Have A Great Time All Year Round And Get A Tax Deduction - Zoos, Museums, and Aquariums

If your usual custom is to purchase a single admission ticket to the zoo, museum, or aquarium, you may want to look more closely at the fine print that talks about annual membership.  Did you know that if the place is a non-profit 501(c)(3) some or all of the annual membership fee may be tax deductible.

(I emphasize the word may because while I was writing this blog I went over to the San Diego Zoo Safari Park website to do some research.  We used to be members so I felt comfortable using them as an illustration.  When I got to their site, I discovered that they are now saying that their basic annual memberships are no longer tax deductible.  Therefore, please be sure to confirm that the particular annual membership you are thinking of purchasing is tax deductible.)

Now, if you do not itemize your taxes, this is not for you.  Please do not attempt to find a section to deduct your membership to the Science Museum on your 1040EZ.  It is not there.  If you are unsure about what I am talking about, ask your tax advisor.  If you do not have a tax advisor, ask the organization's "members department."  Remember, this only applies to memberships, NOT single use tickets.

Frequently, the cost of the annual membership is no more than the cost of 2-3 single admission tickets.  Sometimes, the annual membership comes with 1-2 free extra tickets so it is at a great deal.  Let me give you a real time example.  There is a children's museum near our home.  Here is their annual membership information:

The museum's basic annual membership costs $99 but includes 2 unlimited adult admissions, free admission for their children and grandchildren, discounts on classes and camps, and exclusive members only hours and events.

The museum's regular single admission rate is $7 for adults or children 1 year old and older.  So, if you are a family of 4 and want to visit this museum, you would pay $48.  If you visit this museum two times in a one-year period, you would have spent $96, just $3 less than the cost of the annual membership which would allow you to go whenever the museum was open.  However, you have to factor in the tax deduction benefit.  See here:

Please read the second to the bottom sentence in the section "Discounted Memberships" where it says in tiny print, "Memberships are fully tax-deductible..." 

Therefore, given the totality of the circumstances, if you do itemize your taxes and you do foresee going to the particular museum/zoo/aquarium, you may want to investigate a little further into annual memberships.  Ultimately you may be spending less, getting more, and supporting a good cause.

JUCY CAMPERVAN RENTAL - If you need to rent for 1 or 2 days

You might be wondering if I work for JUCY.  No, I do not.  I also am not getting any perks for writing about them.  It just so happens that since I am using their campervan, I am finding that I am writing a lot about them.  It is like once you have kids, you see kid-related things everywhere - choking hazards, things that will scratch them, or something they can fall and hit their head on...

For those of you who do not have kids, you are probably thinking I am exaggerating and I must be a neurotic mom who keeps her kids in a bubble suit.   No, really, I am serious.  Those little beautiful buggers are barbarians.  They will put anything in their mouth, run around naked if allowed to, take whatever they like, and walk into oncoming traffic. 

Going back to JUCY.  If you need a rental for many days, I suggest looking through one of the deal sites.  As I mentioned before, you might want to start your search on Yipit (www.yipit.com).  If you are not familiar with Yipit, go to my blog post about that website.

However, if you need a rental for 1 extra day, or, perhaps you only want the rental for 1 night or 2, Destination Coupons has a promotion code for 20% but it expires at the end of the month.  For your convenience, I have hyperlinked that particular page on Destination Coupons to the above reference.  Or, you can google it.  In the search query insert destination coupons Jucy Rental.  The promotion expires at the end of the month.

Travelzoo is also offering a deal of 50% off.  You have 2 options - $50 for a $100 voucher; or $100 for a $200 voucher.

I don't know if JUCY rental sites in other locations are as amenable and nice but I have been having the best time dealing with JUCY in Lawndale, CA.  In particular, Brandi at that site has been amazingly nice.  (Shout out to Brandi!!)

Regardless of the coupons, this mode of travel may be the perfect fit for our family when I simply want to explore and get back to my adventurous roots of baclpacking through Europe (but with the convenience of being able to address the "Mom, I'm hungry" demands.  I think kids believe moms have the super power to make food and clean clothes appear out of nowhere.)

CAMPERVANNING FROM L.A. TO SAN FRANCISCO

It is Wednesday evening March 25, 2015, just 2 days from the start of our spring break vacation.  Our plan is to drive up to San Francisco area, campervanning all the way for 2-3 nights, then spend one night up in the San Francisco area to allow us to stretch out our legs and see a little bit of the San Francisco sites, then, drive back down to Los Angeles, again campervanning all the way down.

As I explained in an earlier post - Campervanning for $1 per night - I was able to secure a campervan from JUCY (see picture below) going up to the San Francisco and another campervan coming back down from San Francisco for $1 per night. 

So, here is my itinerary and what I have worked up so far:

EXPENSES THUS FAR
Saturday, March 28 - $11+tax campervan rental ($10 for optional insurance and $1 for the rental)
Sunday, March 29 - $11+tax (see above for description)
Monday, March 30 - $11+tax (see above for description)
Tuesday, March 31 - $11+tax (see above for description)
Wednesday, April 1 - $119+tax San Francisco area hotel fee
Thursday, April 2 - $11+tax (see above for description)
Friday, April 3 - $11+tax (see above for description)
Saturday, April 4 - no charge
Sunday, April 5 - drop off campervan
TOTAL: $185+tax

I think nine days worth of vacationing for around $200 for lodging is very good.  I estimate another $150 in gas for the trip and another $200 - $300 in groceries/sundries for the trip.  However, considering groceries is what I would have had to spend anyway, it is not an additional expense.  The only additional expense is the expense for activities.  I will allocate the campsite fees to the activities side of the budget.  At the end of the trip I will break down our expenses based on categories.  Also, along the way, I will take note of interesting places and discounted (but decent) places to eat.  I don't like fast food.  I do like hole-in-the-wall mom and pop type restaurants.  So, if I can go to a mom and pop diner versus fast food, I would pay a little extra and go there. 

Everyone has priorities.  I squeeze our budget on one end to free up our resources so I can allocate it on things we like.  Our family likes to eat.  So, rather than try to save money by packing our food for every meal, I like to squeeze other expenses and splurge by eating out more.  I try to fund this extravagance by using discount offers, promotions, and specials.  (Please see Discount Dining With Kids In L. A.)

