Budget Travel For Dummies

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
	About This Book
	Foolish Assumptions
	Icons Used in This Book
	Beyond the Book
	Where to Go from Here
Chapter 1 Wanting to Travel at Any Cost
	Ditching the Notion That Travel Has to Be Expensive
	Deciding Where to Go
		What kind of experience are you looking for?
		Ideas for first-time travelers
		Don’t try to do everything at once
	Focusing on Less So You Can Enjoy More
		The challenge of planning to do less
		How to narrow your focus (one city, not five)
		Travel days eat into your adventure
	Budget Travel that Doesn’t Feel Like Budget Travel
Chapter 2 A Fist Full of Dollars (And Euros and Yen)
	What’s a Realistic Travel Budget?
		Travel can be more affordable than you think
		Why $50 a day is a great place to start your budget
			Accommodations
			Food
			The rest
		Airfare considerations
		Unexpected costs
	Saving for Travel
		Saving money now saves stress later
		Automatic savings
		Choosing travel over other things
		Living cheaply so you can travel
	Cash? Credit? Both?
		The pros and cons of cash
		Spotting scam ATMs
		The pros and cons of credit
		Using credit cards that don’t charge foreign transaction fees
		The insidious charge option that steals your money
		Some cards are bad for travel
		Unforeseen fees can eat into your budget
		The convenience and safety of using your phone instead
	Protecting Yourself and Your Belongings with Insurance
		The necessity of insurance (personal experience)
		Don’t assume your current health insurance covers you
		What travel insurance covers, and what it doesn’t
Chapter 3 Plan Less for More Fun
	Planning Less Reduces Stress
		I used to be an extensive planner and I was wrong
		How planning less actually reduces stress
		Trading current stress for future stress
	Traveling Without a Plan (Yes, It’s Possible!)
		I’ve traveled for months without a schedule
		There’s (almost) always lodging available
		Apps that help you navigate and more
		Not all will go according to your lack of plan
	The Drawbacks of Guided Tours, Cruises, and All-Inclusive Resorts
		Pre-planned, packaged vacations are not cost effective
		If it’s “included,” you’re paying for it
		You rarely get to see the real location you’re visiting
		You won’t meet the locals and travelers from other countries
		Lightly guided tours: The potential exception
Chapter 4 Now Boarding: Finding the Right Flights
	Booking Flights Yourself versus Hiring a Travel Agent
		Do you need a travel agent?
		What is your time worth?
		Costs and trust
	Booking Flights
		When to book flights
		When to fly
		Where to fly
		A huge exception
		Searching in incognito mode
		Using third-party booking websites
		Google Flights
		Average prices over time
		Spending a little more to fly at better times or get shorter flights
		Pros and cons of one-way tickets
		Don’t expect huge discounts or deals
	Choosing between Budget Airlines and Major Carriers
		Behind the scenes (airline costs)
		How much cheaper, really?
		Hidden costs and penalties
		Accumulating miles/points
	The “Value” of Credit Card Points
		What points can do for you
		What they can’t do for you
		The ever-depreciating value
	Spending More to Save Time
		A hotel near transit or your “must-see” locations
		Trains over buses
		A moment to relax
Chapter 5 Where to Lay Your Head
	Accommodation Basics
		Comparing various accommodation types
			Pros and cons of hotels
			Pros and cons of hostels
			Pros and cons of Airbnb and similar rental/homestays
		Finding the best location
		Similar prices across the web
	The Secret to Inexpensive Lodging: Hostels (Wait, Keep Reading!)
		This is the secret no one tells you
		Hostels aren’t what you think
		Hostels aren’t just for young adults
		What’s a high-end hostel?
		Meet new people, or not
	The Benefits of Hostels and Hostel Life
		Drastically lower your per-day expense
		Convenient kitchens and refrigerators
		Location (location, location)
		Easy-to-get local advice for what to see and do
		Brilliant for solo travelers
	Hostels for Dummies
		Basic hostel etiquette
		Details to consider (private rooms, single-sex dorms, no kids, and so on)
		Handy must-haves to have on hand
		Hostel examples around the world
	Other Inexpensive Lodgings
		Couchsurfing
		Why Airbnb isn’t as cheap as it seems
		The best? Meeting people and staying with them!
Chapter 6 Taking the “Lug” Out of Luggage
	What You Can’t Leave Behind (but Should)
		Why traveling light is the best gift you can give yourself
		Move fast, don’t break things
		Save on luggage fees
		Travel easier on buses, trains, cars, and more
		Shocking game changer: laundry
	Don’t Waste Money on Luggage
		Expensive luggage is a waste of money
		Most of the world isn’t smooth concrete
		Smaller luggage lets you focus on what you really need
		If you can’t easily carry it, it’s too much
	Backpack versus Luggage
		My subjective opinion: Backpacks are best
		The brilliance of “travel” backpacks
		Reasonable reasons to get wheeled luggage instead
		Hybrids
	To Carry On, or Not to Carry On
Chapter 7 Packing Light, Packing Perfection
	What to Pack for Unlimited Travel
		Don’t try to bring everything
		If you “think” you might need it, you won’t
		Seriously, just do laundry
		Packing less than one week’s worth of clothes
		Packing for different climates
	Shopping Locally
		The joy of buying something you need while traveling
		Most of the world has the same things you can find at home
	Tech Must-Haves to Bring on Every Trip
		USB-battery packs (aka power banks)
		Plug adapters
		Cables and a good charger
		Headphones (preferably noise canceling)
		Memory cards (if you have a camera)
		Travel laptop or tablet
		Kindle or other e-Reader
		Saving money on camera gear
	Gadgets and Gear to Avoid
		Pretty much any “travel gadget” (especially advertised on social media)
		“Travel SIMs” (probably)
		Special “travel clothes”
		Bulky laptops
		Money belts
		Anything that attaches to an airplane seat
		Portable solar panels and solar-charging batteries
		Sleeping bags
		You probably don’t need a camera
	Packing for Dummies
		Core items
		Climate/trip-specific items
		Optional items
Chapter 8 Getting Online While on the Road
	You Don’t Need to Do without Data
		Why you should make sure you have data/internet abroad
		How to get inexpensive international data anywhere
			Finding free Wi-Fi
			Replacing your phone’s SIM card
			eSIMs
			Switching service providers
		Unlocking your phone and other potential issues
		Password managers and locking down your accounts
	Making Sure You Can Back Up to the Cloud
		What’s a cloud backup?
