Our Ultimate Guide to Budget-Friendly Travel

Summary

Smart Money Happy Hour: Our Ultimate Guide to Budget-Friendly Travel

Hosted by Rachel Cruze and George Kamel on the Ramsey Network, the episode titled "Our Ultimate Guide to Budget-Friendly Travel," released on March 13, 2025, delves deep into practical strategies for traveling without breaking the bank. Combining personal anecdotes with expert financial advice, Rachel and George explore a variety of topics aimed at helping listeners enjoy memorable vacations while maintaining financial health.

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1. Opening Conversations and Setting the Mood

Rachel and George kick off the episode with light-hearted banter, reminiscing about nostalgic elements like burnt CDs and favorite songs. This casual start sets a friendly tone for the discussion on travel hacks and budget-friendly strategies.

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2. Trusted House Sitters: An Innovative Travel Hack

George introduces Trusted House Sitters, a service that allows travelers to exchange homes with others, effectively reducing accommodation costs. He compares the feeling to celebrities like Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz:

George Camel [02:15]: "I felt like I was Kate Winslet. Little Cameron Diaz."

Rachel shares her positive experience using a vet tech as a pet sitter, emphasizing the importance of trust and reliability:

Rachel Cruze [03:29]: "There was a tech vet and she was so sweet, young, in her 20s. ... she was fantastic."

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3. TSA PreCheck vs. Clear: Navigating Airport Security

The hosts discuss the merits of TSA PreCheck and Clear, weighing their costs and benefits. George expresses skepticism about Clear:

George Camel [08:17]: "I've never done Clear. I think Clear is a ripoff, personally."

Rachel highlights the advantages of TSA PreCheck, including expedited security screening:

Rachel Cruze [07:23]: "It's a dream."

They caution listeners about the potential for TSA PreCheck revocations due to security violations, sharing anecdotes of acquaintances who lost their status.

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4. Mastering the Art of Packing: Carry-On vs. Checked Bags

Rachel advocates for traveling with carry-ons to save time and money, while George prefers checked bags to avoid the stress of adhering to liquid restrictions:

George Camel [05:27]: "I'm going checked. I just don't have to worry about shoving it all in there."

Rachel counters with strategies for maximizing carry-on space, mentioning Vintage Vera Bradley duffels:

Rachel Cruze [06:53]: "It is a dream to travel with. And it's a throwback. It's, like, vintage these days."

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5. Booking Smarter: Tools and Tips for Saving on Flights and Hotels

The duo shares their favorite platforms and extensions for finding the best travel deals:

• Skyscanner: An aggregator that searches across multiple travel websites to find the cheapest flights.

• Costco Travel: Provides exclusive deals and bonuses for members, making it ideal for group trips or special occasions.

• Travel Arrow Extension: Enhances Priceline deals by revealing hotel names and reviews, ensuring quality bookings.

George Camel [17:15]: "Skyscanner will include Expedia. It will also include a thousand others."

Rachel emphasizes the importance of strategic trip timing and booking on days when prices are typically lower:

Rachel Cruze [21:12]: "The cheapest times to book on travel is Tuesdays, Wednesdays, or Saturdays."

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6. Alternative Car Rentals: Embracing Services Like Turo

Addressing the high costs and restrictions of traditional car rentals, George introduces Turo, a peer-to-peer car rental service:

George Camel [23:51]: "So you can actually rent Rachel's car because she posted her car on Turo for Rent and they handle all of the pieces. The insurance."

Rachel notes that Turo often offers more affordable rates compared to conventional rental companies and supports the use of debit cards:

Rachel Cruze [24:07]: "It's like an Airbnb for your car."

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7. Budgeting for Travel: Utilizing EveryDollar and Sinking Funds

Rachel underscores the significance of budgeting for travel, advocating the use of EveryDollar to create dedicated funds for vacations:

Rachel Cruze [31:09]: "Every dollar helps us. We always have, like, a travel line item, especially if we're, like, leading up to it."

George adds that setting aside consistent amounts monthly can accumulate substantial funds, reducing financial stress:

George Camel [32:09]: "You set up a sinking fund line item for travel. And you can add $500 every month so that 12 months later, you have six grand to spend on this vacation."

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8. Personal Anecdotes: When Frugality Backfires

In the "Guilty as Charged" segment, both hosts share experiences where their attempts to save money during travel led to unexpected challenges.

• Rachel's Experience: Opting for very early or late flights with children resulted in chaotic travel days.

Rachel Cruze [33:34]: "When we travel with the kids, we would take a late flight or early flight... it was like midnight when we got there and the whole next day was ruined."

• George's Experience: Choosing public transportation in NYC to avoid Uber costs led to a stressful and messy journey post-Thanksgiving parade.

George Camel [34:32]: "I need to do better. I should have done it for Whitney. When you're with your wife, ... give her a great experience."

These stories highlight the importance of balancing frugality with convenience and comfort to ensure enjoyable travels.

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9. Product Spotlights and Recommendations

Rachel and George recommend several products and services to enhance budget-friendly traveling:

• Cozy Earth: High-quality, comfortable travel clothing.

Rachel Cruze [15:00]: "Cozy Earth has, like, literally the best products."

• DeleteMe: A service to remove personal information from the internet, protecting privacy during travel.

George Camel [21:46]: "DeleteMe helps us do that. ... go to joindeleteme.com/smartmoney, and you'll get 20% off."

• E Dreams: A newly mentioned discount service for flights and hotels, though George cautions about its reliability.

George Camel [19:16]: "Use at your own risk. Sounds sketchy. Probably is sketchy. But she claims it worked great and saved her a lot of money."

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10. Sea Breeze: Drink Review

In a lighter segment, Rachel and George review the Sea Breeze cocktail, primarily consumed during their happy hours.

George Camel [32:24]: "Four out of ten."

George critiques the drink for its lack of complexity and overpowering tartness, while Rachel notes its affordability:

George Camel [32:46]: "The vodka really doesn't have a taste. ... $2.40. If you want to make it at home, be my guest."

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11. Final Thoughts: The Value of Experiencing Life

Rachel concludes by emphasizing that experiences, such as traveling, provide more lasting joy compared to material possessions. She encourages intentional budgeting to afford meaningful vacations without incurring debt:

Rachel Cruze [30:01]: "Experiencing things outside your norm with people you love, it is very exciting."

George reinforces the importance of financial control and deliberate spending to ensure travel remains a joyous and stress-free experience.

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Conclusion

Rachel Cruze and George Kamel provide a comprehensive guide to budget-friendly travel, blending practical advice with personal experiences. From leveraging innovative services like Trusted House Sitters and Turo to mastering the art of packing and booking, their insights aim to empower listeners to explore the world without compromising their financial goals. Additionally, their candid discussions about the pitfalls of excessive frugality serve as valuable lessons for achieving a balanced and enjoyable travel experience.

Transcript

[Rachel Cruz]

Foreign.

[George Camel]

Talking about the latest travel hacks and also owning up to our travel tendencies.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know two people that have lost their tsa. I heard a flight attendant say this. Never drink coffee or tea on planes. It's been proven through the travel industry that the cheapest times to book on travel is. Hey, guys, I'm Rachel Cruz. I'm George Camel, and this is Smart Money Happy Hour. Well, this is the show where two friends who happen to be money experts talk about what you're talking about. So everything from pop culture, current events and money. All right, George. Well, as we're talking about traveling, what are we going to sip on?

[George Camel]

We're sipping on a Seab Breeze, which feels appropriate.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, yeah. Seab Breeze. You know, that was a song.

[George Camel]

Was it?

[Rachel Cruz]

Back in my day? I think that was, like, when I was, like, in college.

[George Camel]

Back in your day? Like, we talking 2000s or something?

[Rachel Cruz]

I mean, I think I had it on a legit burnt cd.

[George Camel]

Wow.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's where we're going. If you know about, you know, caza days. Sea Priest, look it up. Oh, I just got that warm, like, nostalgia feeling.

[George Camel]

I feel. I feel nostalgic thinking about a burnt CD with handwritten songs.

[Rachel Cruz]

It is.

[George Camel]

It. It's a Gen Z will never know.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's a good song.

[George Camel]

You listen to that album?

[Rachel Cruz]

Where did he go? Is he still making music? Okay, well, anyways.

[George Camel]

Well, hey, stick around till the end. We're going to give you our rating for this drink. And reveal the cost per glass.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's right.

[George Camel]

So here's the latest in travel hacks.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, I can't wait.

[George Camel]

This one is a game changer. I saw an ad for the service called Trusted House Sitters, and immediately I felt like I was Kate Winslet. Little Cameron Diaz.

[Rachel Cruz]

Holiday.

[George Camel]

They exchange homes.

[Rachel Cruz]

I rewatched that this Christmas. She's got a bob like me. Cameron.

[George Camel]

Oh, I didn't think about that.

[Rachel Cruz]

I mean, wow, you are. I felt good.

[George Camel]

The Cameron Diaz of Ramsey.

[Rachel Cruz]

So floppy.

[George Camel]

Who am I? Do I get to be one of the guys?

[Rachel Cruz]

You know, what just came to my mind was Gru from Gru.

[George Camel]

I was expecting, like. Yeah, I could see you as a Hugh Grant type. I don't know. Why Gru?

[Rachel Cruz]

This just came to my head. I don't know. You're so like a.

[George Camel]

You're like Gru meets Groot. Just kind of a. I don't know.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, I'll give you that.

[George Camel]

Thank you for that.

[Rachel Cruz]

You're welcome.

[George Camel]

I take it all back, Rachel. Where apparently, people with pets who travel for weeks at A time they're matched with trusted sitters who come to live in your house and care for your pets for an extended period of time. So you can do this. I have a friend who does this.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

They'll go to Europe and stay for free and, you know, watch someone's pet while they're there.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. What would be more of a scary situation? You being you going into a stranger's home and watching their dog or having a stranger come stay at your house and watch your dogs?

[George Camel]

I trust myself more than a stranger. Call me egotistical, but that's fair. So I'd rather be in someone's house because I'll try.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's probably a better way to make money than to actually use the service. Like to have a stranger come in. I don't know.

[George Camel]

But I would trust a stranger who loves dogs more than a family member who does not like dogs. I would rather a stranger who loves dogs.

[Rachel Cruz]

You know what? That's fair. We had a great dog sitter when we had the puppies. Sorry, everyone that gets mad at us because we had puppies, but we had the puppies and we had to go on fall break. And those puppies, y'all were like two weeks old. And we got. It was a recommendation from our vet. There was a tech vet and she was so sweet, young, in her 20s. And when she pulled up, she had all these dog bumper stickers on her car. That's how you know who I want watching my dog. Seriously. And she was fantastic. And we didn't really know her, but we did have a wreck from someone we knew. Yeah.

[George Camel]

And they're a vet tech, so like they've got some experience.

[Rachel Cruz]

She knows what she's doing.

[George Camel]

They know how to deal with puppies.

[Rachel Cruz]

It was fantastic.

[George Camel]

Love that. So I would do this. I like this deal.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, it's pretty good.

[George Camel]

As long as they're vetted, you know, I want some reviews.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

I want a service that's backing this. Maybe some insurance. That'd be nice.

[Rachel Cruz]

I think so. That's good. Well, George, you and I, I'd say we're opposites in life in some things.

[George Camel]

That's fair.

[Rachel Cruz]

We have some similarities as friends, but our travel, we're different travelers, I think.

[George Camel]

Yeah, I'm living more, I guess, nomadically. But you also are simpler in a lot of ways.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

You're looking for simpler minded.

[Rachel Cruz]

Some would say you are so terrible. You're looking for the. You're looking for coupons. You're going discounted. Like you are wiggling your Way through. To save every little dime.

[George Camel]

Well, I just feel like, especially post Covid, travel is meant to screw you over. Travel is meant to just squeeze every dollar, isn't travel? But I feel like everything, like hotels, more expensive. Flights more expensive. Rental cars, more expensive, y'all. You can't travel for less than a thousand bucks these days.

[Rachel Cruz]

No, you can't. And it is pretty. It does make my stomach hurt because we've been looking for an upcoming week with the kids and stuff. And when you're looking for, like, a spring break or a summer, probably at prime time.

[George Camel]

Put a fork in me. I'm done. Spring breaks to travel, y'all.

[Rachel Cruz]

To travel. And not even going anywhere crazy. But it was like going up from like 800 to 1000 a person round trip. And we were like, I mean, is that not crazy?

[George Camel]

That's insane.

[Rachel Cruz]

Wild. So you're coming to my side? I have a gauge. I have a gauge. But also, I think it's part of enjoying life. And if you're looking for shortcuts in every little decision, it kind of takes the fun out. So that's what I think about you, George.