From my expense list above you will see that on Wednesday we are staying at a hotel.  I am staying at this hotel with a discount.  When I originally booked this room, it was for the day before.  The going rate for this hotel was above $140 at the discount sites and they did not have the double bed option.  By calling the hotel directly and running through my personal affiliations (e.g., AAA, Costco, etc.) I discovered a new discount angle (my husband's employer) and received a $129 rate for the type of room that was the best fit for us (2 double beds).  Since then, I changed the hotel room date to the following day and the rate was even lower - $119. 

I am not sure if the above rate (for the following day) was also available on the discount sites (and I will not be doing research to verify) but I am pretty satisfied with the price for now.  Perhaps if I have time, I will do the research and ask for the lower price while in the car.  You see, many hotels have a 24-48 hour cancellation policy where you can cancel a room as you do so before that time without incurring an expense.  Our hotel in the San Francisco area has a 24 hour cancellation policy.  Since I will not be checking in until April 1, I have until March 31 to cancel.  That means I have until March 30 to do further due diligence, if I am so inclined.  You see, I am not so neurotic that I must obsessively do the research until I find the lowest price.  Rather, I use the down times to do my checks.  My husband checks the sports score, my kids like to play with puzzles, read, or play on the computer, and I like to research for deals, strategize expenses, and design...processes (?).  I know it is a fairly odd passion.  Let's just say I like spreadsheets and I totally get engineers.

So, I hope you will vicariously travel up north on this road trip with my family and I (which includes a 2 year old toddler..._.

Discovered A New Discount Affiliation - Kaiser Permanente

Today I was firming up the details of our upcoming spring break trip when I discovered another discount affiliation angle I have not used before.  I had called about a hotel room in the San Francisco area for one night on Monday and was told that I could have a AAA (Automobile Club of America) rate of $119 for one room with 2 double beds.  I needed to check with my husband and I also wanted to confirm that I could not get a cheaper price.  I was going to call the hotel back the following day after speaking with my husband.

By the time LIFE calmed down and I was able to make the call back to the hotel, it was 2 a.m. Wednesday morning.  The hotel personnel told me that the $119 rate was no longer available and that the cheapest rate they had was $139.  Also, after having checked several hotel deal sites I found that the $139 was indeed the lowest price. 

I did not totally click with the hotel staff person and I had to look for my credit card so I told her I would call the hotel back later that day (as it was 2 a.m. when I had made this call).  Many hours later I called the hotel back.  I explained what happened on Monday and I asked if there were any $119 AAA rates available.  I was told no.  Then, the gal at the hotel says that she is "in training" and transferred me to the reservations manager. 

The reservations manager was amazing.   She asked me about my employer.  I am self-employed so I knew for a fact that her hotel did not have a corporate relationship with my business.  She then asked me about husband's employer.  I told her that he worked for Kaiser Permanente the hospital.  She cheerfully informed me that Kaiser had a corporate affiliation with them and gave me a rate cheaper than the $139.

So, I just learned a new lesson which I am sharing with you.  Consider ALL of your relationships.  Especially those relationships you have with large organizations (e.g., employers, membership associations, unions, etc.) because you may find that these large organizations have negotiated a discount for its members.  I also learned that if I am booking a stay at a hotel that is typically used by business people (versus a hotel for tourists), start off by discount search by identifying all of my business affiliations/associations.

VACATION IN AMERICA (5 PART SERIES) - Part 5: Misc (e.g., souvenirs, sundries, etc.)

Truth be told I think most people end up spending almost as much on souvenirs and chatchkies as they do on their whole trip.  Or, perhaps that is more of an American thing.  Nonetheless, here is a tip on where I have found the best chatchkie type souvenirs.  Wait for it... drugstores, discount stores, and general merchandise stores. 

Here in Southern CA they go by names like - Rite Aid, CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, and Target.  Other parts of CA and the rest of the United States may have these same stores but they may not as well.  Thus, I recommend just asking the locals where is the nearest drugstore.

While I was attending a weeklong seminar in Manhattan, NY, I visited Madison Square Gardens.  While there, I had to look for something for a headache.  I headed into the local drugstore.  The name was familiar so I know it was a chain store (which is where you want to go and not a small isolated drug store) and I found some really neat things such as glasses with the NY brand, little toy NY trains, etc.  I recommended against going to the small isolated drug store to purchase souvenirs because I have found that although those stores may carry souvenirs, they are priced higher than at the chain stores and they are often times old and dirty/dusty because people typically do not go to the drugstore to buy souvenirs.  Thus, they sit on the shelves for a long time.

Similarly, if you need sundries or anything else, I suggest going to a supermarket (a large grocery store) or some chain general merchandise store such as a Walmart or Target (fyi - Walmart prices tend to be noticeably less than the Target prices for the same item).  Liquor stores, convenience stores (such as those at gas stations), and independently owned and operated stores tend to charge more.  While I do not mind supporting small independent mom and pop stores and I will try to buy something, I will not do so if the prices are significantly higher.

If you have missed any part of this series, click the following to get you back to the "VACATION IN AMERICA WITHOUT SPENDING A FORTUNE" page where you can see a list of the complete series.

VACATION IN AMERICA (5 PART SERIES) - Part 4: Transportation

TRANSPORTATION
 

 

 

TRAINS

Metrolink - On weekends, Metrolink offers a program called Weekend Day Pass that gives you UNLIMITED rides for just $10 per day.  Moreover, these Metrolink weekend day pass gives you hundreds of free connections including Anaheim Resort Transit (ART), city bus, shuttle bus, light rail, and subway lines (Amtrak excluded). (Specific to Southern California)

Metrolink's tickets are issued based on your category: adult, youth, student, senior/disabled.  Children 5 and under ride free with a paid adult ticket.  In fact, an adult can take up to 3 children 5 and under on the train. 

The Metro (in Los Angeles).  I am not familiar with the train system anywhere else so I can only blog about our system here in Los Angeles.  The regular fare for a ticket on one of Los Angeles' Metro lines is $1.75 one way.  You can also purchase an unlimited rides day pass for $7 or an unlimited ride week pass for $25.  They also have an unlimited ride month pass but I assume you will not be staying in Los Angeles for a whole month. 

The Metro also offers discounted fares for youths, students, and seniors/disabled individuals.  Up to 2 children under 5 can ride free with each fare paying adult.  (Click here to go to the Metro website on fares.)  Also, anyone who has a Metrolink ticket can ride any of the Los Angeles County's Metro bus and lines for free.  The Metro website has a trip planner so that you can plot out your itinerary.

CARS

Long-term car rental (charges by the month) - Hertz Multi-Month program.

