Moving

How to Stay at the Best Hotels for Cheap using Government Rate

July 22, 2010 by Casey

government rate hotels — I stayed at this hotel for $92 a night!

Every military member has a secret weapon when it comes to finding great hotel bargains: it’s called government rate.

For instance, this summer I traveled from South Carolina to Texas for a school. Based on the distance, I knew I wanted to stay one night in Birmingham, AL. Here’s what I did to find a great hotel near Birmingham:

1. Enter the planned city into TripAdvisor

2. After reading reviews I chose to check rates for the Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa

3. Visit the hotel web site and look up their government rate and availability (if you can’t check online, then call)

The advertised rate on Trip Advisor was $193, but our government/military rate is $92!

4. Check fees to ensure the rate is not just a tease

Luckily parking was free. Taxes and fees came out to $12, so my total for each night was $104.88.

Warning: Some higher-end hotels make a killing on parking, internet, and service fees. Know what they are before you make a reservation. In general, expect to pay high parking fees in any big-name hotel located in the middle of a congested city.

5. Make a decision based on total rate vs. quality

This hotel was a no-brainer. It was one of the nicest hotels we’ve ever stayed in. We didn’t want to leave.

Deals like this are everywhere. But you have to dig around to check the rates. Be optimistic and go for the best hotel, you just might get it for cheap!

To DITY or not to DITY

July 18, 2010 by Casey

DITY move

A do-it-yourself move can certainly earn you some money, but is the hassle worth it?

Partial DITY – a no brainer

There is no reason not to fill up your personal vehicle with everything you can fit. Be sure to weigh your car empty, then weigh it full to get full credit for your weight. A full car moved about 500 miles will probably earn you $300.

Full DITY – signs point to “no”

A full DITY will definitely earn you more money, but you need consider the following before you do it:

Are your new coworkers willing to help you unload everything?
Have you already found housing at your next base? If not, you’ll need to either pay for a moving truck while you search for a home, or worst yet, move your stuff into storage, then move it back out again once you find a house

It’s a bad first impression to show up at your new base expecting your coworkers to move your household goods. They’ll probably help, but will know that you simply want to make some money on the move.

I helped a new Airman unload her household goods into storage while she looked for a home. Five days later, she asked everybody to help her move everything out of storage and into her new home. We helped her, but our shop was very frustrated that she chose to move herself without a full plan in place.

In summary, a full DITY move is only recommended if you have housing lined up at your next base, and already know friends or family that can help you unpack.

What’s your opinion on DITY moves? Have you ever done a full DITY move?

How to Ship a Vehicle for a PCS or Deployment

July 14, 2010 by Casey

Maybe you have a new car that you don’t want to rack up miles on. Or you want to drive with your spouse in one car rather than follow each other all the way across the country.

In either case, shipping a vehicle by truck is an excellent option and is much easier than you think.

We recently shipped our Honda Odyssey from South Carolina to California. My wife moved in with her parents for a year and it made much more sense for her to fly with our 3 year old rather than drive. TMO did not cover the cost of shipping the van but they did pay for the airline tickets.

We were able to ship our van for $800. The truck drove right up to our house and loaded the van. It showed up in California at my in-laws’ house six days later in perfect condition.

Discounts

Save money by driving your vehicle to a major city for pickup rather than having it picked up at your home