Astor Crowne Plaza Coupons

Phoenix, Las Vegas and Palm Springs start cooling off as we head into autumn. With travel prices (as well as temperatures) down from summer highs, the Southwest is a great place to head for some golfing fun. 

I really love to travel, but sometimes I wish I could just unwind for a week without any of the stress of packing, planning and spending lots of money.  A staycation, a vacation spent at home, is a perfect alternative to the typical vacation. The planning can't be helped unless I want to be a hermit and not leave my house, but I can avoid packing and save a bunch of money on the cost of a hotel and gas or airline tickets, yipee!

This week Donald Trump becomes a viable presidential contender (really), gas prices go up and Obama panics, people are fooled by the word "healthy," and owning an iPhone is like having a GPS unit implanted in your body.

There aren't many things that sound cheaper or more relaxing than a trip to the beach -- especially at this time of year. (If you live in a landlocked state, there's likely a local swimming hole that draws families with similarly cool water and sunny conditions.) But if there's one thing these places have in common, it's--surprise--high prices that make the whole trip less relaxing and more taxing.

Sure, there are ways to save money in the cold, too, but you need to be in the right mindset for summer if you want to come out on top.

Here are five ways to spend less at the beach so you can beat the money trap and stay focused on the good stuff: