It's been over year since we have been on a roller coaster. It was last June right before my back surgery. It was so much fun, but it's been way too long.

We are in the process of figuring out annual trip that we take every year with our kids. Lucky for us the park we are visiting is located in sunny California and it's open all year long. It has fewer hours in the off season, but it's still open.

The plan right now is to head back to Six Flags Magic Mountain in early November for a few days. Here are the reasons we are choosing this park and that time frame ::

• It's one of the few parks open this time of year.
• It has the most roller coasters of any other park.
• It has a new ride we have not been on.
• We always go during the off season, keeps us from having to use a Flash pass
• With kids in high school trying to work around sports, activities and work gets trickier.  This is between sport seasons.
• It's an affordable time to fly.  It's not yet the holidays and it's no longer summer.
• We will probably really enjoy getting out of the rain into the sun for a few days by then.

So we start the process of watching airfare, figuring out tickets and hopefully using Hotwire to get us a deal on hotel and car. I really like where we stayed last time.

Stay tuned as we put this together, hopefully affordably.

It's back! If you are looking for discount tickets to Cedar Point or Coupons for Cedar Point, I have found them.

I am an avid couponer and I make my way to Coupons.com often.  Just today I noticed that you can click and print a $7 off coupon to Cedar Point.

All you will need to do is install a coupon printer on your computer. This will do nothing to harm your computer. Trust me, my husband is an IT guy and he has even allowed me to put it on his so I can print more coupons.  I am not sure how many people can use the coupon.  Just know that if you need more you can print 2 coupons per computer.

Enjoy the ride!!

You should never pay full price for an admission ticket. There are coupons and deals everywhere, you just need to know where to look.

Right now in specially marked boxes of Post Raisin Bran you can get a FREE kid's ticket with the purchase of an adult ticket on weekdays.

Or

Save $15 on a full price general admission ticket on weekends. This offer expires October 10, 2011.

Find out another great tip we found last year at Six Flags for getting into the park quickly. Read on to find out other ways to get the most out of your Six Flag park once you are finally in the gate. Then you can decide before you go if you really need to buy a FlashPass.

Enjoy!!

Looking for an international vacation destination? Many will choose well known locations like Paris or Rome. Have you even considered Tenerife, which is located in the Canary Islands? The Canary Islands are located just off the coast off the west coast of Africa. Tenerife is part of the Spanish territory and it is the largest of the all the Canary Islands, and they are just a 4 hour flight from the UK.

The best part is there are cheap holidays in Tenerife.  Prices include accommodations and airfare from London, Manchester and All Scotland Airports.

Tenerife is a great get away location for romantic couples and families. For those that like to visit clubs in the evenings, this place is for you too. It is known for the year round sunshine, great beaches and beautiful green countryside. The country offers tons of activities and amenities.

You will have your choice of hotels to stay in from 3 star to 5 star. All the hotels will have pools and in house restaurants. You can also choose to have a small but comfortable studio or something bigger that even contains a kitchenette. What ever best suits your needs. Come as a couple or bring the whole family. Tenerife will have what you need to accommodate you holiday.

By day you can relax on the beaches and by the pools. At the night the place comes to life with a great selection of bars and clubs.

There will never be a dull moment on this vacation, unless of course, that is just what you are looking for.

You trip is coming together. You are so excited to get out of town, but you still have to book that car rental. Unfortunately it will take some time, but don't kill yourself looking for the killer deal. Here are quick tips to make sure you got it right.

1. Shop Around. Check the different companies and look at local car dealerships that might also offer car rentals.
2. Look for Discounts. The usual sites like Hotwire, Priceline and Kayak. But also check with your insurance company, Entertainment book and online.
3. Go Straight to the Companies Website. They run their own deals, that often time match up with coupons.
4. Don't get the gas package. When you do this you have to use as much as the gas as possible. You lose money if you bring it back with 2-3 gallons left in it. Especially with todays prices. Don't choose the option where they gas it up for you either. Gas it up yourself right before you return it.
5. Don't get the insurance. They will try and make you all nervous about not having and you will begin to second guess your decision. Call your insurance agent, chances are your current insurance covers rental cars. Not only that but make a call to your credit card companies and see if they have any coverage for rental cars.
6. Ask about additional fees. Can you drop it off early without a fee. What are the late fees? Can you drop it off at another location.
7. Watch for fees, everywhere. You will get charged a fee if you pick it up at the airport, but you probably won't be charged if you return it to the airport. So pick it up off site if you can.  Check your receipt for any additional fees you did not know about.  MSNBC warns about getting a ticket and not coming forward about it. Companies make you pay it and tack on a hefty fee. Same goes for electronic toll booths. Make sure you make the 20¢ payment so you are stuck with a $25 fine later.