Enterprise Carshare Program.   You can rent a car by the hour.  You create a membership.  You find a car, you reserve the car, you go and use your pass to unlock the car, and you drive the car.  When you are done, you return the car.  The per hour price you pay includes the insurance and gas.  Very simple and it takes very little time.    (If this service is available in your car, please bear with me because there may be people who are reading this blog coming from a country where there is no car sharing program available.)  There is a fee to join and an annual membership fee.

Hertz 24/7 - Another carshare program.  You can rent a car by the hour.  You create a membership.  You find a car.  You reserve the car.  You go and use your pass to unlock the car. You drive the car.  You return the car.  It is that simple.  All the verifications and signing of contracts are done before your car rental. You do need to get your pass beforehand, however.  The per hour price you pay includes the insurance and gas.  Very simple and it takes very little time.   (If this service is available in your car, please bear with me because there may be people who are reading this blog coming from a country where there is no car sharing program available.)  There is no fee to join. (Yay!)

I have never used their service but I like the concept.  I have been meaning to try it, especially when we go on a day trip by train, but I just have not had the opportunity to do so.  

City Carshare (only available in the Bay area):  This is a nonprofit organization.  I am not keep on this one because they require an application fee of $25 and an annual membership fee of $60 or monthly membership fee.  If you choose the monthly membership account (called ShareLocal or SharePlus) they also charge for mileage.  However, I list it here in case it might be a good fit for you.

Zipcar - another car share program. I am not too keen on this one either because they require an annual membership fee of $60 per year in addition to a one-time application fee of $25.00.  However, Zipcar has been around much longer than the other carshare programs so you will have a greater chance finding a car in the destination area you are going through Zipcar.

CAMPERVAN
What is a campervan?  How can you find a good deal on one?  Check out my blog posting, "CAMPERVANNING - HOW TO RENT A VEHICLE FOR $1."

Click the following to take you to "Part 5: Misc (e.g., souvenirs, sundries, etc.)," the next section in this series.  Or, if you would like to see a list of the complete series, click the following to get you back to the "VACATION IN AMERICA WITHOUT SPENDING A FORTUNE" page.

VACATION IN AMERICA (5 PART SERIES) - Part 2: Activities

ACTIVITIES

 

In the more popular areas of the country such as Los Angeles you will find a lot of deals and vendors that offer discounts and promotions through which you can purchase tickets, but at a discount.  The sites you should visit are:
www.groupon.com
www.livingsocial.com
www.yelp.com
(for those of you with kids) www.plumdistrict.com

Or, you can check out YIPIT, website that consolidates deals information from all of the above sites so that you can search just once.

(However, be advised, I am not recommending their "Disney special" or vacation deals.  I cannot recommend something I have never used and I am of the opinion, if it sounds too good to be true, it is probably not true.  The difference between the fantastic stays the above companies are offering and what I am saying you can get is that my system is a strategy and it requires some work on your part.)

So, let me give you an example.  I went onto Living Social just now and found a random tour of Hollywood by City Safari Hollywood.  One adult ticket was $27.

However, if I were to purchase the tickets directly from City Safari Hollywood, it would cost $39.  That is $12 extra dollars.  If there is 4 in your group, that is an extra $48. 

So, for the same money, I will not only go do the tour but I will be able to take my family out for dinner afterwards.  [You will see by my blog section on "FOOD" below that the $48 can either completely cover or help you cover a reasonably nice meal.]   



Click the following to take you to "Part 3: Food," the next section in this series.  Or, if you would like to see a complete list of the series, click the following to get you back to the "VACATION IN AMERICA WITHOUT SPENDING A FORTUNE" page.

VACATION IN AMERICA (5 PART SERIES) - Part 1: Lodging

LODGING

HOTELS
When looking for a place to stay in America always check with the hotel first.  Ask the hotel if there are any promotions or specials. Hotels many times offer guests the best deals on their room directly.  The price you receive from the hotel will give you a good baseline as to the market price for the hotel.  It is important to document the baseline price you get from the hotel because you may need it when negotiating with 3rd parties in an effort to get a better price. 

After obtaining the baseline price, check the usual sources like Expedia, Tripadvsior, Orbitz, Priceline and Hotwire.  Priceline and Hotwire are websites that provide a discount but there is an element of risk because you do not know what hotel you are bidding on/purchasing.  However, there is a way to reduce that risk and crack their system.  It is called www.betterbidding.com.  The community of users of Priceline and Hotwire share their recent experiences with the community so that users can "crack" the information and identify the hotel you are bidding on/purchasing before you commit.

For Priceline, people post their specific bids and what they received.  Once when I had to go to San Diego, I researched what bids Priceline had accepted and what hotel the consumer actually received and I bid just under that amount.  I ended up with a successful bid and I was fairly certain of the hotel I would receive.

For Hotwire, there is a way to look up what hotel Hotwire is offering based on the amenities, location, and description provided.  On www.betterbidding.com, the community of users identify for you the specific hotel the Hotwire description refers to.  Through www.betterbidding.com, I was able to secure our hotel for Cancun a few years back.

So, since you have already done your due diligence by figuring out what the "market rate" is for the type of hotel you want to stay, you can set your offer price intelligently.  If I have a few months, I like to set my bid price about 30% below the "market rate" (i.e., the price I can directly get from other vendors) then move up incrementally to give me the best chance of getting the best price possible.

HOTEL ALTERNATIVES
You can book a bed or a single room in a private home through various vendors like www.airbnb.com.  I personally have not used it and feel uncomfortable about who I will get so I will just leave it at that... that there are places like that available.  I prefer to stay at places where there is some accountability.

If your stay in a particular area will be at least a week, you should look into vacation rentals such as www.vrbo.com or local realtor offices.  For example, if you want to visit touristy spots such as Lake Tahoe, check out the local realtor offices like Century 21, Re/MAX, etc.  You can find the local realtors by doing a search on google map in the region you want to stay and typing in "realtor" or something to that effect.  Google will bring up all the local real estate companies in that area.

If your stay in a particular area will be longer than a week or two, look at short term rentals or subletting posts.  If you are going to an area that has a prominent university, the university may have an online classified section where such ads are listed.  We live by UCLA (which is in Los Angeles) and UCLA does have such a classified page that can be accessed online.


Click the following to take you to "Part 2: Activities," the next section in this series.  Or, if you would like to see the complete series, click the following to get you back to the "VACATION IN AMERICA WITHOUT SPENDING A FORTUNE" page.