[George Camel]

I get it. You're more of a free spirit traveler. You don't want to think about it. You just want to have a great experience. I am constantly in a state of anxiety while traveling, and I'm always just looking out. Always. You know, someone's gonna steal a dollar from there. I don't know.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, let's go through some of our travel traits. You ready?

[George Camel]

Okay.

[Rachel Cruz]

Carry on or checked bag.

[George Camel]

Left my own devices. I'm going checked.

[Rachel Cruz]

Wow.

[George Camel]

I just don't have to worry about shoving it all in there. And what? I don't know. I had a four and a half ounce toiletry. Going to jail now. It's too stressful.

[Rachel Cruz]

Winston did get his hair product removed at TSA from Montana 2 weekends ago.

[George Camel]

And I bet it was a pretty nice hair product.

[Rachel Cruz]

And he was pretty. Yeah, he wasn't very happy about it. He's got a. It's like a gel.

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

So it wasn't even liquid.

[George Camel]

What is this motion?

[Rachel Cruz]

You know, how you pull it up? It's like.

[George Camel]

Yeah. All right. Do you know the brand he's using?

[Rachel Cruz]

I think it starts with an Imperial Imp. I don't know. It was on Amazon. From Amazon. Oh.

[George Camel]

All right. Go instant.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, I am. Carry on all day, every day, even with the kids. Wow.

[George Camel]

When's the last time you had a check bag? Like a week trip? You're not taking a check back.

[Rachel Cruz]

You know, What? Well, okay, so I say all of that. Yeah. Because most of our trips, we don't go weeks. That's another one of my hacks. I'd rather go for a short amount of time and go real nice and go for four nights than stretch it out for a week and all that. But we. We did go for a week, and I think I did check one. Yeah. Big bag. But if we. But we usually travel for four nights, and if that's the case, carry ons all day. And you know the secret carry on trick, y'all, that is chef's kiss.

[George Camel]

Well, don't gatekeep.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, going back, just listen to some sea breeze and then pull out your Vera Bradley duffel, because those things will fit so much in there, and they are cloth.

[George Camel]

It counts as a carry.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes. It is a dream to travel with. And it's a throwback. It's, like, vintage these days.

[George Camel]

Yeah. And there's a bonus. Nobody's gonna steal it. Nobody wants to be seen with that.

[Rachel Cruz]

Looking with that thing. And they're like, I need that Vera Bradley.

[George Camel]

I'm so glad. Is that trend over? Are we done with Aaron Bradley? I don't want to offend anyone.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, we got some nos. I don't know. Oh, it's going. It is going.

[George Camel]

Those are the same people calling the cybertruck ugly. I'm sorry. Can we trust your text?

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, TSA PreCheck.

[George Camel]

All day long.

[Rachel Cruz]

All day.

[George Camel]

Cause I'm all about efficiency. So this is 180 bucks for, like, five years. Are you kidding me?

[Rachel Cruz]

All day.

[George Camel]

Now, here's the thing. If too many people use it, the TSA pre line becomes longer than the normal line.

[Rachel Cruz]

That is true.

[George Camel]

But to not have to take off my shoes and laptops and deal with the riff raff.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's a dream.

[George Camel]

Cause it's never a first time traveler going through TSA pre. They know what they're doing.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes.

[George Camel]

Like, these are my people.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know two people that have lost their TSA because of situations on accident. John Deloney is one of them, y'all.

[George Camel]

What?

[Rachel Cruz]

He doesn't have it for a year.

[George Camel]

It got revoked.

[Rachel Cruz]

And Savannah, who helps us with this show. Revoked.

[George Camel]

Okay. I need to know what it would take to get my TSA pre revoked.

[Rachel Cruz]

I think John. I think he left a hunting knife in his bag.

[George Camel]

Oh, that makes sense.

[Rachel Cruz]

And I want to say Savannah had her dad's bag or borrowed it from her dad and had it in her bag and forgot about it. Yep. So if you have a weapon, you could lose it, which would Be so heartbreaking to lose TSA Pre check. Okay. Do you do clear? You see the clear?

[George Camel]

I've never done clear. I think clear is a ripoff, personally go into.

[Rachel Cruz]

Because I keep seeing them around. I'm always like, hey, you.

[George Camel]

If I was like. If I was traveling for work a lot, I would find clear to be helpful. But as often as I travel, it's not worth it. It's much more expensive than TSA Pre. I want to say, like, 100 to 200 bucks a year.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, okay. Yeah.

[George Camel]

In a lot of cases. And you get to skip to the front of the TSA Pre line.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. Which usually.

[George Camel]

Which is fine. You know, I guess in a real busy airport, that'd be helpful.

[Rachel Cruz]

You know what? Scared me early on with it. Now tsa, like, takes your video, but clear. You'd have to, like. They did an eye scan, and I. You know, I mean, conspiracies. I was a little nervous. I don't want something. My retina.

[George Camel]

Can I be honest? The clear people always felt a little pushy. It felt like an Apple Store. It's like, well, there's five of you.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes.

[George Camel]

You don't need to be hassling me about clear.

[Rachel Cruz]

I was at Target yesterday, and there was someone outside Electronics trying to get me to switch my cell phone carrier at Target. She was like, ma'am, ma'am. And I was like, I don't know. It's a work phone.

[George Camel]

I didn't know they could do that at Target.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes. And I lied to her. And then she said, do you pay for Internet? And I was like, no. She was like, you don't have Internet. I just kept walking.

[George Camel]

I wish you said, my husband makes all the decisions in the house. Just kept going. Just play trad wife. All the way.

[Rachel Cruz]

All the way. I don't know what's going on.

[George Camel]

We're both TSA pretty.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. TSA all no clear. But TSA Pre Plane drinks. You drink it on the plane, George.

[George Camel]

I will say if it's free. So I used to have. I used to have the Southwest coupons. This really bothered me.

[Rachel Cruz]

Did they take those away?

[George Camel]

They took them away. And here's what happened. I had, like, nine left. And they, like, either they didn't ask for them or they expired, whatever. I tried to use them, and they went, we don't do those anymore. I was like, okay. Salty. Southwest.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, no.

[George Camel]

So I can't. They're done. And now I'm not paying 10 or 12 bucks a drink. I don't think it's worth it unless it's free.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

Or unless I'm really desperate, which, in which case I'm like, maybe you shouldn't if you're desperate for it. You know what I mean?

