Planning a Trip on a Budget

Lynesha McElveen stands over 6 feet tall in designer heels, has diva-esque taste and will be the first to tell you that she's a designer woman who shops til she drops on a budget. On Thursday night, Lynesha spoke at an event titled "Ballin on a Budget," hosted by Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, "Sweet" Alpha Pi Chapter, located at Clark Atlanta University. A crowd of over 60 Metro-Atlanta residents, college students, faculty and staff were in attendance.

Lynesha offered tips on how to save money, pay off debt, and find fabulous deals on a budget. She also gave attendees an insight on how to travel smart. Some of her smart traveling tips included:

1 - Sign up to get weekly alerts on current deals emailed to you. Sites that do this include: Travelzoo, Vacations to go, and many airlines.

2 - Be willing to get bumped from your flight. This works especially when traveling for pleasure, or if you don’t have to be somewhere by a certain time. Give up your seat and earn a free ticket.

3 - Find credit cards and programs that offer travel incentives. There are many cards that offer frequent flyer miles, and other travel rewards, including American Express and VISA.

4 - Purchase airline tickets to depart on Tuesdays or Thursdays. These are the best days to buy tickets. You can also find cheap tickets by flying out on the actual day of the holiday for less, i.e. flying on Thanksgiving or Christmas day.

5 - Find hotels that offer discounts to local shops and businesses. Ask the concierge for coupons booklets for products and services including massages, travel excursions, entertainment, and more.

Lynesha also recommended when traveling to ditch the heavy luggage, and instead pack everything in a backpack. Lynesha not only gave smart advice on traveling, but also on ways to secure your financial future. She insisted that you can still look cute, "Ballin on a Budget."

Lynesha McElveen is the owner of Liberty Educational Group (L.E.G.) and Cheer On The Move. She has a passion for working with people of all ages and educating them about their life, finances, and health.

Her work with L.E.G. gives her the opportunity to conduct seminars and coach people on how to attain financial literacy and increasse personal growth.

As the head coach of Cheer On The Move she trains girls and young women in excellence by developing self-esteem, character and discipline through cheerleading training.

Mrs. McElveen lives in Atlanta, Georgia where she works with teenagers as a Social Worker. She is a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and the Junior League of Atlanta. Lynesha and her husband, Rodney McElveen, are dedicated to improving the world around them by educating, empowering and serving others… one day at a time.

Sojourner Marable Grimmett is an Atlanta-based author who is recognized for writing about the joys and challenges of being a “stay-at-work” mom and connects with moms, both new and experienced, who have the responsibility of raising a family and maintaining a full-time job. Sojourner has been featured in FitPregnancy, iVillage, MacaroniKid.com, BlackCelebKids.com, MyAtlantaMoms.com, WhatToExpect.com, BlackandMarriedwithKids.com, Fox News, and CNN. She is married to her college sweetheart, Roland and they have two young sons, Roland Jay and Joshua. Visit her blog sojournermarablegrimmett.blogspot.com follow her on twitter and like her on Facebook. Also join her new campaign to support establishing lactation rooms in public places www.supporttablefortwo.org.