Get an Emergency Travel Loan

Sometimes in life, something special or important might come up from out of nowhere and we will need to be able to travel in short order. It could be a wedding, funeral, visit to a sick person, or whatever else life might be throwing at you. However, there are moments where despite this urgent need, we might not have the money in order to get to where we need to go.

What Kinds of Sudden Traveling Expenses Are There?

Plane tickets are most certainly not cheap no matter what way you try to spin it. The average domestic airline ticket goes for around $379, but depending on where you are going it could still end up being a great deal more. If you are traveling internationally, the average cost of airfare goes for around $991.82 and can (and usually does) go well into the thousands.

After getting slammed with the enormous price of airfare, the costs for traveling are unfortunately far from over. Next thing to consider is what you will do about lodging while you are abroad. If you are not staying with a friend or relative, you will need to rent a motel room for the duration of your stay. The average cost of a motel room (depending on where you are traveling to and the quality of the lodgings) will often range from between $45-$100 per night. If you plan to be staying there for more than a day or two, that cost racks up pretty quickly.

How to Make Sudden Traveling Better

Depending on the nature of your trip, you might want to get out and have a bit of fun. If you are not content with just staying in your motel room or acquaintance’s house watching TV, you will want to consider what kind of budget to set aside for entertainment purposes. This is not as big of a budget concern as some of the rest of the items mentioned, though depending on what you want to do it is wise to set aside $52-$293 for whatever fun activities you may wish to partake in.

From there you will want to set aside extra money for in case of emergency or if you just need a little more for whatever lodging, dining, fun or other travel related things that happen to come up. The amount you put aside is up to you, but it should still be enough to cover whatever might come your way. This in turn will bring up the cost of traveling even higher than it already was to begin with.

How Can LoanMart Help with My Sudden Traveling Expenses?

Your sudden travel cost worries could be resolved and put to bed in a flash with the help of LoanMart. We may be able to help you out when it comes to paying for all of your upcoming travel expenses altogether¹. Depending on the value of your vehicle and other qualifying factors, you could have a loan for up to $30,000¹ in as little as one business day³.

Do not worry about being without a vehicle as a result of needing to travel, however. You will still get to drive your car as long as you keep up on your convenient loan payments.

All you will need in order to apply for a car title loan are: a valid government recognized photo ID (like a driver’s license or state ID), proof of income (like a paystub or a bank statement), proof of residence (like a piece of recent mail such as a utility bill), and a qualifying car title.

Before trying to get a loan for a travel budget, it may be helpful to understand exactly what you may want to include in your travel budget. Although everyone’s individual budget will be based on their finances, chances are that most people will have to plan for the following:

1. Stay—Usually this will be the largest costs associated with traveling. This is especially true if you are staying for several nights in an expensive city, or during a time where tourism at your specific destination is busy. So make sure to add this cost to your travel budget.
2. Transportation—This cost could include everything from plane tickets, gas for your car, car rental, bus fares, or subway fares. Like the stay, transportation will be another big cost to add to your budget.
3. Food—Whether you are eating out every day while traveling, or cooking for yourself, make sure to factor in the costs associated with either option.
4. Activities/Shopping/Recreation—No matter where you go, there are things that you want to do when you get there, make sure to think about this cost as well!

What Kinds of Loans Can I Get When I Am Looking to Fund My Travel Budget?

There are all kinds of loans out there, and even if you are familiar with the lending industry, it may be a little confusing trying to create a travel budget.

Here is a little more information about specific loans to help you figure it out.

A Few Loans Where Funding Can Be Used for a Travel Budget:

Personal Loans—Personal loans are one of the most common types of lending out there. The great thing about them is that they are provided by many lenders, and the funding can be used for almost any kind of expense, including travel.

Car Title Loans—These loans use the equity of the borrower’s vehicle to make funding available. Funding from car title loans is usually extremely fast, so they may be a good option to consider if you don’t have much time before heading out on your travels.

