This shop has been compensated but all opinions are mine alone. When October 1st rolls around, I get in full on holiday mode. We, like many families, have the big four coming up. Halloween, Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Christmas. What?! Black Friday isn’t a big holiday in your house?! It is in mine. Muahahahah! The majority of our family lives out of town, so we do lots of travel during the holidays. If you are traveling this year, here are some brilliant ways to make holiday travel easier:

• Set A Budget: Set out a budget and stick to it! Do your research for hidden costs when you travel. This can include hotel parking, attractions and transportation costs. Unplanned expenses can throw a wrench into your budget and could ruin your fun. I bring a bag of change for toll roads, parking meters and tips.
• Find Deals: When you are traveling on a budget, coupons, rewards, deals and cashback sites are key. TopCashback.com saves you money on products and travel sites you already use. If you have rewards from hotels, rental agencies and credit cards, consider using them when you travel during the holidays. Booking early can save you money as well.

• Travel Dates: Check the hotels and airlines for the most heavily traveled days. If possible, travel before or after. We have celebrated Christmas the weekend before or after with my daughter to save on travel costs.
• Plan Ahead: Lower your stress by making a list of what you need to take on your trip. Pack as much as you can a day or two ahead. Get the kids to lay out their clothes, toys, and activity goodies. Getting the kids involved saved you time and makes them feel involved in the plans.

Shop Ahead: When we travel, we usually drive. I pack snacks and drinks in a cooler to keep food costs down. Most hotels have a fridge, so we can keep everything fresh for the duration of the trip. We pick up a few items at the local grocery store to supplement. For other travel necessities, I use TopCashback.com . I buy everything from the Birdie 2-in-1 hand sanitizer from Olika to Bug Band Bed Bugs No More (just in case!) I love using my cash back rebates I earn for Christmas shopping!

Protect Your Valuables: Most hotels have a safe for your valuables. But what about when you are on the go? We had a robbery at a rest stop a few years ago. It was devastating. If we had the AquaVault® Portable Outdoor Safe, the outcome would have been different. I love this! It can hold my wallet, watch, mobile phone, jewelry, keys and other valuables. You can set your own unique code and it attaches to your beach chair, stroller or even a golf cart.

You can purchased all of these awesome travel items through TopCashback.com. Talk about brilliant ways to to make holiday travel easier! Saving money is my favorite! Whole most cashback sites will give a fraction of a commission back to you, TopCashback is the ONLY site that returns 100% of the commission back to shoppers as a cashback rebate. And it is FREE to join!

Signing up is simple! You just go to TopCashback.com and create an account. Once you have your account set up, log in and search for a retailer. Then you just hit ‘Get Cashback Now’. The site will automatically redirect you to make your purchase at the retailer’s website. Behind the scenes, TopCashback will be able to see how much you’ve spent and award your cashback account with the appropriate rebate. It really is that easy! Be sure to follow TopCashback on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

How would you like to win a Holiday Travel Goodies Prize Pack valued at $75? It includes everything in the last photo. Just enter below and good luck!

What are your tips to make holiday travel easier?