How to Travel the World on $50 a Day: Third Edition: Travel Cheaper, Longer, Smarter

This book contains a lot of good (if, at this point, dated -- it's inevitable) information on how to travel inexpensively.

Some reviewers have complained that it is a book only for young people. Well, sort of. Younger folks might overall be more willing to 'put up with' the strictures that author Kepnes suggests for keeping costs low. But I'd argue that I, at the tender age of 61, am squarely in the target audience for a great deal of the wisdom(s) proffered here. I don't know how much couchsurfing I would want to do at this point, but I am also quite uncomfortable with the kind of 'luxury' that travel/tour companies seem to assume a person like me would want.

I'm glad I read this, but I have to confess, I do think the book has some ... show more well, issues of tone, if that's even the right word. The emphasis on cost, cost, cost sometimes gives it a cheapjack, rushy, shallow feel, and I wind up feeling like the world presented here is a big amusement park rather than anything deeper than that. A stupid example would be the use of the word 'attractions' for the kinds of things one might want to do in a given locale. This might indeed be an age issue. I don't know.

Also, given that it's over six years old, the book is really out of date, and it's probably better to keep up with Matt Kepnes via the Nomadic Matt website rather than relying on anything here (though, again, it's worth reading for whatever tips in it wind up applying to you). show less

If you haven’t already been bitten by the travel bug, this comprehensive guide to traveling to places well-traveled or isolated will certainly do the trick. Author Matt Kepnes himself notes that the tips in How to Travel the World on $50 a Day: Revised: Travel Cheaper, Longer, Smarter come to an average of $50 per day: Obviously, travel in France and Germany will be more expensive, although that’s balanced out by travel in Central America and South Asia, which can run as low as $25 per day.

I had just about given up on foreign travel before picking up this book. Matt Kepnes finally gave me hope that I, too, may someday will be able to stroll down the Avenue des Champs-Élysées despite my pitiful teacher’s salary.

Primarily geared at young (20-something) single people without a career or family or other responsibilities to worry about, who could easily leave a job and travel for an indefinite period of time. Some general advice about credit cards, travel insurance, and recommendations for a variety of websites to find flights that other people can use, too, but overall not too much earth-shattering information or inspiration. I got a bit tired of all of the author's comments like "I never knew I'd learn to scuba dive in Fiji" etc. etc. The author has made a business out of traveling, which is great for him, but it prevents him from having the perspective of a normal person.

This book is a good place to start in planning a trip, particularly for setting a budget for lodging and travel. I prefer to read his blog and Facebook articles as they are specific to traveling in certain areas.

This book was so informative and incredibly helpful! I have already started using some of the tips that I have learned from this book and applying them to a trip I am taking this summer. I will probably even bring this book along with me over the summer as well.