Slow Travel The Real Costs No One Talks About

Today we share about slow travel the real costs no one talks about. We will be breaking down some of the things that are not line items on our monthly budget. How to avoid some of these issues and how to address them.
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[@WandererBell]

Geico offers a non-owner liability insurance policy. I pay around $27 per month.

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

Thanks!

[@buckleyjs]

State Farm also has a non-owner insurance which is great when you plan on renting a lot.

[@Here---Now2]

great tip

[@gettingslim186]

Did you guys listen to Brian and Carrie's nightmare Airbnb story? They booked with super host, 5 star place, and it was false.

[@debbiefisher8596]

I was thinking about them with the Airbnb discussion

[@aairsick]

it happens a lot

[@mrc6182]

AirBnB turned me into a dedicated hotel stayer. Two incidents: first, $800 cleaning fee on a $500 stay. Second, owner cancelled on me while I was in the air on the way and out of touch.

[@awalker916]

I was thinking the same thing. Their story was a true nightmare.

[@Cenlalowell]

How can this happen exactly? All the reviews are fake as well?

[@suzannecuerrier279]

I agree with trying not to book non-refundable stuff, and those with high deposits. I learned the hard way and now I feel stuck going on a cruise next August that I wish I hadn't booked.

[@ManhattanRats]

Ali, today I digested your tutorial about which video editor to use and why. I had been struggling with trying to find disparate open-source photo and video editors. Ended up spending a mere $160 to buy the software you recommended AND demonstrated. Your tutorial taught me everything I need to know to use the tool you recommended. ONCE AGAIN, THIS ITEM ALONE makes your tutorial package worth the purchase price. Thank you. See you two in the Amtrak Metropolitan Lounge in Moynihan some day, let's hope! Robert in NYC.

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

Glad that worked so well! Hopefully we will be in Moynihan later this year, we are mapping out a route there now!

[@ManhattanRats]

@@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel I'm serious when I suggest that you look me up next time you've got a layover in NYC. Robert in NYC. :-)

[@walternyc]

You should hook the video on how to book on Airbnb. That is my experience too, only superhost. Also I think overall the Airbnb experience has been deteriorating.

[@lindadorman2869]

I sold my car in 2017 and have only used rental cars since then. I rent a car every two months to run errands and shop. Chase Reserve provides auto insurance coverage and they paid for my claim (cracked windshield) in 3 days.

[@user-bg9em7ch6k]

@@lindadorman2869 that is incredibly helpful to know. I’m doing the same thing, and while I’m definitely glad not to be responsible for insurance on a car I’m not driving for long periods, insurance on the rental vehicles basically doubles the cost! So thank you:-)

[@awalker916]

Amex does the same.

[@trichelleconner2612]

What are the things you consider a need for packing as a slow traveler? Possible video...

[@iancvisuals707]

You might want to consider the trade off value of just buying and discarding stuff along the way. A buddy of mine traveled for several months just buying clothing at thrift stores and discarding items as he went. If your are talking about relatively low cost stuff it might be easier to buy a 6 pack of plain cotton T shirts and underwear. If you had a clothes budget of say $100 per month vs a baggage fee of $150 or more for flights you could maybe do a core carry one and buy disposable for the remainder. You can always donate it away when you depart.

[@user-bg9em7ch6k]

I think they’ve mentioned that they do buy and donate clothing as they travel (in a different video). It definitely is a good idea!

[@narellepayne1455]

Definitely a good idea. Particularly when you are travelling across seasons. Carry a foldable duffel bag in your suitcase to use for extra stuff when you have to.

[@DaveM-FFB]

The best way to put an unusually small deposit on a cruise is to make a deposit at the Future Cruise Desk while you're on a cruise. In some cases, you don't even need to specify the itinerary. You may be able to apply the deposit to a specific cruise later.

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

Great tip, we hadn't thought of that! We may do it on our upcoming cruise. Thanks!

[@awalker916]

Good idea!!

[@bethanypoppele9261]

Something to note with rental cars is that if you use certain credit cards to book the reservation, the card will cover the damages if the claim is filed in a given amount of time specified by the card. It's worth checking into the benefits provided by your credit cards!

[@David-os9ej]

The credit card insurance provider claims processes can be a royal pain. But in both instances that I have had to make a claim, I ultimately was paid in full for the claim amount. If you hate dealing with claims procedures, bad AI customer service, and some uncertainty----well, maybe paying the extra CDW is the better path.