Credit Cards—One great thing about using a credit card, is that you never have to borrow more than you need. Additionally, the interest rates for credit cards can be lower than traditional loans.

Home-Equity Loans—These loans use the equity of the borrower’s home to make funding available.

Installments Loans—The money for these loans will be paid back with a fixed amount every month, which gives borrowers a good amount of time to pay back the loan. If you want something predictable and steady, installment loans can be a great option to consider.

What Factors Will Impact Whether I Can Get a Loan for a Travel Budget?

Here are a few things that will determine whether you can get a loan to help pay for your travel budget:

• Your Credit History—With any kind of lending, your credit history will impact what you will have access to. Your financial history will also impact the overall cost of borrowing funds.
• Your Income—All lenders will look at your income to see what amount of funding they feel comfortable giving out.
• Your Ability to Repay the Loan—Your ability to repay the loan will be determined by several factors such as your income, expenses, and the amount of debt that you already have.

Some Ways to Save Some Money on My Travel Budget?

Even if you do end up obtaining a loan to fulfill your travel budget, it doesn’t hurt to save. Here are a few tips to save money when traveling:

• Use a No-Frills Travel Package—These are travel packages that cut out some of the luxuries that come with other travel packages, they have all the basics you’ll need for less.
• Volunteer or Work Abroad—Volunteering or working abroad is a great way to immerse yourself in a different culture. And best of all, most travel expenses are covered.
• Search for Free Travel Destinations—No matter where you go, there will be tons of free things to do. So do your research, go, and save yourself some money.

• Time Your Travel—Travel when the tourism at your destination is low, also known as the low season.

Top Travel Apps for the Plan

For the actual planning of a road trip, you need to ensure each point to rest and each destination stop is organized. The top travel apps for the best road trip organizers are between Tripit and Yelp.

With Tripit, you get your entire plan in a snazzy-looking master itinerary that includes stops at hotels you booked, as well as travel distance from each location. This is essential if you want to budget out for gas and lists out where you ought to be next on the road trip.

Yelp on the other hand is part of the food plan during the road trip. Yelp has a large expansive look at restaurants and local eateries that would be harder to find in places like Google Maps, especially if the local business isn’t registered by Google.

It’s also a community-based app that gives personal feedback from other food aficionados, which makes the right plans for dining on the road trip. With these top travel apps in what you’re expecting on the road trip ahead, check out these next apps that will map out your journey.

Top Travel Apps for the Ride

When you get done planning every stop and lunch break, you need to plan out the most convenient route for your road trip adventure. Well, look no further than the top travel apps in the driving route planner category: Waze and Roadtrippers.

Starting with Waze, available on android and iOS, it is the perfect driving route planner for those looking to get the fastest and efficient path without any real slow-down on your route. By letting the user community decide which routes are the best to take on the driving route planner, live reports and updates on collisions, police radar, and traffic jams help you safely avoid those routes in favor of arriving on time.

Another bonus that Waze manages to have as a driving route planner is showing you where the cheapest gas prices are, as gathered by the community. All in all, Waze works to save time as a driving route planner, while also saving you money on your road trip.

Roadtrippers considers itself the only map built for road trip travelers. You can find hundreds of locations through the driving route planner, but the best part comes from it’s familiar community user interaction. After you’ve outlined your road trip plan, you can share it with your travel buddies and get suggestions or advice of other possible stops.

Say goodbye to Google Maps when it comes to your road trip, as these top travel apps for mapping your road trip will make the drive a lot more fun. Moving over to the final important planning in a trip: booking hotels.

Top Travel Apps for Rooms

When it comes to booking hotels, there are hundreds of competitors looking to make hotel searching fast and easy for a road trip. Let’s narrow it down to three of the top travel apps when it comes to booking hotels: Priceline, Hotels.

