Save money, support good companies, and help Nomadic Matt all at once

Sounds like a good deal to me...  I really like his advice and blog  :-)

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Nomadic Matt <matt@nomadicmatt.com>
Subject: Save money, support good companies, and help me all at once

Hey ,    Remember when you first joined this mailing list and I sent you a long list of good companies to use? Did you save it? Good. No? It's O.K., I'm including some of the companies here again.    Today, I want to ask for your help. I don't put ads on my site. I only highlight companies I like to use and can trust, not ones who have paid me money to do so. I don't want to feature a company if I can't guarantee that it's going to help you. Since I run a personal, recommendation-driven website, I just don't feel it's right.   Which means that this site runs on you. (No, I'm not going to ask for a donation). Whenever you use one of my links, I get a small commission and that keeps the website going, the advice flowing, and the website ad-free. So all I want to ask is that if you're traveling soon and want to help support this website, please consider booking through the links in the newsletters and on the blog. There's no extra cost to you and I personally use all the companies listed because they are affordable, offer great customer service, good value, and are just overall a lot better than their competitors. If you like the advice I provide and want to know how to give back, using the links below can help.   But no matter what you decide, I continue to appreciate you reading, following this crazy adventure, and learning how to travel cheaper and longer. Airfare Kayak - A good flight search engine for fares leaving from the United States. They search a wide variety of airline websites and other flight brokers (Kayak is what is known as a meta search engine). I think they are a great starting point when searching for cheap airline tickets.  Vayama - Another good flight search engine, especially for international flights outside the US. It's one of my main starting points when I book international tickets and I've found fares on their site hundreds of dollars cheaper than I've found elsewhere. Skyscanner - An amazing resource for checking airfares internationally and includes a great list of budget airlines that a lot of other search engines don't feature.   Momondo - My third favorite airfare booking site. I never book a flight without checking them.   Accommodation Hotwire - This is probably the hotel site I use most. I really enjoy their blind booking process. They essentially say "we have a super rate on a 3 star hotel in New York's Time Square" and you book it without knowing the hotel. While that sounds scary, I've never ended up in a bad hotel and have saved a ton of money in the process. Highly recommended site. Hostelworld - The best hostel accommodation site out there with the largest inventory, best search interface, and availability. I use them for all of my own bookings. Couchsurfing - This website allows you to stay on people's couches or spare rooms for free. It's a great way to save money while meeting locals who can tell you much more about a city than you will find out in a hostel/hotel. I have used this website dozens of times and the site also has groups where you can meet up for events in your city.  Airbnb - Another good accommodation alternative, this site connects with homeowners who rent out their homes/apartments to you. You'll get all the comforts of home, the chance to stay in a local, non-touristy part of your destination, and pay a fraction of the cost of a hotel room.  Hotels.com - One of my favorite hotel booking sites, Hotels.com has a robust inventory, lots of sales, and gives you one free night's stay for every 10 booked. They make for a good starting point when looking for brand name hotels.  Expedia - Not my favorite website but they do offer really good deals on cruises, hotels, and sometimes flights. Better flight booking sites are Kayak and Vayama. However, for cruises and package deals, you really can't beat Expedia. They also have a really good loyalty program. Priceline - One of my favorite hotel sites because it allows you to bid on hotels and save a lot more money than just by booking directly. When used in conjunction with the bidding site Better Bidding, you can substantially lower the cost of your hotels by as much as 60%. Trip Advisor - Mom and pop guesthouses can't afford the commission that major booking sites take. If you are traveling to the "third world" countries, use Trip Advisor and you'll find way more listings to choose from than you would from a site like Hotels.com. Travel Gear/Products World Nomads Travel Insurance - I buy all my travel insurance from World Nomads. They have great customer service, competitive prices, and in-depth coverage. I've been using this company since I started traveling in 2006 and will never switch.  Lonely Planet Guidebooks - Everyone has their own guidebook preference. Lonely Planet is mine. I like the look of their guides, organization, light weight, and emphasis on budget travel. Lonely Planet also redesigned their books in 2011 and they are now better organized with more photos and better maps. REI Backpacks and Gear - I've had the same REI backpack with me for the last 6 years and it's as good now as it was the day I bought it. Their products last a long time. Because the quality has been so wonderful, I purchase all my travel gear through them.  Rail Europe - If you are going to visit Europe and take a lot of long train trips, get a rail pass. You will save money. I've used a rail pass twice and saved hundreds of dollars each time. The math just works out for long train trips. You can read about my experience saving money with them. I-to-I Online TEFL Course - If you are looking for a good TEFL class, check out I-to-I. They run online courses, are cheaper than their competition and is widely recognized, and will help you find a job. I highly recommend them over any other company if you are looking to teach English overseas. Tours/Agents G Adventures - My first overseas trip was in 2003 to Costa Rica with G Adventures. That trip turned me into the travel junkie I am today. I like their commitment to the environment, local communities, small group sizes, and balance of free time and scheduled activities. It's the way touring should be done. READER DISCOUNT: GET 10% OFF ALL TOURS WITH THE CODE "NomadicMattTravelAnywhere."  STA Travel - A good company for those under 26 or for students. They offer discounted airfare as well as travel passes that save on attractions. I don't use them that much anymore since I'm way over 26 but if you aren't, make sure to check them out.   Go Today - Great website showcasing highly discounted last-minute tours and hotels. Great for the impulsive traveler. The Man in Seat 61 - This website is the ultimate guide to train travel anywhere in the world. They have the most comprehensive information on routes, times, prices, and train conditions. If you are planning a long train journey or some epic trip, consult this site.   These companies will make your travels better. They've been making mine better since I started.     Thank you for all your support. Please don't hesitate to e-mail me if you need anything or have any questions. I'm here to help.    Travel Safe,   Nomadic Matt

Nomadic Matt, 139 east 12th street, New York City, NY 10003