Travel Type
Define Your Travel Type
Personalized Surveys to Discover your Inner Traveler
- Russ’ Favorite Online Travel Type Surveys
- · Where should I take my next vacation?
- · Find my dream vacation spot.
- · What camps would I enjoy?
- · Which holiday character am I?
- · ProProfs.com: Carefully ponders your travel type as it slowly tallies your travel profile;
- · TripTuner.com: Custom tailors the best destinations based on your travel preferences;
- · WeddingExperts.com: Find compatible destinations for you ideal honeymoon;
For a comprehensive assessment of your travel type...
Go to page 70 of my #1 Best Selling book 'Stop Dreaming Start Traveling: The Ultimate Guide to Traveling More & Spending Less - Revised & Updated'.
Order Book Now
Travel Plan
Kickstart Your Travel Plan
You Can Afford a Travel Lifestyle
“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.”
- To take control of your travel destiny, read my Amazon #1 Best Selling book 'Stop Dreaming Start Traveling: The Ultimate Guide to Traveling More & Spending Less - Revised & Updated' I am so convinced it will redefine your travel destiny that I am offering a risk-free money back guarantee. That's right, if what you learn can not save you real money on every trip you ever take for the rest of your life, you’ll get your money back - no questions asked.
- In the meantime, try the Travel Planning Form to change how you plan travel. You should also sign up to my newsletter for:
- · My Free Guide: 'Beat the Best Online Fare - Every Time, Every Flight';
- · Great money saving strategies and the latest ultra-economical travel opportunities;
- · Updates on my live speaking tours with discount codes to see me speak live.
Dream Travel Plan Form
- Before we get into travel hacking, the Dream Travel Plan, travel funding and everything else that makes ultra-economical travel possible, the Travel Planning Form will help you make your bucket list and prioritize the destinations that are least expensive for you to visit today.
- Before you complete the Travel Planning Form, I suggest you first try a few Travel Type surveys to crystalize what sort of experiences you want to get from your travels (i.e.: relax, rejuvenate, let loose, explore). Just click the 'TRAVEL TYPE' article on the homepage.
- Once you have completed the form and the time comes to decide on your next trip, you can quickly see which options are compatible with what you want to get out of your trip AND least expensive.
- · Download Travel Planning Form
Best Prices
Find The Best Price
Find the Cheapest Flights, Cars and Accommodations
Travel Websites That Stretch Your Travel Budget
- Browse hundreds of free and inexpensive travel options for transportation and accommodations neatly organized from least-to-most expensive. To quickly and easily find the best and least expensive option for you, start at the top of this page, then work your way down. The first option that suits your needs will likely be your most economical option.
Free Taxi Rides
Sign up to Uber and get a Taxi Credit on your first ride
You can often get an Uber credit that you can apply toward your first Uber ride upon registering a new Uber account. Before registering your account, do a Google search of 'Uber Sign Up Credit Code', and you are apt to find current discount codes online.
Cheap Rentals
AutoSlash.com: After you book your rental, autoslash continues looking for lower prices and automatically rebooks you when it finds a lower fare for an identical itinerary.
RentalCover.com: Get rental car insurance for cars rented from any of the main car rental agencies. Some policies start from as little as $7.50/day, $19/trip and $99/year.
Free Stays
Free Campsites: Freecampsites.net
Travel Hospitality
Home Swapping
HomeExchange.com: Featured in the movie ‘The Holiday’
Housesitting
HouseSitMatch.com: (Australia and the U.K.)
Group Travel Operators
Contact any group travel operator and ask how many people you would need to sign up in order to go for free or half price. I know many college students who've had free spring break trips by posting posters all over campus to promote spring break bus trips and by having the campus DJ plug the trip at the campus pub:
Repair hiking trails for room and board
World Wide Organic Farming: Some farms even offer hourly pay
More Voluntour Opportunities
Cheep Stays: Least-To-Most Expensive
Camping - National Campground Directories
Australia:
Canada:
Europe:
New Zealand: Tourism.net.nz: Go to Accommodations > Campsites and Holiday Parks
Attend Timeshare Presentations for Discounted Fully Furnished Accommodations
IntervalWorld.com: has a global timeshare directory.
Private Rentals
Hostels
Find 5-Star Hostels at HostelGeeks.com.
Hostelz.com: Shows a price comparison of all the major hostel booking sites so you can see where to get the lowest price.
HostelWorld.com: Browse user reviews and their app has GPS integration to find places nearby.
Hotels:
EuroCheapo.com: Cheap hotels in Europe.
Hotels.com: Get one (1) free night for every 10 bookings.
Trivago.com: Scours hotel listings from more than 150 websites.
Price Drop Refunds: If rates drop after you book, you get refunded the difference
Pruvo.net: If the posted room rate of an identical booking drops after you pay, you are automatically refunded the difference.
For the Night Hawk
BookADayroom.com: Discounted hotel rooms for daytime stays.
Last Minute Bookings
HotelTonight.com: Select your city and get a list of heavily discounted rooms for that night.
LastMinute.com: Lists hotels offloading blocks of empty rooms likely to go unsold.
Room77.com: Shows views by room number. Hotel staff share feedback on rooms and how their hotels operate.
