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How to Travel the World on $75 a Day: Travel Cheaper, Longer, Smarter
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- GenresTravelNonfiction
368 pages, Paperback
Published March 25, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
February 19, 2025
Nomadic Matt is a pioneering travel blogger. One day, we'll call him the grandfather of travel blogging during the Golden Era of travel blogs.
He's not known for his travel feats but rather for the extensive tips he's provided on his popular website, which focuses on budget travel.
In 2025, he refreshed his bestselling book, which is now called How to Travel the World on $75 a Day.
It used to be $50/day, but inflation and a post-COVID world forced Matt to update his book or watch it fade into irrelevance.
His book is packed with tips. Here are my favorite ones.
The best websites to keep track of the latest credit card deals
BoardingArea
FlyerTalk
The Points Guy
View from the Wing
Pay your rent and get frequent flyer points with Bilt Rewards
Matt's top three airline booking sites
My favorite airline website is Kiwi, and use this link to get $10 off. He doesn't mention Kiwi in his book.
Instead, his favorite flight booking sites are:
Skyscanner
Momondo
Google Flights
For insurance
Safety Wing
World Nomads
MedjetAssist
IMG
InsureMyTrip for comparison shopping
Sell your old clothes to raise money for your trip
Vinted
ThredUp
Poshmark
Online Garage sale to raise funds and downsize
VarageSale
OfferUp
Swappa for electronics
Gazelle
Decluttr
Anytime Mailbox starts at $6 and has several locations.
Lodging Sites
LateRooms
Last Minute
Hotel Tonight
Priceline
Hotwire
Roomer allows you to buy someone else's hotel reservation at a steep discount
Agoda excels in East Asia
Food
Matt is a foodie. I am not. Here are some of his favorite sites:
EatWith with 5000+ hosts in over 130 countries
WithLocals
Traveling Spoon
Ride-sharing or hitchhiking for the 21st century
Search for "ride-sharing" and the name of the region/country where you are traveling. You'll usually find options. I've used BlaBlaCar in Europe, for example.
Tourism Cards
Nomadic Matt sold me on the tourism cards that give you access to popular sites and public transportation. Although that can save you nearly half the price, it's only suitable for those doing a whirlwind, fast, and comprehensive tour. If you want to see the British Museum, don't get the London Pass. But it makes sense if you're going to see most of the significant sites.
Why is Africa left out?
The first half of the book offers general, practical advice. The second provides specific guidance to various regions. For example, he has a section about Australia.
You'd think a book that helps travelers live on $75 a day would encourage tourists to visit Africa. Like Southeast Asia, parts of Africa have a low cost of living.
For example, in 2013, in Benin, I rented a two-room place with a shower (but a shared outhouse for a toilet) for $10 per month! Ten years later, maybe the price has doubled to $20 a month!
Still, Nomadic Matt confesses, "I had to make trade-offs and omit the lesser-visited countries and regions..." (Kindle Location 1434).
I won't quibble with his decision or logic.
Conclusion
When I got an advanced copy of Nomadic Matt's book, I expected to be bored out of my mind. I figured it was a book for beginners or intermediate travelers, not hyper-experienced travel studs like me.
As usual, I was wrong.
Nomadic Matt pumped me with many ideas I was oblivious to. Although I shared my favorite ones on this page, buy How to Travel the World on $75 a Day to get all his excellent advice.
He's not known for his travel feats but rather for the extensive tips he's provided on his popular website, which focuses on budget travel.
In 2025, he refreshed his bestselling book, which is now called How to Travel the World on $75 a Day.
It used to be $50/day, but inflation and a post-COVID world forced Matt to update his book or watch it fade into irrelevance.
His book is packed with tips. Here are my favorite ones.
The best websites to keep track of the latest credit card deals
BoardingArea
FlyerTalk
The Points Guy
View from the Wing
Pay your rent and get frequent flyer points with Bilt Rewards
Matt's top three airline booking sites
My favorite airline website is Kiwi, and use this link to get $10 off. He doesn't mention Kiwi in his book.
