Best Summer Ever!

Summer of 2015 was truly epic for our family.  Hubby and I brought the kids to Japan and USA.  Since the trip was somewhat heavy on the wallet, Hubby and I were determined to stretch our peso/dollar/yen to the fullest.  Here are a few tips which might prove to be helpful for you as you plan your own adventure.

- Discounted tickets from the travel fair. 

Although we didn’t get the cheapest deal possible, I’m still quite pleased that we were able to slash at least 10% off our air fare with a free stopover in Japan to boot.  We flew JAL all the way.  Our itinerary was Manila – Narita, Narita – LA, LA – Narita and Narita – Manila and this is what makes it so worth it.  Normally, the Narita – LA/ LA – Narita route is code shared and is flown by an American airline.  Honestly, I prefer the service of flight stewards in Asian carriers.  Moreover, the aircrafts are also way more comfortable compared to their Western counterparts. 

Other airlines to consider for your US trip would be EVA Air and PAL.  Singapore Airlines also get top ratings from me, but tickets tend to be pricey. 

- Go WIFI. 

Should you need to stay in touch with people at home, in the office, etc.  You don’t need to spend a ton on Global Roaming.  You can rent pocket WIFI.  It will make overseas communication much more affordable.

- Do your research. 

Thank goodness Hubby checked the Sanrio Puroland website.  By doing so, we were able to save 10% off on our entrance fee.  10% may not sound like much, but a penny saved is a penny earned.  We also compared rates of Tokyo Disneyland and Disneyland Anaheim.  Tokyo Disney came at around P3k per person, whereas Disney Anaheim was priced at almost P5k per head.  Given that the kids won’t be able to walk the entire park in one day, we chose the less expensive one.  Although Tokyo Disney was cheaper, in no way was it inferior to Anaheim.

- Use your credit card WISELY.

Your credit card might allow you free access to the airport lounge.  Do you have a dual currency card?  If your card can bill you in USD and PHP, make sure you charge your purchases in the US.

This way you can earn points and spread out your expenses a little bit.  Those points can amount to free GC’s/ other rewards, and waiver of the annual fee.  Plus, you also get a fair forex rate for your purchase. Do remember though to spend only within your means.  Please do not get carried away.  Credit card interest rates are probably the highest.  If your credit card is not dual currency, know when to use them. Some stores can already convert and bill you in peso at the time of purchase.  These are usually excellent deals.  You get almost market to market rates.  Stay up to date with the forex, so you can compare.

- Know your options. 

The carrier was quite strict with the luggage weight.  Two out of three luggage went beyond the 23 kilo allowance.  Although we were allowed 7 pieces of luggage, they were quite strict with the weight of each, so we either pay a P6000 penalty, or buy a new luggage to accommodate the extra load.  It’s good the ground personnel was kind enough to point us to a store that sold empty boxes.  So we just assembled our little balikbayan box on the spot at the Narita airport.  That saved us thousands of pesos.

How was your summer vacay this year?  Do share with us your pointers as well.  I’d love to learn about your ideas too.