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The best time to travel is in the holidays, right? Not if you want to make big savings on your traveling costs it’s not. If you travel in off peak (or low season) periods, or even in the shoulder season, you’ll find traveling costs a lot less.

Where are you traveling? Do you know the peak travel times for this destination? Summer and spring, no matter where you are, are generally considered the peak seasons to travel, unless you are a winter sports enthusiast. In that case, ski resorts will be having their peak season in winter. And what hemisphere are you thinking of visiting? The seasons differ depending on whether you are north or south. For example, the North America summer months are June, July, August but in Australia the summer months are December, January and February. You will need to research your destination to find out the low season times to visit.

First of all, what type of savings can you expect to make if you travel in the off-peak season?

1. Air fares are much cheaper. There are less people wanting to fly so air carriers drop their prices to attract customers. Take advantage of these great savings. If you are traveling in the high season, see if you can book a flight mid-week. These flights are generally cheaper too.

2. Accommodation is cheaper and more readily available. In high season it can be difficult to find a place to stay in popular tourist destinations and when you do find somewhere it can be up to twice as much as when traveling in the off peak.

3. Eating in restaurants can be cheaper too. Owners will be trying to attract patrons so see what sort of deals you can find when eating out.

There are some other positives to traveling in the off peak season, other than saving money. There are fewer tourists for one, so visiting any cultural sight will be much more enjoyable. You can get more of an idea of what a destination is really like without the thousands of extra people. Experiencing the true culture is a real bonus. Did you know that opera season is in full swing in Europe in winter? Or that winter in Australia is often the best time to visit places in the north when the humidity and heat are bearable. Or how about visiting the best holiday markets in Germany in December? Do some research to find out what your chosen destination can offer in off peak, ones that you won’t experience in high season travel times.

So what are the negatives of traveling in the off peak? Well there are a few, but if you plan well you can overcome most drawbacks. Off peak usually means traveling in colder weather and that also means less daylight hours. Pack wisely and remember to dress in layers for the cold weather. Some tourist places close earlier or do not open at all in the off peak, so check up before you go so you are not disappointed. You will also find that in some areas the public transport system does not run as often as in peak tourist season. Find out what options you have to get to places and don’t be caught out missing the last bus home in the middle of winter, in the middle of nowhere! Some hotels and museums close down for the winter to re-furbish and get ready for the next high season influx of tourists. You can gamble and bargain your way to a great accommodation deal once you get to your destination, but all your bartering skills will be of no use if the hotels are all closed. It’s best to check what’s open before you go.

If traveling in the off-peak doesn’t sound attractive to you, then you might like to try the shoulder season and still get some travel price reductions. The shoulder season is considered the period leading up to and away from the high season. Usually in this time you’ll get decent weather, less crowds and lower travel costs – not the great bargains you’ll get in off peak, but lower costs nonetheless.

This article is brought to you by: Stuart S. Travel – Your Online Travel Guru

www.stuartstravel.com

Ever had the desire to quit your lame 9 to 5 job, tell your boss to shove it, pack up and start traveling the world?

All of us have had that desire at one point! The thing that stopped you was probably the same thing that stops most people: money.

“How will I pay for my flights, food, lodging, transportation, yada, yada, yada,” you asked yourself.

Don’t let these concerns bother you too much, because there is an underground, growing group of travelers who are utilizing some simple but hidden techniques to make significant incomes while traveling.

Here’s an overview of how we make money traveling and by landing travel jobs:

Underground Travel Income Method #1 – Traditional Travel Job - Hold a job that either a) pays for us to travel or b) is located in the place we wish to travel to. This is the lowest paying and most complicated method of all, but is the most commonplace.

Common jobs that pay for travels are for professional speakers, salespeople, package couriers, flight attendants, travel nurses/doctors, conservationists, cruise ship workers, etc.

Travel jobs located in the places we wish to go to can be any of the above, but also are specific to the location we travel to. There are some FUN jobs overseas that are looking for foreign workers!

Underground Travel Income Method #2 – Travel Writing – Travel writing jobs for magazines are more common than you may imagine. However, there are LOADS of other ways to write as you travel and make money, including blogging, picking up projects from sites like Elance and Guru, and writing travel guides, both online and offline.

Underground Travel Income Method #3 – Selling Affiliate Products – Using a simple website, you can drive online traffic to a product that will be of interest to your online followers. Don’t be intimidated by this! It can be as easy as using your very own Facebook or Myspace profile. Affiliate products typically pay 50% to 75%, so you can make a very healthy income for selling just a few objects.