Instead, his favorite flight booking sites are:
Skyscanner
Momondo
Google Flights
For insurance
Safety Wing
World Nomads
MedjetAssist
IMG
InsureMyTrip for comparison shopping
Sell your old clothes to raise money for your trip
Vinted
ThredUp
Poshmark
Online Garage sale to raise funds and downsize
VarageSale
OfferUp
Swappa for electronics
Gazelle
Decluttr
Anytime Mailbox starts at $6 and has several locations.
Lodging Sites
LateRooms
Last Minute
Hotel Tonight
Priceline
Hotwire
Roomer allows you to buy someone else's hotel reservation at a steep discount
Agoda excels in East Asia
Food
Matt is a foodie. I am not. Here are some of his favorite sites:
EatWith with 5000+ hosts in over 130 countries
WithLocals
Traveling Spoon
Ride-sharing or hitchhiking for the 21st century
Search for "ride-sharing" and the name of the region/country where you are traveling. You'll usually find options. I've used BlaBlaCar in Europe, for example.
Tourism Cards
Nomadic Matt sold me on the tourism cards that give you access to popular sites and public transportation. Although that can save you nearly half the price, it's only suitable for those doing a whirlwind, fast, and comprehensive tour. If you want to see the British Museum, don't get the London Pass. But it makes sense if you're going to see most of the significant sites.
Why is Africa left out?
The first half of the book offers general, practical advice. The second provides specific guidance to various regions. For example, he has a section about Australia.
You'd think a book that helps travelers live on $75 a day would encourage tourists to visit Africa. Like Southeast Asia, parts of Africa have a low cost of living.
For example, in 2013, in Benin, I rented a two-room place with a shower (but a shared outhouse for a toilet) for $10 per month! Ten years later, maybe the price has doubled to $20 a month!
Still, Nomadic Matt confesses, "I had to make trade-offs and omit the lesser-visited countries and regions..." (Kindle Location 1434).
I won't quibble with his decision or logic.
Conclusion
When I got an advanced copy of Nomadic Matt's book, I expected to be bored out of my mind. I figured it was a book for beginners or intermediate travelers, not hyper-experienced travel studs like me.
As usual, I was wrong.
Nomadic Matt pumped me with many ideas I was oblivious to. Although I shared my favorite ones on this page, buy How to Travel the World on $75 a Day to get all his excellent advice.
March 14, 2025
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Thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the digital copy of this audiobook; I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I don’t travel often for a variety of reasons, but it’s something I have been looking forward to when I retire. And as the Bargain Sleuth, I’m no stranger to doing whatever it takes to get the best deal on things. I thought this book would be of great help for future planning.
First, this book is not really for beginners; it’s geared more towards well-seasoned travelers who want to sell all their personal belongings and travel the world. If you’re not in that position, there are some other tips, like selling your newer, perfectly reliable vehicle and getting a beater car, using the extra money from the sale of the better car to fund your travel. I don’t know about you, but most beater cars need repairs–and often, so I don’t see that much of a savings. The book is also geared towards younger, able-bodied people who already have enough wealth that they can travel more easily than older retirees who may have physical limitations.
There are tips on which credit cards offer the best travel rewards and the necessity of having more than one bank card in the event one card gets declined for a variety of reasons, and websites that help you earn a little more. One of the sites is Swagbucks, which I was a member of for more than 15 years. I deleted my account last year because it was virtually impossible to earn any real cash rewards unless you spend money or have all day to watch videos and play games. Most people do not have that kind of time.
In fact, a lot of the information seems outdated, even though this book is updated for a post-Covid world. Like using Groupon to find deals in the cities you’ll be visiting. Like Swagbucks, Groupon was a website I used quite a bit–15 years ago. I went to the site and searched not only my city but other cities I am interested in visiting. I didn’t find anything useful on the site; in days past, I bought a lot of dining and activity Groupons, but they’re all gone now.
