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Are you tired of the conventional wisdom which says that you have to spend a lot of money to travel the world? Do you want to learn how two well-traveled vagabonds have managed to do it for decades, as well as the travel-cheap insights they have accumulated over many years of gallivanting the globe?
There are many travel resources and guidebooks out there that tell you how to travel on the cheap, how to save money, how to get the best airfares. We have read and used many of them, and there are lots of good ones around. How To Travel For Free (or pretty damn near it!) is different in that in these pages, we share our own personal resources and experiences to show ways in which you can travel not just cheaply, but for free – or damn close to it.
And in November 2013, we have released a brand new, Updated 2nd Edition to the book! With more than 30 pages of completely new information – like credit card churning, camping when you travel and crowd-funding your travels – we’ve also updated and added to the entire book, with lots of new resources, methods and tips that we’ve discovered and used for traveling for free.
As featured in the Washington Times!
Whether you are planning a weekend getaway or a round-the-world journey, we let you in on our secrets for how to:
- Stay in a fully-furnished house or apartment in locations around the world, for days or weeks at a time, absolutely free.
- Utilize airlines’ frequent flyer programs to the maximum advantage, to earn free tickets very quickly, for domestic and international travel.
- Uncover more unconventional and local means of travel in different countries, that will allow you to travel far more cheaply than conventional methods.
- Find the best, most reputable, and often difficult-to-locate opportunities for working and volunteering your way around the world.
- Learn to access the many hospitality and travel exchange programs that allow you to not only visit international locations cheaply or for free, but to interact and make friends with people in a true cultural exchange.
- Get creative about the endless ways you can travel for free, from bartering, reviewing products or caretaking to combining job training or educational opportunities with personal travel.
Shelley and Keith in Nicaragua, 2012
While we won’t claim to have traveled the entire world – the more we travel the longer our list of destinations grows – between the two of us we have traveled extensively throughout our little planet over the past two decades, and over that time we have both discovered that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to see the world. In fact, we often travel to exotic places for very, very close to free. And the more we’ve traveled, the less we’ve spent.
People ask both of us, all the time, how do we do it? They are admiring, envious, impressed and mystified. They sigh and say, “I wish I could afford to go to Europe or Asia.” But the truth is, most of the people who say this have far more financial means than we do. They could do exactly what we do, – from a long weekend on the beach to months exploring the ruins of Asia or South America – if only they knew how. And so can you.
By far the overwhelming consensus out there is that to travel extensively you have to be rich. Believe us, we are far from it! In How To Travel For Free (or pretty damn near it!) we discuss various ways to help people think outside the box when it comes to how to approach travel for themselves. Some of the general concepts covered are:
- Why it is absolutely not necessary to have lots of money to travel well.
- How you can actually save money by traveling for longer periods of time.
- Methods for integrating your current life and work into ways to travel more.
- The wide range of transportation and accommodation choices, some of which you may not have even thought of.
- Creative ways to travel that can seriously help you stretch your budget.
This book is our own personal account – this is how we do it, along with additional resources we have picked up from fellow travelers, friends, travel writers, and the hundreds of travel books, magazines and websites we’ve read or written for. It is not meant to be a comprehensive guidebook of everything cheap-travel related, but more of a handbook of our own personal resources and tips. Using the exact methods that we outline in the book for you, we have:
- Stayed in a studio apartment in Barcelona for a month, completely for free.
- Taken a two-week vacation to Hawaii for the cost of airline tax, using frequent flyer miles for the tickets and staying in a two-bedroom duplex for free.
- Traveled around Asia for nearly two years, on surprisingly little money – less than half the cost of living at home.
- Spent nearly a month on the Upper West Side of New York City in a free two-bedroom apartment, and using dirt-cheap air tickets to get there.
If you or someone you know wants to learn how to see and experience the world without the need to have or to spend large amounts of money like so many in the travel industry will have you believe, then buy this book now and start your own personal journey toward your dreams of independent travel freedom!
$9.99
65 pages | PDF download
For more ordering options, including Kindle and softcover print versions, go to the Order Page.
How to Travel for Free 
I have been to 100 countries and 109 islands in the world by bartering performing working, networking connecting with people all over the world. I did it and i am still doing it. I have been on the news and I am now producing a reality show on this skill..yes you can travel cheaply and I am a true wittness to this cheers
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Can you teach me how, please?