[Rachel Cruz]

Well, plain drinking is some of my favorite drinking. And I'm like, no one's bothering you. I never pay for Internet either, so I got. No, you can do free texting. So I will try.

[George Camel]

No one's bothering you.

[Rachel Cruz]

My children. I love my children. I don't know. But they're not like, mom, Mom. Like, they've got their stuff, I've got mine. And you're just in this peaceful tube in the air with a cocktail. And it's just great. It really is. I love flying. I do.

[George Camel]

I respect that. You ever do anything else than a vodka soda? That's a go to.

[Rachel Cruz]

I'll do a Champs. Champagne all right. Yeah. Little sun wine on Delta.

[George Camel]

Yeah, that's fine. I guess in a special occasion, I would if it was like an anniversary trip or something, you know?

[Rachel Cruz]

I don't know.

[George Camel]

I'm not saying I would.

[Rachel Cruz]

You know what's funny too? You could walk through an Airport at 6:50 in the morning and there are people at the bar just to dark time, drinking a beer. I'm like, not even like a Bloody Mary or a Mimosa. They're like, beer in it. Yeah.

[George Camel]

I don't know what it is about a beer that early. Feels different.

[Rachel Cruz]

I don't know. It's just funny to me that airports, there's like no time, you know, just whatever.

[George Camel]

It's a maritime law.

[Rachel Cruz]

So, no, I do pay for it. Winston will not. He refuses. He thinks it's a ripoff.

[George Camel]

Thank you, Winston.

[Rachel Cruz]

He will not. He's like, no, but here's the thing.

[George Camel]

Drinks are rip off anywhere you go. So actually, on a plane, it's cheaper. That's on a Southwest flight.

[Rachel Cruz]

That is true. Yep.

[George Camel]

There we go.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. Okay. What's the most expensive airline for drinks? I have it right here.

[George Camel]

What would you guess if I'm gonna.

[Rachel Cruz]

Guess which is so opposite Delta, Maybe.

[George Camel]

I feel like Delta would get you guess this.

[Rachel Cruz]

Guess. Two more real quick for fun.

[George Camel]

Frontier.

[Rachel Cruz]

No.

[George Camel]

Am I close? Is it a budget airline?

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. Yeah.

[George Camel]

Spirit. No, it can't be Spirit.

[Rachel Cruz]

It is Spirit Airlines, y'all. It had the most expensive drinks on average, $10.61. The cheapest is Southwest. Look at you. Get on Mattis. Southwest, they're $6.67.

[George Camel]

Who did this?

[Rachel Cruz]

Airlines and allegiance. No, because the budget airlines, they charge you for everything and they upcharge You. That's how they make their money.

[George Camel]

To be fair, if I was on a spirit flight, I would have to drink like you're like, this could be the last on a spirit flight. I get why they're like, people are going to pay whatever, Trust me.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh my gosh. Well, that's true. Isn't that crazy?

[George Camel]

Bless.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. Do you buy anything at the airport?

[George Camel]

Try to avoid it, but if I'm with my wife, things will be purchased.

[Rachel Cruz]

What does she buy? What is. What do you like?

[George Camel]

Like I'm the guy who's like, I'm not buying a nine dollar water at the airport. I'll bring the empty one. I'll fill it at the little filter station. Yes, but that's the one thing I will buy is a bottle of water.

[Rachel Cruz]

Me too, George.

[George Camel]

Other than that, if I really need a meal, I'll do it. I'll try to find something affordable. Maybe Whitney and I will split it. But I just feel like every. It's like you could spend $90 just waiting for your plane to arrive.

[Rachel Cruz]

Totally. Yep. No, I'm the same way. I will always have a bottle of water. I have this like weird fear that you get like stuck on a plane on the taxiway and they can't serve you or do anything and you're like, oh my gosh. I don't know why water feels like.

[George Camel]

That's a real fear.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's like my water is my.

[George Camel]

I will pay for good coffee in an airport because I have a distrust of airplane coffee. I've heard things.

[Rachel Cruz]

I have too. The water filters.

[George Camel]

Don't start any theories.

[Rachel Cruz]

It is so sad. I've heard a flight attendant say this. Never drink coffee or tea on planes.

[George Camel]

And that's from a flight attendant I.

[Rachel Cruz]

Know because they never change the water filters. So the water coming out is like.

[George Camel]

This is how scurvy comes back. I'm telling you, I don't have any proof. I don't know what it takes to even get it.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, that's funny because I will not pay for good coffee at airports because you know what happens to me? I get eight, two sets in and then I got my. I got all my carry ons, I don't have any hands. Got my Vera Bradley and I'm like, I gotta. I don't know what else to do with it, you know? And I end up throwing it away.

[George Camel]

Wow.

[Rachel Cruz]

So I don't get.

[George Camel]

Yeah, yeah. I do bring a little baggie with different snacks.

[Rachel Cruz]

Do you?

[George Camel]

I do have a snack bag at all times in my bag.

[Rachel Cruz]

Not Cause of Mia. But because of you.

[George Camel]

No, Mia has her own.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

But yeah, yeah, yeah. We don't do the same snacks yet. I think eventually we'll have a crossover which will be really special for us. But I'm not really into, like, yogurt melts. You know what I mean? It's not my thing as an adult.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

I want a little dark chocolate. Something a little refined.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. All right.

[George Camel]

A little something salty.

[Rachel Cruz]

I got it. You know, I'll always have a big bar in my bag.

[George Camel]

I do have. This is my travel must haves neck pillow eye mask. It's an inflatable neck pillow, so it's easy to travel with. I love inflating on a plane because no one's going to bother you. They see that guy, they're like, don't. Don't even start a conversation with me.

[Rachel Cruz]

Could you really use a neck pillow?

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

On every flight?

[George Camel]

I wouldn't say every.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

I've never used a neck pillow in my life.

[George Camel]

I've never used a neck pillow.

[Rachel Cruz]

Never used a pillow.

[George Camel]

You're just gonna stand there holding your own head up like an insane person.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. And then an eye mask.

[George Camel]

Eye mask. Got my AirPods Pro.

[Rachel Cruz]

I'm not talking about, like an international flight here. We're talking like Nashville to Dallas.

[George Camel]

I don't say I always use it, but I always carry it.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

Eye mask, neck pillow, the noise canceling headphones. I use the AirPods Pro. That's a big one. And portable charger, which I've used when.

