Reporter
Marla Jo Fisher
Marla Jo Fisher was a workaholic hard news reporter before she adopted two children from foster care at age 46, picked up a scruffy dog along the way and somehow managed to keep them all alive, at least so far. She now writes the Frumpy Middle-Age Mom humor column that appears in the Orange County Register weekly. Due to her status as the cheapest person alive, she also writes about deals and bargains for the Register, including her Cheapo Travel column which also runs in newspapers around the country. When she's not having a nervous breakdown, she's usually traveling somewhere cheaply and writing about it.
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Here’s when you can visit all national parks for free in 2025
I recommend going before the crack of dawn, because these free days are popular and you'll find lots of people on the most visited trails.

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17 tips for having a great cruise down the Nile River in Egypt
Prepare yourself emotionally for the crowds, because most if not all of the Nile boats cruising the same route stop at these temples at the exact same time.

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How to eat great food in New Orleans without going broke
You don't have to splurge to feast on fine cuisine in the Crescent City.

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The best places to go in Mexico to celebrate Day of the Dead
The southern Mexican state of Oaxaca and the island town of Patzcuaro are the most legendary for their ancient and colorful traditions.

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Travel: What it’s like to see a concert inside the Sphere in Las Vegas
The inside of the glowing orb along The Strip is as amazing as the outside.

What you need to know before you go to a national park this summer
Many of the more popular parks have enacted reservation requirements to reduce crowding and traffic jams.

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How to get a free doughnut on National Doughnut Day, June 7
Here are some tasty ways to celebrate the day.

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Free National Park Day is coming on Saturday, April 20
All national parks and monuments are free to visit on the opening day of National Park Week.

12 things that you can buy on sale in January
Here are a few things that you should consider buying in January, because they'll be on sale — like really on sale, not like those phony Black Friday deals.

12 things that you can buy on sale in January
Here are a few things that you should consider buying in January, because they'll be on sale — like really on sale, not like those phony Black Friday deals.