I Discovered a Way to Pay Less On Airfares

February 6, 2015 by Sonia Marsh 4 Comments

I love to plan flights, especially when I can outsmart the high costs, and often inconvenient times, offered on sites like Travelocity and Orbitz.

I treat the process like a giant puzzle, taking each piece, one step at a time, until a clear image emerges.

We all know how expensive flights and hotels can be, so how do you minimize costs and keep a sane schedule, without sacrificing comfort?

Here’s how I booked my flights to Europe and kept my costs way down.

I use Google flights and save money.
I book each segment separately, rather than try to book the entire trip in one go.
I open several Google flights on my browser at the same time, and play around with the segments and airlines so I can compare costs.
I managed to book my entire trip to Europe for a TOTAL PRICE of $1, 596. (see all the segments below,)

April 2015:

Austin, Texas – Athens, Greece
Athens – London

May 2015

London-Paris
Paris-Madrid

June 2015

Madrid – Los Angeles

TOTAL PRICE of $1, 596.

When I tried to book the entire trip in ONE SEGMENT, with multi-stops, the price was substantially higher.

The cheapest route on Travelocity was $2,392, but the times were inconvenient. Prices went up to $7,300, in coach.

Orbitz couldn’t quote me a fare with the exact same dates and countries I listed above.

GOOGLE FLIGHTS DONE IN ONE TRIP — Google flights

Google flights shows more expensive flights when I punch in all the dates and countries as a multi-flight trip. As I said, I managed to get my entire

US-Europe-US For only $1,596, compared to the prices above.

Seth Kugel, the Frugal Traveler, wrote about Google Flights in his article in the New York Times, “How to Choose and Air Travel Search Site,”

“If you’re focused just on flights, there are other considerations. Most straightforward is the amount of time it takes each site to process your searches. The clear winner there is Google Flights (a different offering from Google Flight Explorer), with shockingly instantaneous results — you’d almost think they’d invented the modern search engine.”

Credit Cards offering 50,000 travel miles.

It wasn’t until my recent divorce, and my new-found independence, that I plucked up the courage to go for credit cards that offer bonus travel miles. I figured that I should give it a try.

One of my favorite bloggers/authors/travel hackers, Chris Gullebeau, has a list of his preferred travel credit cards, and I know he’s been able to fly for free around the world, using his acquired miles. So I signed up for two of the credit cards he recommends, and found that I could indeed get a free trip with my miles. I’ve already received one free trip, and am now a believer, that if you use your card wisely, it can benefit you in many ways.

The Chase Ink, also allows me to use the Club Lounges at a discount rate, something I never allowed myself to think about using in the past.

Next Friday, I shall write about how I saved a tremendous amount of money by booking accommodations with Airb&b. Come back and see how.

Do you have tips to share about your travel plans and ways to cut costs?

Finding the Guts to Change

February 2, 2015 by Sonia Marsh 1 Comment

“Finding the Guts to Change”

“My Gutsy Story®”-Donna Friess

One of the truly gutsiest things I have ever done was become brave enough to give up my college teaching career after 45 years. Across the years, when I asked my colleagues if there was life outside the hallowed walls of my college, Cypress College, they thought I was kidding and laughed at me, but I wasn’t kidding. I knew my life worked. I adored the students and they adored me, but the 75 mile-a -day commute was getting to seem longer with each passing decade. One year, far past when I was eligible for retirement, I got up my courage during our summer vacation at Catalina. I promised myself that for sure in September I would turn in my retirement papers for the next year. Then one day I was on the swim float in Avalon harbor getting ready to dive when I noticed a little blonde six year-old boy standing next to me. I saw him gulp a huge breath of air. He was scared to dive in, to swim into shore. He squared his shoulders, took another big inhale. I could feel his fear. As I watched him tears sprang to my eyes. Suddenly I could see him ten or so years in the future, gulping air, squaring his shoulders as he plunged in to give his speech in my public speaking class. The tears streamed down my face and my stomach knotted. In that instant I knew that I could not give up my eager, scared-to-death students. By the time I got to shore I decided against retirement. Clearly I did not have the guts, I was not ready to leave the students.

