Website Freebie - First Chapter

TABLE OF CONTENT
Introduction
Part 1- SAVING MONEY BIG TIME!
TRANSPORTATION
* Airfare
* Travel Hacking - free flights, anyone…?
* Rental Cars
* Trains & Buses
* Cruise ships
* Awesome Trip Planning Tools
ACCOMODATION
* Free Accommodation
* Discounts on Paid Accommodation
Part 2 - GET PAID TO TRAVEL!
* Teaching English
* Work on a Cruise Ship or Private Yacht
* Jobs in the Tourism Industry
- Resorts
- Tour & Adventure Guide
* Jobs in the Outdoors
- National Parks
- Farm Work
5) Volunteering & NGOs
6) International Job Sites
Part 3 - BECOME A DIGITAL NOMAD!
* Running an online business from anywhere in the World.
* 9 essential DIGITAL NOMAD TOOLS
Part 4 - AWESOME RESOURCES
* Travel Insurance
* Jetlag & Surviving Long Distance Flights
* Researching Local Logistics
* Travel Apps
* Visa Help
* Safety
* Travel Zen
Final Words
Introduction
Freedom…..
The open road, travelling to amazing locations. Places you have always dreamed
about.
No office hours, no boss, no begging for vacation time, no regular bills to pay.
You are free….. to do what you want, when you want, where you want….
You stay at exotic locations while others are freezing in ice and snow. You might
learn a new language, get to know a different culture, meet new friends.
You see the sky bluer, the colors richer, the air moist with smells and sounds you
could have never imagined - and you sense a lightness of being, a joy to be alive,
to experience and wonder - to dream…..
….and make your dreams come through!
Freedom…..
Sounds too good to be true?
Well…..I thought so for many years - always longing for the open road, for the
freedom to just go wherever I wanted, free from the restraints of a career or all
the many obligations we face in life.
My life was pretty good. I was an international conductor and concert organist/
pianist, touring the world’s famous venues and living in amazing places like New
York and LA.
I made good money, eventually ran my own music company, and had a
“successful” life as it would be perceived in our society.
And yet…..something was missing - nagging really….
Something that eventually drove me to leave it all behind - to trust without
knowing where it would lead, to even endure some rather dramatic experiences
that would change me forever - but would also help me to let it all go, allowing
my life to take a turn into much greater joy and fulfillment.
It was at that time - about 2 years ago - that I took my first step towards location
independence and becoming a digital nomad - though I didn’t know it then….
A succession of circumstances had quite suddenly caused the complete collapse
of my financial safety net. I went through a very distressing time, gradually
recovered and then considered moving to one of my favorite cities - Nashville for a while with a regular music job and a “regular life”.
I was excited about Nashville, it felt right to go there and I always trust my
intuition. But going back to a regular job was not my idea of fun!
Once I got to Nashville, the promising job offer and several apartment options
fell through, all within a day - and all was open once again.
As I was driving back from an appointment in Southern Kentucky - 30 miles
north of Nashville - I received a phone call…..
A few weeks before a friend had suggested that I try house sitting which was
becoming a growing market, and I had submitted my profile on several online
sites.
I didn’t hear anything at first, but that day in the car, a lady called, desperate to
find a last minute replacement for a farm sitter since her original choice had just
backed out - 4 days before her departure.
The incredible thing was, that I was literally driving through her town when she
called and so was able to visit her 15 minutes later.
I had not specifically looked for Kentucky or Tennessee. I had applied to
assignments all over the US, but it happened to be this one that replied first, just
when I happened to be driving by.
The farm was beautiful - secluded and quiet as I love it - and required to care for
a large number of dogs as well as some horses, ducks and chicken.
I grew up with a large variety of domestic and farm animals, started riding
horses when I was 7 and love being in nature. It was perfect!
The owner departed soon after on a trip to Alaska - and I had taken the first step
to location independence!