As for traveling to specific locales, the author recommends hostels, house sitting, and couch surfing. He also recommends rarely eating out and staying someplace where you can cook your own meals like an AirB&B. While this is a money-saving strategy, one of my main reasons for traveling include going out to eat once in a while to experience new meals.
Overall, the things mentioned above are all strategies I already knew about since I started planning family vacations in 1998. If you don’t travel much but plan to, you might glean some tips. But most of us don’t have the privilege of selling all our world belongings and traveling the world. Let’s also not forget that most of the recommendations for activities include lots of walking or hiking. For able-bodied people, no sweat, but those of us who plan to travel when retiring do not have that luxury.
Ryan Burke narrated the book, and while he did an adequate job, his actual voice is kind of grating on the nerves. Also, I do recommend that rather than listening to the audiobook, one should read the ebook or physical copy due to the detailed and repetitive nature of the breakdown of various travel destinations.
Thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Publishing for the digital copy of this audiobook; I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I don’t travel often for a variety of reasons, but it’s something I have been looking forward to when I retire. And as the Bargain Sleuth, I’m no stranger to doing whatever it takes to get the best deal on things. I thought this book would be of great help for future planning.
First, this book is not really for beginners; it’s geared more towards well-seasoned travelers who want to sell all their personal belongings and travel the world. If you’re not in that position, there are some other tips, like selling your newer, perfectly reliable vehicle and getting a beater car, using the extra money from the sale of the better car to fund your travel. I don’t know about you, but most beater cars need repairs–and often, so I don’t see that much of a savings. The book is also geared towards younger, able-bodied people who already have enough wealth that they can travel more easily than older retirees who may have physical limitations.
There are tips on which credit cards offer the best travel rewards and the necessity of having more than one bank card in the event one card gets declined for a variety of reasons, and websites that help you earn a little more. One of the sites is Swagbucks, which I was a member of for more than 15 years. I deleted my account last year because it was virtually impossible to earn any real cash rewards unless you spend money or have all day to watch videos and play games. Most people do not have that kind of time.
In fact, a lot of the information seems outdated, even though this book is updated for a post-Covid world. Like using Groupon to find deals in the cities you’ll be visiting. Like Swagbucks, Groupon was a website I used quite a bit–15 years ago. I went to the site and searched not only my city but other cities I am interested in visiting. I didn’t find anything useful on the site; in days past, I bought a lot of dining and activity Groupons, but they’re all gone now.
As for traveling to specific locales, the author recommends hostels, house sitting, and couch surfing. He also recommends rarely eating out and staying someplace where you can cook your own meals like an AirB&B. While this is a money-saving strategy, one of my main reasons for traveling include going out to eat once in a while to experience new meals.
Overall, the things mentioned above are all strategies I already knew about since I started planning family vacations in 1998. If you don’t travel much but plan to, you might glean some tips. But most of us don’t have the privilege of selling all our world belongings and traveling the world. Let’s also not forget that most of the recommendations for activities include lots of walking or hiking. For able-bodied people, no sweat, but those of us who plan to travel when retiring do not have that luxury.
Ryan Burke narrated the book, and while he did an adequate job, his actual voice is kind of grating on the nerves. Also, I do recommend that rather than listening to the audiobook, one should read the ebook or physical copy due to the detailed and repetitive nature of the breakdown of various travel destinations.
March 23, 2025
How to Travel the World on $75 a Day by Matt Kepnes
Audiobook narrated by Ryan Burke
Publication date March 25, 2025
This book says it's 4th edition, and I believe previous editions were $50 a day rather than $75, likely reflective of worldwide inflation in recent years.
I love traveling, and I am always curious about how people travel. This book is written by a nomad author about pointers on money-saving, starting from the trip preparation and ways to save on transportations (flights, trains, buses), accommodations, and food - these three items being the necessary and often most costly items. I feel this book would be great if you are young and want to start to travel and don't know how to travel, or how to save money. Being an avid solo traveler myself, I felt that I was already familiar with most of the tips. Also, some of the tips just may not be appeal to you, and you would much rather invest some money for comfort. For example, cooking is recommended in many destinations, and eating out in the local restaurant may be one of the high points of the traveling. Indeed, nowadays I subscribe to "if I wanted to save money, I would have stayed home" school of creature comfort. Maybe I have aged out of penny-pinching school of traveling. In any event, he does give broad ideas to save money while being a nomad - so If you would like to see get some ways to save money while traveling, this book may be interesting.