International Cruise Line Directory
Cheap Flights
Sign Up for Real-Time Price Drop Notifications
Round the World Tickets
AirTreks.com: Specializes in complex multi-stop international journeys
Airline Alliances
Flight Specific Search Engines
AirFareWatchdog.com: Sign up to the newsletter for deals out of your home airport.
Google.com/flights: Simple and easy and flexible criteria selection panel.
Kayak.com: A comparable alternative to Google Flights.
SellOffVacations.com: For departures from Canada.
WhichBudget.com: Budget airline search engine.
Activities and Excursions
Liftopia.com: Offers discounted lift tickets at ski resorts worldwide.
No More Fees
Soar Above Travel Fees
Personalized Surveys to Discover your Inner Traveler
Dodge ATM, Luggage and Foreign Transaction Fees
- Credit Cards That Waive Foreign Transaction Fees
- U.S.: AMEX Platinum
- AMEX Delta Skymiles Gold & Platinum cards
- Barclays Luthansa Miles & More
- Bank of America Travel Rewards VISA
- Bank of America Alaska Airlines VISA Signature
- Bank of America Premium Rewards Capital One VENTURE
- Chase British Airways Signature
- CITI American Airlines Advantage Platinum Select
- CITI Premier Mastercard
- Chase Ink business PreferredChase Sapphire Preferred
- Chase United Explorer Mileage Plus
- Chase United Quest
- CANADA: Amazon.ca Rewards VISA: Allows you to redeem rewards to offset Foreign Transaction Fees.
Avoid ATM Fees
1. Most major airlines are affiliated with credit cards that offer travel benefits, some of which include an option to check one (1) bag for no fee on the condition that the concerned flight was paid for using the card that offers the benefit. For a list of credit cards that have a complimentary checked bag benefit, Click Here.
2. Upsize your carry-on with a wearable luggage jackets from either Jaktogo.com, Scottevest.com, Stuffa Jacket or Rufus Roo. See me wearing a luggage jacket from ‘Bagket’ at the airport on Instagram by clicking here.
3. Prioritize airlines that do not charge checked bag fees. Checked bag allowances by airline are posted at Kayak.com.
4. Earn elite airline status or fly first class on rewards points for free checked bag benefits.
5. Many airlines waive checked-bag fees based on the category of your ticket (i.e.. Basic economy tickets generally have to pay to check bags). Terms vary by airline, so make sure you understand the terms before you book.
Student Travel
Travel 101
Take Advantage if Student Travel Programs While You Can
International Student Discount Cards
ISIC.org: The only internationally accepted student identity card also known at the International Youth Travel Card (ITYC). Provides thousands of discounts in 98 countries. Click the link for details.
Student Travel Opportinities
Contiki.com: Fun group tours.
ITravelosophy.com: Long term trips in Asia, Africa, the Middle-East and Europe.
Rotary.org: A volunteer organization with domestic and international student and exchange opportunities.
StudentUniverse.com Student discounts on flights, accommodations and car rentals with planning support.
Subsidized Travel Experiences
BestDelegate.com: Join a community of globally minded peers and participate in mock United Nations sessions all over the United States including the United Nations assembly hall in New York City.
Top Travel APPS
The following is a curated list of core apps to address common travel related needs. It is not intended to be a comprehensive directory; Rather, a core set of trusted, best-in-class apps to enable thrifty travelers with travel planning.
Eating Out
Too Good to Go: Shop deeply discounted food at risk of going to waste from nearby restaurants and retailers.
Yelp: Find nearby restaurants, read dining and food delivery reviews.
Tipulator: Know the right amount to tip everytime anywhere.
Accommodations
Priceline: Known for superior hotel rates via games of chance (i.e.: exact hotel is only revealed upon paying a non-refundable booking).
Hostel World: Browse hostels either by price or satisfaction ratings. I recommend that you book direct with the hostel (not through the app).
FreeCampsites: Shows free campsites depicted as green pins on a map. User reviews and pictures.
Out & About
All Trails: Find hiking trails and track your location with GPS integrated trail maps.
Flush: Find nearby public toilets/restrooms.
Groupon: Discount coupon catalogue that targets locals. *Before your trip, change your 'home city' to that of the destination you will be visiting.
Four square: Find and read reviews on nearby restaurants, bars and places. Track and share places visited.
TravelZoo: Discount coupons for tours, activities, excursions, restaurants, spas, golf (just about anything of interest to travelers).
Trip Advisor: Shows nearby restaurants, places to go, experiences and accommodations with user reviews.
Transportation
Gas buddy: Find the cheapest nearby gas prices by fuel grade.
Hopper: Uses predictive analytics to predict whether airfares will drop, and if so, when and by how much.
Uber: Rideshare service often cheaper than taxis. Connects you to nearest available cars and tells riders your name and where to pick you up. Payment is automated via credit card information on file.
Communication
Wi-Fi Map: Pins on a map show nearby Wi-Fi hotspots. Works offline when downloaded.
Translators
Translator: Translates live speech, photographed content and manually typed text to desired languages.
Organization
TripIt: Slick travel itinerary organizer. Forward your bookings to 'Plans@TripIt.com' and TripIt neatly auto-organizes your bookings by trip.
Gadgets
XE Currency: Compare any currencies for current exchange rates.
World Clock: International clock that shows all time zones
Money Saving Travel Tips - Latest Appearances - Tour Updates (See Russell Live)