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That’s what our book is all about!
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I travelled the world for 15 month as a backpacker, but still, nothing is for free. I couchsurfed many times to save some money but in the end my trip cost me around 12.000 EUR incl. 38 flights. I know I could have make it cheaper but not like for less than half. I didnt work at any point while I was travelling and when I travel, I dont want to work.
What u describe, things like “staying in a two-bedroom apartment for weeks for free etc..” – sorry I doubt that this is possible without doing anything for that person who left you the apartment. Many people work while they travel, they get none or a shitty salary but they offer free rooms and sometimes free (crappy) food. And in the end these people didnt really travelled, they just worked around the world for free and didnt see much.
If u wanna some some touristic sites you have to pay, visas cost money aswell, and sometimes a lot!!! On top u have a picture of the Macchu Picchu, people who has been there, know the trip to Macchu Picchu cost u at least 100 Dollars, transportation to Aguas Calientes, the entry cost another 45 Dollars, u probably need a room for one night, so tell me please, how u can visit the Macchu Picchu for cheap or for free?? I really wanna know that, dont think it’s possible.
Travel for free means also sacrafice a lot. Not everybody will enjoy that. And I dont wanna live on other costs either. If I couchsurf, I pay the food for my host. Travelling doesnt means working time for me. Travelling is travelling, its vacation time. If I start taking the the local bus in Bangkok instead of using a taxi to save 20 cents, I should probably better stay at home.
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Hi Sabrina,
Thank you for your thoughts – they bring up some excellent points about long-term travel, and enable us to clarify what this book is and isn’t about. We certainly never claim that someone can travel around the world for 15 months, going so many places that require 38 flights, completely for free. We do not claim that it’s possible to always travel totally for free; however, we do share a ton of methods and tips by which you CAN travel for 100% free, and others that enable extremely inexpensive travel – and every single method that we share, we have personally done ourselves.
As far as things like staying in a two-bedroom apartment in New York for 3 weeks for free – yes, it IS possible and we DID it. In March 2010, as part of a home exchange, which we cover extensively in the book. It was 100% free, and of course we did something in return for the person in whose apartment we stayed – we let him stay in my house. In fact, when your comment came in we were currently staying in a house in Chiang Mai, Thailand for 10 days, absolutely free. That is the beauty of a home exchange, and I have done about 20 of them around the world. They have enabled me to stay for weeks not only in New York, but also Los Angeles, Portland, Hawaii, Vancouver, Washington DC, Paris, Venice, Berlin, and many other places – 100% for free! On many of these trips, I combined the home exchange with using frequent flyer miles, getting an exotic 1-4 week vacation for no more cost than the small airline fee for booking an award ticket.
You are completely right when you say there are unavoidable costs of traveling, including as you point out, passports and visas, entrance fees to museums, etc. However, there are many ways to eliminate or greatly reduce the other costs such as accommodations, transportation and meals – all of which make up a much greater portion of the travel budget than the incidentals.
And you are also right when you say that traveling for free means sacrificing. In fact, that is the very first thing we address in the book, right up front in the introduction. What you sacrifice is time. When you travel, you will spend either time or money, and you have to decide which. Traveling for free or extremely cheap does mean being willing to invest more time and creativity in planning for your trip. However, we personally disagree that it means sacrificing any sort of experience or enjoyment in the travel. In fact, we would say exactly the opposite. By traveling very inexpensively, people tend to do things that greatly add to their experience and interaction with the people and culture, such as taking local transportation, walking or riding bikes, eating at local spots and doing local things rather than the tourist attractions. All of these things really enable you to experience the heart of a place, rather than staying on the well-worn tourist trail.
Thank you for highlighting some important points about travel. Have fun on your journeys!
Shelley and Keith
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Nicely clarified. If someone doesn’t want to sacrifice ANYTHING, then I certainly hope they have deep pockets. Otherwise…they are being unrealistic because, as you stated, you either need to have time or money. If you are not willing to compromise at all, you should plan to spend big bucks or stay home.
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Very nicely said. I think it is wonderful that you are at a place in your lives where you are able to travel so extensively! I would love to be able to do that someday.
