Tips from the Experts for a Budget Labor Day Weekend Getaway

Las Vegas is a Popular Labor Day Weekend Getaway

If you’ve looked at the calendar summer is winding down but lucky you, a couple of experts for a budget Labor Day Weekend getaway.

Budget Destinations to Travel to Over Labor Day Weekend 2013
Talking heads claim the economy is turning around yet if you’re like me, your personal financial situation hasn’t improved in years. Planning a budget vacation doesn’t mean you need to sleep in a tent eating weeds and berries you foraged from the forest. With a little research you can find the perfect Labor Day Weekend getaway within your budget. Bob Diener, Co-founder of Getaroom.com and Hotels.com, offers a few budget destinations for Labor Day Weekend 2013:

Atlantic City is a relaxing and exciting Labor Day destination, with rooms filling up fast. Enjoy fun casinos and a walk on the boardwalk.
South Beach sizzles over Labor Day. Try one of Getaroom.com’s value boutique hotels such as the Harrison Hotel to enjoy nearby beaches, great Cuban food and world-class shopping.
New Orleans offers great food, music, and a glimpse into the nation’s past. Enjoy first-class accommodations from $99 a night at the St. James hotel.
Many hotels in Las Vegas offer very low rates during Labor Day. Every major hotel has a pool and ice-cold air conditioning to help you beat the September heat. Try The Quad for rates as low as $32 a night and an unbeatable center Strip location.
Other popular Labor Day destinations include New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Orlando, London, San Diego, Washington, D.C., Myrtle Beach and San Francisco.

Best Way to Save when Traveling is Avoiding Identity Theft (and Headaches)
Vacations are supposed to be happy times yet crime has no boundaries. Darren Guccione, CEO and Co-Founder of Keeper (www.keepersecurity.com), the world’s most downloaded password management and security software, has shared five tips for avoiding identity theft while traveling. (Keeper costs begin at $9.99 per year, per device.)

When traveling and using any public or shared computer always make sure you are fully logged out of any site you are accessing. This doesn’t mean simply closing the window you are using, but logging out. (I know I’ve visited hotel computers and the previous guest hadn’t logged out of their email account!)
Don’t alert the world (or your thousands of Facebook friends or Twitter followers) you’ll be traveling and away from home for any given amount of time. You never know who might gain access to that information and an empty house is a target for identity thieves to access your personal information.
Generate long, complex passwords and then auto-fill the password using a browser extension tool from your password manager and you never need to remember it. You can then log into your password manager and securely access all your personal and private sites from one place and from any computer with a browser. (Please tell me your password isn’t “PASSWORD” or “7777”?)
Be careful where you use your credit card when traveling to foreign countries. You might find upon your return home that you were overcharged for items or charged for items you never bought. You are safer making credit charges not debit charges or use good old fashioned traveler’s checks. (Just make sure traveler’s checks are accepted. I had my credit card compromised during a trip to Brazil but Discover had me covered.)
Always keep your wallet, passport, plane tickets, and other important documents somewhere especially safe like in a money belt around your waist when traveling. Don’t keep it in your luggage or a back pocket, where it could get lost or stolen. If it’s not on you, utilize the hotel safe.

If You’re Gonna Charge, Get Cash Back with Discover
Okay, I’m adding myself as an expert and my advice is to be smart with your plastic.

When traveling and if using a credit card, make sure you’re getting the most out of that card. For instance, from July through September, Discover cardmembers who enroll can sign up to receive 5% Cashback Bonus on gas purchases up to $1,500, that’s $75 in cash back rewards.

As a cardmember I’m enrolled! The Discover card even offers unlimited 1% cash back with every purchase, another perk of paying with plastic, just be sure to pay it off each month. (Something I’m working on…)

I’m also a fan of Discover Card because there are no foreign currency transaction fees charged when using my card internationally, unlike other credit cards. The Discover Network and partners also include China Union Pay, Diners Club International and JCB. And, they’re great about monitoring for suspicious activity and contacting holders immediately.

Not a member? Apply now and you’ll earn $50 Cashback Bonus with your first purchase within three months.

Will you be hitting the road this Labor Day Weekend? If so, where are you heading?

Disclosure: This post contains an affiliate link to support maintenance of this blog along with my travel habit.

Jenn

Jennifer A. Huber is an award-winning travel and outdoor blogger and writer in Southwest Florida. Originally from Buffalo, N.Y., a hiking trail led her to a career path in the tourism industry for more than 30 years. She spent a decade with a park management company in Yellowstone, Death Valley, and Everglades National Parks. She founded the travel blog, SoloTravelGirl.com with the goal of inspiring others to travel alone, not lonely. The unexpected death of her former husband in 2008 reminded her how short life is. His passing was a catalyst for sharing her experiences with the goal of inspiring and empowering others to travel solo. Jennifer holds a Travel Marketing Professional certification from the Southeast Tourism Society, is a certified food judge, member of the NASA Social community, and alum of the FBI Citizens Academy. When not traveling, she is either in the kitchen, practicing her photography skills, or road tripping with her dog, Radcliff.