Summer is here and I’m so ready to spend it at the pool and the beach! Summer on the East Coast is magical, and we’re trying to plan a few road trips to some of our favorite (and a few new) places as well: Montauk, Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket, and Newport (RI) are on the list. Have you been? Where else should we go? I love getting recommendations.

We’ve already been living in our new backyard at the pool and at the beach this summer, and I’m so excited about both! I love seeing what people have in their travel bags, to their everyday bag, to their beach bag – and that’s what I’m sharing today…everything I tote along to the beach. I’m also going to share some of my favorite deals I’ve found on RetailMeNot for so many of my summer essentials.

We’ve talked about this before, but we always check RetailMeNot’s site or the app before we make a purchase (online or in store) because they have so many deals that aren’t even advertised on a retailer’s site or in their brick and mortar stores. It’s crazy! You’ll see below what I’m talking about. If you aren’t checking RetailMeNot before you shop, you’re likely missing out on big savings!

jumpsuit(wearing xs)

The bag. This Fallon & Royce bag is the one I’ve been using lately, and it’s huge (necessary for the beach). It’s available at Bloomingdale’s, and you can get $5 cash back on your purchase. A few other bags I’m loving here (OMG, the rainbow!And– Revolve never advertises coupon codes, but I just found this one for 10% off and used it! See what I’m talking about?!), here and here—obsessed! Look for a bag that is easy to clean (or can get a little dirty) and can hold a lot.

Sunscreen. This is an obvious choice for the beach bag. I like to use Supergoop on my face.  This one, this and this are my favorite products (15% off your first order with this coupon from RMN). For my body, I grab a waterproof spray for convenience, and to make sure it stays on when we’re getting in and out of the water. I also use this lipgloss from Supergoop on my lips. It’s amazing and doesn’t have that sunscreen taste like a lot of lip SPF.

A hat. A hat or visor is essential at the beach (for me at least). I’m a freak about the sun on my skin, and a hat is a must-have to keep my face protected. A few hats I love are this one, this one (just found these great deals on RetailMeNot) and this visor.

Sunglasses. Another obvious choice, and this pair is my current favorite.

A beach towel. I like to bring along a towel and a big beach blanket because we always end up using both. This towel has been my go-to lately, and I just ordered this new blanket.

Headphones or a Bluetooth music player. If I’m going to the beach alone, I’ll grab my headphones, but if we’re going as a family, we will bring our Jambox along so we can listen to music. This Jambox (perfect size for the beach bag) is normally $180 and you can get it on sale for $126. 

Snacks and water. Obviously, snacks and lots of water are essentials for beach or pool days. Have you ever used Instacart? I’m actually a little addicted because I do not enjoy grocery shopping with kids, LOL (I get to hit up Trader Joe’s once per week without my kids). But anyway, Instacart is amazing. Kind of like Uber Eats but for your groceries! I use it at least once per week and just found a coupon for $10 off your first order here.

A good book (or a podcast). I started reading Ugly Love at the beach the other day. Really excited about this book because so many of you recommended it after I finished (and loved!) It Ends With Us.  I feel like nothing beats reading at the beach! However, if you’re not a fan, a podcast is another great option. The only one I really listen to is The Skinny Confidential—I love it. All of her guests are always amazing!

Shop My Beach Bag Essentials…

This article was originally published on RetailMeNot’s The Real Deal. Read the original article here.