Maybe you have a large inheritance or you invented YouTube or are a really skilled poker player. Probably not, though. If you were, you wouldn’t be reading this. You’d be busy buying stuff. For the non-trust fund babies among us, travel is a major investment. There have been times in my life when I’ve worked for four months so that I could save to take a seven day trip.

It took time for me to realize that I didn’t have to be a slave to the routine of working a lot and traveling a little.

Working to pay for your travels while you are on a trip is easy (sometimes). Here’s my two cents:

1. Teach English. If you are reading this, then chances are you have a decent command of the English language. Teaching English has to be the number one job for travelers out there. In many countries, there are few (if any) qualifications for native-speaking teachers. A month long TEFL course might help land you something with a bit more pay.

2. Write. Easier said than done, right? Not these days. Travel communities are springing across the web. Some (like Cosmotourist) pay for guidebook style articles from travelers. Granted it’s not great pay, but enough to keep you on the road for a few months longer than you budget might previously have allowed. (more…)

Roosh V, from his personal blog rooshv.com hit me up with an email to do a paid review  of his South America Travel Guides, which is located in the travel section of his blog. Before I checked out his guides I wandered around his homepage a bit to get a little background info on the writer prior to delving into his travel guides. Immediately I was pretty intrigued…he seems like quite the character: an intelligent bachelor wandering the world while attempting to coach males on how to get laid with his newly independent book predictably titled…’Bang.’ So before even reading his South American travel guides, I knew I’d love them.

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So you forgot to consider food when you figured out your travel budget. Hey, a bit of a diet never hurt anybody, right? Of course, traveling and having fun required some sustenance.

Food can be one of the most expensive parts of a trip, but it doesn’t have to be. I will not tell you that you need to rely on a diet of complimentary mints, convenience store weenies, and breadless peanut butter sandwiches. If you’re that hardcore, you might be better off staying at home. (more…)

Up and coming tourist spots are sometimes hard to find. Those who already know about the next best place are determined to keep it a secret so that it remains unspoiled. I don’t begrudge them for that. By the time you hear about this secret place it is overrun with hordes of tan-lined tourists trying to visit the next best destination before it is overrun by other tan-lined tourists. Ironic, huh?.

How, then, without simply wandering around the earth aimlessly, can you find the coolest (and cheapest) travel spots? (more…)

When in Rome…

You’ve heard that before. Usually it’s an excuse for doing something in excess while traveling. But, the “when in Rome” idea can save you money when it comes to transportation. That is because the easiest and cheapest way to get around most places is on local transportation. I’m not talking convenience or comfort here, just the black and white issue of cost.

That said, some of my best travel experiences have taken place on the back of crowded, non-air conditioned buses with my fellow passengers, some of whom were poultry. In general, local people respect tourists who take local transport. Or at least they feel sorry for them. I can’t count the number of times I’ve shared a conversation or a snack with a local passenger. What’s not to like? You end up getting to where you want to go (usually), you’ve saved money, and you’ve made a friend. (more…)