It’s Chicago’s premier convention center, spanning four connected buildings.  Thanks to its widely attended shows and its location near the Loop, it may be the best-known venue for conventions anywhere in the Midwest!  The McCormick Place means business.

If you’re in town for a trade show or convention, save yourself the expensive transportation costs by booking a hotel near McCormick Place in Chicago.

Make your reservations through Orbitz for the guaranteed lowest rate every time you travel.  Plus, take an additional 10% off the cost of your stay with Orbitz coupons!

Hyatt Regency McCormick Place Chicago

• Directly connected to McCormick Place
• Heated indoor lap pool & sun deck
• Free shuttle available to popular spots on the Loop
• Spacious work area & wireless internet in every room

Ramada Inn Lake Shore Chicago

• Located just minutes from McCormick Place
• Free on-site parking available
• Pool & restaurant located on the hotel’s grounds
• Select rooms feature sweeping lake vistas

The Wheeler Mansion Chicago

• Walk five minutes to McCormick Place
• Gourmet breakfast served daily
• Complimentary parking

Tell Me What’s Going On

Chicago Memorial Day Parade (May 23rd)

If you’re in town for the weekend of the 23rd, take a quick trip to the Loop for Chicago’s Memorial Day Parade.  Watch the procession of past, present and future patriots before you grab a bite to eat at one of Chicago’s famous downtown restaurants.

Know a friend or loved one who would appreciate a Memorial Day gift?  Check out 1-800-Flowers for a section of gifts devoted to this day of remembrance.  Save 15% off orders of $49.99 or more with 1-800-Flowers coupons.

When I was a kid, I looked forward to dental appointments. No, I wasn’t big on the drill. And no, I loathed how the hygienist would nag me to floss more.

I liked them because after the cleaning, I’d get access to The Goody Drawer. It was full of toys, posters, stickers, pencils, and even candy (which I thought was odd, but it didn’t stop me from grabbing a lollipop or two)!

Calling all dentists, teachers, and doctors! Put a smile on any kid’s face when you give out affordable novelties like the ones mentioned above. You won’t have to drop money like confetti when you use free SmileMakers coupons by July 1. Enjoy free shipping and 10% off your order!

Here’s a sneak peek of what you can expect to find at SmileMakers:

• Monkey Tooth Holder Necklaces - Hello, if this isn’t the coolest way to sport a tooth in public, then I don’t know what is
• Happy Tooth Stress Balls - Relieve your stress! Squeeze a tooth!
• Sugar-Free Pop Rocks - Enjoy fizzy goodness without the fear of cavities
• Glowing Eye Balls - You could play Eye Spy, or you could bounce an eyeball instead
• Ultimate Treasure Chests - Arr, Captain! Thar lies the pirate booty!
• Transformers Pencils - They’re more than meets the eye. They also make great classroom rewards

Purchase a generous variety, and light up the little one’s eyes today. When you shop at SmileMakers, putting a smile on their faces is a given!

Today’s frugal tips post comes from Karina of FabulousSavings.com. Trust me – this girl has done her fair share of traveling, and she’s full of money-saving travel tips. -Shayna

I’m not a regular blogger here, so let me introduce myself.

Hi. My name is Karina, and I’m a Travelholic.

I’m addicted to traveling. I can’t last a year without going on at least one major trip. But that doesn’t mean I’m willing to break the bank to achieve my travel fix. The solution is simple. Don’t say no to travel. Instead, travel smarter and more frugally. Follow along as I outline some tips forcheap travel overseas.

Flying? Do Your Research

Flying may be the only option, but that doesn’t mean you’re tied down to one airline. The first of my tips for traveling overseas is that the Internet is your best friend when trip planning. Take advantage of it and research every flight option available from a variety of airlines. Sometimes you can find even unexpected overseas travel deals.

The simplest way to do this is to use Kayak. Enter your travel details, and Kayak will spit out every flight option that fits within your requirements. Since the results are sorted from lowest to most-expensive price, you can easily see which flight will be the cheapest.

Dial Down on Accommodations

The easiest of overseas travel tips to lower expenses is by booking a cheaper hotel. I’m not saying you should stay at a hole in the wall, but there’s no need for a four- or five-star hotel.

When planning for our trip to Spain, my friends all brought to the table different skills. What I offered is my arsenal of travel coupons for overseas travel deals! Not only did I find a super cheap (but clean!) hotel on Orbitz, I also saved us 10% by using Orbitz coupons.

Budget Travel Activities

The best way to figure out sightseeing spots is to get a travel guidebook. However, they don’t come cheap. Don’t bother buying the newest version. Instead, hit up secondhand bookstores. They usually have travel guidebooks that are expired by a year or two. These generally offer the same attraction information as the updated versions, although the hours of operation or prices may have changed. To get around this, simply go online to see what the updated hours and rates are.

And from my discount arsenal for cheap travel overseas, I present you Viator coupons. Viator is the ultimate resource for buying tickets to travel attractions in every major city worldwide. Chances are you’ll find attractions listed on Viator that you were planning on seeing. But if you order online ahead of time and use Viator coupons, you’ll save 7%!

Bon voyage! Stay tuned tomorrow for travel advice in USA.