[Rachel Cruz]

We used to travel for work and we had a group of us. I'd always. I would always get low. I know I did kind of your charger. You are a boy scout of travel. You have. You do carry a lot of things.

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's very helpful. Okay. But one thing that I never travel without, though, is Cozy Earth joggers.

[George Camel]

Oh, that's your go to for.

[Rachel Cruz]

I carry them out. Yes. Whether I'm wearing them or I pack them for the hotel. It's what I always do. Because Cozy Earth has, like, literally the best products. Winston just wore their hoodie the other day. Looks great.

[George Camel]

I think I saw that in Instastory. I was like, he's an influencer.

[Rachel Cruz]

Maybe so I should have linked it. I know. But no, for real, Cozy Earth's quality products, they're amazing. Their clothes are like. I'm on a high of the clothes right now. They're just good quality soft. That bamboo. So, like the pajamas and everything, they're so soft. I have a robe too. I mean, it's literally, it's amazing.

[George Camel]

Wear that on the plane.

[Rachel Cruz]

See if you get any looks with the eye mask and the pillow. Their sheets are amazing. Their blank blankets, I mean, wish I.

[George Camel]

Could take that on the plane.

[Rachel Cruz]

What if we did?

[George Camel]

But I'd have to burn it after because of all the plane germs.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, that's true.

[George Camel]

I have issue with that. If it touches anything, it's over. So I keep that at home. Keep the blanket at home. But yes, Cozy Earth has amazing quality products. It is truly, if you're living your best life, you want the bougie experience, get it. And we can make it bougie frugal because you can use promo code smart money at checkout and get up to 40% off. So go check it out. Go to cozyearth.com smart money and use the promo code.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, so since a lot of people loved our past travel episodes, we have an updated list though if you're traveling on a budget. Right. What are some good hacks, some good things to implement to make your vacation.

[George Camel]

Worth it that don't involve trying to get enough credit card points? My least favorite hack.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's right, boo.

[George Camel]

Just spend 50 grand in three months and you'll get a million points. You can use that to redeem it. Stop. Just stop. You're exhausting.

[Rachel Cruz]

Because here's the one part of life if you're going to have points and stuff, not credit cards, but just in general, travel is great. Marriott, Bonvoy, a Bonvoy account. Southwest. Like we get free. Yeah, we get a lot of free tickets and stuff for the kids and things. I don't know, it's just there are some great programs out there without debt, so take advantage of them. Do your frequent flyer miles even if you don't fly that much. Just have an account with these airlines because it is, it adds up.

[George Camel]

Okay, let's do it.

[Rachel Cruz]

All right, first and foremost, you love this one, Costco Travel. There's also Travel Arrow Extension and Skyscanner. Yes, tell us, George.

[George Camel]

Okay, so Skyscanner basically aggregates from all of the travel websites in existence.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

So it's kind of your one stop shop. And you can search like an entire month and just go, give me the cheapest flight for the month. And it will pull all the different airlines the best prices. And so I like. That's a good go to, to kind of start your research.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, can I tell you where I research?

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

And then give me the. No, no. Expedia.

[George Camel]

Okay. It's fine. There's you know, you could do worse.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

I wouldn't book through them personally.

[Rachel Cruz]

No, no, I don't book through them, but just research. That's what I use. But you like this one better?

[George Camel]

Well, Skyscanner will include Expedia. It will also include a thousand others.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, okay.

[George Camel]

So it's just sort of like, I want to know I'm getting the best possible deal. So that's a good one. I do love Costco Travel. I've done honeymoon and an anniversary trip through Costco Travel, had a great experience. They include a bunch of bonuses and goodies and credit for the resort and, you know, gift card to Costco, all kinds of stuff. And I like their travel agents. They're very nice. And I say, hey, here's my budget. Tell me, like, out of these three locations, give me the best resorts and they'll go boom, boom, boom. Save me hours of time researching.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, yeah, that's true.

[George Camel]

So they know all the things. And then Travel Arrow is an extension that I use that basically we'll see through the Priceline deals, because with Priceline Express, you get a good deal, but you don't know what hotel you're booking. Yes.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's like a gamble.

[George Camel]

And so Travel Arrow is a little extension that lets you see through that to go, hey, it's the Kimpton Eventi.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

I truly don't know how it's legal, but they're still around.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, they're doing it. Take advantage while we can, right?

[George Camel]

Yeah. And I've used this multiple times. I've helped John Deloney save hundreds booking a hotel for him and his family. And so this is a go to when I want a great hotel at a reasonable price because I know it's a five star in midtown Manhattan.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yep.

[George Camel]

Great. And then I can use Travel Arrow. It'll show me. Oh, it's the Kimpton Eventi. Great. That has great reviews. And I'm saving big money. Even when I pulled up to the front desk, they were like, how did you get this rate? I was like, I'll never tell.

[Rachel Cruz]

Watch Smart Money Happy Hour. Maybe you'll know. All right, tell us about E Dreams.

[George Camel]

Okay. E Dreams popped up because of a wonderful team member that made this drink today. Ebu. And so Skyscanner pointed her to E Dreams. I personally have never used E Dreams. Use at your own risk. Sounds sketchy. Probably is sketchy. But she claims it worked great and saved her a lot of money.

[Rachel Cruz]

And what does it do? Scan for hotels.

[George Camel]

It's just a sort of a discount airline.

[Rachel Cruz]

Airline Search airline, hotels, all of it. Okay.

[George Camel]

I don't know how they do it, but they're undercutting all of the competition somehow.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's amazing.

[George Camel]

So again, you might have a terrible experience. Don't at me with that.

[Rachel Cruz]

Don't blame us.

[George Camel]

It's a risk you're willing to take.

[Rachel Cruz]

How about strategic trip timing?

[George Camel]

This one's simple.

[Rachel Cruz]

I. This is. This is up my alley. I think this is very true.

[George Camel]

I always do this. I'll go a day before and after and see what the flight times are. Sometimes you can't help it. You got to fly in on this day. You're not going to have great luck. But if you can sort of look around and go, all right, I'm going to fly early in the morning. I'm going to fly late at night. I'm going to fly in a Thursday instead of a Friday, you can save a lot of money going off. Season 2, popular Saturday to Sunday is.

