1) remember, they serve alcohol for a fee!
2) If you are anti-technology, quit reading this now... move on.
Here are my exact steps to flying w/littles...
1) determine when you want to fly... early morn (if your kids are happy morning peeps) or late at night, hoping (yeah right) they sleep w/out benedryl. Bring a ball... run them into the ground in the airport (or connecting airports) you want to tire them out! They need to run, run, jump, jump, etc.
2) Take away the Ipad/tablet/technology 1 week before the trip. Hide it, don't allow it, or just be SO busy they forget about it (forget to charge in on purpose).
3) spend the $30 on iTunes- buy the newest movie out, download it. Make it one they saw in theater and are waiting on to come out (my plan next month: Zootopia & Secret life of Pets). Spend money on brand new apps (nick jr/Disney jr) they would want and drool over.
4) Go to DollarStore and buy 10 games. Split them up in 2 bags.
5) Buy headphones and wrap them like a gift. (if you don't already have headphones)
6) snacks, snacks, more snacks.
TIME TO LEAVE TO AIRPORT everything is hidden!
1) Make the airport fun. Keep your bags LIGHT because your main priority are your kids. Think backpack, so you can run and arms are free.
2) stroller is a must- I don't care what they say-- you can lock them into the stroller and run in case you may miss connecting flight! Fussy kid- lock them in! (You can gate check it)
3) Make everything a game. Play with the ball in the airport (where you are not bothering anyone).
4) board plane...ohhh how fun. Take off---oh how fun WEEEE! 5 min later: OK they are getting bored now... here we go....
PRESENT THE TECHNOLOGY + gift of headphones. (try to wait as long as possible on this)
2 hours later they will be done w/movie. Switch or show them the apps.
1 hour later.. they will be bored. either nap time, OR bring out 1 bag of dollar store toys.
As you can see this will only last 3-5 hours. Anything longer...well I will pray for you... benedryl? Don't forget they serve alcohol!
As always I explain our my family spends 25K a year on vacations while still have a $630 a month daycare bill.
1) Working REWARDS!
a) Disney Chase Credit card. 2% back. Use if for EVERYTHING except 3 things. We have one of us cruise for free on Disney every other year. AND Disney Vacations are 6 months 0 % interest.
b) Costco Citi card! We make over $1500 a year back from 2 cards and the Executive Membership. That cash (sent as checks you cash at Costco registers) is used to pay for our entire Carnival Cruise this spring break!
c) Alaskan Airlines Credit Card- companion fares, free baggage, miles.
d) EBATES! In 8 days I have made $63 in cash and $30 is pending travel. You start at the EBATES website and simply shop like normal online. The referral link within Ebates makes you money.
ex: Amazon says "hey EBATES send me people to shop" Ebates loads up the % back and posts it. You start on Ebates and click the Amazon link, it sends you to Amazon KNOWING you will earn cash back. You shop on Amazon like normal (be sure to stay in that referral link) and BAM % back in your EBATE account the next day. It is THAT easy!
Cash is sent to your Paypal account (or paper check) every quarter. This alone pays for our spending money for our Thanksgiving Cancun Trip. Here is my snip-it proving what I have earned and (promise, legit)! And the link to sign up.
Below in the photo #1) All money made on Ebates to date (8 days people)! #2) My last PayPal deposit. #3) how I earned cash back on shopping.
LINK to sign up: https://www.ebates.com/r/OOGIEN3?eeid=28187
2) We do not have car payments. Hubby drives a 2003 Accord, me a 2010 Swag Van we paid off in 2 years (hence, didn't travel much those years).
3) Our mortgage is lower. We are both full time educators and could have afforded over 2K a month on a mortgage, instead we opted for a cheaper home for a cheaper mortgage.
4) Shop travel deals online during good sales. Our entire April spring break Carnival cruise is $1400 for all of us. Our Alaskan Cruise we got the alcohol package for FREE when we upgraded to a Balcony (which I had always wanted). In Mexico always Kids Stay FREE deals.
5) YNAB! You Need a Budget is an online cloud budget tool. It is budgeting on steroids! You have to account for EVERY penny! I have been using YNAB for 5 years and I am able to FULLY fund my vacations thru budgeting each month. I set aside 2k a month for travel, this tool allows me to budget monthly and set goals. It tells me what we spend the most money on (ahem, food and shopping) and allows us to have discussions about habits we NEED to change to reach our goals. They have amazing training videos, and a FREE 30 day trial. Try it, no obligation (it is better than MINT which I used for 2 years and EveryDollar). Try it here: https://ynab.com/referral/?ref=G6Kp8nTV4XKAQNSX&utm_source=customer_referral
Travel on Everyone!
Hope my Ninja tidbits help...
