Category: travel

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How to Get Cheap Travel Tickets

With planning, foresight and a little bit of hard work, you can go ahead and have that dream vacation the economical way. Here’s how:
  • Search the internet, call airline agencies and watch the news to keep yourself up to date on discounts. There are a lot of promotional fares offered by airline companies that are new in the industry.
  • When you do travel a lot, sign up for frequent flier miles.
  • Ask about student fares or senior citizen discounts.
  • Keep a flexible travel schedule. Go with the flow. If the promo states that they only give discounts every Tuesdays, then set your departure on Tuesday. Generally, Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Saturdays are the days that have fewer reservations, so it in on these days that tickets are sold cheap. Monday is usually the busiest day of the week.
  • Do not go ahead and make reservations to the first airline company you see with promotions. Take the time to source out a variety of options. Take the time to find out if the promotion is indeed the cheapest in your area. Ask the clerk about other offers available. When checking through the internet, make sure you check at least five sites before you decide where to buy your tickets.
  • You can have the option of purchasing tickets trough consolidators. These are people who buy a whole block of tickets and resell them at certain discounts. This helps the airline fill up still available seats. The travel section of the newspaper is the place to check for ticket consolidators.
  • Try flying on off peak hours schedule. Usually if you take the before seven in the morning flight or the after seven in the evening flight, tickets are at their cheapest. This too, will be a wise decision since it is at these times that airlines are not overcrowded, thus getting more space for yourself and your luggage.
  • Be sure to inquire if the airline offers travel packages. Some airlines do offer packages such as car rental discount or a hotel room discount that comes with the travel ticket.
  • When you are flying off season, be very sure to ask about certain standby fares.
  • Have an early booking. Promotions are usually offered when one reserves a ticket three weeks beforehand. Remember that due to over crowding during the holidays, you may not use your frequent flier miles. So book in advance if you plan to travel during the holidays.
  • Staying with only one airline on your entire trip may too, give you discounts. Airlines offer special rates to round trip tickets or connecting flights.
Have a safe trip and enjoy!
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Paris After Dark

Paris has layers. The first tier is Louvre, the Eiffel Tower, the Musée d’Orsay, etc. the Must-Sees, the monuments. This is the easy stuff, positioned across Paris’s geography like giant boulders in a low field. On the second tier are the Michelined restaurants, notable to a different sort of tourist but famous all the same. On the third tier are the special places—restaurants, bars, smaller museums, cafés—that require a little legwork, and maybe some French, to ferret out. And in the fourth tier are the places where locals actually go, the neighborhood spots with bad signage and tattered menus that just happen to be perfect. Here’s the thing, though: If you work hard enough at tackling the third tier, you can start to make it overlap with the fourth.

Many of the city’s best bars are of the “speakeasy” variety, hidden behind unmarked doors or taco joints or pizza restaurants or grilled-cheese shops. Look beyond the gimmick; the Parisians have. The drinking scene here is so revved up, it’s begun to specialize. Take Mabel, for example—that’s the speakeasy behind the grilled-cheese shop. The proprietor of Mabel has dubbed his bar a “rum empire” and stocked it with the city’s best selection of that liquor. Bartender-owner Joseph Akhavan can be found behind the stick most nights, mixing and stirring and eagerly recommending both spirits and concoctions.

Mabel owes at least some debt to Candelaria, the speakeasy behind the taco joint. Though it was founded by two Americans and a Colombian, the bar has become firmly rooted in the city’s bobo drinking culture.

It’s worth the hype, with its Latin American spin on mixed drinks (think: fine mescals; drinks paying homage to Mexico, Cuba, and Puerto Rico; Gabriel García Márquez quotes on the menu).

A few blocks away, the bar Andy Wahloo has a fake-out front door—you enter through a sprawling interior courtyard before ducking back into the street-adjacent barroom. A glowing, kitschy ’70s-Moroccan decor sets the mood—the mood being “how far can I unbutton my shirt before I cross the line from rakish to sleazy”—but the focus here is firmly on the drinks. The bartenders are attention hogs, alternately lighting things on fire, squeezing whole oranges along the overturned blade of a knife, and filling bell jars with infused smoke. It’s a hell of a show, and it makes up for how impossible it is to score a seat in the courtyard during the warmer months.

If it’s still warm out, and outdoor drinking is a must, Hôtel Particulier is the place to find yourself. First, though, you have to find the bar, which is accessible behind a locked gate on a steep drive on a curving hillside road in Montmartre. So cherished is access to Hôtel Particulier’s cascade of terraces that if you hang around its gate during the day, you might hear a tour guide describe it as a kind of holy-grail drinking spot. I hate to ruin the myth, but just press the intercom and wait. The gate will click open. Take a left at the boulder, ring the bell at this gate, and ask the host for a table outside. There aren’t any bad ones.

Perhaps this is all too theatrical for you. That’s fine. Here’s something more straightforward. Enter the Ritz Paris, on the Place Vendôme, and follow the long gallery to the end. As far as you can get from the main entrance are a pair of bars: The Ritz Bar to your right and the Hemingway Bar to your left. Take a left. Here, Colin Peter Field, maybe one of the finest barmen in Europe, mixes classics as they’re meant to be mixed, with precision, a kind of Bond-like lack of stress, and gentle helpings of charming anecdotes.

Across the river, Castor Club, a favorite of the cool-kid set, is hidden, in a very chic way, behind a wood-paneled facade with a single slat window. Depending when you arrive, you may need to wait a bit—the narrow space inside can hold only a couple dozen people, and the doorman doesn’t let it overfill. This can have its perks. As I waited for a barstool, a taxi sped by and clipped its side-view mirror on a metal post at the edge of the sidewalk. The mirror bounced across the pavement, narrowly missing a group of women in line. A man from another group went over to the taxi driver. “You almost hurt those girls!” he yelled in French. He asked the women if they were okay, and the two parties merged. Say what you want, but it’s better than “Come here often?”

