Category: Travel and Vacations

Are you the person who goes to the beach with all kinds of sunscreen? Maybe you have one bottle for your body, one for your face, and another for your kids. Most parents think that’s all they need to keep their skin safe from the sun.

While it’s a good start, there is much more to consider when it comes to sun safety and using sunscreen properly. To get a better understanding of this, check out the following facts about sunscreen.

1. You Can Get a Sunburn on a Cloudy Day

We’ve all been there – it’s a cloudy day and all your kid wants to do is go to the pool or take a walk on the beach. If it’s not that cloudy, go ahead and indulge them, but don’t forget the sunscreen!

The sun’s rays are powerful enough to break through the clouds. If you aren’t careful, you and your little one can get a sunburn even if the sun isn’t technically out.

2. Keep Your Sunscreen Away from Direct Heat

Some people make it a habit to keep sunscreen in the car during the summer. While this may sound smart at first, it’s actually a bad idea.

The car gets incredibly hot, causing ingredients in the sunscreen to separate. Once the bottle cools down, everything won’t mix together in the way it’s been made to do. Keep in mind the heat rule also applies to sunscreen that’s sitting in direct heat when you’re at the beach, by the pool, or playing an outdoor sport.

3. Always Put Your Sunscreen on at Home

Whatever kind of fun you’re up to this summer, always apply sunscreen on at home. This gives your skin plenty of time to soak in the protection it needs.

If you wait to get to where you’re going, you’re actually exposing yourself. A half an hour here or there may not seem like much, but it adds up when you think about all your beach days and other outdoor plans all summer long.

4. Reapply Even When Under an Umbrella

A lot of people apply at home and think they’re fine for the rest of the day. This is even true for adults who spend hours under an umbrella in their bathing suit.

While an umbrella provides a cozy space out of direct sunlight, it doesn’t protect your skin. You can still get a sunburn under there, so reapply as needed.

5. Low SPF Doesn’t Really Work

What if you’re trying to get a tan? Should you just use an SPF of 5 or 10?

Honestly, save your money if that’s the level of SPF you’re going for. These won’t do much to help you out. Always reach for an SPF of 30 and above – your skin will thank you later.

6. Broad Spectrum Is Your Best Bet

Another thing to pay attention to when comparing sunscreen labels is whether or not it’s broad spectrum. This is the best way to go. Anything else won’t give you the extent of protection you need to best prevent a sunburn.

7. There Is an Average Amount to Apply

No matter how tall or short you are, or how curvy or slender, there’s an average amount of sunscreen for everyone to apply.

The face requires about a marble-size of sunscreen for full coverage. Additionally, all the bare skin on your body needs no less than a shot glass size, which looks something like a golf ball. Always apply at least this much, then more as needed.

8. Don’t Forget to Coat Sensitive Areas

Speaking of applying sunscreen, remember your sensitive areas. Apply directly on the back of the ears, the neck, and the top of the feet. Do the lining of your bathing suit or your clothes, too, as their exact placement can move while you move your body.

9. Scars and Tattoos Also Need Sunscreen

Some people think their scars or tattoos don’t need sunscreen. If anything, these areas of the body need more!

Scars are still a part of your skin. Even if a certain part of your skin doesn’t look like it used to, it’s vulnerable to the rays of the sun and needs protection. If you have scars you want to treat, you can contact the American Skin Institute.

When it comes to tattoos, exposure to the sun can affect the coloring of your skin’s art and do damage to the skin itself, too.

10. Sunscreen Alone Doesn’t Fight Skin Cancer

Unfortunately, putting on sunscreen isn’t enough to fight skin cancer. There are many other ways your risk for this condition increases. Not to mention, cancer can honestly happen to anyone.

11. You May Need a Sunscreen for Sensitive Skin

Maybe you’re hesitant to use sunscreen in the first place because of a reaction you’ve had to it before. Don’t automatically assume you’re “allergic to sunscreen.” There’s no such thing.

It is possible, though, that you’re allergic to an ingredient in the sunscreen you’ve been using. Look for all-natural options to keep your skin safe from the sun and to protect your body as a whole from unwanted reactions.

12. Not All Sunscreens Are Made Alike

There’s the matter of all-natural sunscreens versus traditional over the counter options, then there are plenty more details to look into. Not all sunscreens are made with the same regulations and requirements.

This is something to keep in mind if you’re traveling overseas this summer. You may want to bring your favorite brand with you instead of buying it there. Or, you could discover someplace with better sunscreen regulations after a bit of research!