VACATION IN AMERICA (5 PART SERIES) - Part 3: Food

FOOD
 

Happy Hours
There are several ways you can cut costs on food.  Going to happy hours is one of my favorite ways to get a delicious meal on a budget.  However, happy hours are hard to do if you are traveling with young children.  Nonetheless, believe or not, there are some nice happy hours that are appropriate for children.  On of my FAVORITES is McCormick & Schmicks.   Their happy hour bar menu consists of juicy burgers, mussels, gourmet pizza, etc. and their prices start at $2.99.  I include photos directly pulled from the companies' websites so that you can verify what I am saying yourself (please see the date noted at the bottom of the webpage). 

Even with these very reasonable prices, I make it even lower by purchasing a gift card for this restaurant at a discount.  For example, Costco (a wholesale warehouse vendor) sells 2 $50 gift cards (total is $100) for $79.00.  Unfortunately, it is a membership only warehouse and it would not make sense for you to create a membership just to buy this gift card BUT they do sell to nonmembers through their website.  (www.costco.com).  Costco says that they may charge a surcharge to nonmembers. 

You may be wondering if this is prudent.  To purchase a gift card which will be mailed to you since it would have to travel internationally and the chances of delay and the mail getting lost may make it not worth it.  If it causes you any comfort, Costco ships with tracking.  I am not sure if they will charge a hefty premium since they will have to mail it internationally, however, you have another option.  You can contact the hotel and ask them if you can have a package delivered there in anticipation of your arrival.  Most hotels should have no problems with it.  That is why I prefer corporate lodgings versus renting a private room. 

Going back to the "happy hour" concept.  How do you find these happy hours?  You can ask the locals you meet, the concierge desk at the hotel you are staying, or do a search on www.yelp.com.  You do the search by typing in "happy hours" in the search parameters within the geographic region of your desire.  There used to be a restaurant called "Toppers" at the top of the Radisson hotel in Santa Monica, CA.  Not only was the view amazing, the restaurant was nice, and they had some free appetizers, discounted bar food, and discounted drinks.  Unfortunately, I say there used to be because Toppers has now been replaced with a restaurant called Penthouse.  It is my understanding that they still have happy hour, the prices are discounted, the portions are decent, and the view is still beautiful.  There may be a dress code. 

Some other happy hour places that I have been to (some in the distant past so you will want to confirm) are: Q's billiard's in Brentwood, CA (they had an awesome happy hour buffet), Matteo's on Westwood Blvd. in WLA (very decent food), Palomino in Westwood (very decent food, price is not cheap compared to other happy hours, just cheaper than their regular prices).  Some day, I will do a review of the happy hours in the Westside.  Until then, go on Yelp and search "happy hour" then call the restaurant and ask for the details - what time is the happy hour and on what day, what items are discounted - just drinks or drinks and food, is there a drink minimum, is there a dress code, etc.

Vouchers, Coupons, and Promotions
Website vendors such as Restaurant.com and Groupon offer restaurant deals.  Restaurant.com sells you a gift certificate for one of their participating restaurant for a price that is less than the face value of gift certificate.  For example, Restaurant.com may sell a gift certificate for $25 for $10.  That is a great deal but there is an angle.  In order to redeem that $25 gift certificate, there is usually a required minimum purchase.  Typically to redeem a $25 gift certificate they require you to spend $50, not inclusive of tax or tip.  Also, they may limit the purchase to dine-in service (or take-out) only.  The restrictions are usually written on the gift certificate and somewhere on the page before you check out. 

For our family of 5, Restaurant.com gift certificate has come in handy since eating at a restaurant is rarely less than $50.  However, if you are a party of 1 or 2, Restaurant.com has gift certificate offers for smaller amounts.

What I like to do with Restaurant.com is I like to find a promotion code that will give me an additional discount.  For example, as I was writing this blog I searched for a promotion code for Restaurant.com.  I found one.  It was "TRIP".  I plugged in the promo code on Restaurant.com and my $25 gift certificate for the price of $10.00 went down to $5.00.  See below.  If my family of $5 ends up spending on average $10 per person for food and drinks, I will have a bill for $50 + tax and tip.  By using a Restaurant.com gift certificate, the actual amount I spent was $30 + tax and tip.  That is a savings of $20.  Please remember to tip on the FULL value of the meal, however.   My goal of sharing my tips is to help you use your resources more efficiently so that you are able to share your wealth, especially with those in need.  (I promise I will stop my soapbox speech.)

I covered Groupon deals in my other posts so I will just say Groupon also offers deals on meals.  Just be careful to read the terms and conditions.

In addition to the above, do not overlook the bulk mailers, coupons on the back of grocery store receipts, magazine/newspaper inserts, tourist brochures, your hotel's affiliated discount, etc. 

Click the following to take you to "Part 4: Transportation," the next section in this series.  Or, if you have missed any of the prior sections, you can see a list of the complete series by going to the "VACATION IN AMERICA WITHOUT SPENDING A FORTUNE" page.

WISH YOU HAD JUST ONE PLACE TO GO TO FIND OUT ABOUT THE BEST DEALS?

I don't know about you but I am feeling a little overwhelmed with all of the "deal" sites.  It feels like I am bombarded by these special deal sites.  The worst part is that if I do not check every deal site, I feel like I might be not getting the best deal.

Being frugal and making your resources S-T-R-E-T-C-H should also apply to your time.  As they say your time is the most valuable resource and once you give it up, you can not get it back.  So, when I learned of the site YIPIT I was glad. 

I think YIPIT's description of itself is very succinct so here it is:

"Yipit.com aggregates the best deals in your city from services like Groupon, LivingSocial, Gilt City and hundreds more."

Now instead of combing through all the deal sites, you do your search on one.  Then, once you find the promotion, you click on it and YIPIT will send you directly to the promotion at that other site.

Saves time, saves money, it is a good deal.

CAMPERVANNING - HOW TO RENT A VEHICLE FOR $1

Campervanning is a cross between tent camping and using an RV/Motorhome.  I feel like my body just cannot take sleeping on the cold hard floor, even with a mat or a lumpy air mattress.  I also do not like the idea of driving a house on the streets.  The solution - CAMPERVANS!

Campervans are vans or minivans retrofitted with a bed or two and other luxuries of home, dvd/tv, table, and many times, a small kitchen.  They drive easy because they are basically a regular road vehicle.  I have always like the idea of owning a campervan.  It appeals to my survival extinct.  Unfortunately, my husband does not share my enthusiasm.  So, I have held back my enthusiasm...until now.

