Not another collection of checklists or tips on coupons or promotions, this practical guide teaches travelers -- novice or seasoned -- how to take advantage of travel opportunities by avoiding the typical tourist mentality. Author Tim Leffel shows readers how to bypass the traps that drive up expenses and find the best value, whether as a young backpacker or a wealthy retiree. Drawing on his own extensive experience (including three yearlong trips around the globe as well as his experience as an industry insider), the author also covers what steps to take and what resources to use to save money on travel and how to travel better -- or more often -- on a smaller budget. A dozen other notable travel writers and subject matter experts contribute sidebars on specific ways to save.
Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
By Sofia
Format:Paperback
The Contrarian Traveler's Guide to Getting More for Less, does what it claims, and proves an intriguing read besides.
Expect the low down on factors that drive pricing - be it for tickets, destinations, accommodation....or activities and food once you arrive. Market forces and psychology that contribute to overpricing are deftly exposed, and pointers to dodge the traps go well beyond the obvious.
The research effort shows: key resources are provided; price comparisons are presented in simple tables which make startling and important points; and anecdotes from experts relay unique perspectives.
Throughout, the author keeps his sights firmly on the travel experience. For instance, intertwined into the advice, expect the odd reference to flamenco classes, smelling papayas, sleeping on the deck at night, and the like. This helps make the book the good read that it is. What's more, the advice is placed in context - there's a time to budget, and a time to sit back and splurge. By the end of the 170 odd pages, readers should be ready to disentangle the confusion of information out there, home in on the essentials, and free up time and finances to enjoy all that travel offers. I highly recommend this book.
Expect the low down on factors that drive pricing - be it for tickets, destinations, accommodation....or activities and food once you arrive. Market forces and psychology that contribute to overpricing are deftly exposed, and pointers to dodge the traps go well beyond the obvious.
The research effort shows: key resources are provided; price comparisons are presented in simple tables which make startling and important points; and anecdotes from experts relay unique perspectives.
Throughout, the author keeps his sights firmly on the travel experience. For instance, intertwined into the advice, expect the odd reference to flamenco classes, smelling papayas, sleeping on the deck at night, and the like. This helps make the book the good read that it is. What's more, the advice is placed in context - there's a time to budget, and a time to sit back and splurge. By the end of the 170 odd pages, readers should be ready to disentangle the confusion of information out there, home in on the essentials, and free up time and finances to enjoy all that travel offers. I highly recommend this book.
Format:Paperback
Travel doesn't have to cost the earth
Travel doesn't have to cost the earth. If you want to stretch the travel time without compromising on the experiences, reading this excellent primer by Tim Leffel could be just the ticket. In fact, travel at a cheaper rate often boosts the chances of meaningful encounters and experiences on the road. Leffel points you toward destinations that offer fine quality at low rates, and shares his secrets for getting more bang for your buck in a host of other areas. A dozen other authors and experts weigh in with money-saving tips--from which side of Fiji to head for, to apartment exchanges--to dining in markets to sample great food.
This concise book is packed with down-to-earth advice on money-saving strategies. The thing is, even if you just pick up two or three really useful ideas from this book, then it has paid for itself--and a lot more besides. And Leffel knows the ropes: he is editor of a gritty online magazine called Perceptive Travel. Highly recommended book for the savvy traveller.
Travel doesn't have to cost the earth. If you want to stretch the travel time without compromising on the experiences, reading this excellent primer by Tim Leffel could be just the ticket. In fact, travel at a cheaper rate often boosts the chances of meaningful encounters and experiences on the road. Leffel points you toward destinations that offer fine quality at low rates, and shares his secrets for getting more bang for your buck in a host of other areas. A dozen other authors and experts weigh in with money-saving tips--from which side of Fiji to head for, to apartment exchanges--to dining in markets to sample great food.
This concise book is packed with down-to-earth advice on money-saving strategies. The thing is, even if you just pick up two or three really useful ideas from this book, then it has paid for itself--and a lot more besides. And Leffel knows the ropes: he is editor of a gritty online magazine called Perceptive Travel. Highly recommended book for the savvy traveller.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4.4 out of 5 stars
9 reviews
40 of 44 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
Not As Useful As I Had Hoped For
1 Feb 2007
By Chris Luallen
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
As a fan of Leffel's "The World's Cheapest Destinations," I was really looking forward to this book. But I must admit it was a bit of a disappointment for me. Much of the information covered was quite basic, such as travel in low season, travel in cheaper countries, join a frequent flier program, etc. I think most independent, budget-minded travellers will already know about and practice Leffel's "contrarian" methods of travel. So, in that sense, the book is largely "preaching to the choir".
Perhaps Leffel is hoping to reach the tourists who travel on cruises and package tours to show them a different way. But my impression is that most of these folks are content with their present style of easy, safe "mainstream" travel and aren't going to be persuaded by Leffel to give up their trips to Disneyland and Cancun for trekking in Nepal. Actually I agree with much of what Leffel has to say about how independent, adventurous travel usually produces more meaningful and memorable travel experiences. But I just have to wonder who his audience is for this book since most independent travellers already know and most package travellers just aren't interested. The book does contain some useful websites and other resources. But personally I just didn't learn enough from this book to make it worthy of a recommendation.