More busy happy years passed in the classroom, but the drive got longer, and if I were truthful, I was getting tired. There were other things I wanted to do; more travel, maybe paint, write. I had taught so long that retirement pay would be significantly more than I was taking home as I qualified for longevity bonuses and more, still I did not have the guts for it.

Finally in the summer of 2009 my husband said, “I think you are missing the boat here. I think you should pay attention to you writing.” It was a flashpoint for me. I saw a way to reinvent myself. I felt excited as I thought, Maybe there is life outside of my classroom.

I was stuck in my good old way of living my life, and it was now time to get brave enough to reinvent myself. Perhaps an element of empowerment is having the ability to adapt to life, to reinvent oneself. Joan Rivers was a master at reinventing herself. Last year’s media coverage surrounding her death illustrated her genius. Imagine going from stand-up comedy, to late night host, to the Red Carpet , to Fashionista and more. At the time of her death she was working on a new show. Imagine she stayed in the spot light for decades because she kept evolving and changing.

So how do we get unstuck? The answer must be to live mindfully. These days I see how we are living our lives as our creative challenge. When I finally found the courage to change my ways I found a new way to live life, an exciting robust way. I have been out of the classroom for four years now, however, people have not quit laughing at me! When I say, “and I was so worried about a different kind of life…” They can’t stop laughing for they know that it is a big huge world filled with unlimited opportunity if we have the guts to grab hold and look at the wonder of it all.

We cannot not change. We age. Life moves forward. Albert Einstein liked to talk about how important imagination and creativity are. I like to think of my life as my canvas, and the way I am living it, as my creative endeavor. The world out there is just waiting for you. What more do you want to do? What more do you want to be? I’d love to hear about it. Right now, though I might be out on the trail with my three Golden Retrievers or at my desk writing my next novel.

Psychologist Donna L. Friess, Ph.D., is a life coaching, grief counselor, and author. She is an advocate for children’s rights, currently serving on a U.S. Justice Department Office for Victims of Crime Consortium. As a best selling author she has written seven books. With appearances on The Oprah Winfrey Show and others, her award winning autobiography Cry the Darkness has been published in seven languages. Donna’s debut novel The Unraveling of Shelby Forrest is now available at Amazon.com. www.drdonnafriess.com.

SONIA MARSH SAYS: Donna is the real “Gutsy” woman of today. She is a rocket on a mission, helping everyone she meets along her path. I’ve had the pleasure of participating in her coaching “women in transition,” as I went through my own divorce process. I don’t think I’ve ever met a more energetic and enthusiastic woman who is a role model for all of us. I’m reading her novel (see below,) and recommend it to my fellow writers and readers.

Cover_Front_Final — Click on cover to go to Amazon

**Get your copy of Unraveling here.**

Join Donna on Facebook here.
Check out Donna’s website: www.drdonnafriess.com
Join Donna on Twitter
Donna on LinkedIn

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITE JANUARY 2015 “My Gutsy Story®”

READ ALL 4 STORIES HERE

WE NEED MORE “My Gutsy Story®” SUBMISSIONS TO CONTINUE THE SERIES

DO YOU HAVE A GUTSY STORY?

GUIDELINES ARE HERE

PLEASE LET E-MAIL: Sonia@SoniaMarsh.com

I Did Something I Told My Kids Not to Do

January 27, 2015 by Sonia Marsh 2 Comments

IMG_20150117_145953724 (1) — Skip and his motorcycle.

All my life I’ve brainwashed my sons to never buy, ride, or be a passenger on a motorcycle.

“Do not get on a motorcycle. It’s too dangerous,” I would tell them whenever they mentioned the “m” word.

I’ve always been proud of saying “no” to any offers of being a motorcycle passenger. Why? Because Mom brainwashed me to “just say no,” and she was right.

I grew up in Paris where young guys slalomed through dense traffic at 80 miles per hour, without helmets, often ignoring the French, priorité à droite, rule. If you’re not aware of this rule, please read carefully, just in case you plan on renting a car in France. This could save you a potential accident.

The priorité à droite rule states that any car, or motorcycle merging or sideswiping you from the right, has the right of way. Unless there is a traffic light or stop sign, you’re the culprit. If a car dashes out out of nowhere, you’re toast.

Everyone I meet, has a motorcycle accident story to share about broken bones, with multiple titanium and screws, amputated limbs or tragically, death.