At the end of this week begins the start of SPRING BREAK.  Spring break is the antithesis of OFF-PEAK.  It is as ON-PEAK as it can be.  So, finding an available place, let alone affordable, in any popular destination is an impossibility.  You cannot even find available campsites at the more popular locations such as Yosemite.  So, campervanning seemed liked the best solution and the present situation seemed liked the best time to pitch the idea to my husband.

I did what I usually do at the start of my research.  I first did a query search of campervans, deals related to campervans, etc.  Then, I searched all the regular deal sites such as - Groupon, Living Social, Plum District, etc.  I found 2 offerings, one on Groupon and one on Living Social.  In order to compare the deals, I searched online for complaints or reviews of campervans.  I read that users of campervans, and more generally rv/motorhome, have to watch for back-end costs such as - extra miles charge, gas charge, etc.  This is not a review of how to rent a campervan so I will not go further into detail.

JUCY CHAMPION - SLEEPS 4

I found a campervan company called JUCY CAMPERVAN that was offering a deal through Groupon and Living Social.  I read the review and felt comfortable.  I selected a GROUPON deal for unlimited miles for 7 nights for $399.  GROUPON was (still is at the time of writing this post) having a sale (10% to 20% off) for applicable purchases by using the promo code MEGA3 which brought my total down by $50. 

Before I purchased my GROUPON, I continued to read the reviews on YELP and found one user mention a program called RELOCATION sales or promotion.  This is basically where the company needs to move their vehicle from one location to another and offer the customer an ability to rent one of their vehicles for $1 per day to drive it from point A to point B.  I contacted my local JUCY center and found that they indeed had a need.  They had one vehicle that needed to go up to the San Francisco area location.  I asked if there was also a vehicle at the San Francisco location that needed to come down to Los Angeles, and there was.  So, I booked them. 

JUCY's relocation program gives you 4 days (it is actually more like 3 days because drop off has to be between the hours of 9 a.m. and 11 a.m.) to drive the vehicle from point A to point B.  Earlier I said they charge $1 a day, but in actuality, they charge $1 per night.   Through this program, they throw in (according to Brandi at JUCY in Lawndale) the cooking provisions but they do not include the folding chairs or linens.  If you need them, you can rent them at an extra charge.  Also, it did not include extra insurance.  They also allow you to drive from point A to point B in 600 miles.  That is about 200 extra miles than what it takes to drive from Los Angeles to San Francisco.  However, in my case, they are giving me 700 miles. 

Just to be on the safe side, I added their OPTIONAL collision waiver insurance for $10 per night.  My out the door price for each leg of my trip is $36.30 ($30 for insurance + $3 per night + tax).  So, my family and I will drive up the coast and down the coast.  We are also breaking up our 2 legs by staying a day or two up north to visit San Francisco.  We haven't decided where we will stop during our trip - Big Sur, Monterey Aquarium, Hearst Castle - who knows.

Post made into its own page

For ease of reference, I have moved the page discussing budget friendly places to eat into the pages section and made it its own page. 

There are some places identified on that page that will be relevant to people without kids.  For example, the information related to Lamonica's pizza, Lucia's pizza, and Whole Foods is a general discount unrelated to whether you have kids.

Updating old posts

I have updated my old posts and pages.  I try to make it more evident by indicating "new" in red.  I will keep that "new" sign on for about a month then remove it.  Also, I am periodically checking the information and links to make sure they are still good.  I hope the information I provide is helpful.

VACATION PLANNING STRATEGIES - FLIGHTS (working the credit card/airline miles programs to fund the flight)

This blog article is part 3 of a 3 part series.  To review the other 2 parts in this series, please click ONE or TWO.  These blog postings are intended to show you how to apply the strategy, or in other words, see the strategy in action.  However, if you would prefer to see a simple run down, please click VACATION PLANNING STRATEGIES - In Short.

There are many credit cards that provide miles that can be redeemed for flights.  The special offers change so I cannot say the promotion I joined on is still available.  However, there is a website called "Flyertalk" that has a wealth of information on finding the best way to travel.  There is a forum on that site where members posts recent credit card offers. Those who subscribe to that forum will receive a notice by email.  (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/credit-card-programs/1177334-special-credit-card-offers-master-thread-subscription.html)

When considering a trip to Fiji, I found that I could get tickets through American Airlines, by way of their affiliated partner.  American Airlines appealed to me because it was a big company and flew to many different places giving me the flexibility to still use my points even if I chose not to go to Fiji, which is exactly what happened.  Also, since American Airlines flew to many places, I knew that I had a good chance of fighting a ticket on American Airlines and that would be great since most airline affiliated credit cards give extra reward points when you purchase a plane ticket with their credit card. 

We rarely fly since having kids so I knew that whatever credit card I chose, it would have to have a healthy sign-up reward bonus or we it would take us years to accumulate enough points to fund our airplane tickets.  At the time, the best credit card for American Airlines was from Citi credit cards. About 80% of the points I have today came from the sign-up reward bonus.  I was using my credit card to make up the difference when I decided against Fiji for the reasons stated earlier.[American Airlines also has an off-peak season where you can fly using less than 50% less of miles necessary for a regular flight.  For example, see the chart.]  http://www.aa.com/i18n/AAdvantage/redeemMiles/american-airlines-award-chart.jsp.]

Now that I no longer had a need for the Citi credit cards I decided to stop using that card and opened 2 Southwest Airlines cards.  Living in Los Angeles with most of our relatives in Southern California or Arizona, it made sense to have a credit card connected to an airline that was based in the West. 
I opened up Southwest related credit cards.  One was a regular and the other was a business card.  You have to becareful to read the terms and conditions for the program.  You don't want to accidentally open up two cards and be told you only get one sign-up bonus.  That is why the Flyertalk forum is helpful.  The members highlight the terms and conditions.  They also give you tips and suggestions for getting around certain challenges.

The other benefit of Southwest Airlines is their companion pass.  Once you accumulate a certain amount of points, you are entitled to designate a companion who flies free as your companion on any flights you fly for the rest of the year in which you are awarded a companion pass AND the following calendar year.  Upon verifying that the bonus points that came with the sign-up offer, I applied for the Southwest Airlines credit cards.  Then, within a few months, I received my free companion pass.  This occurred in 2014.  Through this companion pass I was able to knock out one of the flights to our trip to the Dominican Republic (DR).  Southwest recently opened up flights to the Dominican Republic.  Although SW does not fly directly from Los Angeles to DR, flights from LA and flights from DR both fly into many spots, including New Orleans, LA. 

I have always wanted to visit Louisiana.  So, I booked one flight from LA to New Orleans where we will spend a day and a half, then fly from New Orleans to DR.