Priceline is all about getting the best deals in booking hotels that you can possibly get. Booking hotels can also accrue deals that are even available exclusively from the app, so you can keep a steady budget for the other investments on your road trip.

In the Hotel Tonight app, booking hotels becomes convenient for when you need to make an unplanned pit-stop or emergency rest on your road trip. Deals go live each day at noon, with thousands of hotels to choose from. Booking hotels in this top travel app is a great last resort and could certainly save time from minor inconveniences that come in a road trip.

The Hotels app from Hotels.com is considered one of the largest search engines when it comes to booking hotels. With access to thousands of hotels, they have similar perks offered by other hotel booking apps, including their “collect 10 nights get one free” feature.

Whether last-minute hotel booking or multiple night stays, these top travel apps for booking hotels are sure to make your road trip a less tiring experience.

Hidden Highway Tips for Road Trips

Whether you’re a seasoned veteran of the road or a novice explorer of neighboring cities and sights, there are several little tips and hints that everyone should know when navigating highways to ensure your safety, as well as the safety of your family and friends. Here are some hidden highway hints to help you experience the ideal road-trip.

Rest Areas, Welcome Centers, and Oases

These government-run, public facilities are spread out across the country off highways, freeways, and expressway systems so that weary travelers can rest, eat, refuel, stretch, or use the washroom facilities before continuing on their journey, whether daunting or not. Usually set off exits in rural areas without food, board, or gas services nearby, these locations will be marked on signs every hundred or so miles. Each has its own distinction and can include different features.

• Rest Areas—Rest Areas (or Rest Stops) are the most commonplace of the travel plazas. At these locations, driving information and pocket-sized atlases are usually obtainable. Large maps presented with your location highlighted usually stand for your viewing pleasure. Most rest stops contain a park with benches for relaxing, stretching, or general activities. Vending machines filled with snacks should be present along with large restrooms for both men and women, complete with stalls and changing tables. Depending on where you stop there could possibly be a person in the general information booth to try and answer any inquiry you may have.
• Welcome Centers—Welcome or Visitor Centers are a form of rest stops that are usually seen just outside or inside the exits and entrances of stateliness. Whether government-owned or privatized, these travel plazas usually consist of public washroom facilities, maps, brochures pertaining to state history, activities, lodging, and dining, and picnic areas, much like a typical rest area. More often than not, there will be an on-site desked person to answer your questions.
• Oases—These privatized rest areas, sometimes called an “Oasis” or presented in the form of a Truck Stop Gas Station, tend to cater to those that are making cross-country journeys (truckers) or families with children and can contain a food court featuring fast-food restaurants or diners, rec centers, shower facilities, arcade game stations, Wi-Fi, conference rooms, ATM’s, and convenient stores.

It should be advised not to stop for a prolonged period at night unless necessary. States are cracking down on unsafe activity at rest areas, with California now featuring Highway Patrol quarters, camera, and extra lighting, but due to the rural setting of the plaza, your state wants you to be safe. In this instance, only stop if it is necessary or if you’re with another person.

Roadside Assistance and Highway Emergency Numbers

In the event that something does cause your trip to go awry, it should be a sign of relief that most states have emergency assistance within the area that may be able to help you get out of a pickle.

1. Call Boxes—Call Boxes still exist in many states. Some states had them at intervals of every mile or two along the highways. Along the side of the highway, you’ll be able to contact a control center via a four button pad; blue for an accident; black for minor service like a flat tire; green for major service like breakdown; and yellow for cancel; some call boxes still use a phone or have a voice box, though these are less common.
2. Cellphone Emergency Assistance—Never use your cell phone while driving, but in case of an accident it definitely will help your situation if you have one present. Just like at home, dialing 911 for emergencies will garner you an operator, but because you may be stuck in the middle of nowhere, every state has its own specific cellphone-only numbers to help report problems or gain assistance.