13. Animal Sunscreen Is a Real Thing

Here’s something you may have never considered before: sunscreen for your pup. Many people love to take their dog to the beach or at least on a long summer walk.

What most owners don’t realize, though, is that dogs can get melanoma, too. Better your pet’s odds of not getting this skin disease by finding dog sunscreen for them.

14. It’s Never Too Late to Start Wearing Sunscreen

At the end of the day, sunscreen is a necessity. There’s no way around it. No matter if you always wore it as a child or if you’re just discovering the benefits of it now at 30 years old, you need to wear it.

It’s never too late to start, and there’s no better time than now.

15. You Need Sunscreen in the Winter, Too

Last but not least, remember sunscreen is a year-round necessity. Find a brand you love and put it on your face and body every day for the best results. Think of it as something that goes after your moisturizer, but before your everyday makeup.

Most importantly, don’t forget sunscreen when playing winter sports. If you love skiing, snowboarding, tubing, or even just a little bit of fishing, you need to show your skin some care. The more of an effort you make now, the better your skin will be for years to come.

Educating Your Children on Facts About Sunscreen

Many mothers deal with fussy children who hate putting on sunscreen or have to watch the clock closely to make sure their child’s sensitive skin doesn’t burn.

Wherever you are on the parenting spectrum, make the effort to share the facts about sunscreen with your children. Such an effort empowers them from an early age to make the right choice when it comes to protecting their skin.

For more ways to keep your children happy and healthy this summer, click here!

Vacations are expensive. Let’s face it.

How are you supposed to take an enjoyable vacation when you’re pinching every penny in your everyday life? There’s gas, plane tickets, daily excursions, food, and more. When you tally up the costs, even a camping excursion can rack up a large sum.

But the vacation you want to take could be the experience of a lifetime. If you have a family, you want to do your best to create valuable memories that will last. If you’re a solo-traveler planning to backpack Europe, it’s likely that you’re aching for that trip and are just seeking for a way to make it happen.

Here’s the thing: it’s entirely possible to inch away towards the sum you need to have an excellent vacation. Read on, and you’ll find out a few key ways to save money and put it away towards a vacation.

How to Save for a Vacation

1. Where are You Blowing Your Money?

It’s understandable to splurge a little on things like coffee and snacks whenever you stop for gas. We all have those little guilty pleasures that we shouldn’t be spending money one, but is that where you want your money to go?

If you add up the cost of your weekly spending on non-essentials, you’re likely to find that you’re spending a lot more than you had previously thought. Things like soda, treats, movie tickets, and the like are all things that be eliminated.

If you dedicate yourself to a year without, say, drinking soda, you’ll be able to save maybe a thousand dollars alone on that front. Not to mention, you’ll be a lot lighter for that hike through the Andes!

The most important thing you can do to save money for your vacation is cut out non-essential spending, and set aside the money you would use whenever you have a hankering for that bag of Doritos, or can of soda.

2. Garage Sale

It can be difficult to start saving when your vacation fund is meager. It’s a lot easier to set money aside when you can see the result of your frugality. A great way to get your savings started is by having a garage sale.

Gather up all of the stuff you don’t need- old clothes, microwaves, knick-knacks, whatever. Often times you can get rid of a lot of clutter while making a couple hundred dollars to tuck away for your trip.

A lot of times neighborhoods will have community garage sale days. These are great because everyone knows that there will be a sale, giving you a lot of traffic that you would otherwise miss out on. If you don’t have a community garage sale day, you can always advertise on Facebook a few days in advance to get the word out.

3. Pawn Shops

Pawn shops are often a place that your parents tell you never to enter. They rouse images of people selling their priceless items just to have money for gas or cigarettes. This is definitely not the case, and you can get some value out of the things that you couldn’t otherwise get rid of on Craigslist or similar sites.

Know that you won’t get the full value for your items. Resort to pawn shops only if you know that you’re not going to be able to sell your items to anyone else. Additionally, if you’re not having luck selling online and your trip is coming near, pawn shops are a great way to get that last little cushion that you need.

4. Get a Side Job

There are a lot of employers that are just looking for part-time work. If you already have a full-time job and you need a little extra cash, consider finding something that only requires you to work one or two days a week.

There are plenty of part-time gigs on Craigslist or Indeed, and you won’t be tied down to a commitment that you aren’t able to come through for. Another thing to consider is working for a delivery service, or taking online surveys.

You will find a lot of little side-gigs online if you do a little research.