A few years ago I met a 23-year-old man lifting weights at my local gym. He had a super muscular upper body, and when I looked down, I noticed two prosthetic legs. Both legs were amputated at the knee.

“Did you serve in Afghanistan?” I asked.

“No, a car hit me on my motorcycle. I lost both legs.”

I loved his warm smile and attitude.

“I speak to high school kids about the danger of riding motorcycles,” he continued.

I swore I would never ever ride, or worse yet, be a passenger on a motorcycle until Skip read my book, Freeways to Flip-Flops: A Family’s Year of Gutsy Living on a Tropical Island and said,

“Come on Sonia, you’re Gutsy, aren’t you?”

To which I didn’t reply. I made a cowardly decision to try it, instead of saying what I truly believed.

“There are different kinds of Gutsy and I’m not the adrenaline-rush type of Gutsy. I’m more of a travel around the world and experience new adventures, type of Gutsy.

So what made me hop onto the back of a guy’s BMW a week ago?

IMG_20150117_154416815 (5) — My 1st motorcycle ride on my friend Skip Stevens’ motorbike

Yes, I do look happy, but Sonia always smiles when you click a camera in her direction.

Skip took me along Santiago Canyon, on a beautiful sunny Sunday afternoon; a favorite road for bicyclists and motorcyclists to ride along stretches of country-like roads meandering through the canyon.

We landed at Cook’s Corner, a bikers’ haven with shiny bikes all over the place, loud music and lots of booze and tattoos.

Truthfully, I felt more at ease with the Masai Mara tribe in Tanzania, than the crowd at Cook’s Corner.

I’m glad I did not get addicted to motorcycles, and that I had the guts to say,

“I have many dreams, and I am not willing to put myself in any situation that could prevent me from pursuing my goals.”

In all fairness, I could not relax. I am totally focused on my goals, and I do not want anything to stop me from my next travel adventure.

Do you love motorcycles?

Time to be Honest…I’m Fed Up

January 19, 2015 by Sonia Marsh 61 Comments

I have to be honest with my readers and let them know what I think about writing, social media, and publishing.

You may not agree with me, but that’s OK since I’m shifting gears and direction. I just hope you keep reading my blog, especially as I’m starting a mid-life gap year, jam-packed with new adventures. I’m going against blogging protocol, and writing when I want to, rather than when I have to. Besides, I’ve never been incarcerated by the blogging police.

I’m Fed Up

I don’t have time to read blogs and write comments.
I want time to read what I want to read, and not feel “guilty” or “forced to read” books that don’t interest me.
I’m fed-up with reading books and writing reviews, especially if I’m not interested in the book.
How many times can I write about the same topic, and still make it sound fresh?
Writers keep supporting writers, but “Where are OUR READERS?” (Please don’t lecture me on signing up for another course for $999, that guarantees I’ll find new readers.)
I’m tired of being bombarded with sales pitches from people I respect in the industry who are now becoming “used car salesmen.”
I’m fed up with receiving offers to sign up for courses on “how to increase my book sales” when I’ve become cynical about this process (Read Do You Want the Truth below) or another honest post I wrote. “Do Authors Make Money: Here’s the Truth.”
I’ve done my best to follow all the rules writers keep hearing about regarding blogging, social media and marketing from the “gurus.”
I’m tired of coming up with the perfect SEO friendly headline for my blog post. Now titles are supposed to appeal to readers first. What a concept!
I’m fed up with requesting people to submit a “My Gutsy Story®” each week. I don’t like begging or bugging.
I missed my 1st blog post in 7 years last Thursday. Will I be forgiven by Google, search engines, and more importantly, by my “billions” of fans? 🙂
I’ve promoted so many book events, library events, indie book signings, Costco appearances, Webinars, Workshops, public speaking, radio, local TV, given freebies, reviews, contacted movie producers etc…BUT…

Do You Want the Truth

Most authors, especially non-fiction authors, who want to make money, turn towards writing, coaching, presenting, and selling books about “The Dream.”

They sell books on:

How to write
How to market and promote your book
How to become a best selling author by following these steps.

They also take classes, hire a business coach, team up with their peers, start promoting one other, offer free webinars laden with sales pitches to sign-up for their “expensive workshops,” to sell “The Dream.” How do I know? Because I did that myself.

