision. Everyone had a great time and got lots of candy. I took a few pictures I’ll post later.

Melissa has been out of town since Thursday. I’ve had a few tense times dealing with both children, but overall its been great.

Melissa will be back late Monday so two more days with both kids.

Hope everyone had a great and safe Halloween.

later,jb

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