5. Get a Separate Savings Account

It’s really easy to dip into your vacation fund when you need new tires or your old bicycle needs a tune-up. If you’re not in dire need of money, do your best to find out how to get the money you need in other ways.

Your vacation will never happen if you keep pulling money from your savings. An easy way to avoid this trouble is to create a separate account to save your vacation money in.

You can set limits on withdrawals, having a way to keep your money safe from yourself. If your wallet gets too tight you can always use the money for something you need, but if your goal is to go on a vacation try to discipline yourself and save what you want to save.

6. Seek out Deals

There are a lot of sites online that send email blasts with travel deals. Whether you need to take a survey or subscribe to a website, you may find a lot of discounts online.

Additionally, keep an eye out for plane tickets far in advance. You’ll often find the best deals if you’re thinking ahead and planning your trip a few months out. In fact, if you buy the tickets early, you’ll be more inclined to save that money and dedicate yourself to planning your trip.

Use the Resources at Your Disposal

There are so many great ways to find deals on vacations available online. Do some research and make sure to fine-tune your trip to your preferences and your family’s needs.

If you’re having difficulty finding extra money to set aside for your vacation, take advice from other people who have done it. Often times it takes that friend or individual online who has a special trick or trip. Be sure to look around online for advice on travel or budgeted living.

Do you want to take the family on a great trip to the outdoors? Did you know that over 40 million Americans go camping every year?

Surely, there’s a reason why so many people opt to spend time with their loved ones outdoors. Here are our favorite reasons to go camping and the best deals you can find on all the camping gear you’ll need for your cheap getaway!

Find the Best Deals on Camping Gear

If you’ve never been camping before, you’ll want to start off with a checklist of all the things you’ll need to bring with you. It can seem overwhelming at first, but don’t worry! We’re going to help you find all the best deals.

Once you have your list, you can start by checking out any local thrift stores in your area. There’s no reason to overpay for the things you can buy for pennies, so don’t shop anywhere else until you know what’s out there!

After you finish your thrifting excursion, browse online outlet stores for more outdoor gear and apparel options. Outlets can be a great source for finding great deals on name brand gear.

Don’t forget to coupon when packing campsite friendly foods. Be sure to bring snacks for the drive up as well! You don’t want your rugrats getting hangry before the tent is set up! Click for more great deals on camping gear.

Bid to Win

The online auction is your friend. Online auction sites have long been a great source for deals and camping gear is so exception! Be sure to watch out for pesky shipping fees. Sellers often mark up the shipping price to offset the bargains they’re giving.

Online auctions are a great source because so often people find themselves holding on to things they don’t use often. Many people who love camping just can’t seem to find the time to go and feel obligated to part with the camping gear that’s taking up space in their garage!

Bringing Fido Along

One of the best reasons to go camping for pet owners is that they can bring any furry family members along with them! This means you won’t have to call in a favor with a friend or pay for an expensive doggy hotel.

Just grab a few bowls, some dog food, and get ready for adventure! Explore all the great bargains for all that you’ll need to bring Fido along! Don’t forget to be a responsible camper and remember to bring clean-up bags!

Get Ready for Adventure

Don’t get too stressed about the details. If you accidentally forget something, you can always run to a nearby discount store to get what you need.

Not everyone has the luxury of going on a family getaway. Remember that this trip is a great opportunity to reconnect with your loved ones and spend time reconnecting.

Be sure to visit our blog for more info on how you can find all the things your family needs. The best part? It’s all within your budget.

Looking for an inexpensive way to give you and your family a break from everyday life?

Look around, North America has 417 state parks waiting for you to explore. Visiting a cool park can change your child’s life by exposing them to the wonders of our country.

Taking the family on a trip to the country’s stunning national parks would make for a cheap summer vacation.

Not sure which cool park is right for your family trip? We’ve listed up five family-friendly parks in America. Add them all to your bucket list and start planning your next family trip today.

1. Great Smoky Mountains

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park was the most-visited national park in 2017 with over 11 million visitors. Visit the Great Smoky Mountains for waterfalls, swimming holes, and horseback rides.

The parents can kick back and relax at Deep Creek. This gorgeous site has creeks and waterfalls. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a local vendor offering tubing packages and rentals.

2. Grand Canyon

The Grand Canyon National Park is just that–Grand! If you’ve only seen it in photos, it’s about time you see its glory in person.

Go for a drive along Desert View Drive, where a 25-mile cruise will offer unforgettable views. Stop along the way at one of the picnic areas for a sweet picnic with your family.

