Travel Cheap Tips #5: Hosting Exchange Students Looking back on my (almost) 30 adult years, there are a handful of decisions that have added infinite value and meaning to my life. In the top five is hosting exchange students. In 1997, two 21-year old French girls arrived at San Diego International Airport. Just nine years younger than I, we became fast friends. [...]

Travel Cheap Tips #4: Save Money by Staying in Hostels Don't be afraid of staying in hostels — There's a way to do it smart. And, hostels are NOT just for college kids! The world’s first hostel was born in 1912. They are the brainchild of German schoolteacher, Richard Schirrmann, who wanted to help young Deutschlanders escape the confines of [...]

Travel Cheap Tips #3: Do a Home Exchange Vacation There's a third way to travel cheap that saves you a wad by doing things the old-fashioned way—do a home exchange vacation. Back in the day, bartering was the way most transactions went down. Neighbors swapped with neighbors, customers swapped with merchants, and everyone's wallets saw a lot less daylight. At some [...]

Travel Cheap Tips #2: Be a Host on Airbnb or VRBO There are two sides to every story. If someone can share their space with you on Airbnb or VRBO, the odds are that you can host on Airbnb or VRBO yourself. Do you have some extra space—or are you willing to lend out your entire home? If so, then [...]

Travel Cheap Tips #1: Use VRBO, Homestay or Airbnb Vacation Rentals It was in the midst of a midlife transition—from conservative married at-home suburban mom to divorced bleeding heart working urban mom—that I discovered my preference for showering outside with livestock. Since my divorce, I have figured out many ways to spend less money on my wanders and stay in unique places. The first [...]