A copy of this advanced audiobook was provided courtesy of NetGalley and Brilliance Audio. My opinions herein are my own.
Audiobook narrated by Ryan Burke
Publication date March 25, 2025
This book says it's 4th edition, and I believe previous editions were $50 a day rather than $75, likely reflective of worldwide inflation in recent years.
I love traveling, and I am always curious about how people travel. This book is written by a nomad author about pointers on money-saving, starting from the trip preparation and ways to save on transportations (flights, trains, buses), accommodations, and food - these three items being the necessary and often most costly items. I feel this book would be great if you are young and want to start to travel and don't know how to travel, or how to save money. Being an avid solo traveler myself, I felt that I was already familiar with most of the tips. Also, some of the tips just may not be appeal to you, and you would much rather invest some money for comfort. For example, cooking is recommended in many destinations, and eating out in the local restaurant may be one of the high points of the traveling. Indeed, nowadays I subscribe to "if I wanted to save money, I would have stayed home" school of creature comfort. Maybe I have aged out of penny-pinching school of traveling. In any event, he does give broad ideas to save money while being a nomad - so If you would like to see get some ways to save money while traveling, this book may be interesting.
A copy of this advanced audiobook was provided courtesy of NetGalley and Brilliance Audio. My opinions herein are my own.
April 9, 2025
BOOK REVIEW: “How to travel the World on $75 a day” by Matt Kepnes. Travel cheaper, longer, smarter.
Is it possible to travel the world on $75 a day? In his newest book, Matt Kepnes shares all of his tips and tricks on how to make that a reality. One thing I really appreciated about this book is that it’s a fourth edition, which means that the author updates it when new information becomes available to him.
Some of the tips seem a bit more obvious if you’re used to traveling, but there were also so many great and underutilized ideas I never would have thought of.
One idea of Matt’s was using credit cards for everyday expenses to get the bonus points for traveling. If you are paying off the card every month it can actually save you a lot of money on your trip. Another great idea was selling old clothes or furniture, and he lists great websites to do that. Among many other ideas, the author shares how to safely hitchhike or ride share, how to use tourism cards, and how to save money on eating out.
The book was separated by which country you were visiting and then tailoring the information to that country, which I thought was super helpful. My only complaint is that there really weren’t a lot of tips on how to travel across the United States. I would love to see some more tips and tricks on how to save money while dining, or prime times to travel.
I rate this book as 3 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion.
Is it possible to travel the world on $75 a day? In his newest book, Matt Kepnes shares all of his tips and tricks on how to make that a reality. One thing I really appreciated about this book is that it’s a fourth edition, which means that the author updates it when new information becomes available to him.
Some of the tips seem a bit more obvious if you’re used to traveling, but there were also so many great and underutilized ideas I never would have thought of.
One idea of Matt’s was using credit cards for everyday expenses to get the bonus points for traveling. If you are paying off the card every month it can actually save you a lot of money on your trip. Another great idea was selling old clothes or furniture, and he lists great websites to do that. Among many other ideas, the author shares how to safely hitchhike or ride share, how to use tourism cards, and how to save money on eating out.
The book was separated by which country you were visiting and then tailoring the information to that country, which I thought was super helpful. My only complaint is that there really weren’t a lot of tips on how to travel across the United States. I would love to see some more tips and tricks on how to save money while dining, or prime times to travel.
I rate this book as 3 stars. ⭐️⭐️⭐️ I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for my honest unbiased opinion.
