The beauty of becoming ✨

Issue 20: 7 minute read

📚 Life Lessons: How I’ve earned $2000+ in Cash Back by shopping smart using Rakuten + how to get a $30 Cash Back Bonus 👀

🙋🏽‍♀️ Dani’s Doings: Wrapping up my 3-month Asia adventure, my BRAND NEW YouTube video sharing my super honest thoughts about living in Spain, and more

💸 Money Matters: Canada’s oldest company is officially closing 😱, exactly how Canada’s new Prime Minister plans to improve the economy, plus more

✈️ Travel Tings: The not-so-glamorous parts of being a digital nomad, people are applying for second passports in record numbers, among other stories

🫶🏽 Community Corner: An exclusive 20% discount on my trip budget & planner for Liberty Letter subscribers only!

I’ve earned $2000+ by being smart about how I shop. Here’s how! 💸💰 Sponsored by: Rakuten

Rakuten’s Big Give Week starts tomorrow, and it’s the perfect time to stock up on your essentials! You’ll earn 15% Cash Back when you shop at participating stores like iHerb, Clinique, Lenscrafters, Myprotein, and more.

How it works: Visit rakuten.ca, click the logo of the store you want to shop at, complete your purchase, and you’ll get the Cash Back in your account via PayPal or cheque. I always check Rakuten before making any online purchase to ensure I take advantage of all Cash Back opportunities.

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I spent a month in Vietnam and here’s how it went…🇻🇳

I LOVED it. My boyfriend and I spent the first week in Hoi An, which is the town that has 350+ tailors that make custom-made clothing for you based on whatever photos you show them. I’ll work on the haul video soon (subscribe to my channel to be notified when it drops!), but let’s just say I spent a prettttyyy penny having an entire linen, cotton, and silk wardrobe made for me. No regrets! We’ve spent the last 3 weeks in Da Nang: A stunning beach city that’s perfect for slow travellers/nomads like myself (or those on a career break/Liberty Leave). Highly recommend!

Today, we’re flying to one of the last cities on our Asia tour: Chiang Mai, Thailand. I’ve been there many times before and it’s my favourite place in the world. I’ll be there all May. Follow me on Instagram for Stories showcasing everything I get up to!

The HONEST recap of my 1 year living in Malaga, Spain 🇪🇸👀

I filmed a video sharing alllll of my thoughts about living in Spain for a year with my boyfriend on the Youth Mobility Visa. I talk about the highs, the lows, experiences with racism, navigating the language barrier, and much more! Watch it here and please subscribe to my channel! I’m super close to my goal of reaching 1000 subscribers 🥹

Thoughts on going back home (to Toronto 🇨🇦) for the Summer and returning to “normalcy”

It feels like I’ve been abroad forever! When I’m away, I’m often asked if I get homesick. When I’m home, I’m often asked if I’m antsy to get on the road again. Honestly? I’m just happy to be here. Wherever “here” is.

Sometimes I feel like I’m behind where I’m supposed to be (which more traditional folks may consider married, with children, living in a home I own, etc.) but honestly? I love this wild and chaotic life journey I’m currently on. Do I have a long way to go before I feel truly successful? Absolutely. I’m a Type A (recovering) perfectionist with big, bold goals. But at the same time, I truly do believe that there’s beauty in the becoming. I’m learning to fall in love with the journey because I’m exactly where I need to be right now (literally and figuratively).

• Some of China’s unemployed and burned-out millennials and Gen Z-ers are owning their situations and referring to themselves as “rat people” because they lay in bed all day, surf the internet, and eat takeout. Read more on this counterculture trend here.

• Hudson’s Bay Company, aka Canada’s oldest company (355 years old!) is officially going out of business. They’re even liquidating their stores! It’s the end of an era. Details here.

• It was rumoured by Wall Street Journal that Tesla’s board was going to replace Elon Musk as the CEO. Turns out that was fake news. It doesn’t change the fact that the stock has had a rough year, though!

• The results of the Economic Blackout Day on February 28 are in, and they’re pretty significant. Sales by Black shoppers dropped by a whopping 19%! The deep dive on the stats and stores impacted (like Amazon, Target, and Walmart) and super fascinating. Read them here.

• Prime Minister Mark Carney won Canada’s Federal election this past week, and here’s a list of the key economic priorities for his new government.

• Many people dream of being able to live the digital nomad life, but it’s not all butterflies and rainbows. This article does a great job breaking down the not-so-luxurious parts.

• There’s been a spike in U.S. citizens applying for second passports amidst political and economic uncertainty. Details here. Have you considered getting a second passport/do you already have one, friend? Reply to this email and let me know! I’m thinking about starting the process of applying for my Jamaican passport once I get back to Canada.

• This is a list of the 20 best places that you should travel to this summer 2025, according to Lonely Planet.

  • Looking to travel within Canada only? I got you! Check out this crowdsourced list by CBC.

• Travel credit cards are a hot topic these days as people look for the best ways to lower their overall travel costs. Here’s a solid breakdown on what they are, how they work, and how to maximize them.

• The Spring/Summer travel season is officially here! To celebrate (and to thank you for subscribing to my newsletter), I’m giving you an exclusive 20% discount on all budget trackers in my store including ✈️ The Gallivanter: Trip Budget & Planner. Use the code LIBERTYLETTER20 to grab yours before it expires on May 7th.

• I’m home (in Toronto, Canada 🇨🇦) for the entire summer and I’d love to get back into in-real-life events! If you’d like me to speak at your event on topics I’m passionate about (personal finance, travel, career breaks + burnout, etc.), feel free to respond to this email and let’s make it happen!

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