For dinner, swing by Hero, a Korean-inspired place on Rue Saint Denis, for spicy fried chicken and kimchi. Restaurants that skew away from things we identify as French are part of the culture too. If you want to know how people eat, go online and see what’s popular for takeout. Over the course of my meal, four delivery guys picked up orders.

If you’re not in the mood for Korean, keep going north to Marrow, a new hot spot helmed by chef Hugo Blanchet. The namesake specialty is baked in pita dough, so the bone itself arrives in a peelable crust. Sinking your teeth into that crust, and chewing it from the bone, may be one of Paris’s most viscerally pleasurable sensations. And that’s saying something.

Most high-end restaurants take a pass on the cocktail list, opting to focus on wine. Not Marrow. Bartender—and partner—Arthur Combe is one of the city’s best mixologists. Combe’s Vieux Rectangle deserves a place in the pantheon of new classics. I ask him where I ought to head next and he rattles off a list that would take a strong drinker a week to accomplish. “What’s your favorite?” I say. He replies: “I spend a lot of time at Castor Club, because it’s near where I live and open late.” I mention the line. “The doorman is renting my apartment from me,” he says. “Tell him you know Arthur.” I make a mental note.

No one has ever accused Paris of skimping on decadence, so why stop at pita-encrusted bone marrow? At Ellsworth, off the Palais Royal, it’s possible to eat a balanced meal that begins with foie gras; progresses to veal sweetbreads; and ends on soft, almost-liquid egg yolk raviolo, topped with truffles. For a less inventive menu—that is, steak—Clover Grill, on Rue Bailleul, is the current contender for the city’s best meat. You can see it dry-aging in a trophy case between the dining room and the kitchen. The play here is to order something cut for two.

You can get surprisingly far by foot in Paris. Les Halles is my favorite center point. Beginning here, a 30- to 40-minute walk could bring you as far north as Pigalle or as far south as Le Jardin du Luxembourg; west to the beginning of the Champs-Élysées or east to the Bastille. You’re looking for pockets of noise, for the bubbling up of crowds outside of late-night bars, for the kinds of cafés that act as quick docks for the sidewalk smokers. Novels and memoirs and screenplays have all been written about Paris at night—there’s a reason. The city doesn’t so much sleep as change shifts. The late-night crowd has its own turf, and you can really only find it by looking for it at street level.

Two pieces of advice. One: Don’t be afraid to wander into and through the city’s green spaces. Parc des Buttes-Chaumont in the 19th Arrondissement is home to Le Pavillon Puebla, which is really more like an old caretaker’s house that happens to serve drinks and play music. Revelers gather on a large terrace nestled among the trees, often right up until the moment it closes, at 1:45 A.M.

Two: If you happen to walk by the Palais de Tokyo, the contemporary art museum along the Seine, know this—it is open until midnight every night except Tuesday; its newest resident is Les Grands Verres, a restaurant and bar from the folks behind Candelaria and Hero, and it serves drinks until 2 A.M.

It is 2AM. Head to La Mano, on Rue Papillon, and try to make it through the line outside. If you do, you’ll be greeted indoors with one of the city’s best dance parties. The crowd here is the sort that likes to overpay for booze as long as the DJ is good—and he really is, spinning Latin-influenced jams and setting the tone by dancing his heart out at the front of the room. But there are other, less crowded options. I found myself in SoPi (South Pigalle) very early one morning, hopping back and forth across its main drag of bars, Rue Frochot. Dirty Dick—a divey tiki place—closes at 2 A.M., but Glass, across the street, is open till 4 A.M. L’Entrée des Artistes, around the corner, is also open till 5 A.M. on weekends.

12 P.M. START ALL OVER. I know how this sounds. Who would waste half the day sleeping? But think about the inverse: Who would waste half the night sleeping? When so many places come alive after midnight, can you afford to doze through it? The deep night handicaps the city for you, thinning out the tourists, closing the attractions, and redirecting the energy toward a few beacons of light and noise. You just have to walk around.

But, sure, we’re not vampires. Any café can fulfill the requirements for petit déjeuner—coffee, croissants, eggs—but my favorite croque madame is at La Palette on the left bank. Vegan spot Café Ineko has the best pregame espresso, and a table out front nabs you a nicely framed view of Rue Gravilliers. There are worse places to spend an afternoon, recharging with coffees and maybe the evening’s first glass of rosé. Just don’t stay too long. There’s a lot left to do when it gets dark.

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15 Essential Digital Nomads Tools

Today there are more remote workers than ever before in history. People are leaving behind their traditional office jobs in search of adventure, and they’re bringing their work with them. Thankfully, technology is making travel easier. The rise of innovative apps is helping travelers streamline their life on the road. As a full-time traveler myself, I balance my time between exploring local culture and working on a start-up. In this article, I’ll share my favorite budget friendly digital nomad tools for saving time and money while increasing productivity.

1. Trover App

This app is a like Instagram for travelers. It’s a place where travelers can upload and share their favorite destinations with other nomads. The beautiful photo galleries are the perfect way to discover new destinations. What makes Trover unique is the huge network of travelers that connect on the app to discuss their favorite places. You can exchange stories and tips and even create lists of places you want to explore. Trover is the best travel app for gaining inspiration from fellow travelers. If you suffer from wanderlust, this digital nomad tool just might be the cure.