BUT…

Make sure you don't worry yourself to death trying to get the absolute cheapest deal you can find.

WHAT?

I know. Don't kill yourself trying to save $2.  Go with a company you have used and like. Find a coupon and book it and move on.

Today I went straight to Hertz. After looking through Hotwire and Priceline I ended up getting a better price by just going to the site and grabbing one of their deals.

I didn't spend a ton of time after I realized that they all were about the same price. I just chose a company I liked and went with it.

photo courtesy of Mellicious at flickr

10. Seattle, Washington – I do love this place and yes, you do need to go in the summer, due to all the rain. Plenty to see.  We did the Underground Tour and loved it. We also hit Pikes place and the Space Needle, of course.

9. Europe – for those world travelers. Italy is a big destination as is Paris, France and Euro Disney. We have not been to Euro Disney, but we did pull up to the gates one time and longingly look in. We just didn't have time to go, yep, that's on the regret list too. At least we have done Paris a few times.

8. Alaska – Not only is this the time to cruise into Alaska, but it's also a time when RVer's make their way up. There are so many outdoor activities to choose from too. Something for everyone at this great out of the way state.

7. Vancouver, BC – We did this trip a few years back and had the time of our lives. Favorite part was biking around Stanley Park and walking around the, not yet complete, Athletes Village, for the Olympics.

6. Cedar Point – Yep, it's not open in the winter, so the summer is the peak season and many flock to this great attraction. I know we have.

5. Los Angeles/San Diego – both of these beautiful cities made the list. Not only are there plenty of beaches to walk, surf and swim, but the food around the areas is great too. Always a big plus for me.

4. Las Vegas – I just don't get this one. It's HOT there during the summer. But with all the great motels, great pools attached to all those hotels and plenty to see and do in and around the city, it also makes the list as a top travel destination.

3. Hawaii – With plenty of sunshine and lots of islands to hop and enjoy it's no surprise. Although I would choose this as a winter destination, not a summer, but it was on the list.

2. Disneyland/Disneyworld – Probably one of the busiest times to go, but many plan that Magical trip during the summer.

1. New York City – I have never been, but I would agree that this is probably a great summer destination.

What have I missed? What is one of your favorite summer destinations?

Looking for a coupon for the Oregon Coast Aquarium? Well, Groupon can hook you up through tomorrow.

This is a great place to visit will on vacation at the Oregon Coast. If you are headed this way or are in the area and have guests coming, you will want to jump on this deal.

To find this deal select Portland, OR as your city and find the deal there.

They are offering 2 Groupon deals or this ::

• $15 for 2 Adult Tickets
• $25 for 2 Adult Tickets and 2 Kid Tickets or Young Adult Tickets

I do live fairly close to this, and have to admit that I have never been. I might just need to grab this Groupon myself and head on down.

Not from Portland and not visiting anytime soon? That's fine, just choose a city that is nearest to you and watch the deals roll in.

Better yet, select your summer vacation destination and watch for spa deals, food deals, entertainment and more.

Enjoy!!

It's Spring break and that means travel. For some it means getting on a plane for others it means getting in your car.

If you fly, you don't have choices, but if you drive you can try and cut some costs.

If you haven't already done so,  you need to download GasBuddy on your iPhone, iPad or Android. This is a free download that tells you where the cheapest gas is in your current location.

This will be so nice when traveling, because sometimes gas stations can be as much at 5¢-10¢ a gallon different, and every little bit helps right?? No more straining your neck to see what the station across the way is selling their gas for.

Here are 6 Steps to Planning the Perfect Roller Coaster Vacation

Use Hotwire to save you money. Here's how to figure out what hotel you might be booking.

Do you really need to purchase that FlashPass?

Make sure you get the most out of your park.

Groupon is a great way to find good deals. Not only on food, but hotels, entertainment and spa. Just to name a few things. Make sure you add the city you will be vacationing to and watch it for deals.

Take the time to research the park you are going to, and make sure it will meet all the needs of your family. Our family does like Disneyland, but since we tend to be more of the thrill seeker type family, we have to head to places like Cedar Point. But for those that don't like thrill, Cedar point is not the best place for you.

My favorite money saving tip of all when going to amusement parks to ask for cups of water at the restaurants. Both Cedar Fair parks and Six Flags will give you cups upon request for FREE. Which is a whole lot cheaper than $4 for a small bottle.

Forced to buy the bottled water, then buy it from a vending machine so you don't have to pay sales tax. Every little bit counts, right?

Need a few more ideas, check out Frugal Dad.

Find a doctor anywhere anytime, while you travel and find one that takes your insurance with ZocDoc.

Want to make things even easier?  Grab the App for your phone and have it with you at all times.

You specify the type of doctor you need and your location and they can set you up with an appointment.

Now here's to hoping no one actually has to use this App.