(brought to you by)

Traditional travel media makes you
believe traveling is expensive.

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

WHYDO THEY DO THIS?

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

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

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

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

Which just reinforces the perception
that travel is EXPENSIVE.

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

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

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.

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

can you accomplish this?
HOW

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

Cut Your Expenses
#1

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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%.

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.

Avoid Bank Fees
#2

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

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.

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.

Get a Rewards Credit Card
#3

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. ✈

Get Travel
Insurance
#4

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. ➪

#5
Get Travel
Discount Cards

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.

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

#6
Save on Flights

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

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.

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.

...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.

...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.

Find The Free
#7

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.

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.

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.

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.

Avoid Hotels
#8

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.

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.

...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.

...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.

...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.

...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!

#9
Use a Hospitality
Network

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.

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

Take Public
Transportation
#10

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.

Use City Tourism
Cards
#11

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

Save Money
on Food
#12

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

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.

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.

...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.

...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.

...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.

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

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.

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.

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

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”

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 