House sitting has become one of the corner stones of my current nomadic
lifestyle, but it certainly isn’t the only one.
I will share with you everything I have learned, all the tools and techniques I
use, anything that can make it easier for you to travel and fulfill your dream.
Whether you want some money-saving tips for your next vacation or would like
to transition into long term location independence and travel for a few years, this
book can be a valuable resource for you.
What I have done isn’t difficult, anyone can do it.
It does require some effort and persistence, it doesn’t usually happen overnight.
But if travelling is your passion and you want to turn it into a full-time pursuit,
you will find plenty of resources and guidance in here to make it happen!
This is what we will cover:
Part 1- SAVING MONEY BIG TIME! - 20 awesome money saving tools for booking
transportation & accommodation, incl. ways to score FREE flights & accommodation
Part 2 - GET PAID TO TRAVEL! - will open your eyes to the vast possibilities of
working while you travel (although, most of these won’t really feel like work….)
Part 3 - BECOME A DIGITAL NOMAD! - will help you getting started in a
nomadic lifestyle and location independent business. You will be amazed at the many
possibilities out there…..
Part 4 - AWESOME RESOURCES - will cover travel insurance, jet lag, some cool
travel apps, safety, tips, visas and much more - all compiled to make your travels even more
enjoyable
Let’s begin!
PART I - SAVING MONEY BIG TIME
So, you like traveling…?
You are passionate about it. You would love to do it more often, but there’s just a
little problem - money….
Even if you can get a cheap flight, there is still accommodation to pay for - and
maybe crowded dorm rooms in hostels aren’t your thing.
You hear about great last minute deals, but somehow you never find them and
whenever you look, everything is just really expensive - out of reach, really.
If you could find your way through the jungle of websites and travel search
engines and actually make it happen - once and for all - and whenever you want
to….
….that would be amazing, right?
Well….that’s what this book is all about and the first chapter will cover the 2
largest expense areas every traveller faces:
Transportation & Accommodation
You will discover a number of really cool tools that can save you hundreds, if not
thousands of dollars over time - they certainly have for me - and we’ll cover
them all, one by one.
So let’s get started!
First, we’ll cover transportation - and airfare in particular - as that is usually the
first stumbling block. You will be amazed how much you can save on that
expense alone….
Chapter 1
10 Cool Ways to Save on AIRFARE
Learning the art of finding discount air tickets will be one of your biggest money
savers for years to come. Whether you are an occasional traveller or frequent
flyer, the tools below will greatly help you reduce that cost - or even eliminate it
completely.
Please be aware, that this is a fast changing industry and competition is high.
Things are always changing and while all the below tools are excellent and
effective, at different times some will work better than others.
It only takes 1 minute to input your flight information, so I recommend using at
least 2-3 as a comparison and you will find out quickly which work best at any
particular time.
Let’s start with two travel search engines you may not be familiar with: Momondo
and Vayama.
I’ve found amazing deals on each, often several hundred dollars cheaper than
anywhere else. Both are usually the first two sites I check, esp. for international
flights.
#1 - MOMONDO - my absolute #1
Aside from the cool design, this search engine comes with fantastic deals and
also shows you which days in a 30-day period have the best prices.
#2 - VAYAMA - my #2
Also really great for international flights, especially to Asia. Usually my 2nd stop
when researching flights.
#3 - KAYAK - my #3
I then compare with Kayak and between those 3, I always find a good rate.
Sometimes I also add Skyscanner:
#4 - SKYSCANNER
Another very effective search engine. Includes a lot of budget airlines that other
search engines miss. If you have the time, it’s definitely worth adding this one to
your arsenal.
*******
Now, let’s look at 5 awesome tools that can reduce prices even further. You
probably never heard of them…..
#5 - THE FLIGHT DEAL - Mistake Fares
Yep…..there is such a thing as “mistake fares” and “The Flight Deal” will let you
know when they happen.
How about $137 from New York to Paris…? - any takers…?