February 27, 2025
I misunderstood this book when I requested it and thought it was about cheap vacations. It is not. It is designed for people who want to sell their belongings and travel the world long term. It’s thorough and interesting but after reading the book it’s not something I could personally do. He says you can do this for as little as $28k a year, which is not an amount very many young people would be able to afford. And he recommends camping, walking, farm jobs and hostels to be able to afford it, which is going to be hard for older people. He says a lot of regions are much, much more expensive, so places that I would like most to visit seem impossibly expensive for our family budget. And he recommends all of this as a young, able bodied white man, seemingly absolutely unaware that a lot of the ways he recommends traveling and living would not necessarily be safe or feasible for others.
If you are a relatively young, healthy, well off person who is yearning for serious international adventure, this will be a fantastic resource. It is still helpful if you are not all of those things, but the title figure is definitely not realistic if you are not. Still a great guide.
I read a digital version of this book via netgalley.
If you are a relatively young, healthy, well off person who is yearning for serious international adventure, this will be a fantastic resource. It is still helpful if you are not all of those things, but the title figure is definitely not realistic if you are not. Still a great guide.
I read a digital version of this book via netgalley.
April 1, 2025
Matt Kepnes' [Nomadic Matt] updated book on "How to Travel the World on $75 a Day" seems too good to be true. I must admit that for many of us who like a few more creature comforts, $75 isn't enough, but that doesn't mean that he doesn't share some great tips that will help you travel on a budget that still allows you to enjoy your trip without breaking the bank.
He has some great tips on different options to save money on lodging, food and beverage, transportation, and more. Some tactics I've used myself, but some are new to me, even though I'm a seasoned traveler. In the back of the book, he includes the URLs for many helpful websites that will come in handy for your next trip planning project. And if you're planning an international trip, Matt shares tons of localized insights for specific regions and countries from his own travel experiences around the world. I recommend this book to any traveler who's looking to save money and see the world.
Please note that the book is focused on people traveling internationally, not on travel within the U.S. Almost half of the book covers information specific to other countries. It can still be helpful for any traveler, but is more focused on those leaving the U.S.
He has some great tips on different options to save money on lodging, food and beverage, transportation, and more. Some tactics I've used myself, but some are new to me, even though I'm a seasoned traveler. In the back of the book, he includes the URLs for many helpful websites that will come in handy for your next trip planning project. And if you're planning an international trip, Matt shares tons of localized insights for specific regions and countries from his own travel experiences around the world. I recommend this book to any traveler who's looking to save money and see the world.
Please note that the book is focused on people traveling internationally, not on travel within the U.S. Almost half of the book covers information specific to other countries. It can still be helpful for any traveler, but is more focused on those leaving the U.S.
April 24, 2025
Matt Kepnes How to Travel the World on $75 a Day is an amazing travel book with simple advice and invaluable resources. NomadicMatt doesn't just offer budget travel tips; he empowers you with the knowledge and strategies to make your global adventures a reality. This is a meticulously researched and organized book of information designed for budget travelers of all levels.
Thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance publishing for this digital copy I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The amount of information is amazing. He covers every aspect of budget travel, from securing cheap flights, accommodations to mastering local transport and creating a realistic budget. He gives the details head-on, providing specific, actionable strategies for saving money in different situations. The book's clear structure ensures anyone can quickly find the information needed.
What truly sets this guide apart are its dedicated regional sections. Instead of basic advice, Kepnes offers invaluable region-specific insights, covering local customs, transportation options, and budget-friendly activities.
Whether you're a seasoned adventurer or dreaming of your first international trip, How to Travel the World on $75 a Day is an essential resource. Highly recommended!
Thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance publishing for this digital copy I am leaving this review voluntarily.
The amount of information is amazing. He covers every aspect of budget travel, from securing cheap flights, accommodations to mastering local transport and creating a realistic budget. He gives the details head-on, providing specific, actionable strategies for saving money in different situations. The book's clear structure ensures anyone can quickly find the information needed.
What truly sets this guide apart are its dedicated regional sections. Instead of basic advice, Kepnes offers invaluable region-specific insights, covering local customs, transportation options, and budget-friendly activities.
