Travel like a rockstar ...

It's not secret that Chris and I love to travel.

Over the course of my being a stay-at-home mom, I have been asked if I have a trust fund and been snarked at for taking Collin on three vacations before he turned one. I just shrug. Because of my admittedly fabulous money-saving skills, we have been able to take some really fun trips over the years.

I'll flat out admit that I am not big on A) road trips and B) family vacations. I don't find either relaxing -- spending hour upon hour in a car, or spending day after day with family members, can be physically and mentally wearing. Been there, done that, and don't really want to go any further than Pullman. Thanks.

On the other hand, I will gladly board a five-hour flight to Hawaii for a week. And, when all is said and done, it can be just as affordable as a weeklong road trip when you factor in gas, hotels, food, etc.

So I present my top five tips for traveling like a rockstar -- on a backup singer's budget.

1. Travel in the offseason: One of the smarter things that we do is go to destinations when they aren't as hot (or are literally extremely hot). High season in Hawaii is April through November, so we went this year in March, and the cost was considerably less than in the spring or summer. I have been to Maui five times; twice in the winter/early spring, and I vastly prefer it. Lines are shorter, planes are less crowded, condos are cheaper, etc. The water isn't going to be as warm at certain times of the year, but you also may be spared from having to see old, hairy men in transparent white speedos strutting along the beach. (Unfortunate true story.)

Of the four times we have been to Las Vegas in the last three years, the best time (morning sickness aside) was when we went the weekend before Thanksgiving in 2008. Hotel rates were dirt cheap and we were able to stay at the Mandalay Bay for four nights for a fraction of the cost of two nights during more popular times of the year, generally March through May, and September through November. The last time we hit Sin City, for our anniversary this year, we went at the end of June and prices were also very reasonable -- and the temperature very high. While 105 degrees in dry heat may deter some people, our craptastic summer here in Washington made it VERY appealing. Besides, there's nothing like a cool drink on a hot day.

2. Shop around: Don't automatically assume that Expedia or Travelocity is going to be the best deal. I have found great rates through Costco Travel, on the airlines' websites, and through smaller online travel agencies. I bought my ticket to San Francisco in April through Hotwire, which isn't as well known as others, but I got a $10 rebate by using a booking code I found in my Entertainment Book -- and the price was the same as on United.com. Hey, $10 is $10 -- or, in my case, three skinny vanilla lattes! I was about 90 seconds away from booking a great Vegas package on Expedia for January 2008 when I saw a pop-up for Travelocity, zoomed over there and noticed they were offering $50 off for booking with an American Express. Sold. I also have found great deals on car rentals by going with local agencies rather than Hertz or Avis. Sure, the cars may not be as fancy, but ... it's a rental car.

3. Don't get hung up on little details: For being as Type A as I am, I don't stress about certain things when it comes to travel. If you want to check a bag, just do it. Yes, it's annoying to pay $25 just so you don't have to carry all your underwear around with you, but it's a hell of a lot better to just plan to do it rather than get stopped at security or the gate for having excess carry-ons and being forced to check them -- for a fee. (And no, this hasn't happened to me. I pack like a girl, and therefore couldn't go somewhere overnight with a measly carry-on. Because of this, I could never backpack across Europe -- not that I'd want to.)

And if you don't have time to buy food at the gate, don't sweat it; most of the airlines offer reasonably priced fresh food. I had a fabulous antipasto plate on the way to Maui that was just as good as something in a bistro. Some of the airlines even feed you for free (Continental and Hawaiian are among them) but trust me on this: If you eat the barbecue beef sandwich on Continental, your chances of getting brain cancer are probably going to increase since they heat them in the nasty plastic bag. Stick with the salad. It's a lot safer.

4. Lie: It's probably wrong to advocate lying, but I'm a sucker for a nice hotel room. Have I mentioned that I've been on my honeymoon TWICE this year? And once with a 9-month-old, no less? Seriously, the hotels, especially in Vegas, are hurting for business in this economy, and they don't seem too put out to give you a better room. I generally don't care too much about the room size because I'm usually not in it much, but hey, a strip-view at the Planet Hollywood is pretty nifty, and an ocean-view condo is VERY nice. And if you're a more ethical person than me, offering a tip the person checking you in never hurts. Chances are they won't take it -- it's illegal in most hotels in Vegas -- but it will likely get you bumped up a floor or two.

5. Prioritize: One benefit of repeat trips for us is that we don't feel a need to fill our $25-to-check suitcases with every souvenir in sight. Sure, we get a shirt or two, or an addition to my Starbucks city mug collection, but we have other priorities. Simply put, we're foodies. We love trying local cuisine, from alligator in New Orleans (that wasn't me) to Kahlua pig in Hawaii (that was definitely me) and we budget accordingly. In Maui, where nothing is exactly a bargain, that means going to Costco for staples such as milk, cereal and snacks (another benefit of staying in a condo) and eating dinner out. That way, we aren't wasting money on breakfast (which is usually a yogurt for me) and paying $4 for a bag of chips at a beachside cafe. And while we enjoy a stop at the Hard Rock Cafe or Bubba Gump's (and not just in Hawaii, either), we also look for local hot-spots where the food is fabulous, fresh and often comes in heaping portions.

In Vegas, we love the buffets. LOVE. And we greatly benefited from the Buffet of Buffets promotion when we were there in June. For $34.99 each, we had a 24-hour pass to use at any of the Harrahs property buffets. Considering a dinner buffet at one of the higher-end hotels can run you close to $30, we were ecstatic -- and planned accordingly. We bought the pass at The Paris on our first night around 7 p.m., had a fabulous dinner of French cuisine, hit Planet Hollywood for a late breakfast/early lunch the next day around 11:30, and then went back for their dinner buffet at 6 p.m. We saved more than $100 by using this pass. We also found coupons for places at which we wanted to eat in coupon books given to us at check-in. Given how much we saved, we splurged on dinner at Spago to celebrate our wedding anniversary. Two words: Fab. Ulous.

And furthermore, don't feel obligated to book sightseeing excursions when you're making your trip reservations. You may change your mind, or end up pressed for time, and I have found that a lot of times, you can find just as good, if not a better deal, by waiting until you're there. Between coupon books, deals for staying at certain properties and rates depending on when you're visiting, you can have a great time for a steal. Show tickets in Vegas can be a real bargain provided that you're willing to wait until the day of to buy them. If we had booked a luau with our travel package to Maui, we would have paid $95 a person. It turned out that Maui Kaanapali Villas has a partnership with the Hyatt Regency Luau, and we were given a voucher at check-in for a buy one, get one free luau. Total cost: $95 for two people.

Poi has never tasted better than when it's a bargain.