2. (brought to you by)

3. Traditional travel media
makes you believe
traveling is expensive.

4. They do this by showing
you EXPENSIVE hotels &
resorts, airlines, and cruises

5. WHYDO THEY DO THIS?

6. Because that’s where the
money and advertising dollars are.
You can’t run a magazine
selling $20 a night
hostel rooms.

7. Moreover, in America we
have a VACATION culture,
not a travel culture.

8. It’s not as common for us to
travel the world for a year as it
is in other cultures, so
we just don’t know many
people who have done it.
2014 2015

9. But we do know a lot of
people who go to resorts.

10. Which just reinforces the
perception that travel is
EXPENSIVE.

11. But what if I told you
you’re being LIED to
and that travel really is
within your grasp?

12. What if I told you,
you could go ANYWHERE,
ANYTIME without
much money?

13. I’ve spent the last
seven years proving that
TRAVEL IS AFFORDABLE
and that everything you’ve read in
the past about travel is wrong.

14. or 2 years
You can travel on a budget
without sacrificing comfort...
whether you are going away
2 monthsfor 2 weeks
2014
2015

15. can you accomplish this?
HOW

16. 12 EASY
WAYS
Here are
to Save money
& Travel more:

17. Cut Your Expenses
#1

18. For two weeks, track all your expenses.
People waste money each day that goes
unnoticed. A bottle of water, gum, a snack,
a coffee—it all adds up.
Cutting your expenses is the
best way to increase your
bank account.
It’s the low hanging fruit that allows
you to create a travel fund within
your current means.

19. Here are some simple ways to cut back
1) CUT THE COFFEE – Coffee is the little thing that quietly drains
your bank account. That daily coffee costs you $150 per month
(assuming $5 per coffee). That’s $1,800 USD per year that could
pay for two months in Southeast Asia.

20. Here are some simple ways to cut back
1) CUT THE COFFEE – Coffee is the little thing that quietly drains
your bank account. That daily coffee costs you $150 per month
(assuming $5 per coffee). That’s $1,800 USD per year that could
pay for two months in Southeast Asia.
2) LEARN TO COOK – We all need to eat, but restaurants are
getting quite expensive. Before I left, I cut down on eating out to
two times per week and cooked every other meal.

21. Here are some simple ways to cut back
1) CUT THE COFFEE – Coffee is the little thing that quietly drains
your bank account. That daily coffee costs you $150 per month
(assuming $5 per coffee). That’s $1,800 USD per year that could
pay for two months in Southeast Asia.
2) LEARN TO COOK – We all need to eat, but restaurants are
getting quite expensive. Before I left, I cut down on eating out to
two times per week and cooked every other meal.
3) LOSE THE CAR – Cars cost a lot of money between insurance,
repairs, & filling your tank with gas. If you can, get rid of yours. Learn
to love the bus, take the subway, bike, or walk.
It took me longer to get to work using public
transportation but I saved thousands.

22. Here are some simple ways to cut back
4) GET RID OF CABLE – In the age of free (and legal) streaming
TV, there’s no reason to spend $50 USD per month on cable.
Get rid of it and watch everything online.

23. Here are some simple ways to cut back
4) GET RID OF CABLE – In the age of free (and legal) streaming
TV, there’s no reason to spend $50 USD per month on cable.
Get rid of it and watch everything online.
5) DOWNGRADE YOUR PHONE – While smart phones are
handy devices, getting a cheap phone without any fancy apps
will cost you half that per month. You might get bored on the train, but
your money will be put to better use when you’re spending a
few more weeks in Europe, enjoying nicer meals, or learning to scuba
dive in Fiji.

24. Here are some simple ways to cut back
6) OPEN AN ONLINE SAVINGS ACCOUNT – While you are
saving money, earn a little bit more by putting it in a high yield online
savings account. I netted a few hundred USD this way while
I was saving for my trip. Interest rates are pretty low these days
but you can still get 1–2%.

