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June 9, 2015

Enter to Win $1000 Hotel Credit

Planning a getaway can be stressful, particularly when you’re trying to get the most out of your money (and who isn’t?). Let Accor Hotels ease the pain in your wallet with the chance to win every jet setter’s dream–a $1,000 hotel credit! Now paying for your stay will be one less (gigantic) expense to worry about for your next trip, whether you’re visiting family in Philly or sight seeing in Sydney.

With over 3,800 locations worldwide, Accor Hotels provides accommodations that will make you feel right at home with exceptional customer service and a rewards program that can’t be beat. With the Le Club Loyalty Program, you can earn free nights, upgrades and late check outs the more you book your stays with Accor Hotels.

Enter to win the $1K Accor Hotels giveaway below so you can kickstart your vacay planning with peace of mind know you’ll save a buck…or a thousand! One lucky winner will pick any hotels and destination they want!

More Ways to Save at Accor Hotels:

1. Get a second room half off: Book a room just for the kids at select hotels and save 50% off of your second room. Choose from a number of hotels and give up to two kids under 16 years of age their own space.

2. Book early to get up to 30%: Reserve your next hotel room at Accor Hotels at least 30 days before your stay and take up to 30% off of your purchase. It pays to plan ahead! More details

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How to Enter the $1k Hotel Giveaway:

1. If you’re not already an Ebates member, join over 8 million other savvy shoppers who earn up to 40% Cash Back on almost everything they buy. Joining Ebates is free and you’ll receive a $10 Welcome Bonus when you join today at www.ebates.com.

2. After you enter your Ebates email, you can earn extra entries for each type of entry. Comment, tweet, pin, follow us, like us, circle us — the more you do, the more entries you get! This sweepstakes ends on Tuesday, June 30, 2015 at 11:59 PM PST. The winner will be randomly picked through Rafflecopter, and will be posted on Facebook and this blog. Please be aware of the Giveaway Rules.

Be sure to keep an eye on your inbox, as the winner will have 24 hours to accept the prize before we will choose another winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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June 2, 2015

4 Tips for Traveling with Kids

Traveling requires packing and planning at any age, but adding young kids into the mix? Things can easily get a little overwhelming. If you’re going to be traveling with your children in the near future, check out these tips to minimize stress and make your trip an enjoyable one.

1. Plan Your Destination Wisely

The best way to ensure that things go smoothly when you’re traveling with little ones is to plan, plan and plan some more. Minimize any uncertainties ahead of time by making sure that you’ve covered all of your basics with passports, visas, hotels, flights, car rentals and immunizations as far in advance as possible. As you get closer to the date of departure, things will be much easier for everyone.

Along the same lines, look into family friendly options with established resources for parents with young children. There’s no shortage of resorts that can cater to your needs. All you have to do is find them. And when you do place your bookings, use travel coupons from Ebates to find a deal.

2. Be Judicious About Your Packing “Essentials”

Let’s face it, if you’re traveling with children, you’re going to run into over-packing issues. While you might think a third sweater is necessary, your children are not going to be chilly in Orlando in mid-June, trust us.

Start off with the items that you and your family use on a daily basis like a stroller or car seat. They’re the essentials you need most when you’re traveling, but if they’re not going to fit in your overhead compartment, consider investing in a travel-friendly option using BuyBuy Baby coupons. When you’ve covered the basic essentials, move onto clothing, but bringing only what you need is the key to success when packing.

3. Bring Bribes

Inevitably, travel is going to lead to more than one incidence of an exhausted kid, and your best bet for a quick solution is a bribe. While you might not be a fan of the “bribe your kids” school of parenting at home, you have a little more freedom to indulge your kids while you’re on vacation. It’s a different frame of mind, and everyone deserves a treat every once in a while, especially if it’s going to keep them calm, happy and tantrum-free.

4. Kids in Flight

There’s a special place in heaven for parents that can keep their child peaceful for the duration of a long flight. Although there’s no set formula to guarantee a calm flight for your kids, you can certainly take a few precautions to help things out. CNN suggests flying while they normally sleep. If you can take a red-eye to your destination, the chances of getting your child to sleep through a long flight are going to be dramatically higher, making things easier for everyone. But if you’re on a shorter jaunt, just make sure you have enough hours of prerecorded entertainment to keep them busy for the length of the flight. Another episode of Sesame Street anyone?

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February 26, 2015

Packing for the Perfect Spring Weekend Trip

There’s nothing better than getting out of town for a fun springtime weekend trip. The weather is getting warmer and it’s nice to soak up some sun after the long winter. While most of us would love to be on a perma-vacation, it probably won’t happen any time soon. Instead, focus on making the vacation’s that you do have flawless.

