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Foreign Currency Conversion for travelers
When traveling overseas it is a good idea to carry some local currency for taxis, telephone calls, tipping etc for when you arrive at the airport as often flights arrive at night with very limited facilities open. I prefer to get this foreign currency at home, before I leave, well a certain amount anyway, usually to last me a couple of days, but most international airports will have a currency exchange facilities there on the spot. This wont be much use to you though if they are not open when you arrive so if you are going get currency at the airport check the opening and closing times. I know it was easier for me to get Chinese Yuen at the airport than trying to get it back home before I left.
You may also like to estimate how much foreign currency you will get for your own money so you can make sure your budget is on track before you go. You can try the Currency Converter below to do a rough check. Currency rates change from day to day, and from buying and selling, but this will give you a good idea and I suggest you check again before you leave home for your travels.
Three ways to save money everyday for your vacation
1. Make a budget and stick to it
Making the budget is the easy part but sticking to it is doubly hard. Make a realistic one that you can follow and not one where you are so restricted you feel deprived. You wont keep to it otherwise and keep focused on your travel goal.
2. Live within your means
The trick to saving more money is to always live within your means. Spending more than what you can afford will definitely bring more problems than you can afford to solve.
3. Shop and compare
It really pays to shop around and doubly better when you compare prices. This applies to especilly to everyday items such as groceries. You will never know which items are better priced than others if you dont compare them. The more you save on shopping the more you have for your vacation nest egg.
Six ways to save money on your Gas bill to put into your vacation nest egg 
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Carpool with other parents or co-workers
- Commute to work - take the bus or train
- Walk or ride your bike to work if possible
- Maintain your car - keep your engine in good order
- Check out gas station prices
- Check your tires regularly
Traveling at the right time of year will cost you less
If you travel in off peak (or low season) periods, or even in the shoulder season, you’ll find traveling costs a lot less.
The seasons differ depending on whether you are in the north or south hemisphere. For example, the North America summer months are June, July, August but in Australia the summer months are December, January and February. You will need to research your destination to find out the low/shoulder season times to visit.
Positives of traveling in the off peak season are that air fares are much cheaper, accommodation is also cheaper and more readily available and eating in restaurants can be less expensive too as owners will be trying to attract patrons.
So what are the negatives of traveling in the off peak? Off peak usually means traveling in colder weather. Some tourist places close earlier or do not open at all in the off peak, so check up before you go so you are not disappointed. In some areas the public transport system does not run as often as in peak tourist season and some hotels and museums close down for the winter to re-furbish and get ready for the next high season influx of tourists.
If traveling in the off-peak doesn’t sound attractive to you, then you might like to try the shoulder season and still get some travel price reductions. Usually in this time you’ll get decent weather, less crowds and lower travel costs – not the great bargains you’ll get in off peak, but lower costs nonetheless.
The shoulder season is my preferred time to travel as I get good weather and lower prices. For North America or Europe I prefer to travel in April/May or around September/October. There are less tourists about also so its more enjoyable.
- Don't leave home without it
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Always read the policy and the product disclosure statement (PDS) carefully before you buy.
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Shop around - look for what is covered and what is not.
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Think about the total number of days that are covered.
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Take a copy of your policy including contact telephone numbers. Follow their instructions.
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You may not be able to admit fault for an incident. Check your policy
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Check the excess conditions in relation to more than one claim and keep receipts.
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Notify local authorities as soon as possible in regard to theft so you can claim it later.
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