25. Here are some simple ways to cut back
6) OPEN AN ONLINE SAVINGS ACCOUNT – While you are
saving money, earn a little bit more by putting it in a high yield online
savings account. I netted a few hundred USD this way while
I was saving for my trip. Interest rates are pretty low these days
but you can still get 1–2%.
7) STOP DRINKING – Cutting back on alcohol is going to have a
big impact on your budget. It may not be as fun staying home but
limiting how much you drink is an easy way to save money.

26. Avoid Bank Fees
#2

27. 3% foreign transaction fees
and $5 ATM withdrawals
can really eat into your money
when you are on the road.
$

28. Here’s how to never pay a bank fee again
1) GET A NO-FEE ATM CARD – Get a Charles Schwab
no-fee ATM card or join a bank in the Global ATM Alliance
to avoid all ATM fees in their network (US partner: Bank of
America). Also check with your local bank for other options.

29. Here’s how to never pay a bank fee again
1) GET A NO-FEE ATM CARD – Get a Charles Schwab
no-fee ATM card or join a bank in the Global ATM Alliance
to avoid all ATM fees in their network (US partner: Bank of
America). Also check with your local bank for other options.
2) GET A NO-FEE CREDIT CARD – Sign up for a no-fee
credit card like Capital One’s No Hassle Card, Chase Ink,
Chase Sapphire Preferred or United’s MileagePlus to avoid
the normal 3% overseas transaction fee that most credit and
debit cards charge.

30. Get a Rewards
Credit Card
#3

31. Why pay for travel when you can get it for free?
Use a travel rewards credit card to earn points
and miles that can be redeemed for free travel.
These cards come with sign-up bonuses
around 40,000–50,000 points, which
is enough for a free round trip flight to
Europe. Branded travel credit cards will
help you travel cheaper, better, and
longer and, when used properly, are
essentially money generating machines.
These cards also come with other perks and
point offers that allow you to fly for free often.
✈

32. Get Travel
Insurance
#4

33. You never know what could happen on the road.
Insurance covers you if you experience a medical
emergency, you need to be evacuated, your trip
gets cancelled, or you break your camera.
It’s only a few dollars a day and
has saved me many times over.
The #1 mistake people make
is not getting travel insurance.
➪

34. #5
Get Travel
Discount Cards

35. These global cards offer
discounts of up to 50% for
museums, transportation,
tours, and hostels.
TRAVEL
DISCOUNTS

Travel discount cards are a
great way to save money.

36. The biggest travel discount cards are:
YHA Hostel – primarily for hostels
but includes other global discounts
ISIC — International Student Identity Card
IYTC — International Youth Travel Card
VIP Backpackers — discounts
in Australia and New Zealand
MEMBER CARD

37. #6
Save on Flights

38. Airfare is going to be your
biggest expense and lowering
its cost is going to be the
biggest win you can get.
✈

39. If you can’t redeem miles for free flights
(or you’ve used them already), here are some
other ways to lower the cost of plane tickets:
1) FLY OFF-PEAK – Fly when no one else wants to fly
(weekends, nights, early mornings) and you’ll find
substantially cheaper airfares. It may be more inconvenient
but it will be cheaper.

40. If you can’t redeem miles for free flights
(or you’ve used them already), here are some
other ways to lower the cost of plane tickets:
1) FLY OFF-PEAK – Fly when no one else wants to fly
(weekends, nights, early mornings) and you’ll find
substantially cheaper airfares. It may be more inconvenient
but it will be cheaper.
2) BE FLEXIBLE – The difference of a day can mean the
difference of hundreds of dollars. Be flexible in the days and
times you want to travel and save money.

41. ...ways to lower the cost of plane tickets:
3) FIND SMALLER AIRPORTS – Smaller airports have
lower taxes and fees (a big contributor to airfare prices).
Try to find less popular airports to fly into.

