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Top Secrets of Travel Writers

By U.S. News & World Report

Traveling for a living is an elusive dream for many, but for travel writers and bloggers, regularly visiting the world’s best destinations is just part of the job. Thanks to their occupations, these jetsetters know when and where to book flights, what to pack and how to get the ultimate local experience. Rookie travel mistakes were made in years past and now serve as a source of abundant knowledge. U.S. News tapped into this wealth by chatting with prominent figures in the blogosphere and travel industry. Their top secrets make the ultimate travel guide for aspiring globetrotters.

Fly during off-peak times

While many travel experts are firm in their belief that there is no perfect day to book a flight, they have found that flying on certain days of the week yields lower fares. Shannon O’Donnell, founder of the travel blog A Little Adrift, calls them the “magic days.” In her seven years of travel, about 90 percent of her trips have been from Tuesday to Tuesday. She noted that Wednesdays, due to the lack of business travelers, and Saturday nights are also cheap days to fly.

As for what time of year yields the best travel deals, Arabella Bowen, the editor-in-chief of Fodor’s Travel, highly recommended traveling abroad or to a tourist hot spot like Las Vegas over Thanksgiving. While domestic fares skyrocket thanks to the uptick in demand, international fares can be found for incredible values (Bowen has found round-trip tickets to Chile for under a $1,000). In fact, according to Airlines for America, the trade organization representing leading U.S. airlines, only 10 percent of the expected 24.6 million Thanksgiving travelers in 2014 were predicted to fly internationally.

To search for international and domestic flights, travel writers often turn to Kayak first. Many raved about the search engine’s easy-to-use features like its price alerts and flexible date search options. “What I really like is that Kayak has a feature that tells you whether to book now or to wait, which is based on historical data,” Bowen said. This data is calculated into a percentage of confidence, which travelers can use to determine the accuracy of the given advice. Kayak also provides information on when prices may change.

Don’t book all of your lodging in advance

Unlike flights, wallet-friendly accommodations are readily available last minute. Smartphone apps like Hotel Tonight (one of Bowen’s personal favorites), offer deals at top-rated hotels the day of or up to seven days out. Resist the urge, however, to book your lodging for the entirety of your trip. Dave Bouskill and Debra Corbeil, the couple behind the travel blog The Planet D, recommended reserving a hotel room only for the first couple nights of the trip and arranging the rest of your accommodations after you’ve arrived. Once you get the lay of the land, see what other options are available.

Bowen also recommended looking into local accommodations offered on home-sharing sites like Airbnb and HomeAway. Along with the unique digs and the opportunity to experience the city like a local, you may score a bargain: According to Airdna, a data provider to vacation rental entrepreneurs and investors, the median nightly rate for an entire home on Airbnb is only $65 in South Korea and $74 in Berlin, Germany.

Make use of packing cubes

Noise-cancelling headphones or earplugs and packing cubes (small fabric containers used to compartmentalize items) are some of the most popular travel essentials among the writers we polled. Packing cubes sold by Eagle Creek, in particular, received high praise — many felt they made packing and unpacking easier and kept smells from intermingling in a jam-packed suitcase.

As for what not to pack, “if you’re going to a country where you can buy very cheap disposable clothing, why bring it?” said Paula Froelich, the editor-in-chief of Yahoo Travel. She offered Thailand as an example of a country where you could easily purchase inexpensive dresses after you arrive.

Know before you go

Travel writers make time for more than just packing before a trip overseas. Bouskill and Corbeil strongly recommended investing in travel insurance. “Even if you don’t ever have to use it, it’s a great peace of mind and you just never know,” they said. For example, Bouskill recently broke his back in the Amazon and had to be airlifted home. Thanks to insurance, they didn’t have to pay the exorbitant $100,000 bill. And even though they’ve visited hospitals on four different continents, they’ve never had to worry with insurance to fall back on.

Preparations must also be made to use your phone abroad. O’Donnell recommended buying a pre-paid SIM card, available in most countries with talk time and data. Your phone must be unlocked to use the card, so call your carrier to check before you leave. Another, often more expensive, option is to take advantage of the international calling and data plans offered by your carrier.

Once the necessary arrangements have been made, pre-travel jitters are bound to settle in. Carolyn McCarthy, a guidebook writer for Lonely Planet, works through trip anxieties by learning as much as she can about the destination. “Reading about the history of the area and about people who’ve traveled in the area is priceless,” she said. “It gives you a new appreciation for these places.”

Hunt down local experiences

Once you arrive, your options feel endless. How do you narrow down what to do? With more than 50,000 followers on Twitter, Keith Jenkins, the founder of the travel blog Velvet Escape, utilizes social media to plan his travel itinerary. “Sometimes, it’s as easy as putting a tweet or a Facebook post out there with the right hashtags,” Jenkins said. He’s not the only one relying on his followers for guidance — social media has a huge influence on today’s travelers. According to Sprout Social, a social media management and engagement platform for businesses, 52 percent of travelers changed their original travel plans after referring to social media.

Less tech-savvy travelers can also rely on an old-school, but nonetheless effective, method to hunt down local experiences: visiting local cafes. “Coffee shops all over the world have bulletin boards with local salsa dance classes, yoga in the park and more,” O’Donnell said. “Bulletin boards are a smorgasbord of really cool things to do in the city,” she added. For McCarthy, yoga classes offer the perfect opportunity to meet locals naturally. Even if she doesn’t understand the language, she can still follow along visually and immerse herself in the local community.

More from U.S. News

7 Common Travel Questions — Answered

Your Travel Insurance Questions Answered

How to Travel Like a Flight Attendant

Top Secrets of Travel Writers originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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