VACATION PLANNING STRATEGIES - Price Comparison, Stacking, and Creating my own discounts

These are actual pictures from the resort we are going.

This blog article is part 2 of a 3 part series.  To review the other 2 parts in this series, please click ONE or THREE.  These blog postings are intended to show you how to apply the strategy, or in other words, see the strategy in action.  However, if you would prefer to see a simple run down, please click VACATION PLANNING STRATEGIES - In Short.

I ended my last post with scheduling your vacation during a destination's off peak season.  That will give you the best start in grabbing the best prices for not only the hotel but for everything else.

Once you have drawn that line in the sand and determined which hotel, when, and the price, now is the time to get creative.  [If this is the first page you are viewing, if you wish, please be advised that this is the 2nd post in this series. The first post was published on 3/19/15 under the heading, "VACATION PLANNING STRATEGIES."  ] I use many different sites, both on and off the web, to figure out if the price that I just found is actually the best price on the market.

I contact independent travel agencies, Costco travel agency, AAA travel agency, American Express travel agency, my timeshare connected travel agency, and travel agency I find online that have advertised a special.  I also make sure to check directly with the hotel/resort because often times they offer their own promotions and specials that 3rd party vendors do not offer.  Nonetheless, I also check sites such as Priceline, Hotwire, Expedia, Orbitz, Tripadvisor, Hotels.com, etc.  I have never really written my strategy out.  So much of what I have done has been based on my hunch at the moment.  However, now that I have this site and the special page I created called "VACATION PLANNING STRATEGY" I will update that particular page's brief summary as I remember and/or discover other sites I visit.

Now, as you know, while Priceline and Hotwire are great, to get their best prices, you have to purchase before you really know what you are getting.  For some of you that is not acceptable.  How about if I told you that there is a website supported by the users of the Priceline and Hotwire community that helps each other decode the Priceline and Hotwire system.  That website is www.betterbidding.com.

For Priceline, people post their specific bids and what they received.  Once when I had to go to San Diego, I researched what bids Priceline had accepted and what hotel the consumer actually received and I bid just under that amount.  I ended up with a successful bid and I was fairly certain of the hotel I would receive.

For Hotwire, there is a way to look up what hotel Hotwire is offering based on the amenities, location, and description provided.  On www.betterbidding.com, the community of users identify for you the specific hotel the Hotwire description refers to.  Through www.betterbidding.com, I was able to secure our hotel for Cancun a few years back.

As I stated above, I like to check directly with the hotel/resort to see if they have a particular special or promotion they are running.  Examples of some of the type of promotion they may have are:  AAA discount, Kids eat/stay free, Costco discount, etc.

In my case of the Dominican Republic trip, we will be staying at Dreams Punta Cana.  Dreams Punta Cana had a AAA discount and a Kids Stay Free Offer.  With these discounts and by choosing to go during an off-peak season, I was able to get 2 rooms for 5 people (2 adults and 3 children) for 9 nights at a total out-the-door cost (which includes taxes and fees) of just above $2500.  I opted to "upgrade" to their Preferred level (the highest level) and so we are paying $2810.

Frankly, I don't think that is a bad price.  However, I am not done yet.

Instead of paying for the entire amount upfront, I only put down a deposit of one night's stay.  The remaining balance is over $2000.  Now, I have great credit so I recently received a credit card offer to get $200 to open a new credit card and spend $1000 within the first 3 months.  So, I opened up a credit card and I will be paying down the balance by $1000.  In addition, the credit card offer provides 0% interest on all purchases for one year.  What this means is that I can slowly pay back the $800 ($1000 - $200) instead of tying up my funds. 

I do not recommend opening up credits just for the sake of opening up credit cards.  I, at most, open up a credit once every 2 to 3 years.  Also, I hold on to the credit card for several years before I cancel the account.  I very vigilantly protect my credit and I recommend you do the same.  You will end up saving a lot of money with good credit because credit companies want your business and will provide you the best interest rates and offers.  In my above situation, I was looking to cancel my American Express card because the one I had was a Costco-Amex card.  There was a recent announcement that Costco and Amex are discontinuing their relationship in 2016.  Therefore, I was going to look for a different credit card to replace the Amex card anyway so the timing was right.

Bottomline, I was able to create (thus far) an additional $200 discount dropping my hotel price down from $2810 to $2610 for 9 nights, 2 bedroom, for 5 people, at a 5 star all inclusive hotel in the Dominican Republic.   I say "thus far" because I am not done yet.  I still have a balance just over $1000 that I have to pay for the hotel/resort.  I am in no rush to pay it off.  I want to give myself the opportunity to find another deal that will help me create another "discount" for myself.

Attention Homeschoolers

HOMESCHOOL BUYERS CO-OP

If you have not heard about the Homeschool Buyers Co-op, you are missing out.  This is what they say about themselves,

"The Homeschool Buyers Co-op is the world's largest buyers club for homeschooling families. Founded in 2005, we are family-owned and operated business dedicated to providing top-quality curriculum at the lowest price possible."

They are legitimate as I have used their service and was able to get a fantastic discount on IXL math and language arts subscription and some American History video series.  Leveraging the large buying power of their coop, they are able to negotiate a lower price just for their members.  It is like a union for the individual consumer.

Here is their link: http://www.homeschoolbuyersco-op.org/ 

MICROSOFT YOUTHSPARKS
Microsoft has a program called YouthSpark.  Through this program, Microsoft provides tech-related educational programs to youths.  For example, during the year you can arrange a special field trip to learn coding, digital photography, etc.  During the summer, Microsoft offers tech camps that run about 2 hours per day, 4 days per week.  There is also tech-related education Microsoft offers through their YouthSpark Hub such as game development, coding, etc.  There is so much related to YouthSpark that I am still learning about it.  The YouthSparks program is totally free. 

VACATION PLANNING STRATEGIES

This blog article is part 1 of a 3 part series.  To review the other 2 parts in this series, please click TWO or THREE.  These blog postings are intended to show you how to apply the strategy, or in other words, see the strategy in action.  However, if you would prefer to see a simple run down, please click VACATION PLANNING STRATEGIES - In Short.

I just planned our family's trip to the Dominican Republic.  Our family of 5 will be flying to the Dominican Republic in September. I planned the trip so that all we will be paying for the plane tickets are taxes and fees.  As for the hotel, we will be staying at a 5 star, all inclusive hotel, that provides free kids club.  For those of you who are not familiar with kids club (as I was not until I had my own children), some hotels offers supervised childcare for young children and a camp like program for the older kids.  So, for under $3000, we will have unlimited food and drinks at a 5 star hotel, childcare, nightly entertainment, and maid service. 