• “0” for Operator assistance
• “511” for Traveler Information Telephone Number
• “411” for Local Director Assistance
• “*SP” for State Police
• “*HP” for Highway Patrol
• Each state will also have a specific number to call aside from “911”.

Know your Route

Despite picking one up at the previous rest area, you know that the days of the physical and tangible road atlas are over. However, there’s nothing more stressful than you or your co-pilot learning that your exit to the next leg of the trip is in 500 feet or that you passed by it 4 miles ago. Whether you’ve memorized it or are using your map app on your phone, make sure that no last-second surprise jumps up at you on your journey that could possibly cause an accident.

When learning your route, also estimate the time that you will be traveling on your journey. The knowledge of when to press on and when to stop will keep you from encountering any bumps as well. For example, if you’re driving on interstate 10 on your way from Jacksonville, Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana, make sure that you’re not driving in a heavily wooded land late at night without the presence of other cars because deer tend to frequent the area and will venture from brush to brush if they don’t see active human activity.

Road-trips are the backbone of American freedom and good for a person’s soul. The ability to pick up and run off somewhere alone, with family, or with friends, even for a weekend, can greatly help you grow as an individual and better yourself in the long run. When you go on a road trip, you want to make sure that you’re safe and sound on the highways of American, whether by knowing when and where to stop or by using peripheral vision to notice an upcoming driver with road rage. Whatever the case, be safe in your exploration and use these hidden and forgotten hints to take care of yourself.

Glossary of Financial Terms for Travelers

Traveling can be fun and Exciting and most travelers prepare by over-packing, double-checking flights, finding the right hotels, and having a well-thought-out itinerary. What most travelers may not think about or know about- but should- are financial terms that can be helpful and lower costs while traveling. Here is a glossary of financial terms for travelers going anywhere in the world can use.

A

Add-on– Any additional experience/upgrade that can be bought for an additional base price. For example there may be add-ons for couples’ experience or a dining experience.

After Checkout/Departure Charge– There may be additional charges after checking out of a hotel.

B

Benchmarks/Benchmarking- This is a comparison against the places that offer the best in whatever service. People compare the cost, the service, the activities, standards to they travel- also known as benchmarking.

Booking Fee– A fee that is usually added to online sales or booking. This fee covers costs such as credit card processing fees and customer service fees.

Booking Form- For certain activities, while traveling the traveler will have to fill this form out which states; who is responsible for payment, what service is being purchased, and any liability clauses.

C

Conversion Rate- The fee associated with currency conversion for travelers.

Convenience Fee- This is a fee that can be attached to a lot of things while traveling but most o the time it is attached to using credit cards when traveling.

D

Day Rate– The amount a person pays for staying a place for the day, of they stay overnight or past the time agreed on it will cost them.

Departure Tax- This is a fee collected by the host country from the traveler at the time of departure.

Double Occupancy Rate- The price for the room to be shared with another person, the more people the more it will cost to stay.

E

Encrypted Payments– Secure forms of payments that are more protected than other forms, a great way to pay for things when traveling.

Eco-Tourism– Tourism that is built without harming than environment and its primary focus is to save and share the beauty of the environment. This type of tourism can be less expensive when traveling.

F

FAM Tour or Familiarized Tour– a reduced rate, or sometimes free tour for people who are travel agents, or work in the travel agency doing anything else related to it.

Full House- This is where a hotel has no vacancy, keep in mind if there is a special event this could become common in an area and cause hotel room prices to skyrocket.

G

Globalization– This is the spread of different cultures and businesses throughout the world. Globalization was what grounded the travel industry and it is important to know about it.

Ground Package- The lowest rate for airfare while flying.

Guest Account- A record of all the charges and credits for travelers staying at a place, make sure to double-check these when leaving.

H

High Season– The time of year where tourism is at its peak for a region. The prices for hotels and services usually increase around this time.

I

Incidentals– Charges that can be collected by travelers throughout the tour, which are not included in the tour price.