Perhaps Leffel is hoping to reach the tourists who travel on cruises and package tours to show them a different way. But my impression is that most of these folks are content with their present style of easy, safe "mainstream" travel and aren't going to be persuaded by Leffel to give up their trips to Disneyland and Cancun for trekking in Nepal. Actually I agree with much of what Leffel has to say about how independent, adventurous travel usually produces more meaningful and memorable travel experiences. But I just have to wonder who his audience is for this book since most independent travellers already know and most package travellers just aren't interested. The book does contain some useful websites and other resources. But personally I just didn't learn enough from this book to make it worthy of a recommendation.
23 of 26 people found the following review helpful
4.0 out of 5 stars
Helpful to some
27 Mar 2007
By Tea Time
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
For those who still book package tours and allow other people to make their travel plans for them, this book will be helpful. For those who use the internet to plan their own travel, it offers less. It's a bit long on cute anecdotes and short on solid practical information.
27 of 32 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent
16 Oct 2006
By Ron Mader
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Paperback
Tim Leffel's Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune is "the contrarian traveler's guide to getting more for less."
He articulates a vision of travel common to many travelers and difficult to relay to others. He calls it 'contrarian travel' and he's onto something.
Tim's unique perspective into 'budget travel' highlights a respectful mode of immersion available to most travelers.
Some history -- a year ago Tim asked me to compile a Top 10 list of travel books for the U.S. magazine Transitions Abroad.
I found the assignment a bit daunting. Choosing favorites among books is like choosing a favorite color or tri nationals rugby team. They're all good. That said, I wrote an essay and followed that up by explaining which books I'd rate #11.
Since then, I have given considerable thought to what I consider my favorites, those rare books that inspire. The good news is that Tim's book is heading to the top of the list.
Tim's new book provides everything I look for in a classic travel text. It is clear, helpful, funny and insightful.
He asks the reader the big money question -- are you a Smith or a Johnson? The author imagines two couples from Anytown, USA who have different approaches to vacations. One pair follows the herd, the other moves to a different beat. Leffel writes: "This book is a tale of two kinds of travelers: those who pay more than they need to by doing it the standard way, and those who make their travel dollars worth a fortune by choosing a different path."
It is easy to say that Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune is one of the best books of 2006. It will easily appeal to the readers of Utne, Transitions Abroad, World Hum and Planeta. We are featuring this book on Planeta.com's top shelf.
Chapters focus on making the best value for lodging, transportation, dining and another half dozen focal points of travel. Each chapter concludes with questions for the contrarian traveler. This is absolutely brilliant during the planning stage for any trip. It's also terrific for armchair travelers and classroom discussion.
Tim shows readers how to shave transportation costs, how to find quality souvenirs for a fair price and how to take advantage of seasonal price fluctuations.
The sidebars are topnotch. I love sidebars as they are evidence that the author communicates with colleagues. The sidebars -- written by travel pros including Clay Hubbs, Rolf Potts and others -- underline the great diversity travelers have in thinking for themselves. How Clay drove his family across the Sahara Desert is pure inspiration.
The book concludes with a useful section of helpful resources. Excellent!
He articulates a vision of travel common to many travelers and difficult to relay to others. He calls it 'contrarian travel' and he's onto something.
Tim's unique perspective into 'budget travel' highlights a respectful mode of immersion available to most travelers.
Some history -- a year ago Tim asked me to compile a Top 10 list of travel books for the U.S. magazine Transitions Abroad.
I found the assignment a bit daunting. Choosing favorites among books is like choosing a favorite color or tri nationals rugby team. They're all good. That said, I wrote an essay and followed that up by explaining which books I'd rate #11.
Since then, I have given considerable thought to what I consider my favorites, those rare books that inspire. The good news is that Tim's book is heading to the top of the list.
Tim's new book provides everything I look for in a classic travel text. It is clear, helpful, funny and insightful.
He asks the reader the big money question -- are you a Smith or a Johnson? The author imagines two couples from Anytown, USA who have different approaches to vacations. One pair follows the herd, the other moves to a different beat. Leffel writes: "This book is a tale of two kinds of travelers: those who pay more than they need to by doing it the standard way, and those who make their travel dollars worth a fortune by choosing a different path."
It is easy to say that Make Your Travel Dollars Worth a Fortune is one of the best books of 2006. It will easily appeal to the readers of Utne, Transitions Abroad, World Hum and Planeta. We are featuring this book on Planeta.com's top shelf.
Chapters focus on making the best value for lodging, transportation, dining and another half dozen focal points of travel. Each chapter concludes with questions for the contrarian traveler. This is absolutely brilliant during the planning stage for any trip. It's also terrific for armchair travelers and classroom discussion.
Tim shows readers how to shave transportation costs, how to find quality souvenirs for a fair price and how to take advantage of seasonal price fluctuations.
The sidebars are topnotch. I love sidebars as they are evidence that the author communicates with colleagues. The sidebars -- written by travel pros including Clay Hubbs, Rolf Potts and others -- underline the great diversity travelers have in thinking for themselves. How Clay drove his family across the Sahara Desert is pure inspiration.
The book concludes with a useful section of helpful resources. Excellent!
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4.4 out of 5 stars
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