These are a few of my favorite things.
Ibotta. I don’t want coupons I’ll forget to use, I want digital savings and CASH back! Ibotta gives me that. In less than a year, with minimal effort I’ve gotten >$160 cash back from my grocery purchases. Click here to check it out – and use code: UVQFSHL
CamelBak. You only need to look at a few of my photos to see how much I love my CamelBak. I’ve used it for everything from its intended purpose as a hydration and storage system to a camera bag to an overnight bag to a laptop bag.
Food Delivery Services. I’m not brand loyal. I just love the convenience of food delivered on a rough or rainy day. I switch between UberEATS, DoorDash, & PostMates. First timers can use these codes/links for a lil discount: UberEATS: code: eats-larissab22 ($5 off) | DoorDash: link: https://drd.sh/yAu8CQ (no delivery fees for a month) | Postmates: code: UIRPN ($5 off)
Wool Socks. Specifically, SmartWool socks. I’m open to other brands but SmartWool outperformed the other brand I tried. Why wool? They help keep your feet warm, dry, and less smelly. I have noticed a significant difference since going wool for hiking, trail running, and camping. Available at all the usual places including MooseJaw and Amazon.
SkyScanner. This is my go to for searching for flights. It is clean and easy to navigate, but my favorite features are the searches you can run. When I need to little travel inspiration or am scouting for a budget flight, I search for flights from my destination to “anywhere,” and peruse. You can also search for the cheapest flights in a given period.
Climbing Movies. I am not a climber, but I seem to love climbing movies. Meru (and Jimmy Chin) might be my all-time favorite movie. Free Solo got all the buzz and it is excellent, but I think Meru, which Jimmy Chin also produced, was even better. It’s an adventure story with heart and one of the few movies I enjoy watching multiple times. Since we’re talking about adventure movies, The Dawn Wall is worthy of a nod. Tommy Caldwell’s backstory, covered in the movie, is wilder than the ascent. And for some climbing history basics, Valley Uprising.
A Good Deal on Lodging. I love hotels…I don’t love hotel prices, so I don’t stay in them too often. But when I do I use all the tools to search for hotels…whenI stay in them. Hotels.com and TripAdvisor (also good for general trip advice or scanning reviews quickly for safety info) are the two I use most often for hotels. Hostelworld is my go-to for hostels in the US and abroad. SkyScanner (link above) is still my go to for flights.
Acorns. Running a small business has some unique challenges. One of them is saving. No large company employer = employer sponsored retirement plan and variable cash flow. Acorns has helped me with both. It rounds-up purchases for me and invests the difference. It also picks the funds to invest in based on my age and risk tolerance. It’s crazy how quickly the small transfers add up. Check it out here.
FreshlyFolded. I haven’t done laundry myself since 2016. I went from services in countries like Vietnam and Cambodia when traveling to laundromat Fluff-and-Fold to having it picked up, done, and returned by FreshlyFolded. It’s some of the best money I spend every month.
NorthFAKE. I got my NorthFake windbreaker for the equivalent of about $20 USD in Vietnam. Eventually I’ll get a real NorthFace, but my budget deal has held up well enough so far.
Red Columbia Ski Jacket. Another one that shows up in a lot of photos. bought this for a trip to Colorado over 5 years ago. It’s my go-to as-is for cold weather trips. I also use the shell and the fleece inner separately. The shell for a little protection in wet weather. The fleece shell as an extra layer when camping or just a single layer when I don’t need the whole jacket.
Packing Cubes. Using packing cubes and bags changed my packing life and have allowed me to travel longer with fewer bags because I’m more organized. Bonus: they are inexpensive!
Brooks Trail Runners. I’m on pair #2 of Brooks Womens Mazama 2. They’re light enough to run easily in but grippy enough to provide the extra tread needed. I’ve started using them on smaller hikes instead of hiking shoes.
Taking Photos. I use a Canon Rebel T6 DSLR, the lenses it came with and a few more that I’ve acquired along the way. You can view some of my photos at my Etsy shop or on my Instagram @eclecticadventures.
Amazon Prime. I signed-up for an Amazon Prime over five years ago to get free shipping and never looked back. I use it for everything from costumes for a fun run to business supplies for my home office.
These Posts. Some of these are popular, others, not so much, but these are some of MY favorite things that I’ve written since starting this blog a few years ago:
I’m a 5’ 4” Petite Female and I Hike & Trail Run Solo. Thoughts on Safety, Risk, and Why I Do It
Markets & Money
Coffee & History in DaNang, Vietnam
A Tale of Two Tijuanas: Foodie Capital & Murder Capital
Post-Law School Hell and The Book That Helped Me Become a Nomadic Attorney
Some of the links above are affiliate links, where I get a small commission with no extra charge for you, others are just links.
