Save Money for Travel with Rakuten

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 Rakuten will pay you for it. I never buy or book anything without first checking Rakuten. So, what IS Rakuten? 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 (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 Rakuten, sign in, click on Sephora and it takes you straight to the main website. You must go through Rakuten, so they can track your purchase. At checkout, make sure you use the same email address you used to sign up on Rakuten 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, Rakuten sends you a Big Fat Check (if you choose that method) or a Big Fat Payment via Paypal. Normally, you get $5 for signing up, but right now get $30 once you make your first qualifying purchase! Who else does that? If there are coupon codes available or special sales, Rakuten 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. 

Heart your favorite stores for easy access to them on the site.

Stores you can shop at: Rakuten 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 Rakuten by downloading the Chrome extension on your computer. When you go to a website that accepts Rakuten, 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 Rakuten 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 Rakuten site anyway, because they include any active coupon codes, so you can save even more. 

If you spend a lot of time on your phone, download Rakuten there, too. It's a bit of extra work, since you have to open the app and then find the store you want to shop at from there, but it's always worth it. It's easy to get around, see your account, find your favorites, and see all the places you can get cashback on one screen.

Haven't signed up for Rakuten yet? Do it now.

Lake Life Mugs from Well Told Design

Being at home for so much of my down time now has given us an appreciation for things we use constantly, like really good dishware, furniture, and electronics. We have replaced some of the things we see and use that we don't love, and some of those things have been drinking vessels. Upgrading is never a bad thing if it makes your life better.

Well Told Design products are great for reminding you of some of your favorite trips. We have pint glasses with the London map on them, because it's a place we love and have great memories from our trips there. Well Told has a new line of lakes coffee and tea mugs, expanding your options of moments you can hold in your hand.

Having previously brought you some of their great products, Well Told reached out to me to allow me to show off this new Lake Life line. I love coffee. I love coffee mugs. And I love travel and travel gifts, so of course, I said yes. Look at this gorgeous, high-quality mug! It's massive, and I adore it.

It went really well with my giant plate of pastries, making it all look normal-sized until you see it in my regular-size hands. LOL! The thing is, we have other large mugs, this one is just taller, heavier, and thicker than any other mug we own, making it a great focal point that gets people asking about it.

We often show off our food or drinking vessels in our weekly Sunday Zoom brunches, along with other things we like and want other people to know about, and I know this mug is going to make several appearances. What makes this mug so special, besides what a great mug it is, is the map on it. We have been to Lake Tahoe in the past, where we had some good times and celebrated my parents' wedding anniversary by joining them lakeside for a vow renewal.

On one side is a topographical map of Lake Tahoe and on the other is the name of the lake and the map coordinates. I love that the white background makes the other colors stand out and the handle is sturdy and easy to hold onto, even if you have bigger hands. I notice that you don't burn your knuckles on your hot coffee like you might with other coffee mugs, because they are both thinner and have closer, smaller handles.

The holidays will be quickly approaching, so if you have a tea, coffee, or cocoa fan on your list that also likes to get outdoors, these make excellent gifts. Stuff them with their favorite beverage or fun and useful hiking/travel accessories. Pair them with another set of Well Told Design glasses or insulated travel mugs. If you know someone in college or off to start their life in a new home, help them get their kitchen started with some quality, and lovely mugs that they'll love using. They're microwave and dishwasher safe, so they're easy to care for and will look vibrant for many years to come.

If they don't enjoy hiking, camping, or lake activities, that's okay, because these 15oz mugs also come in historical patterns (like The Constitution), U.S. city maps, and college town maps. Buy matching ones or mix and match to fit everyone's personality.

Other details:

Where can I buy it? On Well Told Design website 

How much is it? $21.95 each

More info: 20 different lake maps to choose from. Detailed lake map ceramic mug fired to high temperatures and is microwave and dishwasher safe. Designed and decorated in the U.S. 15oz capacity. Diameter: 3 1/3", height: 4 1/2", weight: 1 lbs.

If you like what Well Told Design is doing, follow them on social media:

Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

What lake has special significance for you?