STRATEGY:

I incorporated a multi-level strategy to plan this trip.  The first step was to choose the right destination spot.

DESTINATION SPOT
Originally I was planning to arrange a trip to the Fiji islands.  However, as the temperament of my youngest child began to manifest itself (he is now 2) I realized that such a long plane ride without any breaks would be very challenging for everyone.  Also, I was originally going to use our timeshare and try to save on lodgings but the thought of cooking and cleaning, and being the primary care taker for the kids all day, seemed less like a vacation the more I thought about it. 

I scrapped my Fiji idea and started over.  I began by jotting down my priorities: (1) a single airplane ride cannot exceed 5 hours; (2) must have some supervised childcare; (3) must have some program our 2 elementary school-aged sons can do.

Then, I thought about food.  Although I was okay about cooking a handful of meals during our vacation, I really loathed the idea of having to cook 3 meals a day for the entire trip.  I also did not want to have to go grocery shopping without a car.  In the alternative, eating out every meal was too cost prohibitive for a family of 5.  Considering that I was intending to fly to whatever destination spot, I wanted to be able to enjoy the destination and instead of doing chores all day.  Thus, that became my priority number (4) - some or all of the meals must be included.

Having set my first four priorities as the north star of my planning I could generally rule in or rule out various destination spots.  I knew many hotels included breakfast with their stay but not many of them (that I knew of) included childcare.  For those places that included childcare, breakfast only option was few and far between, and many of them were in the United States.  The rest were in "resort" destinations like the Caribbeans, Jamaica, etc. 

Interestingly, the resorts in the United States were much more expensive than the resorts in the exotic locations without offering as many of the amenities.  So, based on my four priorities, the best option was to select an all-inclusive at one of the "exotic" locations.

All-inclusive can be very expensive.  I say it "can" be but it is not always the case.  Luckily, these resorts are on a tourist cycle and have seasons.  So, if you go during their off-season, you will find that their prices are sometimes more than 50-70% less than during their regular or peak season.  I learned this when I was planning my wedding.  We decided on a September wedding because I could ensure a wonderful honeymoon at a fraction of the cost.  Also, the wedding chapels, restaurants, and all vendors were more willing to negotiate and I could get better deals for the wedding itself.  (If people are interested, I can blog about that and share my tips as well. I had an amazing wedding and an amazing reception at a fraction of the cost.)

Just like in everything, that first line you draw is the most important.  Where you draw that first line will determine whether you will save A LOT or a little.  For me, I love traveling during the off-peak season.  There are less lines, the people at the locales are friendlier and less stressed, you have less people trying to sell to you, it is just better.  I try to plan a trip just at the beginning or the very end of the off-season because there is a reason why the season is an "off season" many times.   In the case of the Carribeans, September is the beginning of their Hurricane season.  If you are worried about losing your money, there is insurance for that.  If there is a Hurricane, you get your money back.  Now, if there happens to be a big hurricane while you are there... that is why we go in the beginning of the off-season or at the very end.

Now that I knew what areas I was looking and what type of amenities were a must for me, it was just about comparing the resorts and prices.  I also did not want to go to a country I had already been so Jamaica and Costa Rica were out.  I have always been curious about the Dominican Republic.  Since I was taking my children along and taking them out of school (and doing independent study), I wanted to make this experience an educational one as well.  (This too is a separate topic.  I am slowly putting together a curriculum specific to the trip we are taking to the Dominican Republic which will include - geography, environmental studies, political history, local history, social studies, world history, currency study, etc.) 

I created another page called "VACATION PLANNING STRATEGIES" and it is a simple, and short, list.  I am using the blog part to flesh out how I implement my strategy.

My next post will be about stacking additional discounts to reduce the price of the hotel/resorts.

BUDGET FRIENDLY DINING IN THE WESTSIDE (Killer Shrimp Restaurant added)

Here are a list of restaurants that run specials so that you can enjoy a meal you do not have to cook and clean up yourself.

MONDAYS

Cafe 50s
- Seniors (55 years old and up) get 20% off entire bill from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Mon-Fri
- All burgers and omelets 50% with purchase of drink from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m. to confirm 

Johnny Rocket's [on La Cienega Blvd in Miracle Mile (310) 289-0400]
- one free kid's meal per paid adult meal from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Killer Shrimp (NEW ADDITION)
Killer Mondays - Every Monday The Original Killer Shrimp offered at its original price of $9.95 in the Bar only.

Happy Hour - Offered twice daily! Food and beverage specials offered Mon-Fri, 3-7pm.  Late Night Happy Hour food and beverage specials offered daily from 10pm-midnight 7 days a week.

McCormick & Schmick's Happy Hour - McCormick is a chain restaurant, however, each restaurant has their own happy hour menus and the prices are set by the individual restaurants.  The McCormick closest to us is the one on Rodeo Drive.  Their happy hour is from 4:00 to 6:30, then 9:00 p.m. to 10 p.m. on every weeknight.  You can get a huge gourmet cheeseburger and fries for $2.95.  They also have Chicken satay for $3.95, Korean barbecue for $3.95, sweet potato fries or garlic fries for $1.95, black mussels for $4.95, etc.  There is a $3.50 drink minimum per person.  The McCormick link will take you to the Rodeo Drive specific website where you can pull up all of their menus, including the Happy Hour one.

LaMonica's Pizza (in Westwood) - BOGO after 5:30 p.m.; $9 for an 18" cheese pizza and $1.75 per additional topping,

Lucia's Café (Westwood) - Pick-up special all day- $7.99 one topping 16" XL pizza.

TGI Friday's (chain restaurant)
On Mondays and Tuesdays kids 10 and under eat for free with each adult entrée purchase


TUESDAYS
Cafe 50s
- Seniors (55 years old and up) get 20% off entire bill from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Mon-Fri
- Buy 1 sandwich, get 1 free with purchase of 2 drinks from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m.

Denny's (national chain)
Tuesday and Saturday: Kids eat free from 4-10 pm. You must order one adult entree for every two kids eating free.

Granville Café  (@ The Americana @ Brand in Glendale)

Tuesday: One free kid’s meal with each adult meal purchased from 11 am-4 pm.