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Sabrina- I want to address your comment about working and traveling–which is something I have done for the past six years. It is true that your work hard and the food is not always the greatest, but it depends on what you want from your travels. If you want to check off a list of tourist destinations this may not be the best way to travel, but if you want a chance to settle in and experience life in another area/country then it is a perfect way to travel. By working my visas were paid for by my employer and since I often chaperoned students (which I enjoyed) some of the entries to museums, sites etc were paid for.
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Shelley, Going to order this book to read on my next trip to India and Malaysia. I’m pretty good about travel and deals but I can’t wait to learn more from the two of you! Cheers for writing this book for all of us that love to travel but are not rich!
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Can you share some of the ways you put this into practice in India? I have been travelling around India using some of these techniques and am still here–I would love to learn from your experience too! If you’re interested, I’ll include a link to my own experience too.http://voices.yahoo.com/how-travel-india-no-money-12240929.html?cat=16
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Its so amazing that people don’t realize that traveling doesn’t need to be expensive. So many more people would be able to get out and see the world! I’ve got a nice post about the top 6 resources for cheap or free travel. The ideas are pretty unique, and its proof that traveling doesn’t have to cost a dime.
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We saw the article in San Antonio Express news about packing light that said you went to St. Kitts with 6 wardrobe items. In August my husband and I are going to
Europe for 1 month, and we hope to just take a backpack each. I am very interested in the wardrobe that was mentioned in the article. Is there some place to get more info? Is there more about this in your book?
Thanks,
Ruth
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Hi Ruth,
Thanks for the note! This was actually part of a “6 Items or Less” wardrobe experiment I did – I wore only 6 pieces of clothing for a whole month. You can read an article I wrote about it here: http://www.shelleyseale.info/AustinWomanApril11.pdf
In terms of traveling, there are many good resources out there for how to pack light while traveling. We do have an excellent One-Bag packing list in our How to Travel for Free book. Personally I think the biggest challenge to traveling with only one bag is weather – if you are going somewhere that is cold and you need coats, boots, heavy gear, etc. But if you’re going to Europe in spring/summer you should be fine. Keith and I spent two and a half months in South Asia this past fall, with only a backpack each!
Shelley
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While I know for sure that the above poster is right in saying “nothing is for free” – that’s not to say that we can’t contribute in some way that does not involve MONEY.
Everyone travels sin a different style, and there is a big difference between those who travel as a lifestyle, and tourists. Whichever you decide is for you is ok – but i think this book will be geared towards those who travel as a lifestyle.
Anyway – whatever way you chose to go – travel is the spice of life. Personally, I’ve been doing it as much as possible for the past 10 years, and yes, I’ve sacrificed a lot too – no seady relationship, no steady job, no house etc etc…. BUT, I wouldn’t trade it all back, because time spent seeking new experiences is far better spent than time in an office. That’s just my thinking anyway 🙂
Good luck with the book guys. HaPPY TRAVELS FROM iNDONESIA.
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I am interested in travelling to Indonesia, especially to Bali, with my wife. We are a 60 plus retired couple. Kindly give me some tips to save money for a stay of at least a week each in different parts of Indonesia (Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Yogyakarta, Bali, Medan, Bintan, etc). Please reply at: hareensingh@yahoo.co.in. Hareen Singh. (New Delhi).
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It costs more to stay home working than it does to travel the world exploring and learning. I’ve been traveling for 6 years – 27 countries on 4 continents. I teach photography to international travelers, shoot, write, lead volunteer programs, and have learned how to not worry and fall in love with life. I used to spend $500 a day on vacations now I spend $500 in one month of living outside of the USA. And I live well. I am renting a house now with a drop dead gorgeous view of Lake Atitlan in Guatemala. Cost – $300 per month.
I also travel solo and have learned that courage takes practice. Being on my own opens me up to more experiences with other people – I am free to decide in the moment what I want to do! I love it.
I have photographed the Dalai Lama in India, ridden elephants bareback, (yes it was illegal) swam with sea turtles. and taught Buddhist nuns kundalini yoga in Nepal – it’s all here and more in my new book – the first reviews are in – check it out –
Lisa C., “I just read the introduction and am already crying. Tears of joy and gratitude for your sharing, your courage, your curiosity, your spirit, and YOU!”
Jemie S, “I couldn’t put it down, it spoke to my heart, it paints a beautiful portrait.”
