It’s been difficult to pull myself away from the great outdoors here in Colorado to sit down and write about our adventures. It’s everything people have described and more with trails, hiking, mountain views, breathtaking rock formations, and gorgeous valleys.
While I understand how most people argue it’s a pricey place to live, we’ve successfully vacationed on a small budget here in this rocky state. We started our visit in Colorado with an affordable Airbnb stay located in a beautiful neighborhood next to Pike’s Peak. Colorado Springs could definitely make the list of cities I’d live in someday. However, housing costs would likely keep us in the Midwest.
The Focus On The Family headquarters were recommended to us as a family-friendly location to check out. The visit proved loads of fun with an entire floor dedicated to the kids. It’s certainly worth adding to your list of things to do before the kids grow up. It’s truly good, clean fun for the whole family.
Garden of the Gods was the highlight of the city. So much so, we went back a second time! No picture can even capture the magnitude of the rocks you’re standing next to or the boulders you’re passing by. All four of us have taken a strong liking to hiking. Levi is getting used to the hiking backpack, though he loves when we release him into the wild as well. Ragen is proving resilient in the face of much climbing. And Travis and I are just glad to have something all four of us can equally enjoy.
After Colorado Springs, we moved on to a week-long stay in Pagosa Springs for just $75 TOTAL. Back in Panama City Beach, we attended a timeshare presentation through Club Wyndham. We said no to owning a timeshare, but yes to an almost-free seven night stay offered for attending the timeshare. That night, Travis and I scoured the options of locations to use this seven night. We could really pick anywhere in the United States. Eventually, we landed on Pagosa Springs and WOW, it was the right decision. We have a little condo all to ourselves, equipped with a full-kitchen, laundry, and every amenity we need. There’s also a pool and workout room access, complimentary snacks and beverages on the weekends, tons of outdoor activities, multiple parks for the kids, and a number for guest services 24/7. I get dishwasher pods and new towels delivered to my door daily! We walked to a little nearby church on Sunday and have taken various strolls around the club grounds. Pagosa Springs is a lovely area.
Here’s our view as we step outside our condo. YES, those are mountains!
Some free things we’ve done in Colorado include visiting the hot springs and going for hikes. I’m not really tempted to spend money beyond basic gas and groceries in this state as there’s so much to do outdoors. We were even able to visit Great Sand Dunes National Park in between Colorado Springs and Pagosa Springs. We stopped right at nap time, so that put a damper on everyone’s attitude. But, at least we can say we saw it! Plus, it was fully included in our annual national park pass. So once again, FREE.
The amount of food we’ve scored from my sign up reward list has also been another win for the freebies. This week, we enjoyed meals like chips and queso from Fuzzy’s Taco Shop, a giant sub from Capriotti’s, and a toasty bagel with schmear from Einstein Bros. Bagels. Every new city we visit holds the potential for so much more free food as we join rewards programs on apps.
We’ve been loving our AARP card lately! We’re finding lots of uses for it as we’re constantly traveling. We’ve purchased discounted Airbnb gift cards for our great multitude of stays through the AARP card. We’ve saved money on eating out at restaurants like Carrabba’s and Cici’s Pizza. There are even attractions like train rides and museums offering discounts for card holders. Once you pay your $15 sign up fee, you have access to SO MANY DISCOUNTS on the app. You can even look up location-specific discounts for local shopping and dining. Travis is currently tracking our points as we’re saving up for a gift card prize too! Somehow, you collect points each time you use your card, earning you more freebies! In Green Bay alone there’s discounts at gas stations, hotels, local treat shops like Sara’s Gelato and Beerntsen’s Candy, or retailers like Shopko Optical and Unity Resale Shop.
One thing I focus on when we are not in hotels is cooking from scratch as much as possible. It’s not like I’m baking loaves of bread and cooking stew every night, but my goal is to make homemade meals whenever possible. This is good for our budget, bodies, and brains. It feels a little like being home everywhere we go. Nachos have been a fan favorite lately; specifically my Quick & Easy Nacho recipe. I can usually use up leftovers from my fridge when throwing together nachos as well!
I mean, come on guys. Doesn’t this just make you want a giant plate of nachos?!
THIS JUST IN: I created an email newsletter sent out every Monday to keep everyone up to date with the best deals, freebies, and promos for the week. Just head to my website homepage and you’ll see a prompt on the right side bar to enter your email and you’ll be added right away! I’ve also been quite busy this week launching my guide for mastering the art of writing to emails. Over the years I’ve scored hundreds of dollars worth of coupons and products straight from companies. So many favorites to write to and say thank you for all their hard work. Here’s my guide if you’re looking to score freebies from companies you love.
We’re off to New Mexico next for more big city adventures, national park visits, and long drives. We’re starting to miss home a little more with each passing day… but we’re also getting to the most beautiful part of the country, so we’re happily traveling along and trusting God with each next step.
See ya on the road!
