15 Apr Groupon Coupons helps find savings for NJ families

by Groupon.com

Yesterday, I bumped into a friend of mine whom I hadn’t seen for a while, a father with two young children, while grabbing a sandwich for lunch. I usually make my lunch at home and carry it in, however this morning I left a little bit earlier than normal and in the interest of time, decided I’d grab something out the local shop instead. It all seemed pretty serendipitous; the rare day I decide to grab lunch I also bump into my pal. So we decided to catch up.

His second child, a girl, was now 16 months, walking though not yet talking. His first child, a boy, would turn three this June. He showed me pictures and told me I should stop by. Overall, he seemed happy, though a bit tired, which is to be expected. With a one-year-old and a three-year-old, he basically comes home to a toy explosion after work.

The only time he got the slightest bit melancholy was when we discussed the coming summer. In Jersey, the winter had been especially brutal this year. Spring was in the air, so the weekends had shifted from being bunkered in, to the kids itching to get out. What he wanted more than anything was to gather up his wife and kids and get out of the city for a couple weeks for a real vacation. He told me that when he was growing up, his father, much like himself, worked a lot. Every summer though, regardless of the circumstances, he made sure that a family trip was taken. The memories of his childhood summers were bittersweet; the thought of not being the kind of father his father was weighed on him.

After a few minutes I had to change his mood. I reminded him that his kids were only one and three; it wouldn’t take much to impress them for at least ten years. He said that when he was a child he and all of his siblings had passports before they could speak. I pointed out that a trip to the passport agency was a field trip all by itself. He said that he really wanted his kids to experience being on a plane for the first time. I reminded him that we lived within minutes from Newark Liberty International Airport, the first major airport in the country, and a hub for all of the major airlines. I asked him if he had any family outside of Jersey and he reminded me that he has a brother who lived in Fort Lauderdale. I asked if he had enough space to put them up for a week and he replied, “plenty.”

That was all I needed to hear. Right then and there I pulled out my smartphone and began looking at summer flights. Most airlines also have a policy where kids can fly free below a certain age. Within ten minutes we had tentative dates and flights. We were even able to find a discounted rental car at Fox Rent A Car at Fort Lauderdale airport courtesy of Groupon Coupons.

At the end of lunch my friend seemed to skip back to the office. The only real adjustments that needed to be made were his outlook and planning. Had his father been there, I’m sure he would have advised him the same.

Check out Groupon Coupons’ offers for New Jerseyans at Groupon.com.

This story was first posted in April 2015.

This is a sponsored section. The advisors have paid a fee to post their commentary here. Their sponsorship doesn’t influence any editorial decisions we make at NJMoneyHelp.com, or give them more or less exposure in our stories. Their posting does not constitute an endorsement by NJMoneyHelp.com.