Selling the Dream

Here’s what I call, “Selling The Dream.” All the promises and offers that “fall” into my inbox daily. For example:

“In less than a year I’ve made over $150,000 from self-published books.”
Sign-up for my 6-week course on how to make it to the Bestseller list for only $999
Pitch your book to producers from “Good Morning America,” and other major TV producers for only $5,000.

Are Today’s Online Strategies Changing?

I believe things have changed. There is TOO MUCH COMPETITION and too many people offering the same services. The market is saturated with indie books. There were over 450,000 indie published books in 2013.

Authors are getting fed up with blogging, overwhelmed with social media, and most ask themselves WHY? I’m making less than $100/month in royalties. Is it worth it? (Please don’t lecture me on signing up for another course for $999, that guarantees I’ll make $150,000 in one year. Maybe you’ll make that much with all of us DREAMERS signing up for your course, but not us: the writers.)

My Conclusion

Write with no expectations. Do what you want, take classes to improve your writing skills, sign-up for Webinars if you’d like to, but be realistic. I’ve tried many different approaches since 2009, and I don’t want to sell “The Dream.” I am happy, because I believe “The Dream” is not about money.

What Next?

I hope you keep reading my blog, as I embark on a divorced woman’s mid-life gap year, jam-packed with new adventures. My focus will be on:

Gutsy Living®
Exciting opportunities for women
What’s it like to be a divorced woman after 28-years of marriage
Re-inventing yourself as a woman over 55
Travel in Europe and anywhere else I go
Learning new skills
Teaching abroad
How to save money
Gutsy dating

Any suggestions as to other topics you’d like me to write about during my GAP YEAR(s)

My Way To Handle REJECTION

January 12, 2015 by Sonia Marsh 9 Comments

Saturday afternoon, after a pleasant lunch with a friend, I checked my phone and found an e-mail from the Peace Corps, with the subject line:

“Peace Corps Application Decision.”

My fingers trembled as I tapped the screen anticipating good news.

I’ve been waiting to hear back since I applied in July 2014.

Imagine how I felt when I read:

“Thank you for your application to the Peace Corps. We regret to inform you that we are unable to offer you an assignment at this time. Each year, the Peace Corps receives many more applications from qualified individuals than we have assignments available.”

Shock, anger, and every other emotion you can come up with, hit me at that moment.

So I decided to call my Peace Corps recruiter to ask, “WHY DID THEY REJECT ME???”

I’m the Gutsy one who wants to help people and serve in another part of the world. I’m over 50, speak fluent French, have leadership skills, a Bachelors degree in Environmental Science, and I’ve expressed my enthusiasm at every Peace Corps social event in my area.

SO WHAT HAPPENED?

I knew I wouldn’t get an answer over the weekend, so I did what I always do when I’m rejected:

I GET STRONGER AND

KEEP MOVING FORWARD.

Thankfully, I have a back-up plan which is to take the Cert-TESOL course in Greenwich, London, so I can teach English anywhere in the world. That’s my Plan B, and it’s an added credential for MY NEXT PEACE CORPS APPLICATION.

My wonderful recruiter called me on Sunday night. We had a long chat and she recommended I reapply ASAP. She took the time to read through my resume, and give me some tips on how to improve it, and customize my skills and experience to the positions that are available on the Peace Corps website.

My mistake, now that I look back on my resume, is that I made a bullet point list of past jobs and volunteering experience rather than explaining my ACCOMPLISHMENTS in EVERY role. I guess my resume is outdated, and today’s resumes need to be specific.

As an example: “delivered 2 key-note addresses as well as 10 additional public speaking engagements” and “consistently initiated weekly blog posts with fresh content twice weekly”.

Apparently the Peace Corps wants a more focused approach from each applicant, rather than stating, “I’m available to do anything, anywhere.” In the past they wanted this flexible attitude, so I guess now, with the increase in applicants, it’s become more competitive and you have to show them how you can be of maximum benefit to the Peace Corps.

When I got rejected by a publisher, my adrenaline kicked in and I said, “I’ll start my own publishing company and promote my books with all my energy.”

Now it’s time to use my “gutsyness” and move ahead. NOTHING WILL STOP ME.

HAVE YOU BEEN REJECTED? IF SO HOW DID YOU COPE? Please let me know in the comment section below.