2. Hip Camp

An Airbnb for campsites, this new travel app is transforming the way travelers think about accommodation. For starters, it opens up a whole new avenue that hotels and boutiques haven’t really given much credence to – the great outdoors. This website is quintessential for anyone who enjoys spending a night under the stars with a bonfire by their side. What I like most about this website is I can easily search for land to camp on all around the USA. Hip Camp opens up unique accommodation opportunities that would otherwise not be available. This cool new website enables landowners to keep their space filled with nature, instead of selling or building on top of it. For camping enthusiasts, it’s a dream come true. Campers can pitch their teepees and re-wild in the grand elegance of Napa, Yosemite, Sequoia, Lake Tahoe, and many other locations in all fifty states.

3. Nomad Budget App

Nomad Budget is a personal finance app for travelers. If you’re tired of using currency converters and spreadsheets, you’re not alone. Created by travelers Nathan & Adriana, Nomad Budget is a travel expense tracker that helps you keep track of your spending while abroad and save money. It allows you to create a target daily budget and watches your spending so you don’t have to. Best of all, it works completely offline and has over 150 foreign currencies to choose from. It works seamlessly in every country. Foreign expenses are instantly converted into your home currency using the latest conversion rate. Beautiful charts display your spending by category so you know exactly how much you’re spending on food, accommodation, and sightseeing. Nomad Budget is the perfect budgeting app if you’re going on a trip and you don’t want to overspend.

4. Traveller Stash

Stay in the know with the latest travel technology. This website was built by travel entrepreneurs who wanted to give back to the community. Inspired by the concept of Startup Stash, Traveller Stash curates the very best of trending travel technology and delivers it in one clear-cut space. This website offers sixty top travel resources to help fellow explorers plan their upcoming trips with ease. The key idea here is to make traveling more convenient. Indexed resources include everything from flight hacks to package handling services and backpacker tips. Digital nomads and vacationers alike can now find the best tools and resources for an upcoming trip on Traveller Stash.

5. Trip Advisor

Create epic bucket lists for things to do in new cities. Trip Advisor is a megalithic resource for travel reviews and recommendations. With an ever growing user-base comprised of knowledgeable expats and locals, travelers can find answers to pretty much any question they have about a particular destination. Their comprehensive list of attractions around the world helps itinerants discover interesting sites, tours, and experiences. What I love most about Trip Advisor is the ability to create custom bucket lists for an upcoming trip. I can save all my sightseeing ideas and restaurant picks in one place and then come back to it later. A notable feature is being able to see all of my favorite spots displayed neatly on a map. I can easily pair sightseeing with nearby dining which makes itinerary planning a cinch.

6. Trello

Stay organized with your tasks and team members. Trello enables entrepreneurs to create a fluid workflow that inevitably increases productivity. This is a life-changing application. As someone who has issues staying focused and prioritizing my tasks, this app has completely transformed the way I plan my day. The intuitive design allows me to effortlessly create multiple to-do lists. Users have the ability to create teams and share tasks with their team members. Permission levels allow users to maintain control over project management, delegate priorities according to color tags, apply due dates, and archive completed tasks for accountability. Notable features include being able to drag-and-drop tasks, move lists around, and automatically splices chunk text into separate tasks. This is a life-changing app. After discovering the capabilities of Trello, it has become indispensable to my workflow.

7. Slack

The easiest way to communicate and share files with team members. Slack is a messenger application that works on your desktop or on your phone. So what makes Slack different from other messenger apps? Founded by tech guru Stewart Butterfield, Slack is a cloud-based tool for team collaboration. When team members want to communicate with one another, they can organize their conversations with custom “channels” that are either open (for transparency) or private (for sensitive topics). Team members can easily drag and drop all types of files including PDFs, images, and spreadsheets. You can even video call your co-workers or set up a digital conference! All downloads, files, and direct messages are cleverly stored for later so that users can search for archived conversations. What I love most about Slack is the ability to preview URL links and GIFs in my messenger window. Instead of sifting through a thousand emails with hard to find attachments, I can just open Slack and have all my business communications in one spot. In summary, Slack has reinvented the way business professionals communicate online with their associates.

8. Sky Scanner

Find the cheapest flights to your favorite destinations. Sky Scanner compares millions of flights from various airlines and offers the least expensive flights from point A to B. Whenever I need to book a flight, I head to this website to find the best deals. Some clever features include being able to type in “Everywhere” into your destination. It allows you to see your options in a multitude of countries and cities along with pricing information. Sky Scanner doesn’t charge any hidden fees, but instead links you directly with the airline to book your ticket. Sky Scanner also has convenient filtering which allows you to sort the results by duration, lowest price, departure time, and even by a specific airline.

Here’s a tip for saving even more money! Once you find a great flight on Sky Scanner, you can then go directly to the website of that particular airline to see if your ticket will be cheaper.

9. Flux

Turn off that pesky blue light on your computer so you can go to bed. If you’re having a difficult time sleeping, the light radiating off your computer screen might be to blame. Studies have shown that blue light can have an adverse effect for sleep patterns. Flux takes care of this issue by eliminating this blue light so that your body can carry out its natural resting cycle without interference. After downloading flux, you can tell the application what time you plan to wake up and it will automatically adjust the lights on your computer. As evening approaches, the light on your screen gradually adjusts to a reddish orange glow. This altered lighting has a drowsy effect which physiologically motivates the user to stop using their computer and go to sleep. Flux is great for digital nomads who need that extra push to turn off their electrical devices late at night.

10. Moom

Easily manage multiple browser windows on your desktop. Creating the perfect workspace is one of the most important ways in which to increase productivity. After-all, having a messy desktop can instill feelings of cluttered thoughts, confusion, and serve as the ultimate distraction playground. Moom helps you to manage all of your windows so you can work better. It’s like playing Tetris with your browser windows. You can easily size them down and position them on your screen with just one click. This is a very valuable tool for programmers who need to have multiple applications open at once.

