Tips for Holiday Travel

With Christmas break just around the corner, the two things on your mind right now are probably: how am I going to make it through finals week? and what are my travel options for getting home? Now, I cannot help you with the finals situation (heck, I have my own tests to study for), but I can help with the travel options. Since I plan on doing a little traveling myself over the holidays, I researched on the internet some ways to cut down on travel costs. I even went as far as to research for both car and air travel. So here's my list of travel tips. Hopefully, it will make your holidays a little brighter and keep money in your wallet where it belongs!

If you are traveling by air:

1.) Book your tickets as soon as you know your loose dates and destination. Airlines often offer discounted ticket prices for those who book early. Also, passenger demand remains high, but many airlines have reduced their seating capacity.

2.)Avoid peak travel days. If you are flexible with your dates, try flying out/returning on a Tuesday or Wednesday to save money. Sunday, Dec. 21, Friday, Dec. 26, and Saturday, Jan. 3 are the three most expensive travel days. Skip flying on those days, and you'll save a significant amount of money.

3.) Carry on, Check less. Cut down on fees by checking less baggage. For each piece of additional luggage that you check, you can expect to pay a higher fee. Buy a lightweight carry-on bag that's in accordance with airlines' carry-on allowances. You'll save money, bypass the hassle of finding your luggage, and avoid the stress of lost luggage.

4.)Bring your own snacks. Airport food is ridiculously expensive. Pack your own stash of granola bars, fruit snacks, and cookies, and you'll be pleasantly surprised at the amount of cash you'll save.

If you are traveling by car:

1.) Carpool! Check with other students on campus to see where they are headed for the holidays. You'll most likely find someone who's going in your direction. Road trips are more fun with company, and splitting gas money isn't bad, either.

2.) Slow Down. This is for all of you race car driver wannabes: slow down and save money. According to FuelEconomy.gov, fuel efficiency decreases rapidly as speed rises above 60 mph. Also, each five miles above 60 mph adds about 20 cents per gallon to the cost of driving. By driving slower you also avoid expensive speeding tickets!

3.)Use cruise control whenever possible. Keeping a steady speed whenever possible will cut down on gas costs. 

4.)Pick a better route. Avoid routes with heavy traffic and lots of traffic lights. 

That's all I have for now. Hope my tips work for you!

Obama In Action

President-elect Barack Obama is on the prowl. Not only is he on the lookout for the perfect White House dog, but he is also hunting for economic gurus to join his cabinet. So far, Obama has recruited Hillary Clinton as Secretary of State, Tom Daschle as Secretary of Health and Human Services, Bill Richardson as Secretary of Commerce, and Timothy Geithner as the head of the Treasury Department. It may be too soon to say it, but I think Obama's recruits might be the financial dream team that we so desperately need.

What is Obama cooking up for the future? Put simply, he not afraid to spend. Obama wants to increase spending in certain areas and offer relief to many middle and lower income families. His plan is similar to what former President Franklin D. Roosevelt executed during the Great Depression. Instead of giving huge tax breaks and subsidies to companies and corporations in hopes that the relief will trickle down, Obama, like FDR before him, is going to offer relief to the average Joes by increasing government spending.

Government spending can actually boost our economy if the money is spent in the right places. For instance, using government money to build better roads, highways, and bridges is an excellent place to start. Why? If the government pays to have our roads and bridges repaired, jobs are created. Those who need work now have a chance to earn an income, and when they do, they in turn spend money. So money gets pumped back into the economy, which benefits society as a whole. Just remember, spending can be a positive thing, as long as it is spent wisely.

If spending is the key to reviving our economy, then count me in; I support Obama 100 percent. The question is: where do you stand?