Independent Tour- A private tour sold from agencies to tourists, they include hotel, admission, and car rentals.

J

Joint fare– A fee for travelers who take more than one airline

Joseph Effect– In the financial world, this is the tendency of certain times to have trends of cycles- traveling definitely has its cycles to pay attention to in order to save money.

K

Key Industry– An industry that plays a huge role in a nation’s economy. Traveling and tourism can help a nation get on its feet or improve.

L

Low Season– The time of year where tourism is at its lowest. This can mean great deals for travelers.

Length of Stay- The number of nights a traveler is staying.

M

Market Oriented Prices- Comparing prices between competitors.

Markup- the difference between cost and selling price of a product

N

Net Whole Sale Rate– A rate for travelers that is lower than the wholesale rate.

No-frills– A low costing travel package without extras that some people do not want.

O

Outfitter– a business/company that provides equipment at a recreational area.

Override– A commission rate that is over the normal commission amount/percentage.

P

Perishable– In the finance world, this is a particular set of services that ‘perish’ if not bought- for example, a certain seat on a certain flight.

Personal Disposable Income– The amount of income a person has to spend after necessary expenses.

Q

Quote– an estimate given before purchase. Use these when comparing travel costs.

R

Run-of-the-house-rate– The flat rate a hotel agrees to offer its rooms, this is good for people who need a room immediately for a certain price.

S

Special Market– A foreign country with high US travel that does not have an office of the US Travel and Tourism Administration.

T

Tour Wholesaler– These agents offer lower prices and offer specialized tours to their customers.

V

Variable cost– costs that change based on the number of participants.

W

Wholesaler- Someone who sells directly to other brokers. In the case of travel, this is one travel broker to another.

Y

Yield Management– In finances, this is increasing or decreasing the price based on demand-airlines use this all the time.

Z

Zoning– different environments may be zoned away from tourist destinations to protect them. So if there is a specific type of environment you want to see keep zoning laws in mind.

When traveling these financial terms may be extremely useful when trying to cut costs, or simply be more knowledgeable when traveling. Before booking anything be sure to know these financial terms that are related to all the different parts of traveling- everything from finding the right trip to renting a car at your destination.

5 Road Trips That Are Not on Route 66

We all know about Route 66 and the history it has for traveling from California to Illinois. With a country as big as America, you’d think there would be more road trips available for those who already tackled Route 66. Here are 5 road trips that are not Route 66 that you should take at some point:

1. Interstate I-40 (Barstow, CA – Wilmington, NC)
2. The Great River Road (Itasca, MN – New Orleans, LA)
3. Blue Ridge Parkway (Rockfish Gap, VA – Smokey Mountain National Park, NC)
4. Route 20 (Newport, OR – Boston, MA)
5. Lincoln Highway (San Francisco, CA – New York City, NY)

Interstate I-40: Barstow, CA – Wilmington, NC

Most of the Western half of this trip overlaps the Mother Road, which is part of old Route 66. Now, it’s part of a larger highway connecting the west and east of the country. You go through states like Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Tennessee, and go through towns like Flagstaff, Albuquerque, Oklahoma City, Little Rock, Memphis, and Nashville. There are some interesting sites to see along the way that pass through some of those old towns with the kitschy vibes.

• Calico Ghost Town (Yermo, CA)
• Meteor Crater (Winslow, AZ)
• Blue Hole of Santa Rosa (Santa Rosa, NM)
• Cadillac Ranch (Amarillo, TX)
• Stafford Air & Space Museum (Weatherford, OK)
• Fort Smith National Historic Site (Fort Smith, AR)
• Oak Ridge National Laboratory (Oak Ridge, TN)
• Buckner Hill Plantation (Faison, NC)

The Great River Road: Itasca, MN – New Orleans, LA

Known as the Great River Road, it follows the Mississippi River for 3,000 miles from north to south. You’ll pass through 10 states and one could argue it’s the most important scenic byway in America. And, of course, you could follow the history along the way. The Mississippi River is not only an important part of American geography, but it also holds an immense amount of history from settlement to Westward migration and the problems faced.