11. Disk Inventory X

Running out of space on your laptop is a problem almost everyone runs into at some point. Luckily, Disk Inventory X is the solution to a filled hard drive. Developed by a Ph.D student who became obsessed with the idea of visually graphing his hard drive inventory, this app was created to help others save time and energy. Disk Inventory X shows you the files sizes of various folders and applications with helpful “tree-maps” graphics. It allows you to know exactly where your biggest files are on your computer for easy clean up. It sorts your folders by size so you can instantly see which files are taking up the most space. It quickly analyzes any hard drive and provides a visual report within seconds. If your computer has freezing issues, Disk Inventory X can save the day!

12. Work From

Finding the perfect coffee shop to work from while traveling can be quite a challenge. Work From is a comprehensive list of the best coffee shops to work from around the world. This wonderful website collects user-aggregated data in order to suggest cafes in every city around the world. Their motto is “scouted by real humans in over 1,250 Cities.” The requirements are simple. Good wifi and power outlets. This database of work-friendly locations is growing every day and includes bars as well as co-working spaces. The Work From blog also offers inspiration for remote workers and they even have a Slack chat community (#Workfrom) where freelancers can meet potential employers. Work From is the best way for digital nomads to find public places to work from at the drop of a dime.

13. On The Grid

Described as a neighborhood guide for explorers, On The Grid is a curated list of local gems and secret spots put together by creative designers. It’s a place where locals can give their top food & shopping recommendations. Anyone can become a curator and recommend cool spots for visitors to check out on their next trip to far away destinations. Metropolitan areas are cleverly broken up into separate neighborhood guides and the list of cities is growing every day. Los Angeles alone has thirty-eight neighborhood lists! On The Grid has garnered international appeal for its straight-forward approach and lack of pretension. With exotic cities such as Beirut, Bogotá, and Brooklyn, it’s no wonder culture seekers are flocking to this website for the best insider tips of where to dine and lounge.

14. UpWork

UpWork is the largest online workplace for freelancers. It is an incredible platform for digital nomads and creative professionals, but it is especially valuable for programmers. With a specialization in the tech industry, UpWork is transforming the way in which people view remote work. Earning an income while traveling sounds like a dream, but UpWork is turning that into a reality for many. It connects a thriving community of talented developers, designers, and consultants with one another to create the perfect team. Users can either post a job and search for a candidate or hire an expert. The best part is that all payments are handled through their website. UpWork is the go-to place for finding a gig and funding your budget travel adventures.

15. Nord VPN

Did you know Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are all blocked in China? It’s sad but true. Many different countries around the world enforce regional restrictions in order to limit what their citizens can see on the internet. The easiest way to avoid digital censorship while surfing the web is to use a “virtual private network” (VPN) service. Nord VPN is one of the best online encryption and privacy applications out there. With one thousand servers to choose from in over sixty countries, Nord VPN enables its users to override any regional restrictions. Nord VPN allows you to have a safe wifi so you can easily check your bank statements and shop online in communal hotspots. They even boast a no-log policy which is pretty neat. Lastly, they even use a 2048-bit SSL encryption system. This means your data will remain private, even when you use your laptop in the most public spaces.

Conclusion

I hope you enjoyed this overview of the top digital nomad tools for budget conscious travelers. As an itinerant, these apps have had a beneficial impact on my way of life. Working abroad has become easier with the aid of these helpful gizmos. I can now travel non-stop, spend less money, sleep more, locate cheap lodging, and find flight deals – all on the go. The world for digital nomads is becoming more convenient and this is just the beginning.

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How To Get $5000 for Your Next Vacation

How much money would you like to have saved for the holidays? Or your next vacation? Or your emergency fund? Whatever your goal, the number probably seems overwhelming.

Trying to figure out where several hundred or a few thousand dollars might come from is tough. Instead, break it down. Find ways to set aside just a little bit at a time — you’ll be surprised how quickly you can move toward your goal!

To help you get started with that first step, here is a 12-month strategy to save money and work your way up to $5,000 in savings a year!

Month 1: Open a New Bank Account and Set Aside $5

Open an online savings or checking account and deposit $5. Heck, roll your quarters if you have to.

There are a bunch of great online banks, but one of my favorites is Ally Bank because right now they’re offering an interest rate that is around 100 times what a normal bank offers and there’s no monthly fees.

You can open a savings account at your local bank, but my suggestion is to go with an online bank — you’ll be less likely to withdraw the money.

I know it doesn’t seem worth it to deposit only a few bucks, but getting started is an extremely important first step! Just trust me.

At the end of the, your balance is: $5

Month 2: Earn $100+ in Passive Income From These Websites

Wouldn’t it be cool to make money just for using a website or mobile app?

Some of these companies collect data to better understand web and mobile usage better — what times of day people browse, how long they stay on websites and use apps, and which types of sites and apps are popular (or not). Some others will pay you for interacting with advertisers, whether it’s by watching videos or just seeing actual advertisements.

Check out the following websites

+ Swagbucks – Did you know you could get paid to watch movie previews, celebrity videos, the latest news, along with dozens of other videos? It’s pretty passive work and this company will pay you via Paypal or Amazon gift card. Can you rack up an extra $50?

+ InboxDollars – Google may have become synonymous with “search,” but it’s not the only name in this game. If you’re feeling reluctant to look elsewhere, InboxDollars has a pretty convincing argument for branching out: They’ll pay you to search. They use Bing’s engine, so it’s the same thing you’re used to seeing and you can earn over $50/year.