42. ...ways to lower the cost of plane tickets:
3) FIND SMALLER AIRPORTS – Smaller airports have
lower taxes and fees (a big contributor to airfare prices).
Try to find less popular airports to fly into.
4) FIND ALTERNATIVE ROUTING – Going direct is
the easiest, but not often the cheapest, way to travel.
Look for non-direct flights and consider an airport other
than your final destination. It might cost $900 to fly to Paris
but $600 to Dublin. Instead, take a cheap flight from Dublin
to Paris for $60 and save $240 dollars.

43. Find The Free
#7

44. Every city has free attractions
and activities. Finding them can
introduce you to things to do and
interesting cultural experiences
that will fill your day without
emptying your wallet.

45. Here’s how to find free activities:
1) LOCAL TOURISM BOARDS – Local tourism offices
keep a list of all the happenings of a destination and are
prime resources.

46. Here’s how to find free activities:
1) LOCAL TOURISM BOARDS – Local tourism offices
keep a list of all the happenings of a destination and are
prime resources.
2) GOOGLE “FREE THINGS TO DO IN X” –
The Internet always helps.

47. Here’s how to find free activities:
1) LOCAL TOURISM BOARDS – Local tourism offices
keep a list of all the happenings of a destination and are
prime resources.
2) GOOGLE “FREE THINGS TO DO IN X” –
The Internet always helps.
3) ASK HOSTELS (even if you aren’t staying there) –
Hostels deal with travelers on a budget all the time and are
excellent resources for finding inexpensive events.

48. Avoid Hotels
#8

49. Hotels are the most expensive type of
accommodation. Here are some alternatives:
1) HOME EXCHANGE – Home exchanges have been
around for a long time and are just like they sound — for a
set amount of time, you exchange homes with a family
from another country.

50. Hotels are the most expensive type of
accommodation. Here are some alternatives:
1) HOME EXCHANGE – Home exchanges have been
around for a long time and are just like they sound — for a
set amount of time, you exchange homes with a family
from another country.
2) HOUSE SITTING – If swapping homes isn’t your thing,
consider house-sitting as an alternative. In exchange for
watching and maintaining someone’s home while they are
on holiday, you’ll get a free place to stay. House-sitting jobs
tend to be best for people who can stay for at least a couple
of weeks, though there are occasionally short term stints.

51. ...more alternatives to expensive hotels:
3) APARTMENT RENTALS – Rent an apartment
(or room) from a local. It’s much cheaper than a hotel
and lets you explore a local neighborhood, ask a local for
questions, get your own space, and enjoy a kitchen for
cooking meals.

52. ...more alternatives to expensive hotels:
3) APARTMENT RENTALS – Rent an apartment
(or room) from a local. It’s much cheaper than a hotel
and lets you explore a local neighborhood, ask a local for
questions, get your own space, and enjoy a kitchen for
cooking meals.
4) FARM STAYS – Farm stays allow you to stay on
working farms and enjoy a number of organized outdoor
activities. Facilities range from basic camping to luxury
rooms depending on the farm, but in general it’s like you’re
staying at a bed and breakfast.

53. ...more alternatives to expensive hotels:
5) MONASTERY STAYS – Accommodation in
monasteries is often very spartan, containing no more than
a bed and desk, with simple meals prepared by the monks
and nuns. While many monasteries cost at least $50 USD
a night per person (many have dorms for half that price),
most simply ask for donations or are free.

54. ...more alternatives to expensive hotels:
5) MONASTERY STAYS – Accommodation in
monasteries is often very spartan, containing no more than
a bed and desk, with simple meals prepared by the monks
and nuns. While many monasteries cost at least $50 USD
a night per person (many have dorms for half that price),
most simply ask for donations or are free.
6) HOSTELS – This is the cheapest form of paid
accommodation out there! Nothing beats a dorm room!

