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DownshiftingPRO

DownshiftingPRO

  • Home
  • Destinations
    • Canada
      • Alberta
      • British Columbia
      • Ontario
        • London
        • Ottawa
        • Toronto
      • Quebec
        • Montreal
        • Quebec Maritime
        • Quebec City Region
        • Saguenay Lac St. Jean
    • Colombia
    • Europe
      • Spain
      • Portugal
      • Ireland
      • France
    • UK
      • Northern Ireland
    • USA
      • Alabama
      • Florida
      • Illinois
        • Chicago
      • Louisiana
      • Michigan
      • New York
      • MIssissippi
      • Tennessee
      • Washington
      • Wisconsin
  • Travel Styles
    • Adventure Travel
    • Culture
      • Art
      • Museum
      • UNESCO
    • Family Travel
    • Gastro-tourism
    • Girls Getaway
    • Leisure Travel
    • Multi-generational Travel
    • Virtual Travel
  • Resources
    • Festivals
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Restaurant Review
    • Travel Tips
  • Lifestyle
    • Organizing
      • Downsizing
      • Kitchen
      • Home Office
      • Time Management
      • 4M – Margarita’s Manic Monday Minutes
    • DIY
    • Money Saving Tips
    • Family
    • Recipes
  • About Me
    • Travel – Working with Me
    • Media Kit – Margarita Ibbott @DownshiftingPRO
    • Affiliate Disclosure
    • Privacy Policy – GDPR Compliance
    • Contact Me
    • Girl’s Getaway Press Trips

Money Saving Tips

Bye, Bye Boss! 14 Indulgent Things to Do to Enjoy Living in Retirement

September 20, 2023August 15, 2023 by Margarita Ibbott
Photo Credit Tessa Chung CanvaPro

Enjoy Living in Retirement Time to relax and take it easy, or is it? Enjoy living in retirement by considering these suggestions on what to do with all of your free time. Take a trip, … Read more

Are you Retirement Ready and Ready to Travel?

May 19, 2023May 19, 2023 by Margarita Ibbott
Getting retirement ready - the Acropolis in Athens Greece Photo Credit Margarita Ibbott @DownshiftingPRO

Are you retirement ready? Are you ready to travel? You’ve hit all those important milestones: attend a good university, scored a great job, met the partner of your dreams, married and had a few kids.  … Read more

Unlock car rental AARP deals and discounts with member benefits

February 22, 2022August 28, 2020 by Margarita Ibbott
Road Trip AARP member benefits @DownshiftingPRO image credit CANVAPRO

Too many drivers and not enough cars. No Problem! Unlock Car rental deals and discounts with AARP member benefits @aarpmembenefits

Getting Schooled on Financial Literacy TD #FinanciallyFit

May 28, 2021November 19, 2016 by Margarita Ibbott

It is exhausting. Visiting the schools. Reading the brochures. Hoping and praying that we can manage this, but wondering how to keeping track of where the money goes. We are in the thick of trying … Read more

Making a List and Checking it Twice… Summer Food Shopping #FlippFoodChallenge

August 20, 2020August 21, 2016 by Margarita Ibbott

As the summer starts looking more like fall, we wanted to go on  our annual  family vacation.  We are cottage people.  We don’t own a cottage but we rent a cottage every summer in the … Read more

7 Ways to Save for your Child’s Post-Secondary Education

April 11, 2025December 21, 2014 by Margarita Ibbott

In the first post of the Heritage Funds RESP Savings Tips series, I discussed the staggering costs that we are dealing with as our eldest child entered the University of Ottawa this fall.  It was … Read more

2014 January Get Organized Month– January 1-15, 2014

September 16, 2022January 2, 2014 by Margarita Ibbott
My Top Secret Passwords

January is GO Month. That means that it is time to start the year off right and GET ORGANIZED.  Jan. 1 Update your new 2014 calendar with important business and personal dates: monthly birthdays, anniversaries, … Read more

No Chucky Cheese Here – Money Saving Tips with Cracker Barrel

June 14, 2020October 21, 2011 by Margarita Ibbott
cracker barrel kraft canada

Photo Credit: Kraft Canada We love cheese.  Soft Cheese. Hard Cheese. Cream Cheese. We put cheese in our sandwiches, quesadillas, grill cheese, salads, pasta, tacos… you name it, we put cheese on it.   The thing … Read more

Affiliate Disclosure
To help support my blog and continue providing valuable content, I may earn a commission if you purchase through links on this site. This comes at no additional cost to you. I only recommend products and services that I believe will benefit my readers. Trust is essential, and I strive to offer honest and valuable recommendations. Thanks for supporting DownshiftingPRO.com.

Margarita Ibbott ~ I.am.DownshiftingPRO

DOWNSHIFTING: a movement to voluntarily simplify your life (slow down, minimize, review priorities). I am all about less stuff and more travel.

DownshiftingPRO is where seasoned travel wisdom meets authentic adventure for the 50+ traveler hungry for luxury, culture, and meaningful experiences. I’m Margarita —a storyteller, organizer, and passionate explorer who blends solo escapes, trips with my husband, and multi-generational family adventures.

Whether I’m savouring exquisite culinary delights, wandering through world-class museums, connecting with Indigenous cultures, or indulging in luxury stays, I go beyond the surface to bring destinations alive.

As a regular contributor to HotelScoop.com, I spotlight exceptional hotels and resorts that understand the mature traveler’s craving for comfort, style, and culturally rich experiences.

DownshiftingPRO delivers insider tips, travel hacks, and heartfelt stories—seasoned with humour, wanderlust, and the kind of family travel that’s equal parts connection and celebration.

Europe, the US, or Canada, I’ve got your go-to itinerary for travelers who want to explore on their own terms, balancing solo journeys, couple getaways, and lively multi-generational but with cocktails.

I’m always on the lookout for my next adventure.

The question remains: where will we go next?

Looking for more? Search the blog here

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