Islands [chain store]
[restaurant on Pico Blvd in West Los Angeles (310) 474-1144]
- kids eat free all day

Johnny Rocket's [chain store]
[restaurant on La Cienega Blvd in Miracle Mile (310) 289-0400]
- one free kid's meal per paid adult meal from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Killer Shrimp (NEW ADDITION)
Happy Hour - Offered twice daily! Food and beverage specials offered Mon-Fri, 3-7pm.  Late Night Happy Hour food and beverage specials offered daily from 10pm-midnight 7 days a week.

McCormick & Schmick's Happy Hour - Happy hour from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. to 10 p.m.  For more details, see the McCormick section in the "MONDAYS" section above.

TGI Friday's (chain restaurant)
On Mondays and Tuesdays kids 10 and under eat for free with each adult entrée purchase

Whole Foods [chain grocery store]
$1 street tacos (pork, beef, chicken, & veggie).  Don't make the mistake we did by ordering from their regular deli.  It is better to buy from the little stand they set up because you can put the condiments on your taco yourself. 

WEDNESDAYS
Cafe 50s [on Santa Monica Blvd in West Los Angeles (310) 479-1955]
- Seniors (55 years old and up) get 20% off entire bill from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Mon-Fri
- 1 kid's meal free with the purchase of 1 adult meal
- Eat for free with the purchase of a drink IF you wear a pajamas (traditional kind) from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m.

Carrows [chain restaurant]
[restaurant on Ocean Park blvd in Santa Monica (310) 450-1321]
- kids 10 years of age and under eat free on Wednesdays and Thursdays after 4 p.m. with a paid adult meal.

El Torito Mexican Restaurant [chain restaurant]
One free kid's meal with each adult meal purchased.

Johnny Rocket's [chain restaurant]
[restaurant on La Cienega Blvd in Miracle Mile (310) 289-0400]
- one free kid's meal per paid adult meal from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Killer Shrimp (NEW ADDITION)
Happy Hour - Offered twice daily! Food and beverage specials offered Mon-Fri, 3-7pm.  Late Night Happy Hour food and beverage specials offered daily from 10pm-midnight 7 days a week.

McCormick & Schmick's Happy Hour - Happy hour from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. to 10 p.m.  For details, see the McCormick section in the "MONDAYS" section above.

THURSDAYS
Cafe 50s
- Seniors (55 years old and up) get 20% off entire bill from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Mon-Fri
- Shakes ($2.98), coffee ($1.39), and soda ($1.39) from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m.

Carrows [chain restaurant]
[restaurant on Ocean Park blvd in Santa Monica (310) 450-1321]
- kids 10 years of age and under eat free on Wednesdays and Thursdays after 4 p.m. with a paid adult meal.

Johnny Rocket's [on La Cienega Blvd in Miracle Mile (310) 289-0400]
- one free kid's meal per paid adult meal from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Killer Shrimp (NEW ADDITION)
Happy Hour - Offered twice daily! Food and beverage specials offered Mon-Fri, 3-7pm.  Late Night Happy Hour food and beverage specials offered daily from 10pm-midnight 7 days a week.

McCormick & Schmick's Happy Hour - Happy hour from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. to 10 p.m.  For details, see the McCormick section in the "MONDAYS" section above.

FRIDAYS
Cafe 50s
- Seniors (55 years old and up) get 20% off entire bill from 7 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Mon-Fri
- Fish & Chips ($7.97), fresh catch of the day ($10.79), and clam chowder ($3.89) from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m.

Killer Shrimp (NEW ADDITION)
Happy Hour - Offered twice daily! Food and beverage specials offered Mon-Fri, 3-7pm.  Late Night Happy Hour food and beverage specials offered daily from 10pm-midnight 7 days a week.

McCormick & Schmick's Happy Hour - Happy hour from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. to 10 p.m.  For details, see the McCormick section in the "MONDAYS" section above.

SATURDAYS
Cafe 50s
- Free a la mode on all cakes and pies from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.

El Torito [on Ocean Park in Santa Monica (310) 450-8665 and on Fiji Way in Marina Del Rey]
- one free kids meal for kids 12 years or younger with one paid adult meal until 3 p.m.

Killer Shrimp (NEW ADDITION)
 Happy Hour - Offered twice daily! Food and beverage specials offered 3-5pm on weekends. Late Night Happy Hour food and beverage specials offered daily from 10pm-midnight 7 days a week. 

SUNDAYS
Cafe 50s
- Sundaes $3.79 from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m.

Dickeys
(locations: Redondo Beach, Pasadena, Northridge, Simi Valley, Brea, Buena Park)
BBQ joint.  Serves comfort food like pulled pork, ribs, and other yummy goodness.
Kids eat free on Sundays and free ice cream (for everyone), everyday.

Gaucho Grill [chain restaurant]
Kids 10 and under eat free anytime on Sundays.

Killer Shrimp (NEW ADDITION)
Happy Hour - Offered twice daily! Food and beverage specials offered 3-5pm on weekends. Late Night Happy Hour food and beverage specials offered daily from 10pm-midnight 7 days a week. 

LaMonica's Pizza (in Westwood) - BOGO after 5:30 p.m.; $9 for an 18" cheese pizza and $1.75 per additional topping.

EVERYDAY

Headlines! Diner & Press Club in Westwood:  Everyday after 5 p.m., the diner offers a $6 special.  You get a sandwich, fries, and a drink for $6.  You can choose from any of their sandwiches.

LaMonica's Pizza (in Westwood) - BOGO after 5:30 p.m.; $9 for an 18" cheese pizza and $1.75 per additional topping,

Lucia's Café (Westwood) - Pick-up special all day- $7.99 one topping 16" XL pizza.

M Street Kitchen (Santa Monica, CA)
Kids eat free during happy hour daily (4 p.m.- 6:30 p.m.)
2000 Main Street, Santa Monica; Tel: 310-396-9145

Sawtelle Tempura House:  Homemade boxed lunches consisting of a comfort food Japanese entrée, rice, and chow mein.  Their prices range from just under $5 to about $9 per boxed lunch.  1816 Sawtelle Blvd., Los Angeles, CA  90025.   Tel:  (310) 479-5989  (Except Sundays).

SushiStop:  There are two on Sawtelle blvd in the Westside (Los Angeles).  I prefer the one right in the heart of Little Osaka (2053 Sawtelle Blvd., Los Angeles, CA  90025; (310) 473-3999).  I just feel that the food is fresher.  Most of the sushi rolls and dishes are $2.95+ tax.  They also have little curry bowls, udon (plain or with tempura, etc.), and chicken teriyaki bowls for $2.95+ tax.  The bowls and noodles are fairly good size for the price.  There is usually a long wait.  Cash only.