+ Drop – As an exclusive Drop app user, all you have to do is link your credit and debit cards. When you make a Drop-qualified purchase, you’ll automatically earn points, whether you’re grocery shopping, hailing an Uber or ordering a pizza. The points will add up, and you can then exchange them for gift cards to popular retailers like Amazon and Starbucks.

+ Earny — Let this tool search your email for companies that owe you money. It’s free to sign up for Earny, and once you do, it will scan your email archives for any receipts. If it discovers you’ve purchased something from Amazon, Target, or one of the other 20+ retailers listed on its website, the tool tracks the item’s price and issues you a refund anytime there’s a price drop! You don’t have to do anything!

Your balance is: $105

Month 3: Consolidate Your Debt to Lower Your Bills

OK, so this one won’t necessarily help you make money to save. But it could substantially lower payments you’re already making on your debt and help you save more money each month.

If you’re being crushed by credit card interest rates that are north of 20%, it might be worth seeing if you can consolidate and refinance your debt.

A good resource is Even Financial, which can help you borrow up to $35,000 (with no collateral needed) and compare interest rates from several lenders.

If you do decide to consolidate your credit card debt, be sure you don’t close your old accounts. A huge part of your credit score revolves around the length of your credit history and closing active accounts can definitely hurt it.

Can you knock your monthly payment down $100?

Three months and you have: $205

Month 4: Let Someone Borrow Your Place for the Night

Have a spare room? Might as well use Airbnb to make some money by renting it out.

If you’re a good host with a desirable space, you could add hundreds — even thousands — of dollars to your savings account with Airbnb.

Taking a few simple steps can make the difference between a great experience and a less-than-satisfactory one.

Here are a few tips:

  • Make your space available during high-demand times in your area. Think: concerts, conventions and sporting events in your area.
  • Be a good host, and make sure your place is stocked with the toiletries you’d expect at a hotel — toilet paper, soap and towels.
  • Be personable. A lot of travelers turn to Airbnb for the personal touch they won’t find at commercial properties.

If you can rent your place for $100/night just five times this year, you’ll bank a cool $500 this year.

And your balance will skyrocket to: $705

Month 5: Sell All Your Stuff With These Apps

Are your closets and shelves packed to the brim with stuff you never use — or even look at?

You can sell virtually anything on letgo This intuitive app lets you snap a photo and upload your item in less than 30 seconds. Not only does it remove a lot of the hassle of selling things online, it’s 100% free to use.

But there are also apps for selling more specific stuff to people who might actually be looking for it.

Have a bunch of movies or CDs collecting dust on a shelf? Decluttr will pay you for them!

Decluttr buys your old CDs, DVDs, Blu-rays and video games, plus hardware like cell phones, tablets, game consoles and iPods. Plus, enter PENNY10 at checkout to get an extra 10% for your trade-ins!

For old books from college, you can use Bookscouter. Just type your book’s ISBN into the search bar and the site will connect you with more than 25 of the best-paying and most reputable buyback companies online.

Set a goal to make an extra $100 decluttering your place this month, and add it to your bank account — every little bit helps!

Wow you have amased a balance: $805

Month 6: Lyft Your Way to an Extra $2,400

Need a fun, flexible way to earn money this month? Try driving with Lyft or uber!

Demand for ridesharing has been growing like crazy, and it shows no signs of slowing down. To be eligible, you’ll need to be at least 21 years old with a year of driving experience, pass a background check and own a car made in 2007 or later.

We talked to Paul Pruce, who’s been driving full-time with Lyft for over a year. He earns $750 a week as a driver.

Best of all, he does it on his own time. You can work days, nights or weekends — it’s up to you!

Work 40 hours a week for one month, and you could bank up to $2,400.

Now we are talking money with a balance: $3,205

Month 7: Earn an Extra $100 by Joining an Online Focus Group

We know you’re not going to get rich joining focus groups, but I’ve been able to pocket an extra $10-$20 a month this way, and that adds up.

Start in Month 6, and that be could up to $100 this year!

Two of our favorites are Ipsos Panel and Harris Poll (both rated A+ with the Better Business Bureau).

Your Balance: $3,305

Month 8: Earn a $100+ Bonus by Opening a New Credit Card

As long as you pay down your credit balance in full each month, rewards cards are a great way to make some extra money. We’re not advocating that you open 1,497 credit cards like this guy, but taking advantage of a sign-up bonus here or there can definitely help your bank account!

Check out this list of seven credit cards with no annual fee that offer a $100 bonus or more when you open a new account.

New Balance: $3,405

Month 9: Earn $250 By Opening Another Bank Account

Now that you’ve got some money saved, you could get paid just for putting a few bucks in another bank account.

Check out a list of banks that will pay you just to open one — some will pay you up to $250 for it!

There’s no harm in having multiple bank accounts. In fact, I often find it’s helpful to have multiple places to save (I’m less likely to touch the money), so I have savings accounts for my Christmas fund and my vacation fund.

The top bank bonus is $250 right now — head over to this list to see all of the banks in your area that are offering free cash.

And your Balance: $3,655

Month 10: Earn Cash Back on Everything You Buy

Anytime I shop online, I use a cash-back rewards site like MyPoints. It’s a smart way to earn cash for the shopping you’re doing anyway!

And it works at most of my favorite retailers. Once you sign up for a free account, you can get 2% cash back on purchases at Target and a whopping 4% at Walmart.

There are more than 1,000 stores on the list, so you can purchase nearly everything you need through the cash-back site.

Plus, when you spend your first $20 through the portal, MyPoints will give you a free $10 Amazon gift card.

Try to average at least $10 in cash back for the last three months of the year.

Keep working on Balance: $3,685

Month 11: Ditch Your Unused Subscriptions

We all sign up for stuff. Sometimes it’s easier to put subscriptions on a recurring payment and forget about it — looking at you Netflix.

