Scam alert: Dynamic Currency Conversion. It's the newest twist on foreign transaction fees, and the newest way way to rip you off when you travel. If an overseas trip on your summer getaway horizon it's worth knowing, or being reminded of, the best ways to avoid, or at least minimize, foreign transaction fees when you pay by credit card. Add-on fees are universally despised by travelers. Those … [Read more...]
Car Care Tips: Synthetic vs. Regular Oil
Synthetic or regular? Save money or get better performance? Save money or save the planet? Making an informed choice about oil changes just got easier, thanks to new research by AAA on the quality of engine oil. AAA found that synthetic oil outperformed conventional oil by an average of nearly 50 percent. That translates to significantly better engine protection for just $5 more per month when … [Read more...]
Essential Car Care Tips for Family Road Trips
With peak summer getaway season about to begin, it's time to get your car ready, with summer car care tips that can help prevent breakdowns or accidents. The AAA expects to rescue 7 million American drivers this summer, mostly for dead batteries and flat tires, and being locked out of vehicles. Simply, summer heat takes a toll on vehicles, and an AAA survey shows that 4 out of ten drivers are … [Read more...]
How to save money on a rental car
If you think it takes time and effort to save money on the lowest airfare, you haven't been looking for the best deal on a rental car. Here's how to save money, and aggravation, on your next getaway wheels: There's no way to avoid comparison shopping for the rental deal. Start by visiting a travel consolidator site such as Expedia to search for the city, dates and vehicle size you need. Jot … [Read more...]
Tips for Stress-Free Family Road Trips
Some of my fondest childhood memories are the family road trips we took each summer. Yours, too. probably. While the cars and the roads have changed, the basics have not. With low gas prices, aid air travel expensive and frustrating, 2017 will see the return of the road trip. Here are timeless tips for making family road trips fun, affordable and memorable: SEE ALSO How to avoid road … [Read more...]
How to avoid pothole damage to your car
April showers bring May flowers. And potholes. It's a spring thing, and damage to your vehicle from banging into a road crater can cost you repair bills from an average $300 to more than $1,000. These tips from Michelin will help you ride safe and save yourself from the frustration and cost of pothole repairs, or worse - an accident caused by a blowout from a pothole: Maintain Proper Tire … [Read more...]
Scam alert: restaurant upselling tactics
Scam alert: restaurant upselling. Ever wonder why your restaurant bill is so much more than you expected? It's probably because restaurant employees are trained to lure you to ordering more, and higher priced menu items, than you planned. What used to be called "bait-and-switch" is now called upselling, and restaurants are not alone in the practice. Everybody from real estate agents to … [Read more...]
Keeping your digital life safe on vacation
Everyday, it seems, we hear about hacking, identity theft or some other invasion of our digital privacy. Here's how to protect your online life from cyber criminals on the road, because vacations are not the time to relax your personal safety, which includes taking internet security precautions. Before You Go Patch Up. Check all your electronic devices for software updates. That means both … [Read more...]
Safety warning: road de-icers damage brakes
Safety warning: De-icing chemicals used to clear roads of winter snow and ice cost US drivers some $3 Billion a year in repairs to brakes and paint damaged by the corrosive road salt and liquid chemicals. That's an an average of $500 per vehicle, according to a new AAA survey. Rust corrosion to your brakes, fuel tanks and exhaust systems are especially susceptible, along with other vehicle … [Read more...]
Reasons to Renew Your US Passport Now
If your US Passport is expiring in 2017, renew it now to save time and money. Ditto if you are getting a new US Passport. The busy season for applications starts soon, and the longer you wait, the longer it will take to get your new travel document. That delay could prevent you from entering a country that requires a passport to be valid for six months after arrival, a visa, or both. Plan … [Read more...]
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