From the category archives:

On The Road

Starbucks wifi – how does it work? Updated

Our old post highlighted the easiest ways to get some cheap Starbucks access. But since June of 2010, it’s free, baby!

Don’t neglect to check out these other freebies while you’re there:

  • Free access to subscription editions of The Wall Street Journal,New York Times, USA Today, The Economist, and ESPN Insider.
  • Free access to everything from Nick Jr. and Marvel Digital Comics to upcoming titles from Bookish and documentaries from Snag Films.
  • Free iPhone [sorry Android!] apps, iTunes downloads and books [read more via their blog].

And don’t forget to put $5 on a Starbucks card to get a free drink card in the mail and on your birthday [more bday freebies here].

 

I’m at Starbucks enough [sadly] to be asked how to connect to wifi almost every time. And more than one person has asked if it’s expensive, or gets frustrated by the process of signup! Here, hopefully, a guide to make it easier [and to make it a bit cheaper]. Obviously, print it out before you head out!

 

First off, there are 2 options for wifi at Starbucks: AT&T and T-Mobile.

FREE: If you have AT&T wireless or DSL service at home, you can use your email login and password to use it for free ‚Äîno purchase required! Your guilt in using valuable Starbucks real estate might prevent this, but I’ll leave that to you.

Cheapo: You can…

  1. purchase a card from Starbucks,
  2. put $5 on it [that can be used on anything there],
  3. register the card [you will need to scratch off the silver strip on the back for the numbers],
  4. and then¬†sign on to the service. I also find this link useful when looking for a connection point. This card is good for the next month, and then you’d need to put another $5 on it to continue using wifi.

Others can use 2 hours for $3.99, and option I haven’t used as $5/mo is far more useful and a better deal [plus, that $5 can go toward a product and not just internet service].

Keep in mind that with both of these, the 2 hr warning is basically a warning ‚Äî they aren’t [so far, thankfully!] cutting you off just yet.

 

Free: For T-Mobile customers, you can use the wifi for free here. This seems to only work on my phone ‚Äî does anyone have other experiences? It thus far hasn’t transferred to my laptop, but you can always tether your phone to your laptop for a connection. For Mac tethering, and PC tethering.

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Art Institute of Chicago: Free admission and discounts

The Art Institute of Chicago is my favorite museum in this city. I enjoy picking a new-to-me gallery, inspecting it thoroughly, and then heading off to visit my favorite art works. Since the price of admission is rather high, I can’t do this very often. But I have been paying attention to their admission fees and here are the things I’ve noticed:

1) Admission is free on Thursdays from 5-8 p.m.  I think most people know about this one. See #5!

2) City residents receive a $2 discount if they present proof of residency at the ticket booth.  While not fabulous, discounts always help.

3) This one isn’t posted on their Web site.   I have noticed that a few times I’ve received an additional discount after 4 p.m.

4) City residents can obtain free museum passes (for a lot of museums, not just this one) through their local library.   Since each library only has one pass to circulate, it is first-come-first-serve.   It is also rare to see the Art Institute pass available– it is very popular.

5) Free days resume! The first and second Wednesday of each month are free! Whoo hoo!  I’ve missed free days the past few years.

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Chicago Spa Week hits again—so what?

11-17 october 2010 is the next Spa Week, which lets you indulge for as low as $50 in anything from facials, body scrubs to laser treatments.

Generally I still feel $50 is a bit pricey for some treatments [not lasering, but keep in mind this is not a permanent solution] and the list is a bit light right now, but expect more listings to be added.

I’ve found it is better to search out local spas via Yelp or beauty sites I’ve listed below. Get on their lists, and you won’t need to wait for Spa Week again! Many also offer martini and manicure nights for free or rather cheaply.

Cheeky Chicago

Chicago Beauty

Style Chicago

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Wine tastings: LocalWineEvents.com

Now that summer is almost over, we need to start thinking about indoor events.¬† What type of event is common in the city and in the ‘burbs?¬† Wine tastings!

If you’ve been wondering how I’ve found out about free wine tastings, here is my secret: LocalWineEvents.com.

Visit the website, choose your state (or country), and then the city. Voila, you have a listing of wine events in that area.  Now, beware that most events are NOT free; some are only a few dollars while others cost more than $100 per person.  (We only list the free or cheap Chicago-area events on the Thriftista calendar.)

This is also good if you are travelling — since it lists places from all over the US, Canada, UK, and other international events, check it out before you hit the road.

This site also lists beer tastings and mixing classes, so it is useful to a wide variety of people.

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Souvenirs: Don’t let them end up in the closet

We scrimp, we save, we budget to take those dream trips.  Then we are on the road and want mementos from our vacations.

I’ve always been frugal about souvenirs.¬† I don’t buy souvenirs for people back home (unless something just screams their name), and I don’t expect people to buy me souvenirs on their vacation.¬† This, of course, means I don’t leave my thrifty ways at home when on vacation, but I still want my memento!

