COUPON UP THE CITY

9 times out of 10, being young and wanting to do so much, we can't A. fit everything into the schedule or B. can't fit all the opportunities a city has to offer into our budget. To solve this? The time-honored (maybe) coupon.

We're all familiar with GroupOn, LivingSocial...etc...the thing with these that appeals to us Localphiles is that 9 times out of always, they have deals for local restaurants, stores and even hotels. The restaurants tend to be up-and-coming newbies but sometimes they're the tried and true classics of the city. The stores are usually one of a kind and the hotels are almost always independent, boutique and seldom chains. It's like a coupon book to be local.

So here are the sites you should go on a few weeks prior to your trip to find deals in your destination city:

BlackboardEats- One of the most local I feel. It's usually about $1 for 30% off your bill. Gordon Ramsay's restaurant was recently on there. I purchased and ended up saving around $45 on my bill. All for just a dollar.

Groupon & Livingsocial - The gold standard for discounts. They have every discount from store coupons to restaurants. Get the iPhone apps as you can easily search all their other cities right from your phone. An added benefit is Living Socials' "Living Social Escapes". This less mainstream hotel discount site.

Jetsetter - Gilt.com's travel discount site. The best if looking for a heavily discounted room wherever you are heading. When I travelled to Lake Arrowhead last year, I booked my room here for 50% off. Definitely worth it. Get their iPad and iPhone apps.

Scoutmob - Another great general discount site. Overflowing with local businesses for you to enjoy for cheaper than the locals would pay. There you go!

And if you don't find local fare on those sites, you still might be able to get a deal on something such as a $30 towncar ride in from the airport to your hotel. That half off savings can be money you spend at a great local shop like City Lights Bookstore in San Francisco or Todd Jurich's Bistro in Norfolk, VA.

-Justin