-Auggie
2) If you are anti-technology, quit reading this now... move on.
Here are my exact steps to flying w/littles...
1) determine when you want to fly... early morn (if your kids are happy morning peeps) or late at night, hoping (yeah right) they sleep w/out benedryl. Bring a ball... run them into the ground in the airport (or connecting airports) you want to tire them out! They need to run, run, jump, jump, etc.
2) Take away the Ipad/tablet/technology 1 week before the trip. Hide it, don't allow it, or just be SO busy they forget about it (forget to charge in on purpose).
3) spend the $30 on iTunes- buy the newest movie out, download it. Make it one they saw in theater and are waiting on to come out (my plan next month: Zootopia & Secret life of Pets). Spend money on brand new apps (nick jr/Disney jr) they would want and drool over.
4) Go to DollarStore and buy 10 games. Split them up in 2 bags.
5) Buy headphones and wrap them like a gift. (if you don't already have headphones)
6) snacks, snacks, more snacks.
TIME TO LEAVE TO AIRPORT everything is hidden!
1) Make the airport fun. Keep your bags LIGHT because your main priority are your kids. Think backpack, so you can run and arms are free.
2) stroller is a must- I don't care what they say-- you can lock them into the stroller and run in case you may miss connecting flight! Fussy kid- lock them in! (You can gate check it)
3) Make everything a game. Play with the ball in the airport (where you are not bothering anyone).
4) board plane...ohhh how fun. Take off---oh how fun WEEEE! 5 min later: OK they are getting bored now... here we go....
PRESENT THE TECHNOLOGY + gift of headphones. (try to wait as long as possible on this)
2 hours later they will be done w/movie. Switch or show them the apps.
1 hour later.. they will be bored. either nap time, OR bring out 1 bag of dollar store toys.
As you can see this will only last 3-5 hours. Anything longer...well I will pray for you... benedryl? Don't forget they serve alcohol!
As always I explain our my family spends 25K a year on vacations while still have a $630 a month daycare bill.
1) Working REWARDS!
a) Disney Chase Credit card. 2% back. Use if for EVERYTHING except 3 things. We have one of us cruise for free on Disney every other year. AND Disney Vacations are 6 months 0 % interest.
b) Costco Citi card! We make over $1500 a year back from 2 cards and the Executive Membership. That cash (sent as checks you cash at Costco registers) is used to pay for our entire Carnival Cruise this spring break!
c) Alaskan Airlines Credit Card- companion fares, free baggage, miles.
d) EBATES! In 8 days I have made $63 in cash and $30 is pending travel. You start at the EBATES website and simply shop like normal online. The referral link within Ebates makes you money.
ex: Amazon says "hey EBATES send me people to shop" Ebates loads up the % back and posts it. You start on Ebates and click the Amazon link, it sends you to Amazon KNOWING you will earn cash back. You shop on Amazon like normal (be sure to stay in that referral link) and BAM % back in your EBATE account the next day. It is THAT easy!
Cash is sent to your Paypal account (or paper check) every quarter. This alone pays for our spending money for our Thanksgiving Cancun Trip. Here is my snip-it proving what I have earned and (promise, legit)! And the link to sign up.
Below in the photo #1) All money made on Ebates to date (8 days people)! #2) My last PayPal deposit. #3) how I earned cash back on shopping.
LINK to sign up: https://www.ebates.com/r/OOGIEN3?eeid=28187
2) We do not have car payments. Hubby drives a 2003 Accord, me a 2010 Swag Van we paid off in 2 years (hence, didn't travel much those years).
3) Our mortgage is lower. We are both full time educators and could have afforded over 2K a month on a mortgage, instead we opted for a cheaper home for a cheaper mortgage.
4) Shop travel deals online during good sales. Our entire April spring break Carnival cruise is $1400 for all of us. Our Alaskan Cruise we got the alcohol package for FREE when we upgraded to a Balcony (which I had always wanted). In Mexico always Kids Stay FREE deals.
5) YNAB! You Need a Budget is an online cloud budget tool. It is budgeting on steroids! You have to account for EVERY penny! I have been using YNAB for 5 years and I am able to FULLY fund my vacations thru budgeting each month. I set aside 2k a month for travel, this tool allows me to budget monthly and set goals. It tells me what we spend the most money on (ahem, food and shopping) and allows us to have discussions about habits we NEED to change to reach our goals. They have amazing training videos, and a FREE 30 day trial. Try it, no obligation (it is better than MINT which I used for 2 years and EveryDollar). Try it here: https://ynab.com/referral/?ref=G6Kp8nTV4XKAQNSX&utm_source=customer_referral
Travel on Everyone!
Hope my Ninja tidbits help...
-Auggie
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