How To Save Money While Traveling

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While this post is sponsored, all opinions are my own.

How To Save Money While Traveling

Spring Break is just around the corner!  Are you excited?  I know my kids are, time off of school, hopefully some fun in the sun and relaxing!  The kids love to play at the beach, get the chance to grill out more and eat out an extra time or two.  The only thing that they have to think about on those days is having  fun!  But, as the parents we usually find ourselves stressing about the financial part of the trip.  Trips, Spring Break, Travel – it’s all meant to be a FUN part of your life, not stressful.

That’s why Upromise offers us the Upromise MasterCard®.

How can the Upromise MasterCard help take some of the financial stress about traveling off your plate?

Well, as a parent, one of the other HUGE financial stresses is college, right?  Well, what if I told you that you can earn up to 10 percent cash back earnings for college by using the Upromise MasterCard?  Yep, it’s true!  So, whether you are planning a weekend getaway or a week away, when you use the Upromise MasterCard you will actually be earning CASH BACK for your child’s education.

Have you ever had reward miles expire?  Hotel points disappear? Well, with the Upromise MasterCard, real rewards won’t disappear. The Upromise MasterCard is designed to help you build college savings. Upromise members earn real cash that can be invested in a Upromise GoalSaver account, an eligible 529 plan, used to help pay down an eligible Sallie Mae student loan or withdrawn by check.

When you open the Upromise MasterCard, you’re automatically enrolled in Upromise by Sallie Mae, a free program that allows families to earn cash back on everyday purchases. What’s more, by applying for the Upromise MasterCard® — issued by Barclaycard — families can take saving for college and other financial goals to the next level.  That means you can earn on everything from groceries, to travel and everything in-between!

Here’s how it works:

Here are some of my favorite Upromise Travel Partners:

• Hotels.com
• Expedia
• Travelocity
• Orbitz
• Hotwire
• Alamo
• Booking.com
• CarRentals.com
• Enterprise
• Hilton
• HomeAway
• Hertz

View the to the full list of Upromise Travel Partners

Still have some questions or concerns?

Here are 5 Reasons Why Families Should Consider the Upromise MasterCard:

1. Earn up to 10 percent cash back. Really.

With the Upromise MasterCard, you can earn up to 10 percent cash back. You earn five percent back through Upromise by Sallie Mae, and an additional five percent from using the Upromise MasterCard.

Here’s how:

o Shop at more than 850 online retail partners at Upromise.com
o Dine at more than 10,000 Upromise participating restaurants
o Book travel at major travel sites via Upromise.com

You can also earn two percent cash back when using the Upromise Mastercard for in-store shopping at major department stores and at movie theaters. All other purchases with the card are eligible for one percent cash back.

New cardmembers can also earn a one-time special offer of $50 cash-back bonus after making a purchase, cash advance transaction, or balance transfer within 90 days of opening an account by clicking here.

2. You’ll shop where you’re already shopping – just earning more.

With more than 850 online retail partners, more than 10,000 restaurants, and multiple major travel sites, chances are most families are already shopping, dining, or booking travel through a Upromise partner. So why not earn cash back and start boosting savings on purchases from major retailers travel sites like Travelocity, Hotels.com, and Expedia?

For a complete list of Upromise partners, click here.

3. Build college savings.

Saving for college can feel like a marathon but the Upromise MasterCard can help you sprint ahead. When families open a Upromise MasterCard account, they’re automatically enrolled in Upromise by Sallie Mae, and they can immediately start earning up to 10 percent cash back. The cash back earned on everyday purchases can be invested in an eligible 529 college savings plan, used to help pay down more than an eligible student loan, transferred into an FDIC-insured Upromise GoalSaver account, or withdrawn by check. Last year, Upromise MasterCard cardmembers collectively earned $42 million in cash back for college. Collectively, the Upromise MasterCard program has awarded more than $484 million in total cash back rewards.

4. No annual fees, no cash back limits, and no expirations.

Unlike other credit cards that offer points that expire or you may simply never redeem, the Upromise MasterCard means cash back. There are no limits to how much cash back you can earn. No expirations and no annual fees. It’s that simple. Also, there are no rotating cash-back categories. In addition, you’ll stay on top of your credit with free access to your FICO® Credit Score, and enjoy $0 fraud liability on unauthorized transactions.

5. You can earn extra through special promotions throughout the year.

Upromise partners with major retailers to offer special promotions that offer additional cash back opportunities at major online retailers. For Upromise MasterCard cardmembers that can mean cash back savings of more than 15 percent. Cardmembers also receive special cash back offers via email.

Where will you be Traveling this Spring Break?  What Tips Do You Have for How To Save Money While Traveling?

Upromise by Sallie Mae members can earn higher cash-back rewards and grow their college savings more quickly with the Upromise MasterCard. Last year, Upromise MasterCard cardmembers earned $42 million in cash back rewards.

Be sure to follow Upromise on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date with everything to do with college savings and more!

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