[Rachel Cruz]

Very different for airlines. Like, you will save money if you just go on a Sunday than a Saturday. It's crazy. So, yeah, that's why I do like Southwest website. I guess a lot of them do it, but you can change it so quick. The days, yes. And price compare. But you're right, too. The high season is real. Like, we are looking at some spring break y. We're looking at toast for spring break. And I was like, there's no way. These are the. These are the prices. And then for fun, I went to October. Half the price. Half the price.

[George Camel]

And I'm like, man, you can't change this.

[Rachel Cruz]

Seasonality. Yeah. Seasonality is real. And they take advantage of it.

[George Camel]

Could have homeschooled, could have solved all of this. Rachel could have been a what world schooling. Have you heard of this? You just travel with your kids around the world and it takes the place of school. Sounds awesome.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

Way more cultured, way more socialized. They probably know seven languages by the time they graduate, for sure.

[Rachel Cruz]

Are they learning, like, for real?

[George Camel]

They're learning things.

[Rachel Cruz]

You know what?

[George Camel]

Not learning the Pythagorean theorem, but who cares?

[Rachel Cruz]

All more power to you. All more power to you.

[George Camel]

Think about it.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. But also really knowing, because I think, you know, it's been proven through the travel industry that the cheapest times to book on travel is Tuesdays, Wednesdays or Saturdays. So to book on those days and to use fair comparison websites, again, you can shave off 30, 40, 50 from your total, which is amazing.

[George Camel]

That's a good one. And a lot of these sites, you're having to input a lot of personal info, especially the ones that you don't know all that well. It can be scary. And so that's why I'm putting our.

[Rachel Cruz]

Info out into the world.

[George Camel]

I will pop that in with confidence because I use delete me.

[Rachel Cruz]

And delete me is amazing because it goes through all these websites that have your information out there. Because again, when we put our names and our addresses and our work and like all this stuff out into the Internets, people get that information unbeknownst to us, and then they sell it to data brokers, and data brokers end up selling that information to other companies. And our information, they're making money off of us people, and spammed, scammed, all of it. So get our information off the Internet where we don't want it. And again, delete me helps us do that. And it's fantastic, you guys. It's a great service. You can get plans as low as $9 a month. And it is a subscription worth having in today's world.

[George Camel]

Yeah. Super affordable. Go to joindeleteme.com smart money, and you'll get 20% off. I just got my parents on this. They're stoked on it.

[Rachel Cruz]

I love it.

[George Camel]

So now I don't have to worry about them getting scammed.

[Rachel Cruz]

Stay safe.

[George Camel]

Get your loved ones on this.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, next is one of my favorites, rebooking flights. This is like a game for me, and I will go through again, I say Southwest because that's usually what we fly. 99% of the time we're flying Southwest same. And if you see the rate goes down, you can go back and rebook it and they credit your account. So then when you go to fly again, you got like 120 bucks sitting right there in the account that you get to use for the next flight.

[George Camel]

And you don't even have to cancel. You can just go to, like, reschedule it and it'll recheck it. And if it's lower, it'll show you, hey, you're going to get negative 70 bucks back as a credit. And if you have a bunch of people traveling, this can be hundreds and hundreds of dollars.

[Rachel Cruz]

It adds up so much. And we use that all the time. I mean, I will. I'll go through, like, if I. If we book something, I'll relook at it probably three times every week till the trip.

[George Camel]

Just check it every week.

[Rachel Cruz]

I do. I'm like, it's kind of like if.

[George Camel]

They drop a sale, they're like, oh, they just dropped a sale. Maybe it's My flight's on sale. Yep.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's so great. So rebooking flights will save you some money.

[George Camel]

That's a good one. All right, how about this one? So we get a lot of flack because we say, hey, you don't need a credit card. And they go, rachel, what about renting a car?

[Rachel Cruz]

Everyone needs.

[George Camel]

First of all, every major rental car company has a debit card policy.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yes. We use Hertz and Enterprise, y'all. So you can do it.

[George Camel]

There's plenty of ways to do this, but there's also an alternative called Turo. Have you heard of Turo?

[Rachel Cruz]

I have heard of Turo.

[George Camel]

So you can actually rent Rachel's car because she posted her car on Turtle for Rent and they handle all of the pieces. The insurance.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, like an Airbnb for your car. Now, I've never used it. I wonder, is it cheaper? Do you know price comparison?

[George Camel]

A lot of the times it's cheaper.

[Rachel Cruz]

Than a rental car.

[George Camel]

Depending on the type, you know, you can get like crazy luxury cars and depending on the timing in the city, but a lot of the times it's cheaper than all the fees that these rental car companies tack on. And you can easily use a debit card to rent a car with no issue.

[Rachel Cruz]

There you go.

[George Camel]

So easy enough again, none of these are sponsored. A lot of people think, well, she mentioned an app. No affiliation, no use at your own risk. But we're saying this is one to.

[Rachel Cruz]

Check out for you. Okay, how about going?

[George Camel]

Oh, yes. This is formally known as Scott's Cheap Flights. They change their name to Going. You can find deals 40 to 90% off normal prices with great itineraries, great airlines. And so the free version, they'll send you, like US based airfare. Sometimes it's like a mistake deal. And it's like, hey, they get this while it's good.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, funny. Like in the gas. You remember when the gas pumps, there was like one gas pump that like.

[George Camel]

2 cents or 3 cents and everyone.

[Rachel Cruz]

Was like, line it up. Is that kind of what it is? Like where the airline messes up?

[George Camel]

Yeah, it's mistake fares. And then they'll just send you the best deals on the Internet and they'll. You let them know, hey, here's my home airport, here's the places I want to go. And they'll send you notifications to you based on what you said you wanted.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

And with the premium, you can, you know, they'll have international deals. And so if you're a big traveler.

[Rachel Cruz]

This is a must have, maybe worth it for sure. Okay, how about Schwab Schwab?

[George Camel]

Okay, this one I found because a lot of people said, I can't believe you're using a debit card when you travel. You're getting dinged with all these fees. My credit card doesn't. Blah, blah, blah. And so I found Charles Schwab. If you have their investor checking account, which is free to open, and you fund it with any amount of money, they'll send you a debit card that has no international fees.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's right.

[George Camel]

They'll refund all ATM fees. You can use your card anywhere you go without foreign transaction fees. And so this is one that I have in case of international travel, and it doubles as a safeguard because you can transfer whatever amount you want for that trip to that account. So that's not your checking account.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

If there was fraud, your checking account isn't exposed. Just that one.

