Travel Resources,
Insurance, And Gear
Learning to Travel, and to travel cheap if you’re like me, is all about the tools in your toolbox!
Below are a bunch of the budget travel resources, apps, sites, tricks, etc. I use, from planning your trip to packing for your trip, to where you’re going to stay to how you’re going to get around. I’ve used and continue to use many of these, but there are also a few more added because you know it’s different strokes for different folks. Always best to research a couple solutions and see which speaks to you and your situation best!
I’ve also included quite a few for you if you’re an aspiring digital nomad, blogger or vlogger/YouTuber! Cheers!
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Packing, Luggage & Gear Recommendations
Patagonia has been doing things right for over 35 years. Amazing gear (even lightly used gear) but more importantly amazing efforts towards helping ease environmental impacts.
Kammok is creating some awesome outdoor gear…and straight out of Austin, Texas. Can you say “lifetime warranty?” They care about their customers, their team, and the environment too.
PacSafe – I swear by their smaller daypacks and “safes”—bags lined with a metal mesh that can lock to anything via stainless steel anchor cord! Check out my video review here!
Tortuga Backpacks & Packing Gear – Once you go backpack, you’ll never go back. Here’s a video with my Tortuga and how I pack carry-on only for a 10-week trip!
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Hostels, Hotels & Booking Travel Accommodations
Hostelworld has become the world leader in hostel booking and reviews around the world. And they’re moving beyond budget travel too!
Hostelling International – HI Austin, Texas was actually my first hostel trip ever. Life changer. Budget travel with built in social networks. Win-win.
Couchsurfing was my first foray into cheap travel, even before hostels. Great way to meet like-minded travelers around the world and share stories…and a couch (or bed).
Trusted Housesitters – Stay for free in homes around the world, or have someone watch your house…for free! Awesome budget travel option for digital nomads too!
Airbnb – If you haven’t yet tried Airbnb, you should. Another great option for short or long-term travel accommodations. !
VRBO is another worldwide vacation rental company that is making serious headway in the market. It’s always good to look at a few of these services since they have different offerings and rates!
Booking.com is nowone of the world’s leading digital travel companies. Lots of options all around the world.
Workaway – Short-term work or volunteering opportunities around the world…and get a place to stay in return! I actually volunteered two weekends at Electric Forest!
Travel & Travel Medical Insurance
Make sure to get travel insurance before you start packing for your trip! And if you travel with a pre-existing condition, make sure you read this article now! I carry travel insurance on any of my international trips. A lot of these companies offer very different types of insurance, so just browse around to make sure you’re getting the right one for your unique circumstances or trip.
Hands down where I start. They have an amazing distiller of extremely highly rated travel and medical plans that you can choose from. Very easy to see if pre-existing conditions are covered or not on a policy before spending more time than necessary!
Safety Wing Nomad Insurance is designed to meet the medical and travel needs faced by Digital Nomads and other remote workers while outside of their home country.
World Nomads can cover everything from health insurance to that expensive camera you’re taking. Their site also has a ton of resources & tips.
Travel Guard has been around a long time. They have a little more emphasis on the typical traveler here than backpackers and long-term.
PacSafe – I swear by their smaller daypacks and “safes”—bags lined with a metal mesh that can lock to anything via stainless steel anchor cord! Check out my video review here!
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VPN, Virtual Mail, Cloud, Cell Phone & Other Virtual Resources
I highly recommend using a VPN (virtual private network) on all of your devices and using at all times regardless of whether you’re traveling. Getting your identity stolen while traveling abroad would suck big-time my friend.
Express VPN has over 3,000+ VPN servers in 160 VPN server locations in 94 countries, and a 30-day money-back guarantee, so you can make sure it’s right for you.
Surfshark VPN is taking a bite out of the big boys by being a much more affordable yet still very robust solution. Make sure you check them out.
Traveling Mailbox is what I use to get all of my mail while traveling. They receive, scan and more, all with a no-nonsense app/interfade. See my deep dive of the service here!
Dropbox is my go-to for free cloud space. It’s fast and easy, and their upgraded plans are cost-effective. Great for on-the-go transfers and keeping hard drives clear.
Google Fi cell/data service has been great for around the world travel. Keeping the same number in any country without dealing with switching sim cards/providers is a huge hassle avoided! And here’s a $20 credit!
Blogging & Vlogging Resources and Providers
I highly recommend using a VPN (virtual private network) on all of your devices and using at all times regardless of whether you’re traveling. Getting your identity stolen while traveling abroad would suck big-time my friend.
Adobe Creative Cloud is the suite of software that I’ve used for over 20 years. And all of my video editing is through Premiere Pro. Powerful tools my friend.
Skillshare learning tutorials is where I learned at least half of my video editing skills. Here’s my personal link for a discount if you’re new! Make sure to check out my classes!
Bluehost is one of the go-to website hosts, powering millions of websites worldwide, and one of the top recommended WordPress providers by WordPress.org.
Travel Planning Tips
Figure out where you are going & how are you getting there…
I suggest using at least 2 to 3 different travel search sites. Start with Skyscanner or Orbitz or Booking …or whatever aggregator site you prefer. Then when you see what airlines to use, check their respective sites for better deals or rewards flights.
Figure out where you’re going to stay…
If you’re interested in hostels, search Hostelworld or Hostelling International. For longer-term or more private digs, look at Airbnb, VRBO, or you can look for hotel rooms in the links from the search engines listed above.
Get comprehensive travel insurance, or in the least, travel medical insurance if internationally…
Especially with Covid not going anywhere, get covered. Start with an insurance aggregator like Insure My Trip, or with SafetyWing, World Nomads, or another. Then decide what is important to you; trip cancellation, baggage coverage, medical, or all of the above. And get a yearly evacuation plan, since you’ll have to get home after your emergency!
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Tough Love, Tips & Strategies To Help You Finally Kick-Start Your Travel Life…Or Go Full Nomad!
Been wondering how the hell all those digital nomads, location-independent travelers, and remote workers, travel “full-time?” Maybe you’ve thought about living that life one day, but you’re really not sure where to start.
Beyond giving you the stepping stones to dive into short-term domestic and international travel, this book will show you how long-term travelers extend those tools, maximize their budgets, and turn weeks into months…or even years…of traveling the world indefinitely.