If you're looking for the gear and products we use, which credit cards we have and love or the apps I recommend for various purposes, you're in the right place. Some are affiliate links and I will earn a small commission for every purchase you make when you use my link or when you use my link to apply/join, but some are just my favorites that I'm sharing because I think you'll love it too. If there is a mutual benefit, I'll be sure to mention how you are benefitting by using my link, because there are benefits to using some of my links!

Travel Gear

My carry-on and underseater sizes of luggage from Samsonite

Samsonite Theorym Global Carry-On Spinner

This is our go-to luggage for longer term travels, as it fits a large amount of clothing for the space, has outer pockets for easy access to packed items you need frequent access to and is lighter than an average piece of carry-on luggage at 6.6 pounds. The outer dimensions are also ideal for being a carry-on luggage on *most* airlines. The one downfall to this luggage is that as a soft-side piece of luggage, it is possible to overstuff the luggage to the point that it may not fit in the overhead compartment on a plane, therefore requiring to check it at the last minute on a flight. So my advice is to not push your luck packing too much when flying (we usually need a lot less on trips than we think we will when packing). Unfortunately, this particular size is not currently offered in the Theorym line from Samsonite, but the Uplift Softside Carry-On Spinner is a comparable piece of luggage in terms of space, style and outside pockets that are accessible for small electronics, chargers, or other items you may want to pack but have accessible while in transit. 

Samsonite Theorym Underseater

The Theorym Underseater is the same line and same color as our Carry-On Spinner, but a slightly smaller size at 18"H x 14"L x 9"W and only 5.1 pounds. This size fits as a carry-on for all but a few airlines around the globe, and as a personal item that can be stowed under the seat in front of you (hence the name) in a small handful of airlines. We purchased the Underseater at the same time as our carry-on, wrongly assuming that it would fit under the seat in most airlines. This particular size of luggage is highly under-rated, in my opinionWhile we can't get away with using both pieces as our carry-on and personal items on most flights, I'm still happy with the choice of luggage, as Samsonite is a high quality brand with a good (10 year!) warranty on their products, and we take enough trips by car that utilize either or both pieces that I don't feel like either was a waste of money. I honestly foresee this luggage lasting us well over the decade that the warranty covers. 

 

 

Affiliate Partnerships

All of my affiliate partnerships as of right now (June 2025) have begun by purchasing the product on my own and loving it first, and then applying for affiliate partnership with the company so I can get some kickback for the love I send their way.

Harvest Right Freeze Dryers

Harvest Right is the #1 brand of freeze drying machines available to the public. If you're wondering why I have partnered with them as an affiliate, well.... there's a TON of reasons! For starters, I have a garden at home, and I do a lot of preserving of the harvests from that garden. Herbs are just better freeze dried versus dehydrated (which I still use occasionally also) and peppers of all kinds can become shelf stable when freeze dried. But the biggest reason I have a freeze dryer is for preserving foods and full meals that fit my personal needs and diet restrictions. Ray and I were both diagnosed with Alpha Gal Syndrome, an allergy to all mammal meats and by-products. If you have ever gone on a long backpacking or camping trip and taken meals in a pouch that can be rehydrated with hot water, you're eating a meal that was likely freeze dried... but most of those pre-packaged meals are either beef based or contain some kind of dairy! Being able to make my meals at home with safe ingredients, freeze dry and package them up myself means I can know with 100% certainty that the meal I've packed is safe for me to eat without any potential for an allergic reaction (that would NOT be good on a backpacking or camping trip, far from emergency room and even worse if the cell phone signal is spotty or nonexistent). Since I am able to totally control what goes in those meals, I can also season to my liking ahead of freeze drying and packaging... and that includes controlling the amount of salt in it. If you're familiar with prepackaged meals, unfortunately a lot of them still contain more sodium than we really need. By using my link HERE or clicking on the logo above, I will earn a 3% commission on any purchases you make from Harvest Right, at no extra expense to you.