[Rachel Cruz]

I like it. It's like an extra safety net when it comes to your money.

[George Camel]

So that's just my retort to anyone.

[Rachel Cruz]

Who says, you do it so much.

[George Camel]

I got my hack.

[Rachel Cruz]

I just say you do hacks on hacks on hacks. I know. Mine's just be loyal to one.

[George Camel]

Just be loyal in your rack up points.

[Rachel Cruz]

Just Southwest Marriott, you know, just stick with what you know.

[George Camel]

Do you ever have friends who brag about the lounges because have the. Whatever credit card y'all? I went in a lounge with a friend. Did they. Did anyone recognize you? And was like, how'd you get in here?

[Rachel Cruz]

No, but our friends, we traveled with y'all 100%. They had some.

[George Camel]

And they have, like, a guest pass. They can take you in.

[Rachel Cruz]

They had two guest passes. And then, yeah. They even asked, like, are you allowed to come in here? And I was like, yes, I'm allowed to come in here. And they. We went in with them. I've only done it once, though, so. And you know what? I'm not saying this because we're Ramsey people. For real, though. It was fine. It was. It was fine.

[George Camel]

The bar at the airport's low, so anything above that, is it. Wow.

[Rachel Cruz]

It's fine. Like, not like it changed my life that they were, like, the most gracious, wonderful people. It was very crowded. If. Yeah, you could get a drink. But then, like, you had to kind of, like, I don't know, figure out up at the bar, because they had some that were, like, on tap, some not. We tried to order food. I don't know. It was like. It was just a little crazy. It was not as it was great, right? Because you get.

[George Camel]

But it didn't feel like room service level.

[Rachel Cruz]

No.

[George Camel]

Everything in my bedroom.

[Rachel Cruz]

Not our experience, but okay. Yeah. I think I have a big bucket list item, George.

[George Camel]

What's that?

[Rachel Cruz]

I keep seeing now because of my algorithm. Probably on Instagram Travel. An international like big suite on the airplane.

[George Camel]

Like the little apartments.

[Rachel Cruz]

This is what made me think little apartment hunts. And then the lounge is there. They have like masseuses. Have you seen this? Especially in other countries like Dubai and stuff. Like the lounge is there for the first. It looks like a five star hotel. That.

[George Camel]

So that's your new.

[Rachel Cruz]

That would be.

[George Camel]

I'm guessing that's, you know, is that five to ten grand a ticket?

[Rachel Cruz]

I don't know. I never got. I'm just dreaming. A girl can dream, George.

[George Camel]

But I feel like you'd be going to Dubai just for the plane experience.

[Rachel Cruz]

I might. And then I might come home. That's how much I love. I love a place.

[George Camel]

Go get a massage.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know, but wouldn't that be so. I don't know. Do you not just. Doesn't that just stuff make you feel so good inside?

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

Bougie travel like that.

[George Camel]

I want to experience it. But again, I'm not willing to pay $5,000 for a massage in a tube.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know.

[George Camel]

You know what I mean? Mediocre food. I'm good.

[Rachel Cruz]

Ooh. Or the bars in the plane.

[George Camel]

I have a bar at home with a full size bathroom.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

So humble brag.

[Rachel Cruz]

Humble brag.

[George Camel]

Oh, can I give you one last one?

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, go.

[George Camel]

This one pops up a lot. But if you're a Southwest traveler, I often find they have gift cards on sale at Costco or Sam's club for a $500 gift card for $430.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

So you're saving 70 bucks.

[Rachel Cruz]

70 bucks.

[George Camel]

So hey, if you're. If you know you're going to travel, go ahead and get the gift card. Why not pay cash, put it in the budget and then you have the money.

[Rachel Cruz]

So good. So travel is one of these things. I feel like it could be a double edged sword. Cuz I feel like sometimes if you're in a season of sacrifice and you're not able to travel how you want when you want all the things. Like it could be hard because you're seeing people posting travel and you're like, especially if you love to travel. You're like, man, that's like a sacrifice we're making in this season of our life because we're trying to get out of debt. You know, we're trying to save up. We're trying to be wise about it. Like, ugh. So it can be hard, that whole comparison game when you see other people travel. Right. And then on the other end, the positive thing about it, and we talk about this. Arthur Brooks talks about this. But having experiences with people you love is a way to bring joy. So a way to make your money, actually. Cause joy in your life is experiences. And that can look a lot of different ways. But I do think experiencing things outside your norm with people you love, it is. It's very exciting. And that could be again, you know, driving an hour and hiking and going camping, like, doing something that. Or like a big, fun trip with friends or family. But I do think this is a place that I personally value, and it's.

[George Camel]

For you, it's a better use of money than just another thing.

[Rachel Cruz]

Then just buy another purse or something. Like, seriously, I would rather. Which Winston and I are so opposite because, like, we were just talking about this trip and we're looking at how expensive everything is. Oh, my gosh. And he's like, okay, we could take this total and, like, redo the playroom furniture upstairs. Like, we could take it and, like, do stuff with it.

[George Camel]

Something more practical.

[Rachel Cruz]

More practical versus, like, four or five days.

[George Camel]

Good man.

[Rachel Cruz]

You know, somewhere. But I don't know. There's just something about experiencing life that. I don't know. It's the YOLO part of you personally, not everyone does, but that is a place I enjoy.

[George Camel]

Is it more for the kids at this point, or is it really for you?

[Rachel Cruz]

No, it's for me.

[George Camel]

Okay.

[Rachel Cruz]

I love it.

[George Camel]

I appreciate your honesty.

[Rachel Cruz]

Having them with us is fun, too, but. Yeah, but I just love it.

[George Camel]

That's some of the best memories you have as a kid is traveling.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah. Like, we went to Denver randomly. We randomly just picked Denver. And they still talk about it. Like, we did this, like, dinosaur hike. I don't know. It was just, like, the most random little trip. And our kids still, like, talk about it. So I don't know. I think it's fun.

[George Camel]

Dinosaur hike.

[Rachel Cruz]

I think it's fun in life, but in order to do it. Yes. Being in control of your money, knowing where your money is at, how to plan for it, Budgeting is one of the best ways to do that. Everydollar helps us. We always have, like, a travel line item, especially if we're, like, leading up to it. And the hard thing about. About travel in the budget is you have to usually put down a deposit for the hotel.

[George Camel]

There's Some expenses.