		Saving all your photos and videos on the go
		Stashing a copy of your passport and other info
	Downloading Movies, Maps, and Other Cool Apps
		What are you going to listen to?
		Download maps to use later
		Shows and movies to watch on the plane
		Must-have apps
			Google Translate
			Google or Apple Maps
			Rome2Rio
			Polarsteps
			WhatsApp
			Google Photos/Apple iCloud/ other cloud backup
			Apple Pay/Google Pay
			A booking app
			Your airline’s app
			Uber
		Apps to (probably) avoid
			TripAdvisor
			Most paid apps
Chapter 9 Living Locally on the Cheap
	Eating Like a Local
		Thinking of grocery stores as an adventure
		Restaurants eat your budget, but go anyway
		Checking out familiar chains in unfamiliar places
		Avoid eating in tourist spots
		The fridge at the hostel or hotel can save you money
		The glorious wonder that is “street food”
	Exploring Efficiently . . . or Not
		Loosely planning your route
		Taking advantage of “free” walking tours
		Checking for free days or discounts at museums and monuments
		Allowing yourself to get a little lost
		Knowing how to get from anywhere to anywhere
		Car rental dos and don’ts
		Sleep in your car?
		Electric scooters
		Bicycles
	Metro Movin’
		Navigating local metro systems
		Getting a metro card
		Using the local metro app
	Fitting In
		Spoiler: You won’t fit in and that’s okay
		The faux faux-pas of different places and offending people
		Local clothes (proceed with caution)
		Ask locals
		Learning the language
		Homestays
Chapter 10 Sidestepping Common Blunders
	Shopping in a Marketplace: Hustles versus Bargaining
		Cultural differences
		The hard sell (just say no)
		Bargaining is a skill and they’re professionals
	Spotting Hidden Fees and Trying to Decline Them
		Airline fees
		“Late” checkout fees
		“Resort” and cleaning fees
		Can you decline the fees?
	Being the Least Obvious Target
		Most places are safe . . . mostly
		Look like you know where you’re going
		Don’t display expensive items
		Locks and codes
		Don’t keep everything in one place
		Be aware of your surroundings
	What to Do if You Get Robbed
		An unfortunate possibility
		Reporting the incident to the local police
		Canceling cards and changing passwords
		Contacting your insurance
		Finding local replacements
	Other Common Blunders
		Overpacking
		Overplanning
		Jetlag!
		Not incorporating rest or downtime
Chapter 11 Time to Head Out — Or Is It?
	Staying Flexible
		Following the weather (or not)
		Being able to change locations for any reason
	Going Slow (No, Slower)
		Avoiding burnout
		Enjoying yourself instead of checking things off a list
		Remembering it’s all an adventure!
	When It’s Time to Move On
		Finding new accommodations
		Transport options
		Heading to a different city or even a different country
		Following friends
	What to Do if There’s a Problem
		Local emergency numbers
		Other phone numbers
	Letting Your Family/Friends Know Where You Are
Chapter 12 Settling In for an Extended Stay
	Sticking Around When You Can’t Tear Yourself Away
		Staying for an extra day, week, or month
		Can you just not go home?
		What to do about mail, bills, and more
		What about all your stuff now, and later?
		When remote isn’t an option
	Changing Flights versus Canceling Flights
		Costs/fees/hassle
		Can you postpone instead?
		Canceling and getting a new flight
		One-way tickets
	When Do You Need a Visa?
		What’s a visa?
		Options for extending your visa
		The perils of “visa runs”
		Exploring different ways to stay
		Volunteering (aka volunteer travel)
	Becoming a Digital Nomad
		What’s a digital nomad?
		Working from “home” when home is anywhere
		Downsides
	How It Works from Someone Who Has Done It for a Decade
		A typical day
		A typical week
		A typical month and more
Chapter 13 Ten Things Worth Splurging On
	Great Local Food
	Unique Local Activities
	A Night to Relax at a Nice Hotel
	A Good Backpack
	A Decent Flight and Location
	Comfortable Sneakers/Walking Shoes
	USB Battery Pack
	Good Noise-Canceling Headphones
	Literally Anything on Your “Bucket List”
	Travel Itself
Appendix Travel Checklists
	What I Pack
	Budget Travel Packing List
		Optional items
		Climate/trip-specific items
	Countdown Checklist
Index
EULA