55. #9
Use a Hospitality
Network

56. Hospitality networks allow
you to stay with locals who open
their home to you.
Not only is this a great way to
save but you also get to interact
with a local who can show you
where to go, what to do, and
teach you about the culture.
One of the best ways to save money on
accommodation is by not paying for it.

57. www.couchsurfing.org
www.servas.org
www.bewelcome.org
www.hospitalityclub.org
The best hospitality sites are:

58. Take Public
Transportation
#10

59. Avoid taxis or tourist buses
and take local transportation. This
not only saves you money but also
lets you see how people travel in
your destination. It’s the most
economical way to travel.

60. Use City Tourism
Cards
#11

61. If you are planning to see a lot of museums
and attractions, city tourism cards will
end up saving you upwards of hundreds
of dollars. They can be bought at local
tourism offices, airports, or online. They also
come with free public transportation.
G CITY

62. Save Money
on Food
#12

63. Your most frequent day-to-day
expense doesn’t need to eat
into your entire budget.

64. There are many ways to eat cheap and well
at the same time:
1) BUFFETS – While they don’t always serve the best
meals, buffets offer great value for your money, especially
since they are all-you-can-eat. You can fill up on one meal
for the entire day.

65. There are many ways to eat cheap and well
at the same time:
1) BUFFETS – While they don’t always serve the best
meals, buffets offer great value for your money, especially
since they are all-you-can-eat. You can fill up on one meal
for the entire day.
2) STREET FOOD/OUTDOOR VENDORS – In most
places around the world, the streets are lined with food stalls
and areas where food is cooked openly on the street. These
places are a great way to experience the local cuisine. Small
stands that sell hot dogs, sandwiches, and the like are also
great places to get a cheap and quick meal. While in Sweden,
I lived off these — I could get a sausage for about $4 USD.

66. ...ways to eat cheap and well at the same
time:
3) LUNCH SPECIALS – Many restaurants, especially in
Europe, offer lunch specials where items on the dinner menu
are offered at a huge discount. I usually tend to eat my “nice”
meal during lunch because lunch specials and plates of the
day cost 30–40% less than what I might pay at dinner.

67. ...ways to eat cheap and well at the same
time:
3) LUNCH SPECIALS – Many restaurants, especially in
Europe, offer lunch specials where items on the dinner menu
are offered at a huge discount. I usually tend to eat my “nice”
meal during lunch because lunch specials and plates of the
day cost 30–40% less than what I might pay at dinner.
4) NO SODA – At $2 dollars a pop, two or three a day
can really add up over the course of a long-term trip.
Stick to water.

68. ...ways to eat cheap and well at the same
time:
5) REFILL WATER BOTTLES – You need to stay
hydrated, but buying a bottle of water (or three) a day is
not only environmentally wasteful — it also makes foolish
budget travel sense. Carry a refillable bottle with you instead
and just drink the tap water.

69. doesn’t need to be expensive. If you
travel like how you live at home, you’ll
never overpay on the road. Do what the
locals do and you’ll have a cheaper and
more culturally rich experience.
TRAVEL

70. Budget travel is about
FINDING VALUE and ignoring
mainstream resorts, hotels, and
restaurants. It’s about traveling
OUTSIDE THE MAINSTREAM
expectations and traveling
how locals live.

71. Any destination can be traveled
to on a budget. Use these tips to
EXPLORE THE WORLD
CHEAPER, BETTER, & LONGER
…no matter where you want to go
or for how long.

72. So GO, as
Mark Twain said:
“Explore.
Dream.
Discover.”
✈

73. If you want more
tips on how to turn
your dream trip into
a reality, check out
my book:
“HOW TO TRAVEL
THE WORLD ON
$50 A DAY”

74. Nomadic Matt is an American
travel expert, author, and blogger.
His blog, receives more than
600,000 unique visits a month.
His writing has been featured
in the The New York Times,
CNN, National Geographic,
The Huffington Post, and
The Guardian.
NomadicMatt.com 