• Historic Fort Snelling (St. Paul, Minnesota)
• Stonefield Historic Site (Cassville, Wisconsin)
• Buffalo Bill Museum (LeClaire, Iowa)
• Old Chain of Rocks Bridge (Madison, Illinois)
• Trail of Tears State Park (Jackson, MO)
• Wickliffe Mounds (Wickliffe, KY)
• Mississippi River Museum (Memphis, TN)
• Lakeport Plantation Home (Lake Village, AR)
• Delta Blues Museum (Clarksdale, Mississippi)
• Historic New Orleans Collection (New Orleans, LA)

Blue Ridge Parkway: Rockfish Gap, VA – Smokey Mountain National Park, NC

While you may not be experiencing different historical museums and other important marks, the Blue Ridge Parkway drive is the All-American Road noted for the 429 miles of scenic beauty, the US’ longest linear park. It runs along the Blue Ridge, which is a major chain part of the Appalachian Mountains.

Originally the Appalachian Scenic Highway, it began with the FDR administration. There are tunnels constructed through rocks, and the parkway is carried across streams, railway ravines, and cross roads by 168 bridges and six viaducts.

While on your trip, you can roll into Piegeon Forge, TN outside of the smokies, or check out the Dinosaur Kingdom in Virginia which is a museum dedicated to an alternate history where dinosaurs helped the Confederacy win the Civil War. Not to mention the “Foam Henge” – a replica of Stone Henge made of foam.

Route 20: Newport, OR – Boston, MA

Another coast-to-coast alternative to Route 66, Route 20 is the longest road in the country and runs for 3,365 miles but broken at Yellowstone National Park. It drives through Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, and Massachusetts. It has stops in Boston, Toledo, Chicago, Gary, Sioux City, Casper, Boise, and two cities named Albany.

• Salt Creek Falls (Oakridge, OR)
• Hagerman Fossil Beds National Monument (Hagerman, ID)
• Yellowstone National Park (MT, WY)
• Carhenge (Alliance, NE)
• Field of Dreams Movie Site (Dyersville, IA)
• Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio (Oak Park, IL)
• Michael Jackson’s House (Gary, IN)
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum (Cleveland, OH)
• Harriet Tubman Home (Auburn, NY)
• Old North Church (Boston, MA)

Lincoln Highway: San Francisco, CA – New York City, NY

The Lincoln Highway was built during a time when America had few roads and a majority were dirt. People took trains everywhere. Carl Fisher thought America needed a coast-to-coast highway, and they named it after Abraham Lincoln. A numbered system replaced the name of the Lincoln Highway. It was originally 3,389 miles but was shortened to 3,142 which is the length today.

• Historic District of New Brunswick (New Brunswick, NJ)
• Liberty Bell Center (Philadelphia, PA)
• Andy Warhol Museum (Pittsburgh, PA)
• Spread Eagle Tavern (Hanoverton, OH)
• Embassy Theater (Fort Wayne, IN)
• Lincoln Monument (Dixon, IL)
• Original Lincoln Highway Bricks (near Boy’s Town, NE)
• 9^th and 9^th (Salt Lake City, UT)
• National Automobile Museum (Reno, NV)
• Remnants of Original Road (Donner Pass, CA)

With so many paths to choose from, it’s no wonder the song goes, “America the Beautiful.”

Making Road Trips Fun for Kids

You either absolutely love road trips or you detest them, I don’t really think there’s an in-between. If you are one of those people who hates road trips, I don’t blame you. They can be long, boring, and cramped—and that gets about ten times worse when you are traveling with kids in the car.

