I evacuated from the New Orleans area for Hurricane Gustav last Sunday with the wife and kids and I returned home on Thursday. Over the weekend, Tropical Storm Hanna moved up the east coast, and now, Hurricane Ike looks like it is headed to south Texas. But it is not just hurricanes that can cause you to lose power, damage your home, or cause you to have to leave you home for a period of time. Thunderstorms, tornadoes, flooding, snowstorms, wildfires and other natural disasters and emergencies all have the potential to cause serious disruptions to your daily life and routine for you and your family. Being prepared for these types of emergencies can keep your stress level down, and by planning ahead of time you can minimize disruptions and get through them safely.

Staying At Home

If you are at home or not evacuating, certain supplies are necessary if you lose power or become confined to your home for several days.

If You Evacuate

If you have to leave your home for several days, you need to make sure you take care of quite a few things before you leave and bring certain items with you besides clothes.

There are lots of other things you can do to prepare yourself for a hurricane or other weather related emergency. But by planning ahead and following a few of the basics, it can make things go a lot easier and help you get back to normal quickly.

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New Orleans is open for business! While much of the city is still recovering from Hurricane Katrina, there are still plenty of frugal things to do should you ever find yourself down in “The Big Easy”.

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Mardi Gras

- One of the greatest free celebrations in the U.S., Mardi Gras lasts for about two weeks preceding Mardi Gras Day, or Fat Tuesday. Mardi Gras Day is the culmination, and the last hurrah before the beginning of Lent. The weekend before Mardi Gras and Mardi Gras Day are the biggest days, with parades going all day. Check out the French Quarter the weekend before through Mardi Gras Day for a look at the wild side- although I would not recommend bringing kids-especially at night! Most parades follow the traditional uptown route down St. Charles to Canal St. (Adjacent to the French Quarter) in New Orleans. For a more family oriented version, head out to the suburbs to Metaire, (only about 15 minutes from downtown) where parades and the Mardi Gras atmosphere are a little more family friendly. You can bring food and beverages out to the parades with you, as many locals do, and don’t forget to bring a few chairs!

Dates for the next few years (Mardi Gras Day)

2009-February 24, 2010-February 16, 2011-March 8, 2012-February 21

Audubon Zoo

-One of the better zoos in the country, located right next to beautiful Audubon Park. Check out the elephants, white tiger, white alligator, and the swamp exhibit. Playground areas available for children as well. Make a day of it!

Admission $12.50 adults, $7.50 for kids (Note- you can bring your own food and drinks)

Ride the Streetcar

-The New Orleans streetcar system was expanded in the late 90’s but suffered during the flooding of Hurricane Katrina. The price is the same as bus fare, $1.25. You can go from Audubon Park uptown, to the French Quarter, and then south down Canal Street and end up at City Park.

Check out the routes here.

Walking tour of the Garden District

- For about $10 to $15, you can take a 2 hour walking tour along the stately oaks in one of New Orleans’ most beautiful neighborhoods. A little pricey, but well worth it.

Garden District Tour

Nighttime Entertainment-Go Where the locals go (Fauborg Marigny-Frenchman Street)

-Right off the edge of the French Quarter, is a little hidden gem of nightclubs, bars, and restaurants, much of which is located on Frenchman Street. Away from the tourist-oriented French Quarter, prices of food, drink, and admission are quite a bit lower.

Minor League Baseball

- The New Orleans Zephyrs, a Triple A affiliate of the New York Mets, play in their own baseball stadium in Metaire, LA. Tickets are priced from about $6-$8, and the concessions aren’t as high priced as at professional sports stadiums.

Parks

- New Orleans has two great parks,1300 acre City Park and Audubon Park. Have a picnic, and relax under the stately oak trees. City Park has a great Botanical Gardens, Sculpture Garden, picnic areas, lagoons, and lots of oak trees. Audubon Park is home of the Audubon Zoo, and includes a gold course as well.

Fishing

- The Greater New Orleans area has great fishing just about year round, both fresh and saltwater. Lots off people fish and crab right off of the shore of Lake Pontchartrain, which can be done very cheaply. You can fish for speckled trout, redfish, offshore for tuna , grouper, and other big game fish (although offshore fishing can be expensive) or freshwater for bass.

