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Walking into this Wednesday with an extra pep in o Walking into this Wednesday with an extra pep in our step.  While we’ve always raised our girls to know they can be or do anything we couldn’t be more excited for them to have witnessed #HERstory themselves today. How y’all feeling on this glorious Wednesday? #representationmatters #thefutureisfemale
“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice every “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.” “The time is always right to do what is right.” Nearly 53 years later and these words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. are words that fit so perfectly in today’s society, that is a sad truth.

My dream for America would be for it to get its shit together. For the many Americans in denial of what is actually happening in this country to wake up. For allies to be loud all the time, not just on #blackouttuesday. The work Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. helped start is not done and I’m afraid it never will be. 

From visiting his birth home (swipe left) to where he was assassinated, we’ll always strive to be our children’s best teachers. Remember it starts at home! #mlkday
Wow, so many new faces in our tiny corner of IG! I Wow, so many new faces in our tiny corner of IG! I am so happy our “how we afford to travel so much” series and photography tips have been helpful, more coming soon! Just wanted to share a little more about us. We’re Monet, James, Jordyn and Kennedy and we live in South Florida. I started The Traveling Child in 2016 to inspire parents to travel the world with their kids while providing tips to make it easier and affordable. Our motto is if kids live there, kids can visit and you’ll often find us exploring destinations most don’t consider “kid friendly”. 

Hubby and I met at the one and only University of Florida #gogators. We’ve been together for 14yrs and have our 8yr wedding anniversary coming up soon. Our love for travel isn’t new, 2 months into our relationship we studied abroad together in China.

Jordyn is 6, Kennedy is 4 and they both go to regular public school because well homeschool is not for us lol, but school has been virtual recently because of you know what. Still travel with school aged kids is possible and there are flight deals during school breaks!

James works in sales in Corporate America in an office setting so while I have my own business now we do have tips on traveling frequently with a full time job as well.

I’m Jamaican and well that means I’m a hustler lol. I’m the author of the children’s book, The Traveling Child Goes to Rio de Janeiro (available on Amazon), a freelance writer for The Points Guy and wannabe photographer.  I also write for our own blog/website www.thetravelingchild.co where we share our tips on affordable travel, traveling with kids and providing the itineraries for all the places we’ve traveled to.

While travel is the main focus of this page we’re parents too so we also share things we find helpful raising these kids and sometimes random dance videos 🤷🏾‍♀️.

Now that you know a little bit about us, tell us a little bit about you! Or ask us any questions you have!
How we flew to Singapore for free! We got a flight How we flew to Singapore for free! We got a flight deal for $395RT (tip from our how we afford to travel so much part 1 reel) and coupled that with points earned from a sign up bonus from a travel card. That cards bonus was 100,000 points which was redeemable for $1,250 in travel purchases. $395x3 plus only the taxes for Kennedy’s lap infant ticket meant we paid nothing out of pocket for the fights there! (Save and share this post.)

Is this series helpful? What do you want me to cover in part 3?

P.S. This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to using points and miles and 60 seconds is def not enough to go in depth. So I’m hosting a webinar on Saturday, January 23rd at 1pm EST where I’ll tell and show you how to find and book flight deals, go over travel credit cards and the other tools we use to afford travel so much. You will be able to ask all the questions you want and because of that it’s an intimate event with only 30 tickets available. Can’t wait to help you learn the tools to afford travel now so when the world is completely open you’re prepared! #traveltipsandtricks
I have so much to say but at the same time don’t I have so much to say but at the same time don’t have the words. This day will go down in history!
It’s the hair for me! But seriously this mamas h It’s the hair for me! But seriously this mamas hands are tired so I’m going to do as I said through my word of the year (check last post) and release these hair responsibilities to someone else next week, it’s time for the girls to get some braids. Buttttt if you’re looking for their natural hair routine, click the link in my bio for it. Are you team protective style or wear your hair out? 

For protective styles what are you go to’s? I need some inspo as I grow my hair back out for this in between phase. #naturalhairstyles
Words are so powerful and my word for this year wi Words are so powerful and my word for this year will be the reason I accomplish all the goals I have set forth this year. Are you letting go of anything in 2021? Do you have a word of the year, if so what is it?

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8 Tips to Guarantee a Great Airbnb Experience

August 7, 2018      Trip Planning Tips

We absolutely love Airbnb and have stayed in over 15 Airbnb homes! These include our $60/night Airbnb in Bangkok to our 15 person rental in Venice to our stays in Amsterdam, Costa Rica and Cuba. With all these booking we have become experts in picking a rental homes. If you haven’t joined Airbnb yet, sign up here and save $40 on your first stay. No need to be nervous about booking an Airbnb, just follow my 8 Tips to Guarantee a Great Airbnb Experience.

