This city is just a little bit of heaven on the California coast.  First time travelers to Los Angeles do the the whole Hollywood-Disneyland route however the second time around, travelers and natives know that Santa Barbara is just ninety minutes away.  And when you get to this serene town of beaches, mountains, and Spanish style architecture you will be thinking “Yes, this has everything that makes California dreaming a reality.”

If you are looking for freebies download the 101 Free Things To Do In Santa Barbara and look for offers on the Santa Barbara Visitors Site.  Julia Child lived in Santa Barbara and one of her favorite restaurants was La Super Rica taco stand at 622 N Milpas St Santa Barbara, CA 93103. Eat like the Queen of Cuisine for under $10.

The boutique Santa Barbara Museum of Art has suggested admission on Sundays and they rotate from classic to Asian to modern art exhibits. For $5 tour the Santa Barbara Mission or enjoy the park and outdoor vistas for free.

Day trippers, one nighters, or for a leisurely weekend, you will find Santa Barbara is an upscale town with frugal finds.

The vacation the Frugal Dude had been talking about since we first starting seeing each other was Mount Rushmore. It took him fifteen years to convince me and now I wished that I had acquiesced sooner. Fabulous does not even start to describe it.  And frugal is the other great thing about traveling to South Dakota. 

For me sitting at the computer till I get the best price for a hotel room is fun. Some like to sit at the blackjack table in Las Vegas and try to win. The Frugal Diva likes to sit and be assured that she will save after checking all the sites and then seeing what Trip Advisor thinks. It’s not a bargain if the the place is dirty, miles out of the way, or rundown.   And the winner is Microtel Inn  of Rapid City.  At $56 and change before taxes it was an outstanding bargain. Clean and modern rooms with a free continental breakfast, free shuttle from the airport,  pool for the kids, and a great location for easy access to all the attractions.  We were staying in Rapid City as our base for four days of our vacation so the savings were considerable.

The other big expense for the trip was a rental car.  Instead of picking up the car at the airport, I was advised by Brandon at the local Enterprise Car Rental Agency to simply get the car after we were settled in town. The price was almost half without all the fees, taxes, and add ons that come with airport pickup. Whenever possible use this approach for car rental.  Not only is it cheaper, they sent a courtesy pick up and the woman gave us great local information about the area.  They included a placard for parking at Mt. Rushmore which saved us another $10 since it was good for the entire visit. So the $315 that we paid for ten days of car rental was reduced to $305. My vacation was already made and I hadn’t even seen anything.

Awsome, inspiring, amazing describe Mt. Rushmore and the effort it took to blast these images out of the mountains.  You can return as many times as you wish for the single $10 fee.  Saturday night they do a movie about the history of the area and turn the lights on after dark.  There were approximately 400 people that worked at Mount Rushmore during the carving process from October 1927 to October 1941 supervised by Gutzon Borglum. Between the films about the history of Mount Rushmore, the ranger talks, seeing the heads from every angle, and hiking the area you can easily spend a full day and return in the evening.

In a few weeks I will fill you in on Rapid City and the other great attractions in this area including the Crazy Horse Monument, the Badlands, Custer State Park, and Spearfish Canyon plus eats, shopping, and entertainment.

The Frugal Diva loves culture and she loves the word free. By combining these two concepts, the divas of the world can soak up culture without getting soaked.

Most museums have a free day. It may be once a week, once a month, a late night but they believe that everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy great works of art, science exhibits, and natural history.  Check the local museum websites for venues in your area.  The free day can usually be found under visitor’s information.

In Los Angeles,  the California Science Center is free every day for all permanent exhibits including the space shuttle Endeavour, the Guggenheim Museum in NYC has free or pay what you wish on upcoming Saturdays, and the Philadelphia Museum has free Wednesday nights (you can even run up the steps and stand near the Rocky statue).

Since many of you will be traveling this spring or summer here is a great site for finding free museums in your city and at your destination. Museum Free Days provides a list for many cities and links to the respective website.

