Think of London and what pops to mind? Big Ben, the West End, Piccadilly Circus? That’s how many tourists experience it, but most Londoners themselves live in rather more ordinary surroundings. And, if Monty Python is to be believed, few are more ordinary than the suburban Sussex town of Esher. (In one Python episode, Eric […]

A recent article in The Independent by Simon Calder successfully puts a cheerful spin on the dire state of the British pound. Calder points out that cash-strapped Britons can economize while travelling by taking public transit, shopping in local markets and pursuing all sorts of other “like a local” strategies. He argues they’ll not only […]

Roomorama.com, a peer-to-peer site for arranging short-term room and apartment rentals, is expanding. The site, founded last fall, matches travellers with renters in several North American cities. Its new incarnation–dubbed, not surprisingly, Roomorama 2.0–adds a new calendar, new pricing options and a jazzier design, among other tweaks. The latest upgrade also expands the service to […]

Is couchsurfing is too cushy for you, with all that central heating and indoor plumbing? Then check out SingleSpotCamping.com, a Swedish-based site that matches DIY travellers with the owners of backyards and garage entrances where wanderers can pitch their own tents. You still meet locals–you just don’t have to sleep under their roof. For more, […]

None of us can go everywhere we’d like to visit. But in some cases, our dollars (or euros, or pounds, or whatever) can go there instead. I rarely plug causes on this site, but I’m a big fan of Kiva.org, a microlender that supports entrepreneurs in developing countries with small loans advanced by people all […]

On both sides of the pond, vacation rental companies are reporting a spike in business from value-conscious travellers. In particular, people seem to be looking for self-catering digs close to home. Boston-based FlipKey says that vacation rentals in ski resorts that draw largely from a local area–such as Loon Mountain in New Hampshire, whose clients […]

Just wanted to mention that Kim Mance, editor-in-chief of the online women’s travel magazine Galivanting, linked to my advice on home swapping in an article for MarieClaire.com. Her story has lots of excellent advice for people looking to save money while travelling. And these days, isn’t that all of us? Thanks for the link, Kim!

Thinking about house swapping? The NYC TV station NY1 recently ran a good two-part report on the topic with lots of solid advice. Part 1 Part 2

Feeling virtuous because you drove from Ottawa to New York instead of flying? Patting yourself on the back for driving a hybrid car on vacation instead of taking the bus? Don’t be so hasty. According to a report released today by the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS), the greenest choice isn’t always the most obvious […]

Here’s a trend I like: hotels offering shared cars to their guests. Not only does it save guests the hassle and expense of renting a car, it also introduces many of them to the concept of car sharing. And it encourages travellers to use a blend of car trips and public transit–a great way to […]