Luckily there are ways you can combat the dreary dullness that seems to come along with you during long trips in the car. Here are LoanMart’s top tips on how to make your road trip fun, particularly when there are kids in the car.

Classic Games to Play with Kids

• Sweet or Sour – This game is timeless, I remember playing this one on the school bus as a child. As you drive and pass other traveling cars, wave to the people sitting in the back or passenger seats—if they wave back they’re “sweet” but if they ignore you they’re “sour.” It’s funny to see some of the reactions people have just by seeing a stranger wave enthusiastically at them!
• Fortunately, / Unfortunately, – This game is like improv-mad libs. Taking turns around the car, go around switching between extremely positive and then extremely negative sentences to make a crazy story. For example:

Person 1: Fortunately, we brought lots of food to the picnic

Person 2: Unfortunately, everything is covered in ants

Person 3: Fortunately, we can order a pizza

Person 4: Unfortunately, the pizza is coming from outer space …

… and so on. Keep going around the car until your story comes to an epic conclusion. Will it be fortunate or unfortunate? You decide!

• Human Jukebox – This game can be fun for both kids and adults. Taking turns, one person says a lyric to a favorite song or (nursery rhymes would work well with children), and the next person must come up with a song lyric that starts with the word the last person ended on. For example:

Person 1: “Let me tell you one time (girl I love, girl I love you) (Justin Bieber- One Time)

Person 2: “You make me feel like, I’ve been locked out of heaven for too long.” (Bruno Mars – Locked Out of Heaven)

Person 3: “Long ago and oh so far away, I fell in love with you before the second show.” (The Carpenters – Superstar)

See how long you can keep the human jukebox chain going, it might be harder than you think!

• Mad Libs – An oldie but a goodie. Mad libs are a fantastic way to get a few laughs out of the whole car without trying too hard. Bring along a book of mad libs with you on the road and complete a “story” periodically. Bonus: when you’ve finished the booklet, you can read your silly stories again later and re-live the fun.

Ongoing Car Games to Play with Kids That Will Make the Trip Go by Faster

• Don’t Say It – This is a game you can play throughout your entire road trip. Pick a word everyone commonly uses and vow not to say it the entire time you all are in the car. When you pick a familiar word like, “look,” or “car,” it can be pretty funny listening to your fellow passengers try to talk around it.
• License Plate Game – I know you’ve played this one before, and now it’s time to pass the tradition on to the kids! As you drive past cars, take a look at the license plate and see where each vehicle comes from. See who can spot the car from the furthest state, or an unusual state. Wouldn’t it be so cool to see a car that has come all the way from Hawaii?!
• Geography Road Game – This game is fun for everybody, especially if you are just itching to use your smartphone again. In every state that you drive through, look up intriguing facts and trivia about that state. See who can come up with the most interesting tidbits to share. For example, did you know the state bird of South Carolina is the domesticated turkey?

Why You Should Play Road Trip Car Games with Kids 

While it may seem easier to just pop on some music and scroll through your Instagram feed until you reach your destination, this probably isn’t the best thing for you or the kids in the car.

When you spend the time and play games with your children on long road trips, you guys are establishing some special bonding time. This road trip might seem like a pain now, but in a few years when your kids are grown up you are going to wish you had taken the time to spend with them when you could.

Some other reasons why you should play games with your kids in the car …

• Laughing reduces stress and let’s face it—long road trips can be quite stressful.
• Learn something new and bond – whether it is a random fact about a state or a personality trait you may not have noticed about your youngster before, road trips can be a wonderful time to get to know one another better. Not to mention you might learn a thing or two about the country you live in along the way!
• Teach your kids patience – good things (like family visits and vacations), come to those who wait, right? It’s never too early to teach kids the value of patience, especially in todays tech-savvy world.

Whether you can’t wait to get out on the road or you can’t wait to get out of the car, road trips can be fun for the whole family. Do you have any favorite road trip games you would want to pass on to your kids?