[Rachel Cruz]

You're buying airline tickets. You're buying them, like right then, not right later on.

[George Camel]

You can't wait till last minute.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. So be budgeting that. But that allows you to be in control. And then it is kind of nice because once the trip actually comes, then you are probably paying for the food like things in the present. But you can plan for it. And every dollar helps you do that. So make sure to check it out. You can create your free budget. We'll put a link down below. But it's a great way to make travel have a level of peace because you have planned for it.

[George Camel]

Yes.

[Rachel Cruz]

And that's the most beautiful part. Don't go into debt for those people. We're saving up, paying cash.

[George Camel]

I'm watching you. We see I don't have access to your every dollar budget. But just know I'm judging you if you're using credit. Yeah. And it's easy with every dollar. Cause you set up a sinking fund line item for travel. And you can add $500 every month so that 12 months later, you have six grand to spend on this vacation. So it's not a big surprise. It's not impulsive. Everything's done with intentionality.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yep.

[George Camel]

That's the key.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay, so let's talk about the Sea Breeze before we get to guilty. Charged.

[George Camel]

Okay, let me. Let me give it another second opinion here.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay.

[George Camel]

I'm gonna be honest. It's not doing much for me.

[Rachel Cruz]

Okay. I'm gonna say my number and you say yours.

[George Camel]

All right?

[Rachel Cruz]

One, two, three.

[George Camel]

Four out of ten.

[Rachel Cruz]

Four.

[George Camel]

Four. George. I've never been so proud to give a low rating.

[Rachel Cruz]

I know, y'all. I just. I just don't. It's just not. Not working.

[George Camel]

It's not the bartender's fault.

[Rachel Cruz]

No, no, no.

[George Camel]

It just tastes. You know what? It's a little elementary for me.

[Rachel Cruz]

Plus, you need a little complexity.

[George Camel]

Yeah.

[Rachel Cruz]

Cause what's in it?

[George Camel]

Here's what's in the Sea Breeze vodka, sweetened cranberry juice and fresh pink grapefruit juice. I think the tartness of the cranberry, the bitterness of the grapefruit, it needs something to sweeten it up.

[Rachel Cruz]

And the vodka really doesn't have a taste.

[George Camel]

And the vodka is tasteless here. So the drink comes out to $2.40. If you want to make it at home, be my guest. I'm not gonna stop you. It's a free country. Just know this is a 4 out of 10. So don't DM me saying this drink was terrible.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, My gosh.

[George Camel]

But it's an easy one. You probably have these ingredients at home.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yep.

[George Camel]

Give it a try.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's true. All right, now it's time for guilty as charged. And this is where our producer, Kelly gives us a new guilty as charged question every week. And if we're guilty, we take a sip. Was there a time that you tried to be frugal and it backfired?

[George Camel]

Oh, gosh.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, that's a good.

[George Camel]

Rachel's never tried to be frugal, so I don't know that she's gonna.

[Rachel Cruz]

Let me think, let me think. Okay. I'll say this. I think the ones that have backfired the most is because you can save money. But when we travel with the kids, we would take a late flight or early flight. If you take a 6:00am flight, y'all, you got, you have to leave your house or at least here, like where we are in Nashville. 3:45, 4. By the time to get there, they're a disaster. Or we've done a late night flight. We did. I don't know why we did this, like at 8pm or something. By the time we did a two hour flight landed, we had to drive an hour. It was like midnight when we got there and the whole next day was ruined because there was exhaust. I don't know. So I'd say the hacking of like, with kids, adults, we can handle it. Like, we can suck it up, figure it out. But the family experience, early morning or late night flights, everyone was the hack that back. Yeah, it's the hack that backfired.

[George Camel]

Okay. I can think of a very particular time because I think my wife is still mad at me for this one.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, my gosh, I can't wait.

[George Camel]

We went to New York City, saw the Thanksgiving Day parade, whole bit, freezing cold. And I decide I'm not spending another $50 on an Uber to get. We can take the subway and the bus line or whatever that's free to get to the. It'll be. It'll be an adventure.

[Rachel Cruz]

Yeah.

[George Camel]

So this is post Thanksgiving meal. We paid a lot of money for this gluten free meal. This is my bougie. Frugal is we paid a lot of money for the gluten free meal. We were full after three bites and we have 19 pounds of food. And I went, I paid good money for this. I'm lugging it back to Nashville. So I'm lugging this, all of our stuff and this food on ice from the hotel, hoping it stays good through subways and buses.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, My gosh.

[George Camel]

And Whitney is just like, why are we doing this? And this is not a joke, and it's kind of disgusting. But at some point, we wheeled our luggage through a puddle of blood, and I think there was someone nearby coughing what I imagine was my. Some sort of disease, I don't know. So I lysoled the wheels when we got home, but that was the last time I think I'm allowed to take the subway with my wife. I think she was done after that. She was like, do you see why we should have Ubered? And, George, I mean, we're talking lugging luggage, you know, us Flights of stairs through a subway.

[Rachel Cruz]

Oh, not the five food on ice. Because you're so frugal that you have to bring your food home to Nashville for $50.

[George Camel]

I don't know. It was probably even more dollars.

[Rachel Cruz]

5,000. We'll talk about it. $50.

[George Camel]

But, you know, five bucks versus 50 after an expensive trip.

[Rachel Cruz]

Seven.

[George Camel]

That's my thing.

[Rachel Cruz]

George, what are you doing?

[George Camel]

I need to do better. I should have done it for Whitney. I really should have.

[Rachel Cruz]

For Whitney. For your soul.

[George Camel]

So my lesson. I learned my lesson. When I'm with my wife, we Uber. When I'm by myself, you have a little. You have the time of your life. You know what I mean? But when you're with your wife, like, give her a great experience. Don't make her regret all of this. Don't leave a sour taste in her mouth.

[Rachel Cruz]

That's fair.

[George Camel]

But I did eat that food for, like, four days straight.

[Rachel Cruz]

Went all the way back to Nashville. Oh, my gosh, George.

[George Camel]

Well, frugality can backfire, y'all.

[Rachel Cruz]

Happy travels. Happy travels. Hope you enjoyed this and make sure to leave a review. And for more financial hot takes that people love to. Hey, catch our Airbnb episode. You can click here or the link in the description if you are listening on podcasts. And make sure to subscribe so you don't miss an all new episode next Thursday. I have smart money. Happy.