Disclaimer: I was provided a Well Told Design coffee mug for the purposes of this review. All opinions are 100% my own.

How To Get More Exercise On Vacation

I don't exercise much, but I do try to keep in shape by eating right and parking further from the store to walk more and taking the stairs. When on vacation it's hard to eat that healthy, especially when you want to try all the good foods, so I look for ways to burn more calories when I'm out and about...and make the effort to order more vegetables. 

Walk Whenever Possible

Instead of driving or taking public transit, try walking. Some destinations are more walkable than others, but you can easily walk 4-10 miles in a day (or more if you're going to a theme park) without even noticing. Look at your map and see how far your destination is for the day (maybe plan some things that are close to each other) and strap on your walking shoes if you think it's doable. At a slow pace, you can walk a mile in 15 minutes, which isn't that long or that far. Of course, if you're like me, you're more likely to want to walk in the morning when your feet are fresh, so give yourself some motivation to get up and stretch your legs. You can take the subway later in the day, but you may face lots of stairs with this option, too. 

Besides the obvious benefits of walking, you will be able to slow down and see more of your destination, possibly finding some hidden gems along the way. We saw a really good portion of London by just wandering around. Just remember to stay aware of where you are and what's around you to stay safe. 

Get Up Early and Use the Gym

Lots of hotels we've stayed in have had workout rooms that are free for all to use. Now we stay in vacation rentals or timeshares, but many of them have gyms included as well. The same goes for cruise ships. Now, I find that I never actually make it to the gym, even though I say I will, but if I made more of an effort, I would at least make it down to get on the elliptical for a bit. If you're on a business trip, this may be the only exercise you get, so make sure to pack suitable clothes. My pajamas are generally a pair of running shorts and t-shirt, so I am set.

Or  Exercise in Your Room

This is easier to do when you have a vacation rental or a suite, where there is actual room for you to move around, but even if you only have a little free space and a chair, you can get in some extra calorie-burning:

• Chair crunches - I love the fact that if you have a chair, you pretty much have a low-impact gym. Sit on the edge and pull legs up or do the bicycle or other ab exercises like these. 
• Work your triceps - These also use a chair, though you can use anything flat and sturdy. At home, I use my coffee table, but you can also use a park bench. 
• Planks - Work your core! They hurt, but I assume when I see results, they will be all worth it!
• Squats - Work your butt. You can do these outside, too, but people might you funny looks. If you want to get more advanced, go find yourself a bench and do some step-ups.
• Calf raises - Do these anywhere, like brushing your teeth, watching the news or waiting in line to get into the Louvre.
• Arm curls - You can do these just about everywhere. Buy a couple of water bottles and use them as make-shift weights. If these aren't doing the trick and you don't have anything heavier around that could work, check out these traveling dumbbells called AquaBells that you fill with water for your workouts. 
• Resist! Pack a resistance band (or set) in your carry-on and do more strenuous workouts in the time you have available. There are also these fancy loop bands you can use to strengthen your legs/thighs.

Get In the Pool

Eric prefers to get his extra workout in the form of swimming. If there's a pool, he's going to get in it and do some laps. I'm not a swimmer, but I'll come sit for moral support. Usually, this is when I do laundry. Lugging a laundry basket to and from my room counts as exercise, right?

Rent a Bike

The only thing better than walking your destination is getting around by bike. Lots of destinations now have city bikes you can rent by the hour or the day. See the city in a totally different way by riding around and moving those legs. Bonus is that many of them have baskets, so you have a place to put purchases and/or your day bag. 

Drink More Water

This isn't strictly helpful in exercising, but it will give you more energy if you stay hydrated, meaning you won't want to just be a lump (anymore than usual) when you could be exploring the city on foot or checking out another museum. It also helps if you don't overeat. If you're hungry, but not starving, remember that most places will serve you at least 1.5 times as much as you should eat. Sharing a plate is a way to satisfy your hunger without loading you down with carbs or other heavy foods, so you won't feel like a nap in the middle of the day and drag, because walking is more beneficial when you do it at a brisk pace.

Do you exercise when you travel? What's your favorite way to burn all those calories you ingested over the course of each day?