[@JanineRenee-mh5xr]

What a fantastic video!!!! Another possible hidden cost is daily tips for the incredibly hard working, frequently underpaid housekeeping and hotel staff. Since the cleaning crew rotates and has intimate access to my entire lifestyle- kind tips can considerably change the quality of long term stays.

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

Great tip!

[@user-bg9em7ch6k]

@@JanineRenee-mh5xr 💯 agree!

[@koonmai7420]

I love your video because it's so realistic. Sometimes things just don't go with plan! I always travel with my husband. When we were younger, we never booked air ticket or hotel with refundable option. That's because we didn't know any better. Fortunately, we made it every time. Now we're getting older and retired, we book everything refundable! Ha ha ha!!

[@kasiawojcik11]

I like you guys because you think like me! 🤭 No one talks about this and sadly most people don’t think this way. I do, thanks to my upbringing, and you are spot one on all those little or hidden fees, or the fees that we don’t plan for!!! Enjoy your travels!! I just arrived in Brussels!!

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

Thanks for sharing!!

[@denakelley4363]

I do the same thing about booking an extra night so I have a place to hang out, eat, shower etc during the day when I have a late night flight. It’s worth paying extra. I didn’t do it once and regretted it.

[@David-os9ej]

Don't be bashful, ask your airbnb host or hotel for a late checkout. If you change locations other than at the front end of a weekend, you have a good chance that the room or apt is not rented out and you will be allowed a late check-out for free or a discount off the full freight.

[@dena1212]

Do I have to get the IHG credit card to buy the points or can I buy the points on my Sapphire card and get the IHG card later in order to utilize the 4th night free?

[@dena1212]

@@sirrebral Thank you! Very good to know. I appreciate the time you took to respond to my question.

[@rhondabelser-davis1253]

Car insurance without owning a car--never thought about that.

[@nomadjim]

It is possible to get car insurance from the typical insurance companies without owning a car. I have what's called Non-Owned Vehicle Coverage with Progressive. It costs me around $600 per year, around half of what I was paying when I had a car.

[@halbuhr7220]

You could apply for a Chase Sapphire Reserve credit card for primary insurance and supplement the need for liability insurance by self-insuring for that with your state's Department of Motor Vehicles. I know it is impossible to get affordable auto insurance without owning a car. That should save you a lot.

[@Specialcot77]

I used Amtrak for Hotels and Earn Points in the Process

[@mrc6182]

Travel insurance has never occurred to you veteran travelers?

[@travelingthediaspora7996]

Oh God, points AGAIN!?

[@list-and-sell]

I had booked a European 7 week vacation of a lifetime scheduled to start mid-February 2020 - we know what happened there. I chased refunds for about a year. Marriott hotel, prepaid in Venice, Italy wouldn't refund but said we could use the room anytime within the year - uh, thanks but no. The government backed them up. Air TAP Portugal stiffed us on part of the airfare from England to New York - out of the blue they sent a payment of half the fare - not sure why and could never get the rest of it. Air France we lost out on our airfares from Miami to Guadeloupe - again a rigid certificate to be used before a certain time - very frustrating I really couldn't bring myself to book anything else until the end of 2022 when I started traveling again.

[@gemmeg2]

I find that local transportation often costs more than I expected, especially in Western countries. The public transport can be difficult to figure out, and the private transport folks are always finding ways to take advantage of travelers. I also don’t book anything that I can’t get out of easily. I don’t buy travel insurance. I am not as adept with the hotel points as you guys but get most of my flights free with miles: most flights booked with miles can be cancelled for full refunds of miles even on short notice.

[@Flamdragz]

I love your channels! Personally being 3 years and 10 months from retirement, my wife and I are planning on doing something very similar to what you are doing (slow travel). I am wondering if you can show a month or 2 months of an itinerary, from the preplanning stage (where do we want to go in December), to your efforts in researching places to stay, etc., to discussing the booking (when did you actually pay for the trip), to then looking at and planning around your budget. And ending with the actual arrival and maybe a few glimpses of your life during that experience. Your channels are so insightful, and I'm finding this channel popping up more than the others, partly because I do think a lot about my finances in my soon to be retired life.

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

Thanks, and great ideas

[@elizaC3024]

Royal Caribbean is now wanting $900 deposits.