Satya M, “I am inspired how you surrender everyday to the unknown.”
Nancy R, “The photographs are mind-boggling and beautiful.”
Jenn H, “It’s a great read!”
the ebook is ready:
Kitten Heels in Kathmandu, the Adventures of a Female Vagabond (Friends and Family Version) http://www.bitmenu.com/widget/offer.html?offerId=2619
And an epub version for ipads and iphones:
http://www.bitmenu.com/widget/offer.html?offerId=2633n
Congrats on your book! I will check it out – from one vagabond to another.
Kindly,
Mary Bartnikowski
http//www.bartnikowski.com
http://solofemalevagabond.wordpress.com/
http://www.youtube.com/user/zestyzippy
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Hi Shelley, from this post I can say for sure this would be a one handy book for a traveler like me. If you just travel once or twice a year or so you wouldn’t really worry about expending too much but once it becomes an addiction, and let me tell you when it does, it’s not really about staying in luxury hotels or pampering yourself. The real fun is to mix with the locals, get familiar with the culture, walking miles to reach a destination. It’s really about getting out of your comfort zone, and that doesn’t really cost much. One site I started using recently and would like to suggest to you as well is http://volunteerstays.com/, it is a great site if you want to stretch your travel dollars and experience local cultures and ways of life. Do check it out.
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Thanks Ali, and I agree about volunteerstays.com and volunteering while traveling in general. I have done a whole lot of this, and it has some really good benefits including less expensive (and sometimes free) travel, as well as the opportunity to really get to know a community and be a part of it in a way that regular travel doesn’t allow. Thanks for posting!
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Shelley and I are “soul mates” in the sense of enjoying the cultural and intellectual benefits of world travel, while understanding and applying strategies for keeping those travel costs manageable. In addition to Shelley’s informative book, you might also want to check out my book on the same topic: On The Other Guy’s Dime: A Professional’s Guide To Traveling Without Paying. I also invite you to visit my blog, otherguysdime.wordpress.com.
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It sounds like a lot of the best experiences you have had were from home exchange programs. What if you want to travel before you are a homeowner? Does the book have alternatives to home exchange programs still traveling very cheap?
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Hi Laila,
I think you can still do it if you’re a renter. In fact, at this very moment I have home exchangers in my place in Austin, and I rent it. My family and I stayed at their place in Montreal this past summer, and now they are staying at my place while I visit my family up in the Dallas/Fort Worth area.
No reason why renters can’t do it. I guess it just depends on your lease and if it’s okay with your landlord. Check your lease and ask. I rent from an individual. Most leases say something like if you have guests for more than 7 days you have to get permission. A lot of home exchange stays aren’t very long term, so it’s not the same as subletting or anything.
So I guess the bottom line is to make sure it’s okay, but I don’t see why you couldn’t do it still. And if not, get creative by thinking of other things to barter besides a place to stay. Many people barter their time or work in other ways (accounting services, graphic design, legal help, etc) in exchange for accommodations or other travel.
And yes, home exchange is definitely one of our best, favorite and more frequent ways to travel for free!
Shelley
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Travel writing is and always has been a good way to travel for free or at least to have other people fund your trip in advance. My sister does this several times a year. Prior to travelling she arranges upfront payment for articles and images relating to her chosen destination, primarily from local newspapers and travel supplements in local magazines. It’s not that difficult and you don’t have to be a great writer, all you have to do is write about out-of-the-way locations and take out-of-the-ordinary images and be prepared to contact numerous potential clients to be sure of finding a few to pay for all your travel and living expenses. She’s also found blogging about various countries, and monetizing her blog with affiliate promotions is another way to generate a decent income that at least pays for her to travel. And it’s enjoyable work also.
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Everyone travels sin a different style, and there is a big difference between those who travel as a lifestyle, and tourists. Whichever you decide is for you is ok – but i think this book will be geared towards those who travel as a lifestyle.Ayurveda in Kerala
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Hi !
I really like what you say here, I would like to talk to you about a website (mine) named backpackmojo.
I think you’ll find the concept interesting. Go to http://www.backpackmojo.com and just send me an email back (kevin(dot)creusy(at)backpackmojo(dot)com) if you want to know more 😉
Good traveling !
