There are lots of ways to make travel more affordable, and I have tried most of them. Here’s my personal list:
1. Be penny wise: Download my FREE ebook, Luxury Travel for Less, featuring 75 money-saving travel websites across 33 pages, plus my personal planning system that makes travel easier and less expensive.
2. Download my newest book FREE, Retirement Income Explosion, when you donate $35 or more to Good Grief. Get it now. Discover practical ways to build multiple income streams and better manage your money.
3. Become a Group Leader: Bring 10+ People, Travel Free. I have worked with these two well-known travel companies:
• Overseas Adventure Travel (OAT) / Grand Circle: Bring at least 10 paying friends/family (11 travelers total including you) on an OAT small-group or small-ship trip, and you travel free. African safaris require a group of 12–14. A Regional Group Account Manager provides marketing flyers and host Q&A calls FOR YOU. Grand Circle Travel/Grand Circle Cruise Line runs a nearly identical program (NEEDS 8 IN A GROUP)
• Collette: No minimum group size required. Bigger groups earn bigger rewards; groups of 25 have earned up to $5,000 and 3 free trips. Collette provides $50 million in professional liability insurance, a dedicated Business Development Manager, and customizable marketing materials.
CAVEAT: With and without insurance, you can be sued if someone gets hurt…That doesn’t mean you’ll end up paying, but it’s a concern.
4. Travel Coaching starts you on a career in travel. Check out the Ageless Traveler Affiliated Program here. Learn more about it on our podcast.
5. Teach or Work Abroad. Visa rules have tightened in several countries, but several still welcome teachers, including older or career-change applicants. Easiest to access: Vietnam, Cambodia, South Korea, Spain, Costa Rica, Colombia, Mexico. My walking buddy, who is the Chief Librarian at Rutgers University, traveled the world teaching English in his youth and will now do so again at retirement. Pretty cool. Go Overseas, GoAbroad, Teach Away, and The TEFL Academy for certification. Some countries have age caps. BOO! Europe and Latin America are more welcoming than China.
6. House Swapping: I never did this, but tons of folks I know have. No money or work changes hands; more like free rental. Check out HomeExchange, which has a $150–$220/year membership fee, a “GuestPoints” system for non-reciprocal stays, damage protection up to $1,000,000, and compensation if a swap falls through. Intervac, offers B&B-style exchanges in Europe and member rental options.
Friends Meeting Friends
Award-winning author Jane Leder and guests take a deep dive into the joys and challenges of being an older woman.
“Older Women & Friends: Stories of Aging Well” is a podcast that sets the record straight, dispels myths, explores the many contributions older women make, and the wisdom they’ve earned and are anxious to share. Older women know a thing or two about living with a keen sense of wonder and an abiding appreciation for the gift of longevity. So, it’s time to change the perception that the gig is just about up when, in truth, the second wave of the journey has just begun.
Congratulate Jane on supporting Good Grief. You’ll love the way she gets the most interesting guests to tell the most interesting stories.
Another Champion of Good Grief and a powerhouse podcaster:
Host Beverley Glazer, Reinvention Strategist and Empowerment Coach, is honest and grounded. Beverly tackles everything from grief and identity shifts to ageism, sovereignty, and libido with confidence and depth.
Beverly is my go-to voice when I’m stuck …you will love her show!
Don’t Forget to Download Our FREE Ageless Traveler eBooks