I know it’s hard to believe, but airlines sometimes make mistakes or it’s a
computer glitch, and if you are lucky - and quick - you can grab amazing deals!
Well, thanks to The Flight Deal, you no longer need luck (or scout the internet all
day). They post about 10 times a day, and the best way to receive alerts is to
follow them on twitter - @TheFlightDeal.
There is also a daily email summary, but by the time you get it, the fare may
already be gone or sold out.
So far, this service is only available for flights originating in the US, but
destinations are worldwide.
#6 - GOOGLE FLIGHTS
Another little known tool that allows you to enter an entire region as destination
- like “Europe” for example.
Enter your departure airport and dates and Google Flights will show you which
destination has the best prices.
From there you can book one of the inexpensive budget airlines to your final
destination, saving you big time.
You can’t book here, but it’s a good starting point for finding the least expensive
route.
#7 - WIKIPEDIA
yes, you heard right….;-) - Wikipedia offers an amazing way to find budget
airlines that are often not listed in the big search engines.
Simply enter the departure or destination airport of your choice and scroll down
to the airlines that fly from there.
Then visit their website and check out prices. I have found amazing deals that
way, often more than 50% less than what the search engines showed me - and
you don’t have to google around endlessly to find them all.
Wikipedia is the only place that gives you such a complete overview and is
regularly updated.
A word of warning though: while most budget airlines are great, there can be the
occasional bad apple. If you have never heard of an airline, be sure to check out
TripAdvisor for reviews.
If most of them are good and describe the airline as reliable, you are good to go.
If there are a number of really bad reviews - stay away!
As an example I will mention a budget airline called “FlyAfrica”.
I found them through Wikipedia when I was looking for inexpensive flights to
Victoria Falls and Namibia.
FlyAfrica had amazing deals as low as $22 from Johannesburg to Windhoek
(Namibia), so naturally I was hooked. Fortunately, I did check TripAdvisor first
and found that FlyAfrica cancels most of their flights - often on very short notice
- and doesn’t even refund customers.
There were numerous reviews describing the same problem, so I decided to find
out for myself on the cheapest flight possible - the one from JoBurg to
Windhoek. As a back-up, I also booked a South African flight for the same route
and day.
Sure enough, two days before the departure date I received an email notifying
me that the flight was cancelled due to “unforeseen circumstances”. I was
promised a refund, but all my attempts to apply for the refund were left
unanswered and, of course, I never got my money back.
At $22 it was worth the experiment, but it shows that caution is definitely in
order.
That said, most budget airlines are great and reliable and definitely worth
checking out.
One other thing to keep in mind:
Prices with budget airlines don’t usually include luggage (even carry-on
sometimes incurs a surcharge) or meals. So be sure to check all the details. A lot
of times though, even with an extra baggage fee, these carriers are a lot cheaper
than regular airlines and Wikipedia is the easiest way to find them in each
country.
#8 - SKIPLAGGED
“Skiplagged” employs a technique called “hidden cities” - something the airlines
don’t want us to know about. In fact, some of them sued its 22-year-old founder
for revealing this technique - so far without success - but it’s really nothing new.
You probably have actually used this technique at one time or another without
knowing its name.
What does “hidden cities” mean?
Let’s say you want to fly non-stop from Atlanta to Denver but all ticket options
are really expensive. There might, however, be a better price when flying to a
different destination with a lay-over in Denver.
In that case, you simply get off in Denver and don’t continue the rest of the trip.
Skiplagged helps you find those “hidden city” deals and the savings can be
substantial.
Two things to keep in mind:
- don’t check any luggage as that will be delivered to the final destination
- book 2 one-way tickets, instead of a round trip ticket, because once you miss
a leg of the journey, the entire ticket will be cancelled.
#9 - FREE STOPOVERS
Another great way to save money and see some really cool places!
A “Stop-over” is a connection between flights of more than 24 hours.
Many airlines nowadays allow passengers to stay in their hub city for several
days - at no extra cost - before continuing to their final destination.