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Great post! We will definitely check that book out. Any chance of visiting Australia?
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Hi! Great ideas: your book sounds good.
We are currently travelling the world for better than free!
Instead of the home exchange option, we have rented out our apartment in Australia.
This means we can travel forever as long as we spend less than the rent.
In South East Asia, where we are currently travelling, we make a profit.
We can then use the profits to go to Wimbledon, Tour de France, Running of the Bulls, Olympics etc.
We have set up a website to inspire others: http://www.teachorbeach.com/
Cheers,
Jon and Jenny Stark
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Hi John and Jenny!
What you are doing by renting out your apartment and using the funds to travel is a perfect example of one of the many ways people can use what resources they already have to travel on a limited budget. Some friends of mine are doing the exact same thing right now on an extened, 1-2 year, road trip all over the US and Canada. It just goes to show that you don’t have to be financially rich in order to travel richly. Good luck on your adventures and hope you guys have a blast!
Keith
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Thank you for the hints. I’ve found another useful article here: http://www.vergemagazine.com/articles/budget-traveller/15-ways-to-travel-for-free-or-at-least-cheap.html
Though I still have doubts about free travelling…
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Thanks for sharing the article! Many of these ideas are covered in our book, but there are a few additional ideas and resources mentioned as well. If you really want to travel for free or at least on a very limited budget, there are so many ways to do it. You just have to be open-minded, creative and resourceful.
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Great info, what a good deed :-).
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Sounds like there are invaluable tips in this book!. African travel is my speciality and trying to trim ore remove costs altogether is something I’ve also become adept at. But with that said, you can never know too much, so think I’ll be investing in the ebook :). Thx
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Hi Shelley,
I was just browsing on ways to travel and came across your site. I do appreciate the way you travel and the lifestyle you choose while traveling. However permit me if I may to offer some opinions on this budget way of travel.
Firstly, would you agree with me that travel is about experience? Possible yes. In my mind, experience is the best of both polar opposites. Meaning, to experience the richest and the “poorest”, for lack of a better word. So yes, experiencing the local dishes, street food, thailand fried critters, making friends with backpackers on the shuttle bus are all fine and dandy. But this only encompasses one part of the polar-namely the budget polar. Full of experience and fulfilling but not the best of both worlds.
I have seen you replied to a reader that budget travel can be as equally full as a person who travels lavishly. I have experienced both and I find this not to be true. For instance, my budget travel to Hong Kong( spent on cheap airflights that had two stop at two countries), street food, a hostel with shared backpackers that came back rowdy and drunk, a shared bathroom for 10 people, and walking from location to location was fun, full of misadventures and memorable.
However, it was FARRRR from the rich experience I had. Five years after that day, I went to Hong Kong a second time with my girlfriend and decided to give ourselves both a treat on valentines. We stayed at the Disneyland resort-good god! those fresh clean towels and triple blanket beds were amazinggggg. Worth every dollar more! We had a three-michelin star fine dining experience at Caprice, Four seasons hotel and while street noodles and bbq pork tasted good, these were mouth watering dishes. Again, yes street food is nice. But why not experience both? Street food AND fine dining restaurants?
What I am trying to say is,,,shouldn’t we seek to experience the luxurious experiences that only money can buy in life and the budget experience as well to be a well rounded traveller?
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Hi Joshua,
I actually totally agree with you! I also travel all different kinds of ways – of course this book, and this site, is focused on creative and budget travel because its focus is on the ways in which we can travel for free, or very close to it. I would say this is the way I travel a majority of the time, because that is the way that enables me to travel SO MUCH MORE than I ever would if I spent a “traditional” amount of money every time I travel.
However, I also travel in a more moderate and upper-end style too, sometimes. I admit that many times my ability to travel in this way is because I’m a journalist, and I am able to stay places because I am asked to write about them, etc. However sometimes, just personally if I am traveling for a longer period of time, I absolutely like to splurge and do something nicer. Like you, I am not into staying in hostels for long periods of time and if I’m doing that, yes it’s really nice to splurge on the nicer hotel with luxury and amenities.
