Getting ready to travel somewhere for a few weeks or months of independent travel? If you want a great value, take a look at places where the exchange rate has tilted to your favor. In countries with weak currencies, you can really feel rich if you are earning in U.S. dollars, euros, or pounds.  Where …

If you fly to Panama on American Airlines, you will not pay to check a bag on your economy class international flight unless you are in Basic Economy and it will be $45. If you fly to Mexico you will pay $35 either way. If you fly in the USA you will pay $40, but …

When I first went backpacking around the world, I never even thought about a lot of things I wouldn’t leave without today—and I’m talking about more than a smartphone. I never bothered with travel insurance, for example, figuring I was young, healthy, and had the money to pay a doctor if required. Now I don’t …

Ever since I started this budget travel blog back in 2003, I’ve written regularly about safe travels and the perception of travel risks. Even though people—especially Americans—generally face more deadly risks at home than they do abroad, people who don’t travel much think it’s a big scary world out there and they have to be …

Are you going backpacking in Europe or heading to the continent for an extended travel trip? Or maybe you can work remotely so you’re taking your time? Touring Europe on a budget is tougher than in some other parts of the world, but I’ve done it multiple times and am going to share what works …