In the fall, tickets for over 1400 museums across the country are available through Smithsonian Free Day and can be downloaded from the site for you and a guest. They will be updating in the spring with the 2013 list.  If you are in Washington, D. C. the Smithsonian Museums are our national museums and are free every day.

The world of culture is yours – however timing is everything.

Now Divas occasionally we may have to pay for tickets however there are websites for theaters that make is easy to save on entertainment.

Goldstar has an amazing selection of tickets to theater, sporting events, wine tastings, and even some trade shows. They are in several cities so plan ahead when you are traveling.  I have used this website many times and always got good seats in the promised section and they keep a record of your transactions in case you want to recommend a production. Now in every major city.

Theater tickets for a year with a subscription to Theater Extras. Good for tickets in Los Angeles and New York City.

Gift Certificates to these sites also make wonderful presents for birthdays and the upcoming holidays. You pick the amount and send it in a Holiday card.  All the time avoiding traffic and parking hassles. That’s how divas do it.

Below is Easter advice from Jon Lal of BeFrugal.com. Filling up a holiday basket doesn’t need to empty out people’s wallets.

• Look for free community events such as Easter egg hunts for kids.
• Instead of buying tons of pastel decorations, pull out anything light colored, spring-like or bunny-related that you already own. A little creativity can save a lot of cash! Perhaps some pastel holiday ornaments can make a centerpiece by filling a pretty bowl, or a bunch of carrots can be arranged in a vase for an appropriate flower alternative. If you host an Easter gathering annually, head to the party store the day after the holiday this year and score décor on clearance to use next year.
• Always save your Easter baskets to use again next year. You can add a bow to a basket from a bath and body store gift or food gift basket instead of purchasing a new basket.
• Don’t waste your cash buying fancy clothing you’ll only wear once on Easter Sunday. Look at your closet instead to see what “Sunday best” items you already own.
• If you plan to celebrate by enjoying wine with Easter dinner, check for rebates on alcohol. In addition to sales, mail in rebates can really lower the cost, sometimes you can even get paid to buy the product!
• When hosting a family gathering to celebrate, tell guests it’s BYOB. This will significantly reduce your costs. If you live in a state with a deposit on cans, you may even profit from hosting a family gathering.
• Check the sales flyers to see what grocery items are on sale for Easter dinner. Also check for sales on Easter candy. Drugstores and big box stores like Walmart or Costco can also provide savings. Don’t forget to look for a grocery coupon! You can often “matchup” coupons and sale items for extreme savings.

Don’t forget the 99 Cent Only stores  in California and dollar stores across the country for last minute accessories!

The Frugal Diva always wondered how to decide between driving and flying if the distance was not too great.   Jon Lal at befrugal.com has a way to help you decide and some tips for saving on your travel plans.

When planning a trip, start with a free online tool to decide whether flying or driving makes more sense. The Fly or Drive Calculator (http://www.befrugal.com/tools/fly-or-drive-calculator/) factors in time taken, cost and carbon emissions.

Complete your reservation to get the most for your money:

1) book online

2) use a coupons and cash back website like BeFrugal.com for travel purchases (hotels, flights, rental cars, etc.)

3) use a rewards credit card to pay

In most cases, you can “stack” all 3 of the savings listed below:

1) average of $27 saved with a coupon from BeFrugal

2) average of 7% cash back on online purchases through BeFrugal

3) additional cash back or points from your rewards credit card

Mark your calendars for the 2013 Green Festivals:

New York area the New York City Green Festival is April 21 & 22, and the Business to Business (B2B) Green Trade Wholesale Buyers Day, April 19.

Returning  to Chicago the weekend of May 18-19.

Washington, D.C. September 21-22

Los Angeles October 19-20

San Francisco November 9-10

These are terrific events with all the latest information on the environment, organic food, and green businesses.