Fortunately, a lot of the ways we travel for free aren’t lower-end just because they’re very budget, and they don’t lack for amenities. For example, one of the biggest methods we use is home exchange. And I have stayed in some VERY, VERY nice places totally for free doing home exchange! 26th floor penthouse on the Upper East Side of New York, for example, a gorgeous home in a prestigious neighborhood of Los Angeles, a two-bedroom apartment overlooking a romantic canal in Venice, Italy. So traveling using our methods doesn’t always mean grungy backpacker hostels with 10 other people or eating street food. For example, in Laos a few months ago we found a terrific French restaurant where we had a delicious three-course lunch for $6 – total for both of us!
Yes, I like the mixture like you say, and I think there are benefits to both. I like traveling, and staying, in different styles to experience different things. Ask Keith, I tell him this all the time. In fact, I think backpacker “snobs” who gloat about how they only travel in certain ways are missing the mark, because they are missing so much more in the places they are visiting.
I do stick by my statement that traveling on a budget can be just as rich an experience as traveling lavishly. Because as much as I might like both experiences, like you do, some people only have the option to travel on a very small budget, if they are to travel at all. And you CAN absolutely have some incredible experiences that way. In fact, although I like the combination of a variety of experiences, I believe overall people can have richer experiences traveling budget, or even let’s say traveling in a more authentic, local manner, than traveling upscale or in tour groups where they don’t meet locals or see things “off the beaten trail” as much. Traveling upscale or in groups or packages can be very limiting to the cultural experience.
Thanks for pointing this out – I couldn’t agree more!
Shelley
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Hey, what about CouchSurfing?? You haven´t mention it yet, and it´s really cool as well as the home exchange! Cheers from Colombia!
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Hi David,
We actually have mentioned couch surfing before in other posts, and you are right – it is really cool! Happy travels!
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A backpack and tent is a tried and true idea, if one doesn’t mind roughing it a bit. Lots of safe commercial campgrounds that are cheap and offer stores, laundry, showers, many amenities… Maybe traveling via shoe leather would make a great guide book in and of itself!
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Please help me i want to outside my country
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I wanna travell the world and be aa free spirit
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Another great way to save while traveling is to use a cheap car hire service. Nothing better than next-to-free transportation! I’ve saved thousands through my travels just be carefully choosing which rental company I went with. Just something to keep in mind for your next trip.
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Well, I love the idea here, however, I am Colombian and I basically need a visa to enter most countries, visas require a large bank account, How do I solve that?
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Hello all!!i just read all your comments and I’m very impressed about your experiences…could any of you recommend me some websites to have a look in order to travel not for free but the cheapest way??I already checked some pages such as Camp America, but most of them have requirements to enjoy (spend at least 9 weeks, have some english level…). Shelley Seale, is noticed that you have a lot of knowledge about what you’re talking about, so I’d appreciate it so much if you would be so kinf to provide me some tips about it. Thanks a lot.
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Hi Samuel, thank you so much for your comments. For the best information and resources – including all of my expertise and knowledge on how to do this – I would suggest that you get our book. We explain everything and give all our resources! It comes in print, pdf and kindle versions. https://travelforfreebook.wordpress.com/buy/
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Hello,
Well right now I am in high school and after it I’m going to go for my TEFL, but I also want to travel around. I’m going to buy your guy’s book after Christmas (I’ll have the money then, lol ), but I was wondering if you guys talk about maybe different programs beginners can use to travel with. What’s the cheapest way to get to your destinations?
Since I was little I’ve always wanted to travel and there are SO many places I want to see and experience. I don’t come from a family w/ big bucks, I come from a family where you earn your spot at the dinner table and what you want. I’ve come to learn of WWOOFer and was wondering what exactly is a day like on the farm?
I’m trying to learn as much as I can before I graduate, I’m thinking about trying WWOOFer out this summer working on some farms here in Michigan . . . some where new.
– Aleesha
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Hi Aleesha,
That’s great that you are starting to think about these things at such an early age! I’d say you are pretty much guaranteed to have a experience-rich and interesting life. As far as the cheapest way to get to destinations, it really depends on where you are going. That could be by bus, by train, by plane, by shared car, etc. We really do cover those things in detail in the book.
For what its worth, neither Shelley nor I came from families with big bucks either, so definitely do not ever let that deter you from pursuing your travel dreams. Keeping an open mind, exploring different possibilities, and obtaining skills like TEFL will take you to all kinds of places.
Good luck!
