Kangaroos & Kimonos

Stay free like me!

Stay Free Around the World with Trusted Housesitters

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Did you know you can stay free around the world with Trusted Housesitters?  Recently there was a great article in the Washington Post,  Traveling the World While Taking Care of Others’ Pets.  The article is a nice story of how a reporter went to Peru to housesit and care for a dog.

Wolf pups are so cute – can I housesit for them?

Oh wait, I would rather sit for a joey in Australia!

TrustedHousesitters.com allows you to stay free in someone’s home in exchange for taking care of any pets.  Your transportation there and back is not covered but the host may throw in use of their car or food in house.  The host and guest set up what is expected in the agreement.

I have traveled the world and my favorite thing is staying in homes!  My daughter had always wanted a cat – this might be a great way to “give her a pet for a while” without the permanent responsibility.  Living like a local – walking with a dog, for example, really allows a perspective into the neighborhood that you wouldn’t have in a hotel.

Don’t Travel a Tourist, try housesitting and let me know how it goes!

 

Who doesn’t love Carpinchos?

“Travel FREE Like Me” Seminar on March 14th

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I will be presenting my “Travel FREE Like Me” Seminar on Thursday, March 14th, 7-8:30pm.  The event will be held in room 177 of Bay Area Community Church at 884 Chesterfield Road, Annapolis, Maryland 21401.

Topics like points, miles, home exchange and more will be shared at this FREE event.  I have taken my child to over 48 countries and we mostly travel FREE all over the world!  All are welcome to attend.   For more information, contact me at LaurieSearsDeppa@gmail.com.

 

Staying Free in La Pedrera, Uruguay

FREE American Airline Points with Kiwi Co

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Do you want free American Airline Points?  American Airlines (AAdvantage) Shopping is offering 12x points on their shopping portal with Kiwi Co.  I mention this because I love Kiwi Co and so does my daughter (7 years).  It’s a great site with hands-on learning activities for kids.

If you don’t know what a shopping portal is – you are missing out on free frequent flyer/loyalty points.  I have flown free for several years using many points I gained through shopping portals.  You don’t get hardly any points for actually flying.

Shopping portals are basically sites you “go through” to get points with Airlines, hotels, Amtrak etc.  Here is a step-by-step guide to getting this deal:

1.  Type “American Airlines Shopping” and it will take you to the AAdvantage Shopping page (portal).

2.  Then you put in your American Airlines (Aadvantage) frequent flier number.

3.  In the search box type whatever store you want to shop (Kiwi Co).

4.  The portal will take you directly to the Kiwi Co corporate website (or somewhere else if you need to shop elsewhere).  You can find almost every major store – Nordstrom, Macy’s, Kohl’s, etc.  From there you can search for whatever you want to buy.

5.  The THING TO REMEMBER is that the amount of points you get changes regularly!  One day it could be 2x points per dollar – the next day it could be 10x points!  That really adds up especially if you are spending a large amount of money!

6.  By subscribimg to the (frequent flier) shopping site, you will receive regular emails informing you of the daily point specials.

7.  Even better, there are often point bonuses around certain times of year – back to school, Christmas etc.  I have gotten quite large bonuses for buying things I had to buy anyway!

8.  DON”T leave FREE TRAVEL on the table.  It’s yours for the taking.

TRAVEL FREE like me! 🌎

 

 

Frequent Traveler University

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Frequent Traveler Univerity (FTU) is a great weekend seminar for frequent travelers.  After I attended my first Frequent Traveler University DC event I was hooked.  If you like traveling it is definitely worth the money and time.  I think all in total I spent about $500 for hotel and event fee.  You can recoup that easily in one trip!

Frequent Traveler University events are held around the world with several in the US.  They have a weekend full of informational classes on everything from “the best credit cards” to expert panels on manufacture spend.  If you don’t know what that is – you will after a weekend at FTU!

The event arranges for a good rate at the host hotel (this year the DC FTU was at the Marriott Crystal City) with rates of $109 a night.   I made a little “vacation” out of it and took my daughter to DC for the day.  On Friday night there was a social dinner.  I find these are the best use of time as you learn so much from what works for other frequent travelers!  Also, I always meet some great people from around the country.

There are usually two different classes to choose from starting from 9 am until 5/6 in the evening.  Then again on Saturday night there is another get-together.  This time we headed to a sports around the corner from the hotel.  The food and drink was nothing to remember but the exchange of information and building of relationships was for sure!

After my first FTU I learned so much that I couldn’t sleep for days.  All I thought about was how could I use all the information I absorbed and where were my “free trips” going to be.  Since that seminar a couple of years ago I have taken my family on free flights and cruises around the world and stayed free in great hotels as well.  I have saved thousands and thousands of dollars with free travel.  My 7 year old has even been to 48 countries.

I am planning on attending the FTU in Chicago – which I hear is different than the DC one.  There is also a “Travel Awards Expo” that I am strongly considering.  Will I see you at one of these events?  I promise one thing – it will be worth it!