Book Review: How to Travel the World on $50 a Day

The updated 2015 edition of “How to Travel the World on $50 a Day” was released yesterday, January 6th.

According to author Matt Kepnes, the latest edition has over 100 new pages of content. It contains new information along with revised and updated information from the 2013 edition.

Matt has established himself as a knowledgeable source for approaches to traveling the world economically through his popular newsletter Nomadic Matt.

Matt got hooked on travel when he took his first overseas trip at age 23. That short trip to Costa Rica sparked a love of travel that led to Matt quitting his job and taking a yearlong trip around the world in 2006.

He never went back to a 9 to 5 job. He travels and writes, or spends time in New York writing and planning his next trip.

I found his latest book full of solid advice about how to fulfill your wanderlust, whether it be with a two week trip every year or an extended trip around the world.

Matt makes it clear that he did not come back from Costa Rica, quit his job the next day and embark on a life of adventure. He first developed a plan and spent time saving money and simplifying his life and obligations at home.

As an experienced traveler, although not nearly as experienced as Matt, I did not find a lot of new information. However, I did find some information and resources that were new to me.

For readers who are considering traveling for the first time, this book is full of practical advice and information about online resources.

It is an easy read, written in a conversational style. What impressed me is how much useful information Matt has packed into one book. The book is divided into three major sections.

Part One – Planning Your Trip
This covers everything from how to plan and save for your trip to how to set up your finances for easy management while on the road and how to most efficiently and economically book your flights.

Part Two – On the Road Expenses
Matt provides tips for saving money on accommodations, food, local transportation and site seeing.

Part Three – Breaking it Down by Region
Here there is information on specific cost saving advice for:
1. Europe
2. Australia
3. New Zealand
4. Southeast Asia
5. Central America
6. South America
7. China
8. India
9. Japan

I reviewed the Kindle version of “How to Travel the World on $50 a Day”. The Go To function worked well for navigating through the book using the Table of Contents.
Using travel guides in e-book format is a personal preference for me. I like the convenience of being able to bring along several resources without taking up space or weight in my luggage.

I also like that by installing a free Kindle Reader on your smart phone, tablet, computer or whatever electronic device you travel with, you have easy access to the information whether sitting at a café or planning your next day’s activities in your room at night.

As I mentioned, there is a lot of information in this book that was familiar to me. However, I will definitely add it to my “what to always bring with me” travel list. The selling point for me is having all of this information easily accessed in one spot.

The Appendices in the back are a treasure trove of online resources that include; tour companies, flight resources, backpack companies, sites for discount cards, accommodation booking sites, suggesting packing list, advice on vaccinations and much more.

Reasonably priced for the amount of information provided, I recommend “How to Travel the World on $50 a Day” for new and experienced travelers alike.