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Hey Reader!

Since I first started traveling 12+ years ago, I’ve put in a lot of work to become a better traveler. From improving my trip research skills, to just becoming more mindful of how I move about the world and my impact, I’m a million miles away from the girl who would show up in a foreign country without knowing a thing.

But while I wish it weren’t the case, one thing that hasn’t changed a ton is my budget.

However, I’ve become much smarter with how I make my dollar go further.

So when I was offered the chance to test out Thrifty Traveler, a flight alert tool, I jumped at it.

And let me tell you … after a couple of months of receiving their emails, I think this is a tool every budget traveler should be using. They can have seriously amazing deals, like business class flights from Los Angeles to Europe for 45,000 points, or less than 70,000 American Airlines miles to Japan (usually at least $1,200!).

Although there is a free tier, paying for a membership gives you instant access to deal alerts, plus points and miles fares, business and first class flights, and more. If you’re a frequent traveler (or just want to travel more) you’ll more than make up for the cost of a membership.

How Thrifty Traveler works

It’s super simple — you just select your home airport, and then you’ll get an email every time a crazy flight deal pops up, from heavy discounts to even mistake fares (if you get one of these, jump on them quickly!).

Each email will include an estimate about how long they think the low rate will last, and what months apply. You can also specify if you’d only like to be alerted for certain areas (domestic vs. international, or specific continents). If you have the paid membership, you can also receive alerts for business and first class (vs. just economy), points and miles deals, etc.

You can also browse all current deals online, instead of needing to dig through your emails when you're ready to book.

If you are trying to book a certain destination at a specific time, it’s not going to be super helpful for that. For instance, I’ve been eyeing flights for a trip back to Brazil later this year, and while I have gotten one price alert for Los Angeles to Rio, I need to travel during a certain week, so the deal wasn’t applicable, unfortunately.

But if you’re down to go where the flight deal is (which is honestly, the best way to save a ton on travel), then it can be such a game changer.

Right now, a premium membership is $130 a year. If you also want to receive hotel alerts, there’s also the premium+ tier, which is $190.

✈️ But if you sign up with this link, (with promo code TESSTHETRAVELER) you get an extra $20 off your premium membership 💸

📰 what’s new this week

Stay tuned for an exciting update soon 👀 I’ve had something in the works that will transform your experience in Rio! 🇧🇷

In the meantime, I’ve been back on my blogging game, with a few new posts on Tess the Traveler:

• ​Best Restaurants in Laguna Beach (Budget-Friendly Guide)​
• ​11 Best Beaches in Orange County, CA (From a Local)​
• ​Where to Stay in Palm Springs On a Budget​

🌺 this week I’m loving …

​“Malas” by Marcela Fuentes​

This was one of the best books I’ve read recently! It follows Pilar, a woman living on the Texas-Mexico border in the 1960s with her husband and son, and Lulu, a teenager in the ‘90s. It was compelling, had well-written characters and difficult family dynamics, Tejano culture, and a curse connecting the two women. I’d highly recommend!

📚 Pick up a copy here​

Happy travels,

Tess