Beignets and Cafe Au Lait at Cafe du Monde

- Located down in the French Quarter, get your cafe au lait and beignets for just a few bucks.

French Quarter Festival

- One of my favorites, a two day music festival that is free. There are 4 or 5 stages in the French Quarter and along the Riverfront with free live music, and great food and drinks available at fairly reasonable prices.

French Quarter Festival info

For Frugal Things to Do in other Cities, Check out the Money Life Network’s Frugal Things to Do In Series

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I will be leaving this morning to join my wife and two small kids at the beach, they left on Monday but I couldn’t get away from work until today. Vacations can be a wonderful way to spend quality time with your wife and/or children and relax, but traveling costs have skyrocketed, so making the most of your money when going on vacation makes even more sense (or cents) than ever.

1. Make plans that require reservations far in advance to get good deals- The closer to your vacation you book your flights or hotels, etc., the higher you are likely to pay.You may find some last minute deals, but usually if you are planning a get-away you don’t want to risk not getting a flight or other reservation, so this strategy is not always attractive.

2. Save up the money to pay for the vacation ahead of time- This sounds like a no-brainer, and many people do it, but I would guess that just as many do not. I think that people are less likely to save up for shorter, “long-weekend” type trips because they don’t seem like such a big deal, but if you don’t save ahead of time you can spend a lot of money on a long weekend and end up putting it on your credit cards or getting into debt on your trip.

3. Stay with relatives or friends- A large portion of expenses for a lot of vacations can be lodging. By staying with someone, such as a friend or relative, you can eliminate that from your expenses. If you’re feeling really adventurous (and you are single), consider couch surfing.

4. Go at off peak times- Hotels and tourist destinations often slash their prices by 50% or more during off peak season. Plan you trip to the beach after labor day, and you may save a bundle.

5. If driving, drive when traffic is light- Avoid rush hour traffic when passing through cities, stop and go traffic can greatly reduce your fuel economy.

6. Stay somewhere you can cook your own meals- You can save a whole lot of money by cooking your meals and not eating out the whole duration of your trip. Find a hotel or condo with a kitchenette so you can do the cooking.

7. Get someone to watch your pets instead of boarding them- Boarding a cat or a dog can cost $15 to $20 a day. Asking a friend or relative to take care of your animals while you are gone can save you money.

8. Get someone to drop you off at the airport if possible- If you are flying, parking at the airport for a few days or a week can add up to a hefty sum in parking fees. Ask someone to drop you off and pick you up, you can return the favor to them when they travel as well.

9. If you are driving, prep your car with basic car maintenance and practice gas saving driving techniques for maximum fuel efficiency.

10. Also, when driving, map out your route to minimize the total miles you will be driving. Use online tools to find the cheapest gas prices anywhere in the country.

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1. Use a cash back or rewards credit card

Make all of your reservations with a rewards credit card–for air travel, hotels, and rental cars, as well as gasoline and meals while traveling. You can earn cash back, mileage, or other rewards while still be reimbursed by your employer. Even if you are self-employed, you can still adopt these strategies to put something back in your pocket.

2. Sign up for travel-related Rewards Programs

Most airlines, hotels, rental car companies have rewards programs for frequent customers. Whenever possible use the same airline, hotel, or car rental agency to maximize your rewards.

Examples: American Airlines, Southwest Airlines, Hilton Family of hotels, Holiday Inn hotels, Hertz

3. Bring snacks and something to read in your carry-on if you’re flying.

Don’t get sucked in to buying a magazine, or worse yet an overpriced book or airport food while you are waiting in the airport. Bring something from home to read (even if you bring a laptop) and snacks to hold you over until you reach your destination.

4. If you’re on per diem, eat lightly and make money.

Occasionally, I travel on per diem (a daily fixed rate for meals). When this happens, I usually try to eat light, and put a little extra money in my pocket by the end of the day.

5. Combine Business with Pleasure–plan a vacation or weekend getaway

If you are traveling somewhere remotely interesting on your company’s nickel, have your spouse or family join you near the end of the trip. In most cases, your hotel room has plenty of room for an extra person or even people. They can sightsee for the last day or so while you’re tending to business, and then you can extend your stay a few days and take advantage of the free travel for you to reach the destination, and only have to pay for whomever is joining you.

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