Using Ebates to Save Even More on Travel

Did you know that you can basically get paid to travel and shop [for your travel gear and clothing] for things you buy everyday? You can and Ebates will pay you for it. I never buy or book anything without first checking Ebates. So, what IS Ebates? It's a fantastic - and free! - site that offers you cash back for purchasing from online merchants. If you plan to make a purchase anyway, you might as well get something for being a loyal customer (or even a new customer). 

Here's how it works: Sign up is quick and easy, then you're ready to shop! When you have a hankering to buy something, say, at Sephora, go to Ebates, sign in, click on Sephora and it takes you straight to the main website. You must go through Ebates, so they can track your purchase. At checkout, make sure you use the same email address you used to sign up on Ebates and within a few days, your purchase will show up in your account. You can track your cash back total to see how much you saved and then every quarter, Ebates sends you a Big Fat Check (if you choose that method) or a Big Fat Payment via Paypal. You even get $5 just for signing up! Who else does that? If there are coupon codes available or special sales, Ebates will show them to you, helping you save even MORE!

I like to use my cash back as a travel savings supplement. Each time I make a purchase, I rack up cash and then it gets deposited right to my Paypal account. I use that money to purchase travel stuffs, like Groupons, clothing, tours and more! If I can get more cash back with it, even better! Of course, you can use it for whatever you want. 

Stores you can shop at: Ebates has, literally, hundreds of online merchants you can choose from, including a long list of travel merchants. Just a sampling of those include: TravelSmith, Holiday Inn, Avis, Alaska Airlines, Camping World, Orbitz, Air France, Delta Airlines, HomeAway and even SkyMall! Keep your eyes out for the Daily Double. Each day one awesome merchant offers double cash back on your purchases for the day. 

And now, you can easily get cash back through Ebates by downloading the app to your computer. When you go to a website that accepts Ebates, the app will add a banner to the top of your screen letting you know, then you can can click on the banner and it will automatically put you through your Ebates account and straight back to the site. That's it. One click and you're on your way to getting money back. I always like to check out the Ebates site anyway, because they include any active coupon codes, so you can save even more. Haven't signed up for Ebates yet? Do it now.

What's on Your Travel Bucket List?

Life is too short to put off the things you've always wanted to do, including travel. In fact, with a bit of planning, you can make it to nearly any destination that you desire. Most of us have a travel bucket list, which I like to call a Live It List, because I'm actively working through it. We have planned to visit Puerto Rico in 2016 and hope to make it to Spain, Greece and Turkey in the next 10 years. As you know, we try to intersperse our expensive trips with more affordable ones - last year we visited Europe, so this year we went to Williamsburg and DC. If you have any of the following 10 places on your wish list, you might want to start planning on how to get there, since some places, including these, will not be around forever.

What destinations are on your travel wish list? Have you already made it through some of your list?

Skip the Beach and Check Into a Salt Room

Here in Portland we don’t get a lot of sun, even outside of Winter. Much of the time you go to the beach, you still have to wear long sleeves or a rain jacket. Going to the beach can be super-relaxing and gives your body much-needed vitamins. Mostly I like to go to the beach to walk along the sand and then go shopping, but my husband likes to go and attempt to swim, then run back and lie in whatever sun there might be, which usually isn’t much. So, instead of wasting 3 hours driving to and from the beach, we have found a new way to visit the beach throughout the whole year: salt caves.

Salt caves are rooms that are made of salt from the Dead Sea. The floor is covered in salt and feels like walking on the beach. The salt is a natural ionizer, which pulls impurities out of the air and the minerals permeate the air to help cure ailments like eczema, acne, allergies and respiratory issues like asthma. A regular session is 45-50 minutes and is the equivalent of 3 days at the beach. What a great way to soak up all that goodness in a short amount of time!

You go in and sit in a lounge chair and they turn down the lights for you to relax. Generally, there are only a few people in the room at a time, and in some places, you can have your own cave to yourself. I spend my time blogging on my phone or checking email and, even though I’m technically working, it allows me to concentrate and unwind at the same time. You can sit in the salt if you want or just dig your toes in (as you remove your shoes before entering). Of course, some we've been to require you to wear socks or booties.

They keep the room comfortable, so it’s almost like being at the beach. It is suggested that you wear loose clothing in order to get the full effects of the salty air. This allows you to wear warm weather gear to give you the beachiest experience. After you leave you will feel completely relaxed and after several visits you may start to feel the difference. I have naturally oily skin, but found it evened out after my visits. I also felt like I breathed a bit better – being a lifelong sufferer of allergies. Even if you aren’t trying to relieve any ailments, a salt cave visit can be cheaper than the beach and can also be found in places where there is no beach. It’s like a mini vacation! Look for one in your area.

Since the one in Portland closed and we only visit salt rooms while on vacation, we have been toying with the idea of putting in our own salt room in the backyard. It would be like a vacation every time I went inside. 

Have you ever visited a salt cave/room?