Money Saving Travel Tips
In Tough Times
In these tough economic times it's hard to just get by day-by-day let alone trying to go on a vacation. I heard the best money saving tip for traveling with kids from my good friend (we'll call her Ma Kettle for this story) that I had ever heard in my entire life.
I don't have kids so when I hear money saving tips with kids I usually stop listening. BUT this one...........It was just too good to not share it with you.
Bare with me while I try to explain this to you. It's a bit complicated but the idea is soooooooo fantastic.
I was having lunch the other day with a few of my favorite girl friends (we have been friends since 4th grade) including Ma Kettle. They all have kids and started talking about the ways they have been trying to save money.
Ma Kettle said she had saved some money and was probably going to get nominated for Mother of The Year because her money saving idea was so good. Well this perked up my ears and I started listening again.
Ma Kettle has A LOT of kids. I think she's up to like 15 or 20. I don't know it's hard to keep track of what's going on there but when she says she had a good idea thats going to save money it's time to listen!
Ok, Ok, Ok......It might only be 5 kids.
This could be her family picture.
This might be a picture of a few of her 15 or 20 kids.Anyway............you get the picture.
She's a busy mom running here and there trying to keep order with a bunch of renegade kids. Her and Pa Kettle are out numbered.
A few weeks ago while Ma and Pa Kettle were taking all the kids on a road trip they were on their way home on Sunday when Pa Kettle decided he wanted to extend the road trip. Everyone was delighted. So they took off to a little town called Nofreakinwhere.
While headed to Nofreakinwhere one of the kids piped up and said "what about my appointment in Shitville on Tuesday?"
Ma Kettle goes into problem solving mode immediatly. They can't turn around and go home now. Even if they did they wouldn't have made it in time to get The Kid to Shitville in time.
Ma Kettle starts calling Greyhound trying to get him a ride from Nofreakinwhere to Shitville.
No luck!
Ok, lets call Amtrak...........
No luck!
Now she has kids screaming they need to go to the bathroom!
So Pa Kettle pulls in to a truck stop and lets all the kids out to go use the bathroom, play in the water in the sinks of the rest rooms, and shoplift.
Well they probably didn't really shoplift but throwing that in definitely made me crack myself up!
While the kids were in terrorizing the truck stop a big ole brand new beautiful truck and trailer pulled in to the truck stop.
Ma Kettle said it was beautiful as far as Semi's go.
DING DING DING!!!!
Ma Kettle gets an idea!
She jumps out of their car runs over to this new truck and trailer knocks on the drivers door.
He opens up
Ma Kettle: "you by chance wouldn't happen to be headed to Shitville would you?"
The Driver: "I am"
Because Shitville is the next largest town in a 400 mile radius
Ma Kettle; "Would you be willing to take The Kid to Shitville?"
The Driver "Sure, why not!"
So Ma Kettle goes back to the car, gets The Kid and his stuff together and loads him in the new pretty semi truck and sends him off to Shitville with her new BFF The Driver.
Now I know your sitting there laughing, horrified, and have a million questions. So did all of us sitting there listening to the story. Once we stopped laughing our asses off we were able to start asking some of the same questions you have.
First off, The Kid is old enough to take care of himself. Somewhere between the age of old enough to drive and old enough to put a uniform on and defend our country.
Also as Ma Kettle told us
"that was a brand new rig!" "they don't just let anybody buy those!"
"that guy had to be an up and up guy to get a bank in these times to loan him that much money!"
She had a point.
I think this is a fantastic money saving tip
You could go down to the local truck stop and see who was going close to Disneyland or Disney World.
Load up the family and hitch a ride!
Seriously.........This happened.
I can't make this shit up!
The Kid is still talking about how much fun he had on this trip with The Driver, the driver delivered him safely to Shitville, and Ma Kettle told me she would be using this means of transportation again to help shuttle kids around.
You have to admit..........
It's not a bad idea!
HOT BLOGUST NIGHT
Don't forget about Hot Blogust Night this Saturday August 8th from 4- 9 in beautiful Downtown Snohomish, Washington.
Still working on Jesus Loves Casseroles post. I should have it up on Friday.
I'm still looking for recipes.
What's been your summer favorite this year?
What is your fall favorite?
What are you canning right now?
9 comments:
Okay, gotta ask... Shitville = Enumclaw? :0)
You are just a kick in the pants, seriously? It must be true, nobody could think this stuff up! Right?
Linda
Funky Junk Sister #2
Hey, I want to ride in that yummy green rigg! I don't believe it, what self-respecting Mom would do such a thing!?
Actually, the way the story got back to me is that Pa Kettle approached the trucker to ask for a ride for his son because Ma Kettle was afraid to!!!
You crack me up. Suzy
And to think in these tough economic times I was going to actually drive all the way to San Diego with my two small children and husband to go to the zoo next week. I live right off of the interstate. This is just the tip I needed, I'm going to look for the fanciest rig I can find for the children to ride down in! I'll find another for the husband and I to ride in. And I won't even have to listen to them scream the whole way there! This is the best idea ever. I'm sure my two and four year old will love hitchin'. Sure wish I could come to the fiesta, why the heck do all of the cool bloggers live in the North West! You girls need to come down here and hang with me in Nor Cal! We could go to Alameda. Come on... you know you and Laura are dying to come see me!
Timi, it is just as funny as I read your recount of our lunch conversation. What a crack-up. Nobody else believes me though. They think that the baby blue semi had the "family name" on the side of the rig so it was easy to let him catch a ride. I said b.s. Ma and Pa Kettle were in total agreement about this form of transportation. Thanks for the laughs!
You're right Timi, my husband and I did get a kick out of that story. For whatever stereotypical idea of what you think truck drivers are, they really are the salt of the earth and the first ones to stop and render assistance when needed.
I'm tellin ya.........God as my witness this is a true story!
LOL........I can't make this shit up!
Seriously funny. LOL. Don't can yet, but wanting to put yup some luscious white peaches I bought. Turns out you can freeze them, YUM.
Thank you for the sweet B-day wishes Timi! I really apppreciate your kind visit my friend.
You have some great tips her! Thanks for sharing them.
Have a blessed Sunday.
~Warmly, Melissa ;)
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