Liberated Traveler Series #1 - Travel for free?

TWiBT Presents
Liberated Traveler Series – How to Travel for Free
Chapter 1

 

Wanderlust [wan-der-luhst] –noun.  A strong desire to roam and travel the world.

Whether you are an unemployed college kid, an everyday 9-to-5 office worker, or a business owner tied to their responsibilities, we have all suffered from wanderlust.  There are many things that stop us from taking our dream journey.  The most common reasons I hear are time and money.  While I won’t be talking too much on time management in this article, I will speak on money since that is the focus of this site!  Travel does NOT need to be expensive.  In fact, I look forward to my trips because I actually spend less on the road than I do at home!

What if money was not an issue?  Where would you go?  What if your hotel was free?  Where would you stay?  Would you go in total luxury for a short period?  Would you sacrifice a bit of luxury to stay for an extended trip?  Many people can toss those questions around in their head all day, but end up nowhere.

“What in the world is this all about!?
There is really no word for what we do, but I see it as learning to become a liberated traveler.  Becoming a liberated traveler is about learning strategies to see the world for free or for less money than you might have thought possible.  In my experience, it changes the size of the world and brings everything in much closer reach.  You gain a sense of freedom that you cannot imagine!  Basically, the term refers to a series of strategies and tactics most commonly used by only the most savvy frequent flyers and business travelers.

The goal?  To fly, stay, and eat for either free or cheaper than you’ve probably thought possible.  I have seen myself as a liberated traveler for quite a while now, freed from the chains that my small budget has restrained me to!  The freedom to go anywhere at anytime is the most liberating feeling I have ever felt.

“This sounds too difficult.  I don’t have time to figure this out!”
I’m not going to lie though, this stuff can be confusing and there are people debating issues in this realm day and night.  You have a choice, spend some time to learn to travel for free OR just keep working at your job to save up the money for it.  However, I can assure you that it is indeed worth it, you just need to pay attention and KEEP AN OPEN MIND!!!  Skepticism is always the first thing newbies feel.

Here is the thought process that you may go through:
1^st Thought:  I know what frequent flyer miles are, they're useless!
2^nd Thought:  I’m not able to spend/get enough miles to go anywhere. 
3^rd Thought:  What?  That’s too much work, it sounds fishy, and that is stupid!
4^th Thought:  Well, whatever, we’ll see how this goes.  I’ll just try a little bit.
5^th Thought:  Wow, that wasn’t such a big deal.  I need to show my friend this!
6^th Thought:  Where do I want to go?  OMG, I’m gonna fly first class!
7^th Thought (on the plane):  Ok, I’m in Seat 3A in First Class because I RULE!  Ooooh, this is the life!
8^th Thought (on the plane, when everyone is finding their seats):  All these people are looking at me!  They’d die if they knew what I paid…err, didn’t pay!
9^th Thought (back home):  Hey guys, check out these photos from my trip.  You guys should really try this!
10^th Thought:  Why are my friends such skeptics!?!?  I’m a genius!

 

“Ok, what do I have to do?”
This short series will go over some of the various aspects of becoming a liberated traveler.  What you do with it is up to you.  While some people take this to the extreme, others just prefer to take one international trip per year.  The beauty of this you have the freedom to pick and choose what level you want to participate.  We all value our time different.

I have my balance of how much time I consider worthy to put into this endeavor.  I’m not rich and I work full-time.  Given that, I generated around 2 million frequent flyer miles and hotel points in about 8 months time.  Keep in mind, there are plenty of opportunities that I passed on for whatever reason.  To put this in perspective, a flight from Miami to Europe can start at as little as 40,000 frequent flyer miles, depending on itinerary and airline.

I am excited to share these skills with all of you.  Living in Miami, the cheapest way for me to play in the snow was to drive up to North Carolina to play in the slush and the snow that is man-made with those giant machines.  Although it was fun, it is now cheaper for me to go skiing in the Swiss Alps than to make that drive again.  Open your mind and learn the basics!  This won’t be easy, but you’ll thank me when it is over.

Stay tuned!  There’s more to come in later postings!

-Jason of TWiBT

 

“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” – Lao Tzu