When I started planning my summer getaway, I knew two things:
- I wanted to have an amazing time.
- I didn’t want to blow my budget doing it.
I kept seeing people talk about Rakuten, the cashback site that pays you for shopping through their links — and since I love a good deal, I gave it a try.
Spoiler: It worked. I ended up saving over $300 on a week-long trip, without skipping the good stuff. Here’s exactly how.
🛫 1. Booking Flights – $42 Cash Back
I found a round-trip flight to San Diego through Expedia, which happens to be one of Rakuten’s partners. I clicked through Rakuten first, booked the flight, and a few days later saw $42 in cash back pending in my account.✨ Tip: Don’t book flights directly wit
🏨 2. Hotel Stay – $78 Cash Back
I stayed at a boutique hotel for five nights, which I booked on Hotels.com — another Rakuten partner. Hotels.com was offering 6% cash back that day, and my total stay was around $1,300. That meant $78 back, just for booking like I normally would.
🎒 3. Travel Gear – $63 Cash Back
I needed a few things for the trip — a new carry-on, some packing cubes, and sandals. I ordered from Macy’s, REI, and Target (yep, all on Rakuten!).
Here’s the breakdown:
- Carry-on suitcase from Macy’s – $150 → $22 back
- Packing gear from REI – $80 → $9 back
- Target order (toiletries, travel-size stuff) – $100 → $12 back
- Swimsuit + sandals – $100 → $20 back
Total gear savings: $63
🍕 4. Food Delivery While Traveling – $32 Cash Back
Did you know Uber Eats and DoorDash are on Rakuten too? I didn’t until I used Rakuten to order late-night tacos on night three. I ended up using it three times that week, and the total cash back from food delivery was $32.
🎟️ 5. Experiences – $91 Cash Back
I booked a kayaking tour and a zoo pass through Viator, and later bought a CityPass to save on multiple attractions. All of those were Rakuten-linked and added up to $91 in cashback.
💸 Final Total: $306 Saved
Here’s the full breakdown:
- Flights: $42
- Hotel: $78
- Gear: $63
- Food delivery: $32
- Activities: $91
Grand total: $306 in cashback — and I didn’t change my travel plans or spend extra. I just clicked through Rakuten first.
👉 How You Can Do This Too
If you haven’t tried Rakuten yet, sign up here (use my link and we both get a bonus 💰). Then, whenever you shop or book online, search for the site on Rakuten first — or install the browser extension so you never forget.
This summer, make your adventures even sweeter with money back in your pocket.