My souvenir tip is to really think about souvenirs and recognize what you will enjoy one, five, or even ten years from now.  If you know it is going to end up in the back of the closet within  a month of returning home, put it back on the shelf — save your souvenir money for something better.

I tend to like “practical” souvenirs ‚Äî items I know will either be used often or to decorate my house.

 

Greece: When I went to Greece, I bought a hand-knit wool sweater that I still wear.  (This trip was courtesy of an older sister.  She bought both our tickets on frequent flyer milesРmy total cost for 10 days in Greece: $600.  I am not good at acquiring frequent flyer miles, but if you have themРuse them wisely!)

 

Bulagria: I went in 2000, and everyone said I visited during a particularly beautiful year.  I saw monasteries, a castle (okay, it was really a fortress), a wedding (for a friend of my sister), a flower festival, and many more sites.  I wish I could have made it to Varna on the Black Sea, but I suppose that is just a reason to go back someday.  Here is a pretty blue Bulgarian vase that is my reminder of that trip. (When considering where to go on vacations, remember places off the beaten path.  This trip, the ticket cost $800, but the everything else came to about $200.  Total, $1000 for a 10-day trip I will always remember.)

Spain: The many, many castles and churches in Spain are beautiful.  I visited Madrid, Avila, and Toledo.  Now, I love fantasy and historical romance novels, so when I ended up in a sword shop in Toledo, I had to restrain myself.  I mean — SERIOUSLY — what was I going to do with a $200 sword!  Instead I found this letter opener (complete with its own sheath) that is a practical mini-sword that has come in handy on many occasions.  It not only opens letters, but is great for opening packages and wedging things open.

London: LisaG and I travelled to London a few years ago.¬† As most of¬†you probably know, London is not a cheap town to visit.¬† We saw most of the sites we wanted to see, but it was in November, and it was cold.¬† One night we¬†were strolling down one of the walking streets and found a kiosk with scarves on sale ‚Äî two for five pounds (at that time, it equaled $10). So we each ended up with a $5 scarf.¬† I still use mine all the time.¬† It is one of the best purchases I have made as it looks trendy if it just hangs around my neck, but when it gets really cold, I wrap it around my head like a babushka (not a trendy look, I know– but I don’t like being cold!).¬† Now, do I have occasional lapses?¬† Yes– on this trip I bought a parasol at the Jane Austen Center during our day-trip to Bath.¬† I’ll let you know if it ever comes in handy– otherwise, assume it is sitting in the back of my closet!

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Smart Destination travel passes

Smart Destinations offers travel passes for many cities. If you are planning a trip—or a staycation—this site may be helpful. A person can purchase a pass for many city sites. Most often, a pass can be purchased for one day or multiple days, with the price based on the number of days being purchased. Currently, there are city passes for Chicago, Los Angeles, Boston, Las Vegas, New York City, San Franscico, Seattle, and ….

I also like that many of the cities have an “Explorer Pass” options, where a person can select a few specific sites and the pass is good for 30 days. You don’t have to know exactly when you will see the site. Personally, I am thinking I may do this during the winter in Chicago—I think it will be a way to make sure that I see some of those local sites that I just haven’t gotten around to. But beware! I did the math and the Explorer Pass may not always provide the best savings.

On a whim, I’m going to price out an “Explorer Pass” for Chicago that I may purchase:

Architectural Boat Tour = $26
The Skydeck (Sears Tower, Willis Tower, whatever!) = adult $14.95
Art Institute of Chicago = $18

Roughly $58 if purchased separately, but $52 with an ‚ÄúExplorer Pass‚Äù. Sigh‚Ķnot the savings I was hoping for‚Äîand it appears that some sights would create a better savings than others. (Do your research to make sure you are saving money! Hopefully Thriftista is helping with that research.) But I’m still going to keep it in mind– if I decide to visit these sites anyway, a savings of $6 is still a savings.

A “Go Chicago Card” for one day is $65, so if you can do one or two more sights in one day, it may be cheaper to buy a “Go Chicago Card” instead of a Chicago “Explorer Pass”.

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Trekking to Seattle

So, I’m planning a trip to Seattle for a wedding and I’m tacking on a few extra days to see a city I’ve never visited. Being a thriftista, I want to see what I want to see, but I am also looking for discounts, coupons, and deals.

I’m sure there won’t be much surprise that I saved about $300 by booking by flight and airfare together on Expedia.com. That amount easily makes up a few of the extra hotel nights I’m staying, so I already feel less guilty about this travel splurge. (I’m also sharing a hotel room, so I’ll be saving a little more that way too! If you know you travel well with someone, sharing a room is a great way to save money. And yes, I checked my Seattle travel books out of the library!)

