Chicago for a weekend with the kids? Yes, please!
We have been to Chicago twice (as a family) and both happened to be in 2018: once in the Spring for the debut and finale of my acting career (I was an extra on Chicago Fire one time) then a few weeks before Christmas. They were entirely different experiences and we are already planning a […]
Sea Lions, Pirates, and Tequila – Oh my!
We come from the Midwest and are always looking to escape the bitter cold winters to somewhere affordable. Our family took our first trip to Puerto Vallarta in April 2019. The weather was impeccable (only one day of rain), the ocean was gorgeous, the location was perfect for exploring the city, and the kids had […]
Travel Hacks – Road Trip!
You guys, we took the longest road trip of my life this past summer (not including the move halfway across the country when I was 19): Eastern Iowa to Deadwood, South Dakota… with 2 kids (13 and 6 year old boys). We were planning to stay in a large cabin with a huge group of […]
Mystery Shopping is no longer a mystery…
What is mystery shopping? How do you do it? How much do you make? Is it a scam? These are all questions that I have heard when I tell people about my mystery shopping assignments. So I’ll start with saying: it’s legit and I like doing it. If you are interested, here are some of […]
Can you Visit Orlando and not Spend a Fortune?
Why yes, yes you can… Our final family adventure of the Summer was taking our first trip to Orlando! No one in our family has been to Florida before and I got some pretty decent rates on airfare flying from Des Moines to Sanford (which is about 45 minutes Northeast of Orlando). FYI – it […]
Timeshares: Deal or No Deal?
I am not sure that everyone has had experience with timeshare companies or “vacation memberships”, so it is worth mentioning in my blog about family travel on a budget. Especially since you can get some pretty awesome deals if you are willing to sit through a timeshare presentation. I am about to unfold the secret […]
Best Deal on anything from Theme Parks to Nail Salons? Start with Groupon
If you aren’t using Groupon yet, you are definitely overpaying for something. I’m serious, you can definitely find online deals on products, but they also have hotels, waterparks, fun attractions, restaurants, and salons. Every time I look at spending money on restaurants, attractions, or travel (whether it’s rural Iowa or Orlando), I check for Groupon […]