Vacations are exciting to look forward to, and if you have one coming up, you may be excited about everything except the cost. Even with a good amount of savings, it will probably be nice to have some extra money you can use on your vacation.

Here are a few ways that you may be able get some extra money to turn a good vacation into a great one.

Get Some Extra Money for Vacation by Doing Things Yourself

Here are a few practical, fairly simple ways to earn some extra cash by yourself:

1.      Monetize a Hobby or Skill

Most people have a hobby or skill that may be useful or entertaining to others. When trying to make some extra money for vacation, finding ways to monetize any of those hobbies or skills may be a great option to consider.

2.      Instead of Thinking About Earning, Think More About Saving

When looking for some extra money, you may be really focused on figuring out how to earn, but you should be equally focused on saving. If you have the time, trying to save on everyday expenses like groceries, gas, and other purchases, can slowly add up over time.

For those who are closer to their vacation, saving can be a great way to obtain some extra cash. Try to save on flights, hotels, activities, transportation, food, etc.

3.      Sell Some of Your Stuff

Chances are that you have some valuable items lying around. If you are willing to part with items you rarely use, then consider selling your stuff for extra cash. You can earn some money to fund your vacation and declutter your home.

Getting Some Extra Money for Vacation Through a Loan

Many people may not even think about getting a loan to fund their vacation, but it is definitely an option to consider. There are all kinds of loans out there, but some are only available for those with good or excellent credit.

Here are a few types of loans available, and some information about how accessible they may be.

Loans That Are Available for Those with Good Credit

Here are a few kinds of loans that are generally accessible to those with good credit. Funding from these loans can be used for vacation:

• Personal Loans—These loans can be used for a variety of different reasons and are one of the most common loans available. Personal loans can be obtained at banks, credit unions, and even independent lenders.
• Credit Cards—Another type of lending that can be used for a variety of different purchases and reasons. Before choosing a credit card, it is important to compare lenders and interest rates.

Loans That are Designed for Those with Poor Credit

Here are some poor credit loans:

• Car Title Loans—These loans use the equity of the borrower’s vehicle to make funding available. Because car title loans are secure, these loans typically offer easy access.

These loans make a large amount of funding available fairly fast, so a car title loan may be a good option if you need cash quickly for vacation.

• Secured Personal Loans—These are just like regular loans, except an asset is required during the lending process. The interest with secured loans is generally higher than with unsecured loans.

• Installment Loans—Installment loans give a borrower a maximum amount of funding to take out, which can be accessed in whatever increments they see fit. With these loans, there is a set payment due every month.

Getting Some Extra Money for Vacation by Using Credit Cards

Most Americans have a few credit cards at their disposal. When going on vacation and trying to get some extra money, a credit card could help with that. This is because credit cards have reward programs and even a large amount of cash-back.

Here are some common types of rewards to look out for:

• Air Miles—Many credit cards offer points that can be used towards a plane ticket! This is often a huge expense and using points to pay the flight could mean saving a ton of extra cash.
• Dining Rewards—Many credit cards have rewards and cashback for dining at certain restaurants. Keep this in mind when traveling and get back as much as you can.
• Hotel Rewards—If you vacation or travel often, it may be worth getting a credit card that offers rewards or cash back for your stay. There are all kinds of credit cards that give you points for staying at certain hotels.
• Cash Back on Purchases—Another way to get some extra cash is to simply use your credit cards while traveling, but make sure to pay them off immediately upon your return. Credit cards with cash back bonuses give you a percentage back of what you used.

Keep in mind to make sure that you are responsible with credit cards. When using this strategy, it is best to have the funds to repay what you borrowed.

There are many ways to get some extra money for a vacation. You could try making some extra money on your own, obtaining a loan, or use a credit card.

Thinking of acquiring extra money to fund your vacation? LoanMart is a great place to start, so reach out to LoanMart and upgrade your vacation today¹!