When The Frugal Dude suggested going to Yosemite, The Frugal Diva replied that it was just a bunch of trees.  I could not have been more incorrect. The magnificent vistas, the fresh air, the beautiful meadows of wild flowers, and spectacular waterfalls made me realize that there was a whole world that awaited outside of urban areas. And the other good news, it did not involve any camping. I also believed that you had to pitch a tent and gather berries for sustenance.  Many National Parks have food and accommodations that are reasonable and don’t involve building your own fire. Of course for those who enjoy sleeping in the great outdoors there are numerous camp sites.

Just to make this more fun, these are the 2013 dates when entrance fees are waived.

April 22-26

National Park Week

August 25

National Park Service

September 28

National Public Lands Day

November 9-11

Veterans Day weekend

2014 Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Many of your 392 national parks NEVER charge an entrance fee. So start planning your visit!

And if you are over 62 get a Senior Pass for a one time $10 fee.  This is for a lifetime of free admissions.  The pass admits the pass holder and passengers in a non-commercial vehicle at per vehicle fee areas and pass holder + 3 adults, not to exceed 4 adults, at per person fee areas (children under 16 are admitted free).

If you plan to visit several national parks in one year, consider the $80 one year pass.

The Frugal Dude was right, the national parks are a fabulous vacation and we have since been to the Grand Tetons, Glacier, Yellowstone, the Grand Canyon (the north and south rims), Bryce, Zion and many others.  It is a great reminder what a vast and beautiful country we live in.

Let me know your favorites!

True love means never over spending to impress someone. Coupon & savings expert Jon Lal – founder of BeFrugal.com – provides the following money-saving tips for Valentine’s Day:

• In an effort to save, many will make gifts. This is fine if you enjoy doing so, but consider the cost of your time as you make cookies, an old-fashioned homemade paper valentine or write a poem. Using technology can help you save time, while remaining original. You can publish a free iTunes playlist of love songs or use the app Songify to create your own love song.
• If you’d rather purchase a gift, create a budget and consider gift ideas before shopping. After you have a plan, shop online so you can save more money. Always look for a free promo code for a discount or free shipping plus shop through a cash back site to earn cash back for free. You can often combine a discount and earn Cash Back.  Plus, if you pay with a rewards credit card, you can also accumulate some points. Just be sure to pay that off so you avoid interest.
• Even those on a budget can treat their sweetie to a night out. Be sure to check for a restaurant coupon and consider dining out for dessert only to reduce your spending.

When did the Super Bowl become a national holiday?  It seems like you must be either attending a party or throwing a party to not be considered a total social reject. Here are some great ideas for savings.

Super Bowl tips from coupon site BeFrugal.com founder Jon Lal:

If you are throwing a party:

o Use an online service like Eventrbrite for free invitations & tickets.

o Go with a potluck style party – where attendees each bring a dish – to reduce the expense of throwing a party.

o Purchase supplies like decorations and paper plates in advance. Plan ahead and buy them online from a store like Party City, Target, Walmart, CVS or Walgreens so you can double dip your savings by using a promo code plus earn cash back! For any last minute party needs, check a weekly ad online before heading to the store so you know what is on sale, and don’t forget to use a grocery coupon.

· When purchasing game day gear and buying a new TV, be sure to make your purchase online so you can use a promo code plus earn cash back. If you are using BeFrugal’s CouponomaticTM browser add-on, there’s no need to search for a promo code. When you reach the checkout stage at 3000+ online stores a drop down list of coupon codes will magically appear to help you save.

If you want to travel to the big game:

o Use an online tool to see what’s the best transit method. The free Fly or Drive calculator compares the time, cost and carbon emissions to get from one area to another.

o Book online so you can get immediate savings from using a promo code plus get cash back (a portion of your spending) deposited in a free account for you).

o Book early as prices will increase as the date gets closer (with the exception of very last minute travel).

o Accrue rewards or points for free membership of travel companies. It only takes a minute and signing up is free with most travel providers.

o If you are 50+, ask about a senior discount when you book travel. Some senior discounts are offered for folks as young as 50. It doesn’t hurt to ask!