Underground Travel Income Method #4 – Filming Your Adventures – If you’ve got the camera out and you’re taking pictures, why not switch it to ‘film’ mode and make money from it? You simply make a video of your destinations using iMovie or Windows Movie Maker, then use your videos to create a customer base!

Underground Travel Income Method #5 – Podcasting – If filming scares you off or intimidates you, you can make an iTunes podcast. It is easier than ever to get listed in iTunes and there’s a HUGE audience of podcast listeners. Simply talk about the places you visit two or three times a week and watch how your following grows… and how your bank account grows!

Underground Travel Income Method # 6 – Ebay – The common misconception about Ebay is that you have to sell a physical product to make money. Here’s the trick: You can set up a fulfillment house to ship your product (or hire your little sister or the neighborhood kid). All you have to do is create your Ebay post from an internet café and collect the money!

Take any one of these six ‘travel job’ methods, and there are hundreds of travelers all over the world making more money than they would at a regular ‘job…’ and they’re living it up at exotic, world-class destinations. Take your pick, and take action on the ideas here!

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Folly Beach is located just southeast of Charleston, SC and about a 15 minute drive from downtown.  It is a barrier island with 19 total square miles, with 6 of it being water.  Folly Beach has an eclectic mixture of older beach bungalows and the obvious newly constructed larger homes.  As you drive over the Folly River to get to the beach, you will find a colorful blend of surf shops, restaurants, pubs, and beach stores- all heavily visited in the summer months by tourists and locals alike.  Many of the locals here refer to Folly Beach as the “Edge of America”.  It has the Atlantic Ocean on one side, and the Folly River on the backside of the island, with many tidal creeks and marsh that extend for miles.  This allows for great views and ocean breezes whether living on the “marsh side” of the island, or on the beach.

Folly Beach real estate is ever changing.  We’re seeing the transition from older single story beach homes to new, larger homes with all the upgrades and features any discreet buyer might want.  Here on Folly, you can choose a Key West style, small 1,000 square foot older beach house with character, or you can choose a large 4,000+ square foot oceanfront estate, with a walk to the beach from your backyard.  Historically, property values have climbed over 250% in the last 15 years, making real estate on Folly Beach a superb investment.

Affordability is a great advantage for Folly Beach.  Folly Beach enjoys some of the least expensive beach-living prices around Charleston.  Folly Beach homes for sale typically start in the low 400’s, with oceanfront homes starting just over 1 million.  Many find this to be an affordable spot to live, with close proximity to town, while still living at the beach.  The other islands that are in close proximity to downtown Charleston hold much higher prices than Folly Beach, making it an easy choice for some.

Another option that many are looking into is Folly Beach condos.  This affords a less expensive price tag, while still living the island lifestyle.  Condos are a great option for those that are planning on being at Folly Beach for only a certain amount of time during the year, or for those that don’t want to bother with the upkeep that a single family home requires.  Options for condos include condos on Folly Beach outside of the Folly River, condos on the Folly River, and condos with ocean views and/or beachfront condos.  Condos in general outside of the Folly River start in the 200’s.  These are all within biking distance to the ocean, but on the other side of the Folly River from the beach.  Examples of these would be Pelican Pointe Villas, Palmettos at Folly, and those on Little Oak Island.  Condos on the Folly River start in the 300’s.  These are within walking distance to the shops, restaurants, and the beach.  Mariners Cay, Marsh Winds, and Turn of River are fine examples of those on the Folly River.  Condos at the beach typically start in the 4 to 500’s.  There are the condos with an ocean view, and being within a couple hundred yards from the beach or closer.  These are Pavilion Watch, Ocean Pointe Villas, and Pier Pointe.  Oceanfront condos typically start in the 500-700’s, and can go into the millions.  These provide unobstructed views of the Atlantic.

Retirement at Folly Beach is an excellent option.  Since ocean property values are still significantly lower in comparison to the rest of the coastal country, many people from out of state are finding it an affordable opportunity to live at the beach.  We have historic, downtown Charleston only minutes away.  Make a quick excursion into town for the afternoon exploring all of the history that this wonderful city has to offer.  There are several (if not dozens) of award-winning restaurants that have a lowcountry flair, available to satisfy any palate.  Charleston has great shopping, parks, carriage tours, theaters, art exhibits, and a great nightlife.  Enjoy the outdoors?  Folly Beach has chartered inshore and offshore fishing tours, an avid kayak and surfing community, and plenty of shells for the beachcombing enthusiast.  All in all, Folly Beach is a great place to live.  Long walks at the beach in the evenings with your toes in the sand seem to be about as relaxing as one can get.  Come see why so many call Folly Beach, home!

Looking for Folly Beach SC real estate? Search the MLS for Folly Beach condos and townhouses as well as all other Folly Beach real estate property types!