All for the Boys
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Funding 365 Days of Adventure + $100 Sweepstakes

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If you’re a regular reader, you know we’ve definitely upped our adventures in the last couple of years. Doing and seeing more has become a higher priority to me especially now that the boys are getting older. Obviously big trips aren’t always possible moneywise, but I thought I’d share some different ways you can save to fund your big adventures and all the small ones in between.Ways to Save for Travel (beyond budgeting)One tip I have is to definitely not leave out the quick weekend explorations. Check out places in your area or within driving distance. I bet there’s somewhere you haven’t explored yet, even if it’s just a local park! Ways to Save for Travel (beyond budgeting) Here are some ways you can save for your adventures (beyond budgeting):

  1. A credit card that offers cash back. Choosing a card that benefits each family the most can be hard. The U.S. Bank Cash 365™ American Express® Card offers you 1.5% cash back on everyday net purchases AND your rewards never expire which is SO important if you’re saving up for a big adventure. I feel like this is a great choice because there is no annual fee, but you get the added bonus of the American Express Benefits along with the 1.5% cash back. Not to mention you could earn a $100 Customer Relationship Bonus which could go right to your next trip (they really are committed to “Making Possible Happen”). Plus, the spending from your little trips in between goes toward saving up for that next big trip! When you put all your expenses on that card, that cash back will add up without you making much of a change at all. 
  2. Make spending changes. I’m not talking about your budget, I mean that decor you just HAD to have for your house that will probably end up in your next garage sale. Take a look at what you’re buying and decide if you’d rather have what you’re purchasing or put money toward your adventure savings.
  3. Have a garage sale/online sale. Purging always feels good doesn’t it? Even better when you can earn some extra cash!
  4. Decide that you want to give experiences instead of things. We’ve gotten better at this over the years, where now the boys are talking about what they want to DO for their birthdays or holidays instead of what they want to open. This way you’re combining that vacation you’ve been saving for with a big birthday or holiday.Ways to Save for Travel (beyond budgeting)
  5. Filter out subscriptions. Go through all those monthly subscriptions you have and see if there are any you can weed out. Cancel them and put that money towards your adventure fund!
  6. Freelance work. Is there anything extra you could do or work on to earn some extra money online or in person?
  7. Pack your lunch. Since we love taking lots of little adventures in between our big ones, we could end up spending lots of money just on food. Pack your lunch with you as much as possible and you could save a ton. An ice chest thrown in the back of the car will keep food cool for a while, even in the summer (do a test first to see how cold your ice chest stays so you’ll know exactly how much ice you’ll need).
  8. Stay in. Have friends over for game night or cocktail hour instead of going out. We’ve started doing this more and are loving it!
  9. Keep an eye on local travel/deal sites and be open to changing your dates. We’ve gotten some great airline tickets or travel deals just by being flexible with our travel dates. I know this isn’t always possible but definitely try to be open with it. You’d be surprised at how much you can save, especially for last minute travel!
  10. When you do eat out, try to find all the local happy hour specials or deals. You can save a few dollars by ordering during happy hour or with local online coupons or restaurant week specials

These are just a few ideas for how you can start saving more for your next adventure.  I feel very lucky that we have family in Southern California, so a lot of times our adventures there are our quick “in between” trips. Gas prices aren’t bad right now and we have free beds to sleep in. Each time we go, the boys and I look up places we haven’t explored yet. On our last adventure, we packed a lunch for the day and visited Crystal Cove State Park.Ways to Save for Travel (beyond budgeting) Ways to Save for Travel (beyond budgeting) Ways to Save for Travel (beyond budgeting) Ways to Save for Travel (beyond budgeting) Ways to Save for Travel (beyond budgeting) Ways to Save for Travel (beyond budgeting) Ways to Save for Travel (beyond budgeting) Ways to Save for Travel (beyond budgeting) Ways to Save for Travel (beyond budgeting)

I love these memories with my boys so very much! Definitely check out the U.S. Bank Cash 365™ American Express® Card and see if you can start earning 1.5% cash back on all your purchases. You’ll be growing your adventure savings in no time! I’d love to get you started saving – how about a $100 sweepstakes?! Leave a comment for a chance to win a $100 gift card.

Ways to Save for Travel (beyond budgeting)

Entry Instructions:

No duplicate comments.

You may receive (2) total entries by selecting from the following entry methods:

1. Leave a comment in response to the sweepstakes prompt on this post

2. Tweet (public message) about this promotion; including exactly the following unique term in your tweet message: “#SweepstakesEntry”; and leave the URL to that tweet in a comment on this post

3. Blog about this promotion, including a disclosure that you are receiving a sweepstakes entry in exchange for writing the blog post, and leave the URL to that post in a comment on this post

4. For those with no Twitter or blog, read the official rules to learn about an alternate form of entry.

This giveaway is open to US Residents age 18 or older (or nineteen (19) years of age or older in Alabama and Nebraska). Winners will be selected via random draw, and will be notified by e-mail. The notification email will come directly from BlogHer via the sweeps@blogher email address. You will have 2 business days to respond; otherwise a new winner will be selected.

The Official Rules are available here.

This sweepstakes runs from 8/1/2016– 8/31/2016

Be sure to visit the U.S. Bank brand page on BlogHer.com where you can read other bloggers’ posts!

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Allison Waken is a wife, mom of boys and Phoenix, AZ native. She has been creating inspiring content for All for the Boys since 2011. Allison loves travel, movies and spending as much time as possible with her family while she can!

89 Comments

  2. cheryl Reply

    I liked the eating out ideas. I also started ordering water when i go out. That pop, coffee and milk shakes money is adding up in my adventures fund.

  3. Cynthia Conle Reply

    I would like to get an iPad for staying in touch, taking photos and entertainment on vacation.

  8. Tina W Reply

    A quick weekend trip to the beach sounds heavenly right now, I’m near Palm Springs so we’ve been having ridiculously hot days. I think it’s time for a family outing to the coast!

  12. Elisa m Reply

    We love family adventures. We have a few weeks of “mom camp” at the start of every summer where we explore local treasures. Went to the USS Iowa this year which was fabulous! Hiking, underwood farms. None too expensive and we did sometimes pack lunch.

  13. Stephanie Phelps Reply

    I would make an adventure fund for me and my husband that sounds really cool!

  16. Elizabeth pergande Reply

    I’d spend it on something fun for the family! truckredford(at)Gmail(Dot)com

  18. Janice Cooper Reply

    Looks like you all had a great time! I would love to buy carry on bags for traveling if I won.

  20. Betty C Reply

    When my children were young and I was newly single I couldn’t afford to take them on any real trips. Instead I took them to different parks and all the free adventures I could find. I still love the adventure of a road trip so I would buy gas so I could fuel my fun.

  23. Susan Christy Reply

    I am saving for so many different things but my travel fund is my top priority – I never get tired of traveling and seeing the world.

  24. Ellie Wright Reply

    I would love to have the cash back to plan an adventure for my family.

  26. Denise L Reply

    Oh my, I think travel is so important! Especially when beaches are involved 🙂 Thanks for the information and the chance to win.

  32. Jerry Marquardt Reply

    I’d love to get started saving by putting the cash back into a savings program.

  34. Tabathia B Reply

    I would purchase travel bags for traveling

    tbarrettno1 at gmail dot com

  36. Anastasia Falling Reply

    Cash back is awesome!! I would use it toward travel food and batteries for the camera! 🙂

  39. Kathryn C Reply

    #SweepstakesEntry – comment

    I would apply any cash back towards the cost of renewing my US Passport

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