Whether you're a seasoned adventurer or dreaming of your first international trip, How to Travel the World on $75 a Day is an essential resource. Highly recommended!
March 28, 2025
⭐️ 4.5/5. This book gives super helpful advice on everything world-travel related! The author breaks it down by region to give the best advice he can on where to stay, what to eat, transportation, travel credit cards, and overall how to budget and save money while not sacrificing any fun or destinations. I would recommend this book to any of my friends who are into international travel. This book was originally written some time ago, but this is an updated 2024 edition with updated pricing, details, and more. There are also appendices with suggested packing lists, all the websites he uses as resources, suggested vaccines/medications, and more.
I listened to the audiobook, but I would recommend this as a physical read because there are so many details to take in. Also, at some points the narrator’s voice was a little too relaxing 😂
I listened to the audiobook, but I would recommend this as a physical read because there are so many details to take in. Also, at some points the narrator’s voice was a little too relaxing 😂
March 22, 2025
How to Travel the World on $75 a Day is a book full of great information about travel. Matt has the experience to backup what he has written. The information sounds well researched.
The first half of the book covers the different elements of travel - where to stay, how to travel, expenses, activities. The second half has chapters covering different places across the earth with more specific information for each area.
I listened to the audiobook and liked the narrator. The book is written in first person so it felt like the author was speaking to the reader.
I think the information is very useful to those who would like to plan travels whether long term or save money on shorter trips.
Thanks to Netgalley and Brilliance Audio for the opportunity to read this book.
The first half of the book covers the different elements of travel - where to stay, how to travel, expenses, activities. The second half has chapters covering different places across the earth with more specific information for each area.
I listened to the audiobook and liked the narrator. The book is written in first person so it felt like the author was speaking to the reader.
I think the information is very useful to those who would like to plan travels whether long term or save money on shorter trips.
Thanks to Netgalley and Brilliance Audio for the opportunity to read this book.
March 31, 2025
While I did learn a lot of new information from this book, I feel like it could have been even more condensed. While it felt really repetitive at times, I realize that most people that pick up this book won't be reading it all the way through, but will be reading the sections that are relevant to where they plan on going.
If you are planning to travel out of the United States and want to save money while doing so, I do think this is a great book for you! There are a lot of resources and different tips that can save money and make traveling the world manageable.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in advance for an honest review!!
If you are planning to travel out of the United States and want to save money while doing so, I do think this is a great book for you! There are a lot of resources and different tips that can save money and make traveling the world manageable.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book in advance for an honest review!!
March 21, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for the Audio ARC!
While there were some interesting and novel ideas in this book, I feel like it mostly was just basic common sense. I also disagree with the author's proposal that a life of travel is possible and should be desired by everyone and anyone. That's a whole lot of privilege you're ignoring there, Mr Kepnes. Some may find this interesting, but I'd pass if the chance came along again.
While there were some interesting and novel ideas in this book, I feel like it mostly was just basic common sense. I also disagree with the author's proposal that a life of travel is possible and should be desired by everyone and anyone. That's a whole lot of privilege you're ignoring there, Mr Kepnes. Some may find this interesting, but I'd pass if the chance came along again.
March 17, 2025
Really enjoyed this book. The information is extremely useful, no matter if you are planning a shorter trip or a long term one. The author provides so many resources for anything & everything you could think of for travel! The break down between regions of the world was great if you are planning in a specific place. Downloaded some of the apps he suggested and am excited to plan my next trip!
March 18, 2025
This would have been way better as a physical book than an audiobook. I got a lot of big tips out of this book. The part about traveling to regions was not of interest to me, but the rest was pretty good.
April 14, 2025
Helpful if you have never traveled before, are just starting out, prefer to read books rather than do online research. All fairly basic, beginner stuff, so if you are a more seasoned traveler, not worth your time. But if you are just starting out, could be a helpful read!
October 9, 2025
A good resource for new travelers or a nice refresher for seasoned ones. He offers advice on how to travel inexpensively but rewardingly as possible all over the world. His sections on places the reader has never been would be extremely useful for a first time traveler.
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews