If the recent media frenzy over going green has got you concerned, now is the time to begin using recycled materials and products to decorate for Christmas. Not only are there many companies and individuals that crafts Christmas decorations from recycled material, decorators can do the very same. Not only is this a more cost effective way of decorating, it is also doing something for the environment making it an even better way to prepare for the holidays. Some may believe that using recycled materials would be hard or more time consuming, but it really isn’t in fact it may be easier and it is definitely less harsh on the pocketbook. Here are some ideas of how you can save the environment and decorate for the holiday at the very same time.
Everyone loves to have the biggest and best Christmas decorations for all to see. After all, this is the time of year when friends and family gather at homes, viewing all that the homeowner has done. Most people want to be the talk of the town with their wonderful and festive home, and this is possible while still using recycled goods. How about those old cigar boxes, glass jars or even plastic grocery bags? That’s right; they can all be used when creating that next holiday decoration.
Cigar boxes or other containers can be cleaned, painted and decorated to hold greenery, flower arrangements or even a set of candles that are beautifully decorated for Christmas. Instead of throwing those boxes out to set in the landfill now they can be of use and good use at that. Glass jars, bowls and other broken pieces can be used as well by adding ribbon or other fabric to cover in the cracks or chips that they may have. It is important however, to ensure that they will not be a danger two small children or anyone else that may be using or admiring them.
Filling these glass pieces with candy, potpourri or other decorative items can create a great decoration and also one that can be used over and over again. In fact, the colors and contents can be changed to then be used for the next upcoming holiday! Always having a festive and well decorated home is the key to Christmas cheer!
One of the most environmental savings is reusing those plastic bags that come from the grocery stores. These bags can be used to stuff cloth Santa Claus decorations or other fabric pieces! This keeps the bags out of the landfill and helps the environment one bag at a time!
Wednesday, December 17, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Tips on Finding Discount Hotels for Last Minute Travel
Traveling at the last minute can be inconvenient: you need to pack up a lot of clothes in order to get to where you want to go, but you need only a little time to make sure that you pack your clothes well and that you don't miss anything or forget any of your necessities and toiletries.
You need to get your tickets, have a ready schedule of all the things that you are supposed to do – and book a hotel without having to spend a lot of money on having a last minute trip. A lot of travel agencies and hotels know this tendency of people to do things at the last minute, and they promptly up their rates so that they can get more money out of last minute travelers.
There are ways that you can avoid this, however, whether you are anticipating a lot of last minute travel, or you're already in the fray and looking for a place to stay in. there will be no dearth of discounts especially if you are in a tourist friendly city, where a lot of hotels just can't wait to get clients or customers no matter what time of the year, no matter how long it took for you to make the booking.
One way to avoid ever getting bad rates is to actually talk to your travel agent beforehand and ask for discount rates for hotels just in case the day comes when you actually need those discount rates for some last minute travel. Your agent may have contacts at some hotels, and at some hotel chains that will extend their services abroad, so you can talk to your travel agent about what rates are good even before you need them.
Another way to get good discount hotels for last minute travel is to do last minute travel during non-peak months in a certain country or location. Of course this looks counterintuitive, but if you suddenly want to go on a vacation and want to go immediately, and you are at a non-peak time, then this can be a great way for you to save money, and by simply going during a time when all hotels will have discounts anyway.
Still another way is to book your last minute hotel stay online. There are actually many online discounts for hotel bookings to begin with, and last minute bookings may even have some special discounts attached to them as long as you are not bumping up against a hotel that has a lot of guests on its reservations list. You can also access hotels online through kiosks in your international or local airport, so if you're at the airport and waiting for your flight, or if you have downtime between your packing sessions, you can go online and quickly make your bookings.
Lastly, if you're already at a location and it's the last minute, look for a hostel or pension house first. This way, you can spend the night or the first two nights at a decent location, keep yourself safe and sleeping soundly, and then get to see the sights while looking for a hotel.
Who knows? You may actually like your cheaper lodgings, especially if you're after the sights all the time and will spend more time outside than in!
You need to get your tickets, have a ready schedule of all the things that you are supposed to do – and book a hotel without having to spend a lot of money on having a last minute trip. A lot of travel agencies and hotels know this tendency of people to do things at the last minute, and they promptly up their rates so that they can get more money out of last minute travelers.
There are ways that you can avoid this, however, whether you are anticipating a lot of last minute travel, or you're already in the fray and looking for a place to stay in. there will be no dearth of discounts especially if you are in a tourist friendly city, where a lot of hotels just can't wait to get clients or customers no matter what time of the year, no matter how long it took for you to make the booking.
One way to avoid ever getting bad rates is to actually talk to your travel agent beforehand and ask for discount rates for hotels just in case the day comes when you actually need those discount rates for some last minute travel. Your agent may have contacts at some hotels, and at some hotel chains that will extend their services abroad, so you can talk to your travel agent about what rates are good even before you need them.
Another way to get good discount hotels for last minute travel is to do last minute travel during non-peak months in a certain country or location. Of course this looks counterintuitive, but if you suddenly want to go on a vacation and want to go immediately, and you are at a non-peak time, then this can be a great way for you to save money, and by simply going during a time when all hotels will have discounts anyway.
Still another way is to book your last minute hotel stay online. There are actually many online discounts for hotel bookings to begin with, and last minute bookings may even have some special discounts attached to them as long as you are not bumping up against a hotel that has a lot of guests on its reservations list. You can also access hotels online through kiosks in your international or local airport, so if you're at the airport and waiting for your flight, or if you have downtime between your packing sessions, you can go online and quickly make your bookings.
Lastly, if you're already at a location and it's the last minute, look for a hostel or pension house first. This way, you can spend the night or the first two nights at a decent location, keep yourself safe and sleeping soundly, and then get to see the sights while looking for a hotel.
Who knows? You may actually like your cheaper lodgings, especially if you're after the sights all the time and will spend more time outside than in!
Monday, December 01, 2008
Can You Find Cheap Last Minute Travel Deals?
Can You Find Cheap Last Minute Travel Deals?
6 Ways How...
The early bird gets the worm. This is why if you book your flights or hotel room early, you get good deals for your punctuality. But sometimes, last minute travel can't be avoided. And we know what that means… since you're booking flights last minute, you sometimes have to pay more. So can you still find cheap last minute travel seats and accommodations? Here are tips to make sure you do:
Use your frequent flyer status.
Membership does have its advantages and it is even more so in case you need to make cheap last minute travel arrangements. If you are a member of an airline's frequent flyer program, then you will be considered as a privileged passenger. That means you can take advantage of an age-old practice that airlines are still upholding today – reserving a few tickets for their VIPs.
If you need to make last minute travel, go ahead and flash them your card. You also get to earn a few bonus points in the process.
Go online.
Yep, these days, whenever you need anything, you go online. If you need cheap, last minute travel deals for an airplane ticket, go to the airline's website. There are many of them that display leftover tickets for a particular flight. These are seats that have remained unsold even as the airplane is getting ready for takeoff. You'll get some nice discounts for filling up the seats.
You could buy the tickets online but be ready to dash off to the airport or boarding gate. If you want last minute travel this cheap, you better live up to it.
Got a credit card? Use it.
Some credit card companies offer air miles programs on their cards. Check if yours is affiliated with an airline company. You can take advantage of these offerings in case you need to travel pronto. Plus, you might even collect rewards points as well.
Check if it's that time of the year.
Airfare and hotel prices fluctuate, depending on the season. If you want cheap last minute travel deals, go off season when there are fewer travelers and companies are raring to fill their seats and rooms. You could get a great discount if you only choose to travel when business is slow.
Buy bundled.
Many travel agencies purchase multiple flights and use them to promote package tours. In case your destination is included in these bundles, consider buying a seat. Although most of these trips sell fast, you could find cheap last minute travel with these agencies. This usually happens as the date of departure approaches. If there are packages that have remained unsold, you can be sure that they will be sold at highly discounted prices.
The advantage here is that you not only get to cover the airfare, you also get accommodation (and probably breakfast) thrown in. All in all, that should be way less than the cost of a regular flight and hotel booking.
Sign up for e-mail alerts.
Many airlines and hotels send out alerts regarding great deals on their products. You could take advantage of these in case you need to travel last minute cheaply. Check your e-mail boxes regularly if there's a good deal currently active around the time you have to travel. Just be careful, though.
If you go this route, make sure you really are going to travel. Most of these companies offer these deals as non-refundables.
6 Ways How...
The early bird gets the worm. This is why if you book your flights or hotel room early, you get good deals for your punctuality. But sometimes, last minute travel can't be avoided. And we know what that means… since you're booking flights last minute, you sometimes have to pay more. So can you still find cheap last minute travel seats and accommodations? Here are tips to make sure you do:
Use your frequent flyer status.
Membership does have its advantages and it is even more so in case you need to make cheap last minute travel arrangements. If you are a member of an airline's frequent flyer program, then you will be considered as a privileged passenger. That means you can take advantage of an age-old practice that airlines are still upholding today – reserving a few tickets for their VIPs.
If you need to make last minute travel, go ahead and flash them your card. You also get to earn a few bonus points in the process.
Go online.
Yep, these days, whenever you need anything, you go online. If you need cheap, last minute travel deals for an airplane ticket, go to the airline's website. There are many of them that display leftover tickets for a particular flight. These are seats that have remained unsold even as the airplane is getting ready for takeoff. You'll get some nice discounts for filling up the seats.
You could buy the tickets online but be ready to dash off to the airport or boarding gate. If you want last minute travel this cheap, you better live up to it.
Got a credit card? Use it.
Some credit card companies offer air miles programs on their cards. Check if yours is affiliated with an airline company. You can take advantage of these offerings in case you need to travel pronto. Plus, you might even collect rewards points as well.
Check if it's that time of the year.
Airfare and hotel prices fluctuate, depending on the season. If you want cheap last minute travel deals, go off season when there are fewer travelers and companies are raring to fill their seats and rooms. You could get a great discount if you only choose to travel when business is slow.
Buy bundled.
Many travel agencies purchase multiple flights and use them to promote package tours. In case your destination is included in these bundles, consider buying a seat. Although most of these trips sell fast, you could find cheap last minute travel with these agencies. This usually happens as the date of departure approaches. If there are packages that have remained unsold, you can be sure that they will be sold at highly discounted prices.
The advantage here is that you not only get to cover the airfare, you also get accommodation (and probably breakfast) thrown in. All in all, that should be way less than the cost of a regular flight and hotel booking.
Sign up for e-mail alerts.
Many airlines and hotels send out alerts regarding great deals on their products. You could take advantage of these in case you need to travel last minute cheaply. Check your e-mail boxes regularly if there's a good deal currently active around the time you have to travel. Just be careful, though.
If you go this route, make sure you really are going to travel. Most of these companies offer these deals as non-refundables.
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