There are so many things to consider when planning a European vacation. Where to go, what to do, what to see. On a recent European jaunt, my husband and I found getting out of the states to be just as daunting as what to do when we got to our destination. We tried to carefully plan each leg of the trip and considered every gap in our ground transportation. We lugged our bags from our hometown to the Amtrak station and loved that we could park there for free for the duration of our trip. That was certainly a bonus.
Our original plans had called for driving to the airport in the next big city where we could save a hundreds of dollars by flying out of there nonstop. But that plan called for paying for long term parking. We consider each smart move that saves us money a “bonus.” That would not have resulted in one. So with one bonus in our pocket, we took the train to Washington, D.C. and enjoyed a trouble free vacation.
We couldn’t help noticing how quickly the high speed trains moved around Western Europe. It was a blast to make a four-hour drive in 90 minutes or less as we did when going from Belgium to France. And we realized another bonus when we returned and ditched the usual airport shuttle for an Uber ride. That was a smart move. I can see why so many airports and taxi companies are concerned about Uber. The service was great, the driver was on time, and we paid much less than what we would have paid a taxi or shared shuttle van.
With the money we saved, I finally treated myself to some laser hair removal treatments on problem areas on my face and arms. I’d been eyeing Groupon coupons and found a great deal that saved me 71% off laser hair removal treatments and the folks at the salon couldn’t have been nicer. They gave me all the info I needed, answered all my questions and explained each step they’d take. And using the Groupon was so easy because I just called it up on my phone and applied it right away. That also resulted in a bonus.
I can’t wait for our next vacation or getaway. This time, I’ll use the money I saved to make sure my skin is silky smooth before we leave. And use some of my bonus money to tip the Uber driver.