Keith
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You might want to think about getting a Bachelor’s Degree along with the TEFOL — most work visa’s require a BA or BS at a minimum. Also there are loads of travel opportunities for college students that you would miss out on if you go from High School to a TEFOL certificate.
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Sounds like a great book! I have used award tickets to see 70 major cities all around the world and I’m now writing travel guides for each one 🙂
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Please teach me too
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I like Buenos Aires so much, because is a multifaceted and cosmopolitan city with evident influenced by European culture and architecture,
But I like Buenos Aires because is very very cheap…..with style and good food and quality products
Buenos Aires is sometimes referred to as the “Paris of South America”. Many areas boost beautiful architecture from different periods in the history of this amazing city, and each neighborhood has its own unique feel and attractions. The city has a very broad cultural spectrum due to the diversity of those who have lived throughout history and a lot are free.
The population of Buenos Aires is highly literate and educated. Witnesses of its important cultural life the city has numerous museums related to history, fine arts, modern arts, decorative arts, popular arts, sacred art, arts and crafts, as well as the preserved homes of noted art collectors, writers, composers and artists.
Due to the increase in the number of tourists to Buenos Aires and its favorable climate, there are more and more possibilities and activities to suit every tourist on every budget and free also. These include sporting events, tango tours, cultural tours, and pub crawls in the most popular neighborhoods of Buenos Aires.
Its nightlife is varied and runs until the high hours at dawn. Discos, restaurants, cafeterias and many other attractions for all tastes are spread throughout the city offering innumerable offer the tourist. Also, the city has a select group of about 50 bars known as Notable bars these bars are characterized by having been involved in a large part of the history of the city.
Buenos Aires is extremely accessible, and inexpensive.
To live in I suggest rent a furnished apartment !
I will recommend choosing the safest and most stylish Recoleta area, between the streets Pueyrredon Av, Santa fe Av, Callao Av and Las Heras st.
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Hello,
I’ve only just come across your great blog. It’s always great to hear people refuse to believe that money (or lack thereof) can stop you from travelling. Also, to back you up, my girlfriend and I have been travelling fairly long term now (16 months) and we actually ran out of money 10 months ago. Since then we travelled further than we did with money and have had much richer experiences too.
Also, just wanted to address Sabrina’s words. I find it fairly ridiculous that she took over 30 flights in15 months. If she was really interested in travelling for nearly free then she should have hitchhiked or caught busses or worked boats.
Thank you for sharing your experiences and ideas!
Anthony
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Hi Anthony,
We couldn’t agree more! And yes, if you’re only looking at flying everywhere, especially short flights during long term travel, you’re certainly not going to be able to travel for less money than staying at home. Likewise if you insist on staying in only four or five star hotels, etc. You have to be creative and you have to be willing to work or put in time and effort for it. Like your experience, we have spent money traveling and we’ve done it the totally budget/free way, and we often (not always, but often) have a better travel experience when we are being more creative and spending less money.
Enjoy and keep adventuring!
Shelley
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Hello,
Only just came across your great blog and I’m very much enjoying it.
Just wanted to let you know that my girlfriend and I have been traveling for 16 months and 10 of them without money. So you are right!
Definitely helps to not take more than 30 flights in a few months 😉
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It sounds like you and your girlfriend are really and truly ‘traveling for free’ – well done!
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Thank you!
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Thanks, really inspiring.
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Thank you for your thoughts – they bring up some excellent points about long-term travel and this book help what it has or not. You are completely right when you say there are unavoidable costs of traveling, including as you point out, passports and visas, entrance fees to museums, etc. And you are also right when you say that traveling for free means sacrificing. I like your book very much.
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Hi everyone,
We are looking for 10 volunteers who like to travel. Your task is to write for us a few times a week. Aside from the experience, there are also incentives that you can get. If you are interested please email me at hollowaygregory555@yahoo.com
Thanks.
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All the advice you gave are true. As one of your regular readers, this is a fantastic resource for someone to have all your basic tips together in one place.
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I need to find a place for free or little cost in portland oregon in november of this year im going to help a friend who is needing to have transplant sugury. She needs a place before the doctors will preform the surgury
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As the methods in our book state, probably the best bet in your case for a completely free place to stay would be home exchange, couch surfing or house sitting. Good luck!
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