 

Hello Fresh

Hello Fresh is a meal delivery service that I have used for a few years now and absolutely LOVE. Meal delivery service isn't specifically for the travel/adventure minded folks- this is a service that can benefit literally anyone. But the great part about Hello Fresh is that you're not locked in to a specific length of time for a subscription, and you can skip deliveries or pause your service with no penalty and pick back up when you're ready for your next delivery... a huge benefit to anyone who travels AND loves the convenience of having healthy meals delivered right to your door! There are dozens of meals to choose from each week (or stick with the meals automatically chosen for you), meals can be adjusted to feed anywhere from 2 to 6 people and you can choose which day of the week you receive your delivery. The ingredients are just as fresh as going to the grocery store, but with the benefit of no drive to the store, shopping for all the ingredients, waiting in a line or fighting with a self checkout, and you've even got the option of adding on extras from appetizers, quick and easy breakfast, lunch and snack options, or including a dessert to a delivery.

Personally, I have 3 or 4 meals per week delivered by Hello Fresh and I keep the extras to a minimum, only ordering an appetizer or dessert a couple times a month as a special treat. Having half of my dinners already planned out for the week means the remaining dinners and lunches take a lot less time for me to plan, I can usually plan something around what I have in the freezer, and honestly.... sometimes I still use a recipe from Hello Fresh and tweak it with the seasonings and vegetables I have on hand. Oh, and my favorite part about having meals delivered to my door- the ingredients included are the perfect amount for that meal, so I don't have a refrigerator full of condiment jars that are partially used, nor do I have multiple packages of meat that are partially used (others cooking for just two know the struggle of buying meat for a meal for just two people). If you're like me, partially used ingredients from the grocery store have a tendency to sit in the fridge until they need to be tossed because you haven't come up with another meal to use it in. That waste doesn't happen with Hello Fresh meals!

Use my link to Hello Fresh and score yourself a free box on me! In return for using my link to sign up as a new customer, Hello Fresh will credit me $60 that I can use on future orders. The best part about Hello Fresh referrals is that they are offered to every customer. That's right, after you've signed up, you can refer your friends to join Hello Fresh and receive the same referral credit!

 

Credit Cards I Love And Recommend

I'm going to start this section by saying that using credit cards for the cash back, airline miles or other benefits isn't for everyone. For starters, I don't recommend using credit cards to anyone who has trouble paying their bills each month, or using self control to only use the card for expenses they would otherwise make with their debit card. And of course there are those who simply don't qualify for these credit cards. I promise, there's no judgement from me! I had my own financial woes in my early 20's after getting approved for my first credit cards and not knowing how to properly manage my finances. You can still travel and take vacations even if your finances aren't in tip-top shape, you'll just be using your debit card or cash to pay after you've saved up for it rather than a credit card (that ideally is paid off right away also). 

 

 

 

 

Travel Phone Apps 

These are the phone applications that are designed specifically with travel in mind. I won't list out every single app for airlines, car rentals or hotel chains since there are entirely too many, but I will say that if you frequent the same hotel chain or if you use a specific car rental agency often (even just a couple times a year), you should have an account with that company and have their app on your phone. Making reservations with a company directly and not going through a third party application like Expedia, Kayak or Travelocity means you can accrue points with that company worth discounts later on... sometimes some pretty good discounts when those points add up!

Travelocity, Expedia, Kayak, Hotels.com, Booking.com, Priceline, Hopper, etc

I know, I just said to book directly with a company rather than through a third party app, which is what all of these are. But it's always a good idea to shop around when you're planning a trip to find the best deals on airfare, hotels, car rentals or cruises. Sometimes you might discover a deal through the third party app that you may not have found otherwise, or accommodations that you didn't know existed without these apps that compare dozens and dozens of vendors for you. Some international locations you may travel to may not have the hotel chains you're familiar with, so you would be relying on an official tourism page, an online map, a travel agent or a combination of these to find accomodations without the above mentioned websites/apps. 

Other Phone Apps 

Other phone apps I would recommend are going to be apps that are going to save you money on everyday purchases that you make already anyway, both in brick and mortar stores and online, or they are apps that are going to make you money for doing one of several things- scanning receipts from purchases you make, taking online surveys, or playing games (or in one case, simply walking earns you the points that you can redeem for money!).