Are the savings really so great?  What drives people into the shopping frenzy?

I first pose the question to Therese, a Canadian ex-pat working at Diamonds International (the ubiquitous port of call jewelry retailers) in Costa Maya, Mexico.  “Let’s put it this way,”  she says.  “Would you wake up on a Tuesday morning at home and go shopping for a diamond?  It’s part of the cruise experience, and there is a great selection…but no, the prices are really not the best you can ever find.  But people enjoy it, and it gives them something to show when the trip is over.”

I next approached Phil, our charmingly English cruise shopping guide.  “Oh yes,” he said, “the prices really are so much lower, since everything is duty and tax free.”  He recounts the tale of many couples, newly engaged or honeymooning, who are dismayed to find that the rings they just purchased stateside are far less expensive in the islands.  But, he added, it’s hard to compare when your’e dealing with stones.  The proof, he continued, is in the prices of the branded items.  For example, if someone wanted to buy a Breitling watch, they could instead take a cruise, buy the watch in a port, and essentially get the watch for free, based on the list price compared to the actual island price.  I will, when I return home, do a little research on the validity of that statement, and will report back on my findings.

Diane, a frequent cruiser and former jeweler, loves to buy jewelry when she travels, although she is clear that the savings are not all they’re said to be.  But she buys anyway, citing unique designs and uncommon stones as her reason for purchasing.  Anna, another frequent cruiser, agrees.  But for every Diane, Anna and Therese,  there continue to be dozens, maybe hundreds, of uneducated, free-spending travelers who believe that they could never find such bargains anywhere else.

Besides, they say, it’s fun to tell people, when they admire the new pieces, that they bought them in Mexico, St. Maarten, or the duty-free shop on the cruise ship.

Me, I’ll buy a t-shirt.

Back to civilization this weekend, back to the search for Health Insurance on Monday.  For now, though, the jacuzzi awaits.

Meanwhile, for more on discount cruising, click here.

I am beginning to realize that one of the reasons I can live well on a budget is that I don’t care about shopping, and I have enough stuff.  What is it about shopping that gets people so excited?  And are there really such great bargains to be had by leaving the US?

My plan today is to ask my fellow passengers why they get so excited about shopping on vacation.  For me, it’s the fun of having something that no one else will probably have, and the excitement of saying, when I get a compliment on the piece, that I bought it in Wherever.  Are the prices really so great that they can’t be matched in the states?  Is the stuff so unique?  Is it status?  I’m truly curious.  Why do people spend so much money when they’re away? How many watches does one person need?

I go ashore to see the country, meet the people, and maybe find some cheap, unique Mexican silver or pottery gifty things to bring home to my friends and family, and a little something for myself, as a memory of this lovely trip. Tomorrow, Belize City.  I wonder what’s available there.

Greetings from Fire Island, NY, one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. (But we only tell our best friends about it, so shhhh.)

When we last checked in, we had reached our first destination, New Jersey, where we stayed with a dear friend and had a delicious dinner.  The next day for lunch, we bought a salad for our hostess and shared a big one between us, total cost $20.  The on to Brooklyn, where $20 bought us (and several of our friends) a few slices of great New York pizza, some soda and a great night with more childhood friends at a free concert featuring Blondie, Pat Benatar and The Donnas.

Next stop, Long Island, where we stayed with family and visited the beach outside their door.  After a stop at a local supermarket, we stocked up on items that would surely be overpriced if we bought them at our next destination, Fire Island, and tiny sandbar of a beach paradise, with nothing but beach, bay, bars and a few little shops.  (Very expensive, but I hear that next week the stores start cutting prices drastically in order to clear out their inventory before the summer ends; will keep you posted).  Supermarket bill, $80.  Savings over Fire Island prices, probably $75.

We parked at a friend’s house, saving over $100 for parking, and another friend drove us to the station, savings of about $5.  The ferry ride over was $34 round trip for the both of us, and we are now ensconced for the next week at the home of another dear friend,  just steps from the beach and a short walk to the town.  So far, we’ve been cooking and BBQing, and our on-island expenditure up to now has been $6 for yummy water ices.  Added to the running total, we’ve now spent, between the two of us, including gas for the car, roughly another $200, bringing us so far to a grand total of about $500 and we’ve been gone a week, and traveled about 1300 miles.  So far, so great!

It’s good to have friends in high places!  (Of course, they’re all always invited to visit us in Florida any time they want.)

Until next time, stay cool!

(BTW, we didn’t win the lottery…yet!)

For more about travel on the cheap, click here.

My sister, the Rebate Queen, and I are hitting the road in a few weeks for an extended road trip to NY and the Northeast.  If there’s anyone who is better than me on saving money, it’s her.  We will report on our money saving techniques and successes (and failures!) as we plan and go.

One stop: Visiting my little country house in the Catskill mountains to bring home some of my stuff.  Talk about a deal:  I bought this house for only $30,000, fixed it up, expanded the porch and deck, filled it with lots of Vintage Catskill furniture and knick-knacks, and now have it on the market for much more, after 10 years of enjoyment.

But I digress.  First job is finding the best and cheapest way to get there.  Do we fly? Do we drive? If so, which car?  And who’s going to do the driving anyway? As a Florida newbie and ex New Yorker (i.e., not a daily driver) I don’t always make my passengers comfortable).  Where will we stay?   Actually, I’ve never meticulously budgeted my travel expenses.  This will be an adventure for sure!

If you’re traveling this summer, there’s lots of good news — gas prices going down, tons of great deals, lots of people taking the summer off (i.e. laid off) so easy to find travel companions.  At the same time, Continental, like other airlines, just announced the addition of checked baggage fees, Spirit Air is now charging for seats and drinking water, and other airlines are trying similar tricks.  So buyer beware.

We’ll do our best to help you find ways to travel cheaply this summer.  Here are a few links to get you started.

Stay tuned!

Meanwhile, for more on travel, click here.