These kinds of payments can be smart for paying bills and chopping down debt, but getting rid of the subscriptions you’re not using and socking away the savings could help you roll over the $5,000 mark this month.

If you can’t keep track of them all, check out an app called Trim. Once you sign up and connect your bank account and phone number, it analyzes your transaction history for recurring payments.

When it finds one, the app sends you a text and cancels any subscriptions you don’t want to keep.

Just make sure you actually save the savings. Can you save another $100?

Your Saving Balance: $3,785

Month 12: Sign Up for a Clinical Trial to Earn Up to $1,150

Do you live with a chronic condition like arthritis or migraines? They’re a serious pain in the neck… or wrists… or head…

But they may also make you eligible for clinical studies that can really pay off. These studies help medical professionals learn how to better treat chronic conditions.

Payment varies by study, but we found some that offer pretty killer compensation:

  • Cluster Headaches — If a doctor has diagnosed you with a cluster headache, you could qualify for a variety of studies that pay up to $300, depending on the study and number of study visits. You may also receive no-cost study-related care for the length of the study. (Learn more here.)
  • Osteoarthritis: If you’re suffering from osteoarthritis and qualify, depending on the study and the number of study visits, you may earn up to $1,000 for participating. (Read more here.)
  • Crohn’s disease – Have you been diagnosed with this chronic gastrointestinal disease? If you’ve had Crohn’s for at least three months, you could qualify for one of the local studies that may offer payment that varies by study up to $750. Plus, you may receive no-cost study-related care from local doctors for the length of the study. (Learn more here)
  • Sleep – The first step is filling out surveys with information about your sleep patterns and overall health. If you qualify, you’ll be required to complete both physical and psychological exams — and then it’s time to get down to snoozing, er, business. Though it might sound like a perfect gig, Shea notes “it’s not all comfy pillows and sweet dreams,” and cites challenges including isolation, unusual positions and needles or other medical devices. Interested in sleeping on the job? Follow this link to find sleep facilities near you.
Balance: $5,000+
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Living My Passions in Costa Rica

“What a morning,” exclaims my friend Beth as we sit on outdoor swings, sipping smoothies at our favorite little café in Dominical. We’ve just finished a beach cleanup in collaboration with a reggae event that will be taking place here over the weekend.

This scene explains why I absolutely love living in this spot in Costa Rica. It’s like I get to live all my passions combined in a paradise that seems custom built for me. From the beach cleanups that I love—and which help to keep our beautiful oceans clean—to the upcoming reggae show tonight, to being able to share the experience with genuinely good people. The longer I live here and the more people I meet, the better and deeper my connection to my jungle home becomes.

Additionally, the reason I can even attend a beach cleanup at 8 a.m. on a Friday morning is because I own my own business and I can make my own work schedule. Living here has allowed me the freedom to find my niche in the tourism industry and make a living but also have the balance that I always craved in the U.S.

The Costa Ballena or South Pacific region of Costa Rica is a perfect fit for me. It has enough development and infrastructure that I can run my business online and there is easy access to banks and grocery stores for everyday needs. Yet it is close to the ocean and I can balance my work life with surfing and my passion for all things ocean and water related.

This area of Costa Rica offers the community feeling that I was always craving in the States. Here, I know my neighbors and I can walk to the little tienda to buy a couple of avocados for lunch (they cost about $1, but sometimes you can even be given some for free if your neighbors have a tree) and discuss the surf with friends that I bump into on the way over.

As a single woman, living abroad, I sometimes get the question “aren’t you ever lonely or bored?” “Heck no,” is my reply. I have way more friends and close connections here than I ever did in the U.S. People are not too busy to stop and talk to you and I know that if anything happens I would have several friends right there for me and I’d be happy to return the favor if they were ever in need.

For example, just this week alone, Monday and Tuesday afternoons I was out surfing glassy conditions with the local gang, Wednesday was pizza night with the neighbors after a morning workout with the lifeguards, Thursday was yoga up at a beautiful yoga retreat that my friends own, and Friday morning was the beach cleanup. This is a typical week here.

As I stopped at a neighboring beach this morning on my way home from the cleanup to watch the new swell arrive with big waves thundering to a close on the sand, I found myself feeling simply happy. I’m thankful every day for making the decision to move to Costa Rica.

Story narrated by By Tara Tiedemann.

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Wintering on the French Riviera For $3000 a Month

French Riviera conjures up images of royal and ultra rich people in Nice, France – a place often considered synonymous with dazzling wealth and a lavish, champagne-soaked lifestyle. There’s good reason for this reputation. From the 19th century until about World War II, this was the legendary winter playground of well-to do expats. The likes of Hemingway, Picasso, and Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald cavorted here during the roaring ’20s. And it’s only about 30 minutes from the high-stakes gambling dens of Monte Carlo, made famous in James Bond films.

But despite its glamorous history and prime location on the French Riviera, Nice is an unexpectedly accessible and affordable town. I saw nearly as many young couples and families as retirees.

Ironically, you’ll probably get the best value out of Nice by following in the footsteps of those well-heeled expats of old and wintering there. Expect plenty of bright blue skies, glorious sunshine, temperatures in the low 50s F, and rents that can be half the cost of summer rates. In fact, you could winter in Nice for as little as $3,200 a month.

If you’re going to live in Nice for only a few months, it makes sense to live in the central parts of the city to make the most of your time. Central Nice neighborhoods are all close to the beach and offer a variety of shops, restaurants, cafés, museums, and movie theaters. It’s also easy (and cheap) to get around in central Nice, as the city is highly walkable and has an extensive tramway and bus system that only costs $11.20 for 10 tickets.