Woman sitting on a bed in a bedroom

Read the Airbnb Reviews

It is very important to read the reviews of the Airbnb host. While you shouldn’t let one person’s negative experience taint all the positive reviews be very diligent in reading as many reviews as possible. Unlike a hotel, there isn’t a manager you can go downstairs to speak with if something is not to your liking to get it fixed immediately.

Be Wary of Booking Airbnb Hosts With No Reviews 

I know that every Airbnb host has to start somewhere but I’m not interested in my family being a host’s guinea pig. I personally only book properties that have a minimum of 10 reviews with at least 3 being in the past 2 months. The only time I break this rule is if the host has other properties with excellent reviews. Airbnb has Super Hosts who have multiple properties and maintain a positive rating of 95% and above so I at least know the host is trustworthy and keeps up their properties.

Review the Airbnb Listings Photos

The photos are just as important as the reviews. They will show you exactly what to expect in the home, bedroom configurations, bathroom set-up, TVs, etc. If it looks a mess in the photos it will most likely look a mess in real life. When reviewing photos of the home check for consistencies in the listing. If you find there aren’t photos of the bathroom or the listing states 3 bedrooms but you only see pictures of 2 ask the host to provide there. If they’re reluctant it’s probably a bad sign.

This is the Airbnb we stayed in during our trip to Honolulu, it was half the cost of getting a hotel. Amenities included free parking, a washer/dryer, and restaurants on the same block.

Research the Location of the Airbnb

While Airbnb won’t provide the exact address of the rental until your booking is made it does give the proximity if you look at the location map. With this, you can typically find nearby cross streets that will allow you to figure out the neighborhood. Be sure to research this for safety as well as access to public transportation. If you’ll be without a car you’ll want to know how walkable the area is.

Message the Airbnb Host

Even if the listing is an Instant Booking I always message the host first. This allows me to see how quickly they respond and how helpful they are. If it takes them days to respond to your inquiry of when you’re trying to put cash in their pockets imagine how poorly their responses will be once they have it.

woman holding child in front of a green house

Ask for Any Special Requests Up Front

One of the things I love most about Airbnb is their hosts typically are much better at accommodating special requests. When traveling to Europe we typically take the red-eye landing us in our destination at 6 or 7AM. While most hotels won’t allow you to check in that early, most Airbnb hosts will and at no additional cost but ask in advance. As someone who travels with young children this is a huge deal as we usually need a nap before heading out to explore.

Determine What You Need to Bring and What is Provided

While unlimited towels, wash clothes, soap and other basics are expected at hotels not all Airbnb’s offer these. If it’s not clear in the listing ask your host if there are any basic amenities you need to bring.

Confirm the Check-In Procedure

Each Airbnb is different when it comes to checking in. In some cases, the host will meet you at the home to let you in and show you around. Other times there will be a lockbox with the key or a door with a keypad. We have also stayed in homes where we picked the key up from a neighbor or neighborhood store clerk. Just be clear of the check-in prior to your arrival so there aren’t any surprises when you get there.

Once you arrive to your Airbnb do a walkthrough of the place to check for any major issues. Look for things like misrepresented photos, an incorrect location, or cleanliness issues. If things are unacceptable take photos and be sure to contact Airbnb’s customer service immediately. Contacting them within 24 hours can make processing any necessary refund easier.

Why Stay in an Airbnb?

As a family of four Airbnb has saved us a lot of money and given our kids a lot more space to run around over a cramped hotel room, like our family-friendly Airbnb in Copenhagen. We get to live like locals and have a kitchen to cook meals when we don’t feel like eating out. Now sit back, relax and enjoy the savings and extra space booking an Airbnb has given you. Don’t forget to save $40 on your first stay by signing up here.

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  1. 7 Days in Hawaii: The Big Island and Oahu says:
    August 28, 2018 at 3:14 am

    […] Related: 8 Tips to Guarantee a Great Airbnb Experience […]

  2. 7 Days in Costa Rica says:
    August 28, 2018 at 4:15 pm

    […] Related: 8 Tips for a Great Airbnb Experience […]

  3. 12 Ways to Earn Miles Towards Free Flights says:
    August 29, 2018 at 3:27 pm

    […] Delta Airlines also has an exclusive partnership with Airbnb and you can earn 1 mile per dollar spent on all Airbnb stays when booking through www.deltaairbnb.com. Don’t already use Airbnb? Sign-up here and get a $40 credit towards your first stay. Nervous about staying in an Airbnb, read this: 8 Tips to Guarantee a Great Airbnb Experience. […]

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Hey, I’m Monet!

Hey, I’m Monet!

A full time working woman, wife and mama of two. I use every last one of my vacation days traveling with my kids, hubby, friends or solo. Join me as I share my travel experiences and tips to make travel affordable and easier with the little ones. You can read more about me here.

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