Before leaving on a reporting trip, I conduct weeks of research on where to stay, eat and what to do. I schedule dozens of activities, visits and interviews. My limited budget – this section is called Frugal Traveler, after all – means I sometimes have to act quickly and flexibly.
When people learn that I travel for a living, they most often ask me certain things. Here are some of those questions answered:
How do you choose your destinations? Can you go anywhere?
Alas no. I follow budget travel news, read travel blogs, and chat with industry experts for inspiration. I look for destinations that offer travelers unique experiences that they won't regret after seeing their credit card statement. In October I visited Key West, Florida., where I share a room in a hostel with three strangers, all in the name of profitability. Last spring I traveled to Aspen, Colorado., a city known for its luxurious amenities. I stayed in a relatively affordable family lodge and visited art museums for free.
As travelers look to reduce their carbon footprint, I frequently look for places with greener and more affordable transportation options. Last summer, I embarked on an ambitious trip: to see much of Los Angeles – a city known for its traffic jams – by metro. I wasn't able to use it to reach the Hollywood sign, but I visited most of the city's highlights, including the Santa Monica beaches.
Isn't travel always expensive?
Sometimes, but if you're patient and looking for good deals, it doesn't have to be. In my column, I regularly report on budget spending strategies, like how offer on first class airline seats, avoid the pesky accommodation costs and make the most of the Black Friday travel sales. Sometimes these articles come from my own experiences; I once bid $400 on a business class upgrade and won. I spent nine hours in the comfort of a lying bed.
I also try cheap deals that seem too good to be true. In 2019 I saw an ad for a three day stay cruise to the Bahamas for less than $150. I wondered what this experience was like and booked the cruise to find out. For the price of a one-night stay in a moderately priced hotel, the cruise was surprisingly fun; Not surprisingly, onboard “upgrade fees” were not uncommon.