Now, if I were traveling by myself or with one or two friends, I’d be really interested in the Go Seattle Card, which allows a person to buy a pass to get into many of Seattle’s more famous attractions; a person can buy the pass that will be valid from one to seven days (price depends on the number of days). However, since my sight-seeing will be interrupted by a wedding (it is a positive interruption and the reason I’m there!), if I bought this pass for three days, I’d actually be buying a pass for a day I will never use. So for me, this isn’t the right option—but it might be for you.

Now, I’m traveling with a large group and we don’t yet know what we will see on what day; therefore, I am going to need a lot more flexibility than the Go Seattle Card will allow. I’ve been looking for coupons and other ways to buy discounted tickets, and right now the coupons offered in Seattle’s Favorite Attraction Coupon Book seem like my best bet.

As for free audio tours for Seattle, Audissey Guides offers a few.

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Great tickets at GoldStar

Chicago has a lot to offer in the way of entertainment, but it can get expensive. One way to buy tickets at reduced prices is through GoldStar Events (http://www.goldstar.com/). Anyone can create an account, select a city, and start browsing for current and upcoming events. A lot of events listed on GoldStar are small venues with tickets that are reasonably priced to begin with, but if purchased through GoldStar, the prices are often up to half off.

If you are addicted to plays, you can find a lot of off-the-beaten-path plays for as little as $10. Are you interested in a play at the Shakespeare Theater at Navy Pier? Do you want to find a new or unusual event, but don’t want to spend a lot of money? Occasionally, a larger event will be listed, such as Cirque Shanghai or the Billy Joel/Elton John concert at Wrigley, but they are the rarity, not the norm. Other times there are even spa days at half-price (a little too pricey for me, but if you are going to some of these salons anyway, don’t pay full price!). If you are diligent, you can find a lot of really good events at reasonable prices.

Just so you know what to expect, purchase the tickets online and they will be available for pickup at the box office. There is a transaction fee, but it isn’t as exorbitant as some ticket sellers (do I need to say who?). In addition, they do send email at least once a week, so if you create an account, it will add some email to your account.

Finally, keep in mind that GoldStar offers tickets for events in other cities too. If you aren’t too picky about what you want to see, you can buy tickets for an event before you even leave Chicago.

[LisaG note: I've heard that museums also offer closing programs at a discount so check it out - we're waiting on Harry Potter at the Museum of Science and Industry!]

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Don’t just split the check, share the meal…

Eating out is a necessary part of traveling, and it ends up being a larger expense than one anticipates. Since this expense can’t be avoided, here are a few ideas on how to lessen the pain of this expense:

Hotel breakfasts: If the hotel breakfast is part of your room, take advantage of it. It is at a convenient location and you have already paid for it.

Share: Is there any part of the snack or meal that can be shared? From desert to that last beer, sharing with your traveling companion can allow you to have everything you want to taste without spending too much money.

Follow the locals: Find out where the people who live or work near your hotel or the tourist site eat. Most likely, it will be less expensive than the typical tourist spots and you may even be served more quickly. If you are too shy to ask, see if you can spot someone who looks like a native and follow (at least for a short distance). This may also be a great tourist opportunity to find out what “locals” really are like.

Local grocers: If there is a grocer near your hotel, consider popping in each day before you leave and buying some fruit or snacks to bring with you. If you have a few healthy snacks, it will likely be less expensive than eating lunch at a tourist spot or you won’t be too hungry at lunchtime, so you can split a sandwich with your traveling companion.

Convenience stores: This idea depends on the city. Some cities have lots of conveience stores, so take advantage and buy a cheap sandwich and fruit for lunch.

If you can find ways to save some money at breakfast or lunch, then you won’t feel guilty when you splurge for dinner.

Eating tips vary from city to city. If you have a tip for a particular city, please leave a comment!

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Why buy a travel book?

Travel books are not cheap. Some may be as cheap as $10, but most cost closer to $30. On a trip, that could be a meal, entrance to a tourist site, or printing most of your photos. But if you need a book to help you plan and navigate your trip, what do you do?

If it is a short trip, a week or less, then consider visiting the library to see if they have the book(s) you need. As long as it is returned on time and in good condition, the library won’t care if you took it on your trip. Keep the due date in mind when deciding if you should bring it with you. If you only need it to plan the trip—such as selecting a hotel—then you may even be able to return it before you leave on your trip.

If it is a longer trip, you may want to borrow a copy or buy one on the cheap. Even if the book is a few years old, it will be useful. The main information should be the same. Street maps will likely be unchanged. The main tourist sites will still be at the same location. Even the hours the site is open will likely be the same. The main factor to change will be prices. Remember, even “new” books could be out of date by the time they hit the shelves since it takes time to compile the information and publish it. Also, Some travel books are only issued every few years, so there is no need to spend top dollar on a new book if you have access to one that is one a few years old.

(See “Books on a Budget” under “Shopping” to find ways to obtain books on the cheap.)

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