Some openly advertise these offers - like Etihad in Abu Dhabi or Singapore
Airlines - and even include special stopover packages with discounted prices for
hotels and activities/tours.
Here are some great examples:
+++Emirates - Stop-over in Dubai
Emirates offers a stop-over package that allows passengers to spend a day in its
hub city of Dubai. There is a small extra charge that includes one night at a
hotel, a visa and assistance to and from the airport.
To book the package, follow the instruction in this link.
+++Singapore Airlines - Stop-over in (you guessed it…) Singapore
Singapore Airlines also offers a stop-over package with great hotel rates and
discounts. Simply use the multi-city tool on their website and the price should be
the same as a regular round-trip ticket. In the rare case of a discrepancy, their
friendly customer-service will help you book the lowest rate.
+++Iceland Air - Stop-over for up to 7 days in Reykjavik
Iceland Air has some of the cheapest fares between the US and Europe sometimes 50% lower than other airlines.
They openly promote stop-overs of several days to see one of the most
interesting countries in the Western hemisphere, as well as its picturesque
capital of Reykjavik.
Definitely a cool (an inexpensive) option - and a great way to ease jet lag pains
on your way to Europe.
Other airlines with attractive stop-over packages include:
+++Thai Air - Bangkok
+++Air China - Shanghai or Beijing
+++Etihad - Abu Dhabi (with “stay 1 night, get 2nd night free” hotel offer)
While not specifically a stop-over package, most other airlines will allow you to
book a stop-over of several days at no (or minimal extra) cost, by simply using
their multi-city tool.
A great example is Turkish Air with their fascinating hub city of Istanbul.
Other options with interesting hub cities include:
+++British Airways - London
+++Air France - Paris
+++Cathay Pacific - Hong Kong
+++Quantas - Sydney
+++Japan Airlines - Tokyo
+++Hawaiian Airlines - Honolulu
+++Aerolinea Argentinas - Buenos Aires
+++KLM - Amsterdam
+++FinnAir - Helsinki
and here is a complete list of possible Stopovers by Airline worldwide
Since connecting flights are considered less attractive and therefore often
significantly cheaper, choosing a stop-over can actually reduce your over-all
flight expense while adding a fascinating experience to your journey.
Some airlines also offer “open-jaws”. That’s when you continue your journey
from a different city than the one you landed in, or return to a different city than
the one you started from:
Leg 1: New York -> London
Leg 2: Paris -> New York
OR
Leg 1: New York -> London
Leg 2: London -> Boston
Here are some examples for airline rules:
United - allows 1 stopover & 2 open-jaws
Air Canada - allows 2 stopovers or 1 stopover and 1 open-jaw
US Airways - allows 1 stopover or 1 open-jaw
Delta - allows 1 stopover or 1 open jaw
American - allows 1 stopover (only at the North American gateway)
And here is a complete list for all airlines
The easiest way to find the best open-jaw prices is Matrix:
Just like Google Flights, you can’t book from here, but Matrix points you to the
best route and dates and from there you can book with the airlines directly.
#10 - AROUND THE WORLD & MULTIPLE STOP TICKETS
For longer trips, RTW (=around the world) and multiple stop tickets is often the
way to go. The best search engine I found for these specialty tickets is AirTreks
They have awesome customer support that will help you find the best possible
deals - and… the most cost-efficient dates (unless you prefer spending hours
finding them yourself).
Check them out if you are planning a trip around the world or for advice on
multiple stopover bookings.
- END OF CHAPTER 1: AIRFARE -
*********
There you have it! - For even more tips on saving BIG and finding:
* discount coupons in seconds
* FREE flights & accommodation
* the best last minute deals
* solid strategies to finance long term travel
* getting paid to travel
* building a location independent online business
....and much more......
Download the book now at amazon.com
Copyright ©2016 by Gundi Gabrielle/SassyZenGirl Enterprises
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