Naturally, being close to the beach and most major activities has its price, but it’s not nearly as high as you might think. In fact, glamorous Nice is less expensive and offers much better value than Paris. You can rent a small furnished apartment in a central location, often with all utilities included, for anywhere between $720 and $1,400 a month.

Once you’ve taken care of rent, most other details are gravy. Restaurant prices run the gamut, from swish five-star affairs to no-frills spots with great soul-filling traditional foods. During my visit, I had a delicious lunch at Chez René Socca, dining on socca, a kind of chickpea pancake, and fried zucchini beignets, with a glass of white wine. The total came to about $9.

In other places, a large Niçoise salad costs about $12 and aubergine farcie (eggplant stuffed with chopped meat and garlic), another local specialty, costs about $8. If you’re in the mood for a heartier meal, mid-range restaurants offer three-course set menus for anywhere from $20 to $45. (Try the romantic Côté Marais, where you can get a first-rate, three-course dinner for just $37—an amazing value.)

Of course, by having an apartment in Nice, you’ll save plenty by preparing your own meals. You may be justifiably tempted to shop at the legendary Cours Saleya, a jam-packed outdoor market offering a mouth-watering selection of fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, and other products. But many locals believe  that prices are inflated at this lovely but tourist-infused market. Costs are far more reasonable at the sprawling, mostly French Marché de la Libération (Liberation Market), only a few tram stops from Old Town.

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Island Living at its Finest on Mexico’s Isla Mujeres For $3000

With temperatures in the mid-80s F, habitually warm Caribbean waters on all sides, and a perpetual sea breeze accompanied by the trills of soaring sea birds, Mexico’s Isla Mujeres maintains a loyal complement of full-time residents and seasonal snowbirds. It’s no longer a hidden gem, but rather has grown into a mature destination where expats can enjoy an affordable island retirement in casual, Caribbean comfort.

A couple can live in grand style on Isla for $2,500 to $3,500 a month; this includes rent, utilities, dining out regularly, and a couple of trips to the mainland each month for major shopping.

Access to and from the island is provided by a fleet of modern, high-speed ferries that maintains a frequent schedule between several terminals in the mainland city of Cancún. The cost for a round-trip ticket is about $20 and it’s a comfortable 30-minute ride.

Isla (as the locals call it) is not a sandy, beachy island. Although the island’s north end does have a very nice beach of soft, white sand, Isla is a chunk of stone rising from the seabed, with a powerful surf and mostly rocky coastline. But, no worries—its proximity to Cancún and the Riviera Maya provides 80 miles of postcard-perfect, palm-lined, sugar-sand beaches for those who want to wiggle their toes in the sand.

For expats, Isla’s big appeal is its casual lifestyle, where shorts and beach shoes are the accepted attire for any function. It’s common for weddings to be officiated while bride and groom take their vows in shorts, tee shirts, and sandals.

I rented a home home. It is about 800 square feet and has two bedrooms, a modern bathroom, sitting area/living room, and a very functional kitchen. It is furnished and air conditioned and has a small fenced yard. I paid $800 a month, including all utilities.

“A bottle of local beer, Indio, is only about $1. And I can buy a whole chicken for about $3.30. A large bottle of Coke is 65 cents and a big loaf of bread is 75 cents,” says John.

Cost of living on Isla Mujeres varies, depending on your taste. People live entirely on a Social Security check of $1,700 a month, renting a small apartment for about $325 a month. One can live a comfortable life and also fly to the US for $300.

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Penang, Malaysia – Asian Retirement Paradise

I lived in Penang for two years. If there is one place to retire in Asia, Penang will be my first choice because it provides affordability, tropical sea beaches, top rated hospitals, and wonderful foods, western style shopping centers, and outdoor lifestyle.

One of the oldest outposts of the former British Empire, Penang delivers 110 square miles of tropical treasures. A lush, mountainous island oozing history and heritage, Victorians christened it “the Pearl of the Orient.” It lies anchored on the Spice Route, just off Malaysia’s west coast, a mere two-hour drive from the borders of southern Thailand.

Around 41% of the island’s 600,000 inhabitants are of Chinese descent. From the Snake Temple to moon cakes and elaborately decorated clan houses, their culture and traditions survive intact. As do those of Penang’s Malay and Indian communities. Many foreign retirees also opt for a new life on Penang, only a 50-minute flight from Kuala Lumpur. It’s also accessible by an eight-mile long road bridge and a ferry from the mainland that runs 24 hours a day. A second bridge was completed mid-2014 and a tunnel is planned for 2034.

George Town is Penang’s capital city. A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2008, it’s one of Asia’s most likable cities. Blending old and new, modern high-rises encircle streets packed with mansions, shop-houses, and Chinese clan houses.

There’s plenty in Penang for colonial history buffs and foodies too. Penang also delivers first-rate hospitals that offer unbelievable heath care at super reasonable prices. Just one of the reasons the island has two planeloads of medical tourists arriving every day, and when it only costs $20 to see a specialist you can understand why.

Western-style shopping is the norm, and good beaches are on your doorstep. A 60-cent bus ride takes you past upmarket Gurney Drive to Batu Ferringhi’s golden sands. Gurney Drive’s promenade is a favorite spot to catch well-to-do locals promenading at night and at weekends, and there are a few of the old grand mansions on view.

Penang is also terrific for an outdoor lifestyle. I can be at the beach within minutes of leaving my apartment or in the jungles hiking in the same amount of time and never see another soul for hours on end. When I want, I can cycle around the whole island in a day.

