Reading a beach cottage's hurricane policy before we paid
We booked three nights on the Outer Banks for late September. What the rental company's cancellation and storm rules really said.…
Who keeps June when we're gone
Wes's sister, a $32-a-night kennel and one bad try with a sitter app. How we sort out care for our beagle mix before every trip.…
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…
Using cash-back on gas without chasing rewards
One no-annual-fee card, paid in full every month, used for gas and groceries. What it earned us and the rules we keep about it.…
How we find the cheaper gas on I-95 and I-74
Prices can swing 30 cents between exits. How I check prices before we leave, the cheap stretches we know and the exits we skip.…
A day trip to Lake Norman on one tank of gas
Two hours each way, a state park swimming beach, a picnic and $41 in gas. How we did a summer lake day without renting a boat.…
Keeping the CR-V's AC alive in a 97-degree July
Our air conditioning started blowing warm on I-95. What Wes checked first, the $165 repair and how we keep the car cool on long dr…
Lumbee Homecoming week, the trip we don't drive to
Every summer Wes's hometown of Pembroke fills with family coming home. Why we stay put that week, what we spend and the food we wa…
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.…