To execute the perfect weekend getaway, it all boils down to planning. Planing what you’re going to do, what you want to see, what you are going to wear, the places you want to eat, and maybe a little room for spontaneity thrown into the mix. But perhaps the most essential component of planning for your weekend trip? Packing! We’ve put together a quick guide to help you pack confidently for your perfect weekend trip.

1. A Medium Sized Travel Bag
The first thing you need for your weekend trip is the bag to fit everything. A solid, durable weekend travel bag is essential. Save yourself the hassle of checking a bag and get something small enough to fit into an overhead compartment, lightweight enough to carry on stairs, and light enough to take in and out of a car trunk. The TLS Mother Lode Weekender Convertible from eBags is perfect for a short trip. With 7 colors available and tons of room (without being bulky) this bag will allow you to pack it all and go with ease.

2. The Lightweight Sweater
No matter what the season, a versatile lightweight sweater is a must. If the air conditioning is up too high on the flight, if its start to cool down at night, or for fashionable layering, your sweater is bound to come in handy. J. Crew has great sweaters and the Relaxed Merino Wool Sweater comes in an array of colors to choose from.

3. Comfortable Walking Shoes
This one should be a given, but it must be mentioned. Whenever you travel, you’re going to active, and that means doing more walking than you normally would. You don’t have to wear sneakers for the entire weekend, but you’ll want to bring along a pair of shoes that can be dressed up or dressed down for the occasion, and you won’t mind walking around in all day. Keds are classic as well as versatile, but the Champion Eyelet version from OnlineShoes takes them up another notch on the fashion scale.

4. A Button Down
A solid button down is a good go-to piece for both men and women. Arguably the most flexible piece of clothing you can bring, a button down can be styled in an endless number of ways from heading to a nice restaurant for dinner, going out at night, or just kicking around during the day. The chambray shirt is perfect for both men and women alike and this Levi’s Workwear Boyfriend Chambray Shirt from Nordstrom is easy to style with multiple outfits.

5. Dark Jeans
A nice pair of dark jeans is another essential if you’re aiming for versatility. The staple piece in any casual wardrobe, they’re the perfect thing to thrown on and head out the door, so you won’t be wasting any time on your short trip. Most people already have a pair of dark jeans but if you’re looking for a new pair, the Demi Curve Skinny Jeans from Levi’s are flattering and classic.

Pack these weekend trip essentials and you’ll have everything you need for a great time!

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February 25, 2015

Staycation Success: Tips & Tricks

The word vacation brings up images of escape, relaxation, and fun. Most traditional vacations take place away from the home. But when a traditional vacation isn’t an option, plan a staycation instead! You can easily take a break in the comfort of your own home and city. Staycations are a great choice for singles, couples, and families alike!

The Ground Rules
A staycation is meant to feel like a real getaway, so there are a few ground rules that need to be set. Deciding a start and end time to the vacation (whether it be a weekend or a whole week) and guidelines to follow ahead of time keep everyone involved and on the same page. NOTE: Not all of these examples will work for everyone, so pick and choose what works for you and your family!

No working from home
No cooking, cleaning, or laundry
Only check your phone or email when you absolutely have to (preferably not at all!)

Plan Your Staycation
Destination vacations usually include fun plans for dinners, activities, and ways to relax, so make sure you do the same for your staycation! Set a realistic budget with money set aside for eating out or a massage. Try to prep around the house in a way that makes your vacation at home as relaxing as possible. You can make sure all your laundry is done ahead of time, gathering local menus, preparing meals in advance, and using disposable dishware to cut down on doing the dishes.

Get Out and About
Just because it’s called a staycation doesn’t mean you need to stay in! There are most likely dozens of things to do around your hometown that you have never even thought of. Here’s a list of 10 ideas to get you started. Check out our Groupon and LivingSocial for coupons and discounts on local events, plus get 6% Cash Back at Ebates!

Visit your local museums
Check out your local library for activities
Root for your favorite major or minor league team
Have a board game tournament
Camp in the backyard
Catch a show at your local theater
Tour a local brewery
Take a painting or pottery class
Visit a local park
Go for a walk, hike, or bike ride

Relax and Refresh
While you’ll probably be tempted to tackle a few chores during your staycation, remind yourself to kick back and enjoy the moment. Whether you have a list full of activities or one or two picked out, the attitude and commitment you have to making this time about relaxing and having fun is ultimately the most important key to a successful staycation. Take the time to let your hair down and spend time with your partner, kids, or even catch up on some “me time!”

Have you ever taken a staycation? What activities around your town would you do? Let us know in a comment below!

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