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Hey Reader!

Yesterday, I hurt my back, which means I’ve basically spent the past day-and-a-half wallowing about how old I’m getting, and how I now need to look out for dangers like bending down too quickly to pick up my coffee.

While I did my very best to get some work done, the pain basically rendered me useless at a certain point, and the only thing I could really manage to do was distract myself in a more fun way — looking up hotels for an upcoming trip. (So you’ll have to excuse this newsletter coming to you a day late!!)

As I was lying in bed, icing my back, and scrolling through places to stay in Cabo Frio (a gorgeous beach area in the state of Rio de Janeiro), I was thinking about how my travel style has changed over the years. When I first started traveling at age 20 or so, I didn’t mind the $10-a-night hotel with lizards crawling up the walls, or lugging around an overstuffed backpack that I could barely carry.

Now, I’m still a budget traveler, but the truth is, it’s just not as fun to be super shoestring. I know I’ll get cranky when a shower doesn’t have hot water, or if a bed’s super uncomfortable. If I’m being totally honest, I also care more that a place is at least somewhat cute — while it’s not a total dealbreaker if a hotel is bare bones, I’m much more inclined to pay *a little bit* more for a place that just looks nicer.

The problem is, my budget hasn’t actually increased over the years. What has changed is that I’ve gotten smarter with how I 1) plan my travel and 2) spend my money on travel.

One of the biggest game changers has been getting a Thrifty Travelers account. That way, they hunt for the best flight options for you, from the mistake fares to amazing points and miles deals, saving you not only time — but potentially hundreds of dollars on your flights.

You can save your home airport, and the deals will be sent right to you — one incredible one that popped up in my inbox the other way was this deal to various destinations in Europe for just 42K American Airlines points, round-trip.

I’ve also been loving their new travel rewards credit card consulting feature, that tracks your various travel credit cards, how many points/miles you have, what perks you’re not fully utilizing, and all the transfer airlines and hotels. (if you want more info on my travel credit card strategy, lmk!) They also offer a consulting feature, if you’re looking to add another card to your roster.

If you’ve been considering Thrifty Traveler, it’s the best time to jump on making an account, because they’re running an amazing deal right now in honor of Cheap Flight Day.

Premium accounts are usually $129.99 or $189.00, if you want hotel deals too — but if you purchase an account today, you’ll get 30% off your first year, meaning it will be $90.99 or $132.99 depending on which membership you choose, an incredible deal.

Taking advantage of just one flight deal Thrifty Traveler send you will immediately make up the cost of your membership. And planning your trips around the flight deal (instead of picking a destination first) will seriously open up a whole other world of travel possibilities.

The deal expires today, so don’t wait too long. If you have any questions about the platform, shoot me an email and I’m happy to help you out<3

🥂Click this link to start saving $100s on travel (use TESSTHETRAVELER for 30% off!)

🌺 this week I’m loving …

“Pachinko” by Min Jin Lee

This one is officially on my “best books I’ve ever read” list.

It starts in the early 1900s in Korea with a teenage Sunja, who becomes pregnant and relocates to Japan. Over the next few decades, it follows her and her family as they navigate the Japanese colonization of Korea and its after effects. The novel spans nearly 100 years, and covers themes of sacrifice, cultural identity, and love. It’s beautiful, heartbreaking, informative, and everything you could want from a novel. I highly, highly recommend.

📚 Check it out here.​

Happy travels,

Tess