This blog exists, of course, because of the book Keith and I wrote that shares our tips, methods and secrets (in detail) for how we travel for free or very close to it, on a regular basis. We wrote the book, and this blog, because people were constantly asking us how we traveled so often, for weeks at a time, to so many places around the world. The people who have asked us this are not necessarily neophyte travelers; some very seasoned and experienced travelers have asked us.
The simple answer is that we utilize many methods that enable us to travel very, very cheaply. We often get airline tickets for free (just paying the fees) and accommodations for free using various resources. Therefore we are able to take two-to-four week trips to countries around the world for what someone might pay for a weekend in a domestic city, paying all travel costs.
Read the review of our book by Nora Dunn of The Professional Hobo
But when it comes to the ins and outs of travel, ours isn’t the only “bible” that really helps you travel better, smarter, and have more enriching experiences. Not by far! Here are several travel literature recommendations that we would love to make to our readers, that could help with various aspects of your travel adventures.
Financial and Budgeting Advice:
Filled with savvy tips on how to live, eat, shop, and have fun on a small budget, 10001 Ways to Live Large on a Small Budget is a compilation of the juiciest tips from the #1 personal finance blog WiseBread.com, including contributing author Nora Dunn, who recently wrote a review of our book!
Cultural Immersion, Exploration and Dreams:
Song of India: Tales of Travel and Transformation, is a collection of 10 travel stories by Mariellen Ward, who writes the beautiful Breathe Dream Go blog about the power of travel to transform. Mariellen followed her bliss and set out on several lengthy voyages across the subcontinent to recover from grief, understand the essence of yoga and rediscover the joy of living by traveling, studying yoga and volunteering in India.
Song of India is inspired by the scorched earth of the Rajasthan desert; the hypnotic currents of India’s most sacred river; the om-inspiring spectacle of the sunrise reflected against the white wall of the Himalayan mountain range in Darjeeling; the masses of people at the world’s largest spiritual gathering; and the intense, smoke-filled darkness of a night facing death on the river in Varanasi.
Volunteer Travel:
The Frugal Volunteerwas written by my publisher, Nola Lee Kelsey. Nola is also the author of 700 Places to Volunteer Before You Die. Do you ever ask yourself if you could be exploring the world? Is there a way? Traveling the globe, immersing into other cultures is not a privilege reserved solely for the rich. The Frugal Volunteer is designed to opening up a world of possibilities for all travelers with an adventurous spirit and giving heart. The book is jam-packed with nearly 500 pages of pure information and motivation for the budget conscious traveler!
How to Travel for Free 