Don’t let planning the details keep you from visiting one of these beloved parks. Experience Park Tours can help you plan your next trip.

3. Yosemite National Park

The Yosemite National Park goes the extra mile to accommodate families. They have a Family Adventure experience that starts at $7.50 per participant.

This activity tasks families to navigate three miles of trails in the park with a hand-held GPS. Your family will uncover history and stories (you may even find some secret treasures).

Even if you don’t take part in the adventure, the gushing waterfalls and iconic valleys will be more than enough.

4. Redwood National Park

The trees of Redwood National Park stand as the tallest in the world!

Taking a stroll through the Redwoods will remind your kids of a page from a storybook with the mossy, tall trees. They’ll probably get a kick out of driving underneath the Chandelier Tree!

Many families make a stop to this park during the two-hour round trip from Berry Glenn to Fern Canyon. Fern Canyon offers a small creek for kids to splash around in and a lovely view of fern varieties.

5. Great Sand Dunes

The Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado is a kid favorite.

This national park is home to North America’s highest sand dunes–reaching up to 750 feet.

If you visit in early summer, you will see Medano Creek running through the main access area. Children build sand sculptures and play along the creek before heading to the dunes.

If you plan on visiting during the Summer, beware of scorching temperatures. Surface sand temperatures can rise to 140?F on summer days.

Take plenty of water and wear tennis shoes to protect your feet from burning sands.

Cool Park Trips for the Family

These national parks can be tons of fun while offering some of the country’s natural beauty.

If you can carve out time for your family to enjoy the fine scenery of a national park, you won’t regret it.

Plan a trip to one (or all) of these amazing national parks with your family soon. Do these fun summer activities with your kids, too!

It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day craziness of raising your family, but the last thing you want is for those 18 precious years to go by without making valuable memories. A family vacation is a perfect remedy.

Unfortunately, if you don’t play your cards right, that vacation will also leave you with months or years of debt. But it doesn’t have to. If you’re looking for cheap getaways for the whole family, check out these frugal vacations and cheap travel tips.

Cheap Getaways for Families

Not everyone likes the same types of vacations, but there are inexpensive options for every taste.

For the Country Star – Nashville

Nashville has been an increasingly popular destination for the past few years, and it has something for everyone. While the party scene is attractive for young adults, kids (especially country lovers) have plenty to see as well.

On top of music-based attractions like the Country Music Hall of Fame and many venues, Nashville has the classic city attractions like zoos and museums.

For the History Buffs – Philadelphia

If your kids love to learn, a historical place like Philadelphia is the perfect destination. Philadelphia’s historic district is full of places to learn about America’s story.

Many of these locations are free or low-cost, and they’re all just a short walk apart, making for easy planning and transportation.

For the Eco-Tourist – Denver

For a family that loves to enjoy the great outdoors, you just can’t beat the views in the Denver area. Whether you and your kids enjoy camping, hiking, or other activities in the fresh air, it’s a beautiful locale.

As an added bonus, you have all the amenities of a city nearby for emergencies and conveniences alike.

For the Beach Bums – Pensacola

For many families, lounging and playing on the beach is the perfect relaxing vacation. The problem is that the accommodations and attractions on the most popular beach towns are pricey.

Pensacola, on the other hand, has stayed lower under the radar than places like Myrtle Beach and much of the west coast. And yet, there are still plenty of relaxing, quiet beaches where your family can have a great time.

Tips for Cheap Getaways for Families

On top of knowing where to go, there are other tricks you can use to make your family vacations affordable.

Look for Package Deals

Once you decide on a location, look for pre-set tour packages and other package deals. These can be great ways to find savings on the same activities you’d do otherwise, so do some research before you book your vacation.

Think Outside the Box for Housing Arrangements

Your hotel is one of the most expensive parts of any vacation. Explore options like AirBnB and VRBO, where you may be able to get more space for a lower cost.

Ask the Locals

Mainstream tourist attractions tend to be expensive. To keep your costs down and get a better feel for the area you’re visiting, talk to anyone you know who lives in the area (or a friend of a friend).

DIY Your Meals

Dining out is a major expense during a family vacation. While it’s great to try some local hotspots, don’t underestimate how much fun you can have cooking on vacation. Try bringing a picnic to the beach or the park, or make a campfire.

Having a Great Vacation While Saving Money

It is 100% possible to have a great family vacation on a budget, no matter what your kids’ ages and interests are. You just have to know how and be willing to do some work.

For more budget-saving tips (to help you save up for that vacation), check out my other frugal living tips.