Happy Tuesday! 🤗

Is it just me, or does December have you losing track of what day it is while your brain runs through a list of 1,001 things to do? If you’re feeling that too, just know you’re not alone. 🙋‍♀️

A lot of us are looking ahead to next year’s travel… while also feeling the holiday spending pinch at the same time. Me too! 🙋‍♀️

Spoiler alert: I even ended up booking our summer vacation on a whim recently which reminded me how much easier trip planning feels when you don’t overthink it. I’ll share more soon. 💕

And since this time of year is packed with travel sales, flash deals, and cashback offers, I wanted to share a few tips to help you save money on family travel especially if you're hoping to stretch your dollars a little further this month. I know I am.

This email may contain affiliate or referral links. They cost you nothing to use, but I may earn a small commission or bonus that helps support my travel content business. Thank you for being here. It truly means so much.

1. Check Rakuten for 10–15% cash back before booking anything

Rakuten has been offering 10% and even 15% cash back on travel retailers lately — especially Hotels.com, Expedia, Travelocity, and VRBO.

I recently booked a VRBO and earned 10% cash back, which is huge when you're planning a family trip. It is quite a bit of money to put back in your pocket.

I talked about Rakuten last week, but it truly is one of the easiest ways to save money on travel — and it’s honestly so fun getting what they call your “Big Fat Check” in the mail.

If you're new to Rakuten, it's a free website and browser extension that gives you cash back when you book hotels or shop online. It may sound too good to be true, but it really is that good. There are no strings attached. Most major online retailers participate, so chances are you’re already shopping at places that offer cash back.

If you want to try it, here’s my referral link. 👇It gives you a bonus when you sign up and make purchases using Rakuten(and helps support this busy mom life over here):
​www.rakuten.com/r/KATIEW2006?eeid=28187​

Quick tip: Add the browser extension and it automatically alerts you when cashback is available.

2. Book Spring Break hotels sooner rather than later

Prices almost always jump in January, especially for family-friendly hotels.
And since most hotels are fully refundable, you can grab the room type you want now and adjust later. I do this ALL the time.

Benefits:
✔ lower prices
✔ better availability
✔ cashback + seasonal promotions often stack

3. Where to look for the best travel savings (so you don’t waste time searching)

Here are a few retailers that consistently offer real deals and stack with Rakuten:

Travel Sites (offer Rakuten cashback):

• Hotels.com
• Expedia
• Booking.com
• Viator (great for activities + tours)
• VRBO

Family-Friendly Hotel Brands (offer Rakuten cashback):

• IHG (Holiday Inn Express, Staybridge Suites)
• Marriott (Residence Inn, SpringHill Suites, Fairfield Inn & Suites, TownePlace Suites)

Family-Friendly Hotel Brands (not on Rakuten but worth checking for seasonal sales):

• Hilton (Home2 Suites, Embassy Suites, Homewood Suites)
• Hyatt (Hyatt Place, Hyatt House)

Airlines & Packages (not on Rakuten, but still worth checking for seasonal sales):

• Southwest
• Delta Vacations

4. The easy stacking trick most people don’t know

This is my favorite way to maximize savings:

Rakuten → Hotels.com (find a promo code) → pay with your travel card.

You’ll get:
✔ cashback
✔ promo code savings
✔ credit card points

No extra steps needed.

This same idea works on other travel sites too like Expedia, Booking.com, and Viator.

5. What NOT to do when hunting for travel deals

A little mom-to-mom honesty:

• Don’t book a trip you’re not excited about.
• Don’t assume flights are cheapest now (they usually aren’t).
• Don’t buy travel gear just because it’s on sale.
• Don’t let the deals pressure you. If you’re not ready to book a trip, don’t do it.

Doable > perfect.

And here’s the part we don’t talk about enough:

• Don’t slip into analysis paralysis. If you find a deal for a place you actually want to go, check the cancellation policy… and if it’s refundable and feels right, go for it.
• Don’t compare your deal to someone else’s. Planning a trip should feel good, and it should be about your family, your budget, and what works for you.

✨ Mindset for December

Take it easy. Don’t add anything to your already full plate. If you’re not ready to plan next year’s trip yet, just wait. There is no rush, and you’re not behind.

Travel should feel exciting, not like another task on your to-do list. When you’re ready, you’ll make the right choice for your family, in a way that fits your life.

Stay tuned for more packing tips, behind-the-scenes travel hacks, and inspiration to make your trips feel doable and fun. I’m all about helping you make family travel as smooth as possible, so you can create memories without the headache.

Thanks for being part of the Travel Tuesday community, and I can’t wait to connect again soon!💕

✨ Want to make planning even easier?

If you want travel to feel less chaotic, my Travel Itinerary Planner + Packing List helps you keep everything in one place as we go into the holidays.

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Wishing you a little extra calm and a few bright moments in the middle of this very full season. 💛

May you LOVE your adventure!

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