Posts Tagged "Budget"
Great Guides to Help You Plan Your Travel Budget
There are literally hundreds of guides on budget travel to be found on the Internet and in bookstores. Some are useful, some are not. It really depends on what you want and where you are going. Many web sites offer email subscriptions and regular updates on where the best deals are. So how do you decide which ones are the most useful? A lot of the sites are confusing, so how do you find the ones that are going to give you the information you need?
Online bookstores have sections on travel guides. Try Amazon or specialty travel book stores like the Globe Corner Bookstores. They have an amazing array of guide books for the traveler on a budget. The most important thing to keep in mind about published guidebooks is that once the information is printed, it is probably out of date. Although most of them are updated annually, you cannot take what is written as set in stone. Internet guides are preferable in this area because their information is updated sometimes on a daily basis so all the deals on offer are available when you see them.
The best guides seem to be the ones that give you specific information on either your choice of destination or the type of holiday you will be taking (family vacation, backpacking, students, seniors, etc). There are the well known guide books/web sites like The Lonely Planet that will give you information on just about every destination you can think of. Or you can contact the embassy of the place you want to visit or go to the library to find out more about your choice of destination. Most web sites will also have links to travel deals that are from the site sponsors. Some of the deals look great but research them. Compare to other sites to get the best deal for you.
Some guides worth having a look at for the budget traveler are:
* ‘The World’s Cheapest Destinations’ by Tim Leffel
* ‘Europe on $70 a Day’ by Arthur Frommer
* Any guidebook from the Lonely Planet ‘Shoestring’ series
* Any guidebook from the ‘Cheap Eats and Sleeps’ series
If you are backpacking, getting a guide on hostels in the area you are traveling to is a good idea. There are many sites dedicated to finding hostels. You will be able to get prices and make bookings in advance.
Once you know where you are traveling you’ll be able to find a guide on just about anything. How to get there, where to sleep, where to eat, what to visit and how to travel around are all going to be available in a travel guide. And once you get to your destination go to the local tourist information stand and look at what other helpful guides are available.
This article is brought to you by: Stuart S. Travel – Your Online Travel Guru
Stuart S. Travel / Your All World Online Travel Guru:
Sherry Hardesty has been a professional flight attendant for over 15 years. Her experience is extensive and she provides professional travel consulting and booking services at 
Visit Your ?sister City? for Economical Traveling
What is a ‘sister city’ and how can you travel to one on a budget?
A number of cities all over the globe have adopted a sister city in another part of the world to promote greater understanding, among other things, between the two cities and their nations. The sister city ‘movement’ began at the end of World War II and was instigated by America.
Participating cities aim to develop friendships and foster relationships between their chosen sister cities (some cities have more than one sister) and to encourage peace and understanding between nations. This is done in a number of ways – encouraging business and economic relationships through trade and technology, stimulate cultural and creative networks, develop partnerships between cities and countries and to provide the opportunity for sister city citizens to experience other cultures through travel.
Traveling to your sister city may be something you wish to do and it can be done at relatively low cost if you are able to become part of an exchange program. Cultural exchanges between sister cities are generally paid for by your home town. Some cities select students to travel to their sister city for a period of time, (it could be weeks or months) and pay all expenses. If you are a student, investigate what opportunities are available for this type of travel.
Traveling to a sister city is not only for students. Other residents may participate in the program as well. You may be selected as an ambassador of your town to travel to the sister city and take part in projects fostered by the sister cities. You will then likely to be asked to host visitors from the sister city when they travel to your country. If you are able to get on one of these exchange programs you can expect accommodation and food to be taken care of (you will probably be living with a sister city family) but you may have to get involved in fundraising for your trip.
If you think this sounds like a fun (and cheap) way to travel, visit your town’s web site and find out about their sister city program. You’ll need to become a member and join in the volunteer program to help with fundraising. You could be asked to host visitors from your sister city and you may get the opportunity to travel. Becoming involved in the sister city program means becoming a part of creating community links and learning about other cultures – exactly what traveling is all about. You may even have ideas for your community’s sister city program and how it can further foster its global sisters’ relationships.
This article is brought to you by: Stuart S. Travel – Your Online Travel Guru
Stuart S. Travel / Your All World Online Travel Guru:
Sherry Hardesty has been a professional flight attendant for over 15 years. Her experience is extensive and she provides professional travel consulting and booking services at
Summer Job Ideas for Budget Travelers
Can you get a job over the summer while traveling? There are plenty around and many aimed at travelers specifically. Organize your work permit and check out the local paper for jobs for travelers. You’ll be amazed at what kind of work you can find to do.
1. You could become an au pair or nanny. There are many opportunities to look after people’s other kids while traveling. Try England, South Africa or Australia for starters.
2. You could teach English. In a number of countries there are opportunities for English teachers. If you are bilingual you’ll have a much better chance of scoring one of these jobs in places like Japan.
3. How about working in a pub? In England there are opportunities for free board in pubs where you are prepared to pull a beer. Hospitality jobs are relatively easy to come by in Australia.
4. Have you ever considered working at children’s holiday camps in the USA or Russia as a camp counselor?
5. You could become a fruit picker! Get to work in the fields all over the world.
6. What about a winter holiday job? Can you ski? You can get jobs as ski or snowboard instructors in many ski resorts all over the globe.
7. How about becoming a Jack or Jillaroo on an outback station in Australia? Immerse yourself in the culture of the outback.
8. Is there work available at the hostel you are staying at? It won’t hurt to ask. Sometimes you can exchange work for free food and board or at least a reduction in the price.
Apart from paid positions, you can also get volunteer work in many places. Volunteering your services can get you free food and board. How about volunteering on a farm? Or being a hike trail or tourist guide volunteer? You’ll get to see the sights for free.
For those of you who may be looking for a more serious work/travel experience there are other opportunities. For example, can you get a transfer with your current job to an overseas position? Or do you want to do something worthwhile in your gap year? Programs are available for students to travel in their gap year and get involved in some amazing projects all over the world. You could work in the publishing industry in India or teach children with special needs. There are many organizations set up to help place people who want to broaden their horizons by volunteering their services in foreign countries.
If you think working or volunteering while you are traveling would be a possibility for you, make sure you find out if you need work permits to do so. Using your skills while traveling is a great way to save money and meet people. You’ll be rewarded in many ways.
This article is brought to you by: Stuart S. Travel – Your Online Travel Guru
Stuart S. Travel / Your All World Online Travel Guru:
Sherry Hardesty has been a professional flight attendant for over 15 years. Her experience is extensive and she provides professional travel consulting and booking services at