People from Penang are called Penangites and food is always on their mind. If they are eating breakfast they are thinking about lunch. If they are eating lunch they are thinking of an afternoon snack. You get the picture. There’s a dazzling array of stalls and restaurants selling delights such as charcoal-baked crabs, salt-baked shrimp, and Penang’s signature fried flat noodle dish, Char Koay Teow. It’s cooked using sweet dark soy sauce, bean sprouts, garlic, onions, Chinese sausages, prawns, chili, and squid. People drive from miles around just to sample it.

Penang reminds me of Malibu, California. Not because of the prices—in fact, far from it. But the road fronting this area is right on the ocean, just like Malibu. It’s a lovely, leafy, coastal area and one of the oldest neighborhoods on the island. There is a large retired and working expat population on the island, and there are a plethora of clubs, art galleries, museums and cafés to keep you occupied for a very long time. Throw into that mix dinner parties, golf and tennis days and beach BBQ’s and you get a good idea of how active the expat population is.

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Essential Travel Tips For Solo Travelers For Fun On the Road

While traveling in a pair or groups is always fun, there is nothing more exciting than going on a solo vacation. It’s a feeling of freedom that gives you the desire to embrace the entire world at once. From my own experience, I have five suggestions that should help you make the most out of your solo trip.

1. Make a plan
Going on a trip alone doesn’t mean that you should go unprepared. On the contrary, you need to conduct thorough preparations in this situation. First of all, make a precise plan of transport and accommodation so you know where you’ll be staying each night and how to get there (to be safe, you may want to share this with someone back home). After that, you should organize your time abroad and make a schedule of all the places that you want to visit. However, I suggest you plan some unstructured time: don’t let your vacation turn into a race with your schedule and calendar.

2. Be careful at night
The biggest fear of single tourists is facing awkward or dangerous situations in unknown places, especially bearing in mind that women make up more than 60% of solo travelers (according to Infogram.com). However, this should not be a problem if you pay attention to where you go out at night and avoid suspicious venues. When you enter a café or bar, go to the counter and connect with the staff. Bartenders and waiters keep an eye on the nearby customers and you will feel safe around them.

3. Meet the locals
One of the great benefits of traveling without a group of fellow tourists is that you’re free to meet the locals and learn about their culture and everyday habits. There are dozens of places where you can get acquainted with local residents—in the market place, sports events, bars, and restaurants, for example. But wherever you get in touch with the locals, be friendly and interested; try to find out more about them and their country. You’ll usually find your attitude returned in kind.

4. Walk a lot
The best way to discover new places is on foot, and as a solo traveler you’re free to let your feet take you where they will. When you wander the streets of the city or town you’re visiting, you will have more time to enjoy all those beautiful places around you and also to grab a quick bite somewhere or take a break in a cozy bar. Make your vacation more active with long walks and don’t waste too much time in hotels or tourist-focused restaurants.

5. Go easy with the luggage
It is crucial as a solo traveler that you plan your luggage properly. Don’t let your bags become a burden you have to lug around on your own. Bring a comfortable backpack or just one wheel-equipped suitcase and that’s it. This way, you’ll be able to move around quickly even if you need to keep all your luggage with you.

The best way to experience solo travel is to hit the road. A break free lifestyle makes it possible whenever you want. 9-5 life style chains you to place and restrains your freedom of movement.  You can start your solo travel of India with the following place Best Places Solo Travel In India

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A Little-Known Airbnb Trick To Save a Lot For Break Free Lifestyle

Having spent a lot of time traveling in South America, Caribbean, Mexico, and Asia, I have learned how to stretch a dollar (or five). Besides airfare, your number one expense while traveling is usually going to be where you lay your head at night. And if you are traveling as a couple, even your average hostel is going to start to add up (and let’s be honest, hostels are not always the preferred option).

Enter Airbnb. A fantastic site that offers you a wide range of options from a couch in the corner to a mansion on the beach. In countries such as Colombia, Peru, and Ecuador, even on a night-by-night basis you can find rates for renting an entire apartment comparable to paying for a hostel.

Not being the backpacking type, I prefer to set down roots temporarily in a city for the opportunity to live like a local for a time. This means I spend more than a month in any city. What I was delighted to find was that many apartments on Airbnb actually provide discounts for longer term stays. When booking my stay in the Caribbean town of Santa Marta, Colombia, I found discounts between 40% and 60% off the nightly rate when booking for more than two weeks. After about 20 minutes of searching and comparing, I settled on a beachside luxury studio for $603 for a month. Booking by the nightly rate would have cost $1,550 for the month, so I saved $947.

The actual discount will vary from host to host, but, especially in the slightly less in-demand cities, you will usually find between a 50% to 60% discount for a month-long stay. Even in major cities, there are still good deals to be had. Staying in Buenos Aires, Argentina, I was able to rent a duplex in the coveted Soho Palermo neighborhood for $732 for an entire month (with a total discount of 26% off the nightly rate).

Airbnb has become a business for many in South America, where people work full-time managing multiple Airbnb apartments. The upside of this is you are often dealing with someone very keen for that five-star review and hosts will often go out of their way to make sure you have a memorable experience. “Housewarming” gifts have included wine, fresh cut flowers, even bicycles to use to explore the city. One host offered the use of his other property on a secluded private beach for no extra charge since it was vacant one weekend.

Discounts are often offered for as little as a week-long stay. Make sure to always check varying dates and the rental details, because it can happen that a six-night stay may cost more than a seven-night stay when the discount kicks in for the seventh night (for example, a $30 per night rate would be $180 for six nights vs. $168 for seven nights with a 20% discount).

Whatever your time needs are, whether it’s a week, a month, or longer, Airbnb is a great place to start to get upscale local living at a discounted rate. And this is all possible if you adopt break free lifestyle to free you from your 9-5 jobs.