A fall mountain cabin we booked six months early
We booked an October cabin near Boone back in April. How booking early saved us $210, and the refund terms we read twice.…
Booking a motel direct instead of through a website
Same room, same dates, three prices. What happened when I called the front desk of a family-run motel in Southport instead.…
Splitting a Myrtle Beach condo with another couple
Two couples, a two-bedroom condo on the south end and $94 a night per couple. How we split the money and chores and stayed friends…
Staying with family without wearing out our welcome
My brother's couch in Wilmington has saved us hundreds. The house rules we follow, what we bring and when we book a motel instead.…
What we check before booking a $70 motel
Recent reviews, interior or exterior doors, and the parking lot test. The checks I run before booking a cheap motel off the inters…
A Pinehurst-area inn at half the golf-season price
Rooms near the golf courses are steep most of the year. In mid-December the same room was $118, and the village was quiet and lit …
Camping at Carolina Beach State Park in October
Cool nights, hardly any bugs and a $28 site near the marina. Why fall has become our favorite season to camp close to the coast.…
Charleston on a budget: staying in North Charleston
Downtown hotels wanted $289 a night. We stayed fifteen minutes out for $112, parked once and still walked the Battery and King Str…
A pet-friendly cabin near the Uwharrie for $105 a night
June the beagle came along this time. The cabin, the pet fee, the trails and what bringing a dog really adds to a weekend away.…
Our first state park campsite at Jones Lake
A $28 tent site an hour from home, a borrowed tent and a cooler of food. Does camping really save money for two people over forty?…
Two nights in a $79 motel on the Grand Strand in April
Myrtle Beach before summer prices kick in. How I picked an older oceanfront motel, what the room was like and what we paid in taxe…