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

Yikes!

[@maddhatter2073]

I book only hotel rooms I can cancel, then one week before check-in I check the pre-paid rate. It doesn’t always work, but I recently saved over $100 on a five night stay and got some extra amenities thrown in by pre-paying a week in advance and canceling my original reservation. Also, if you only have a deposit on a trip that you want to cancel, several companies will let you move the deposit to a different trip/date. I just find the trip with the farthest out date and switch my reservation to that, which gives me time to decide what I actually want to do. Love all your channels!

[@harveyh3696]

I thought you gave up on staying at AirBnb? Luv your presentations!

[@nataliajimenez1870]

They are focusing now on hotels but they said it's possible they may do some short term rentals for some special places. But they are going to be extremely careful with Airbnb

[@harveyh3696]

@@nataliajimenez1870 Thanks for your response! Aren't the best?!!

[@ManhattanRats]

Great advice about not paying too much in advance. Robert in NYC.

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

Thanks!

[@laura_and_shanman]

Such good content!! Thank you! Love your channel SO MUCH! I always book 100% cancellable/refundable even if it's more.. things are just too volatile.

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

You are so welcome! Agree, refundable the way to go now!

[@gregoryfriston7091]

9:23 you meant to say there that you save $3000 a *year* by not having a car to insure, didn't you? It's still a huge amount of money!

[@twbird18]

I only book things that are refundable or that will sell out (activities/special restaurants). I make a list of all the activities I'm interested in at a location and just play all my travel by how I'm feeling. I can always return again later for things I skip. I think that's the entire point of slow travel. Some days you just want to relax or go back to your room and take a nap. Maybe you catch a cold on the plane, etc.

[@kathyoliva6966]

Yes! True! Illness happened to me twice on trips where after a cruise I had one more night at a beautiful hotel near the cruise terminal. Was ill so it was heaven to be able to sleep before having to get to the airport and fly home, ❤️ you’re so right!

[@frenchiemomma201]

I can always depend on you to put out great content! Thanks!

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

Thanks!

[@hellojnet]

You guys are the best .!!! It’s been such a pleasure watching your videos the past couple months .!!!! 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

[@mmmark]

Do you find you incur much currency exchange loss because you have to buy some local currency in countries that you then have to exchange back when you leave? We try to use cards as much as possible of course but still need cash for some things.

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

Not too much, we usually use it all up

[@LucyLue-k7t]

I am interested in your KZbin course. Because technology changes rapidly, will there be upgrades done occasionally? And will there be unlimited access if there are upgrades without an additional cost?

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

Yes, we update it, and those updates are free

[@1zcott]

Thanks, I bought 500K points, I hope you get an affiliate fee

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

Thank you!

[@WandererBell]

Thank you for the great info. I'd like to mention something about travel insurance offered by credit cards. Many of these policies require a return flight home, which may not be suitable for slow or full-time travelers.

[@BPal75]

Great tips and thoughts about unexpected costs of travel. Thank you!

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

Thanks

[@strawberries1411]

Taking notes here.. thanks for all the tips.. Question: can you give examples of things that maybe are cheaper/convenient to buy on the road when needed and leave behind instead of dragging it all along for the just in case situations.. not talking about shampoos here or the things that are only available in your own country😅

[@Every_State_Park]

Have you done a packing video where you lay out everything that you have? I found a few on your other channel with specific items, but nothing comprehensive.

[@JulieMacKay-cd9hp]

IHG does not let us use their credit card in cda. Do u think it would still be worthwhile

[@Beyloveseverybody]

What's a super host 🤔

[@erickarnell]

AirBnB has a category of hosts called Super Host. Based on time and reviews.

[@FIRED13]

We flew Calif to DC, two months later Calif to Boston. One month later, Calif to Tennessee. Reason? Work & last min opportunity. Inefficient use of money IMO but partner wants to keep working 🙄

[@Shell2014]

Wouldn’t it be better to keep your house as home base, and slow travel like 4 to 6 months out of the year?

[@PinkyLegaspi]

Thanks for the great info! Kindly do a luggage video of what you bring along your travels. Thanks!

[@kristiG5259]

That month-long Airbnb didn't refund you ANYTHING? ugh!

[@donaldwilliams8661]

We literally drug our bags from the train station to the tower of Pisa and back to the train station in one afternoon. lol !

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

Lol, that is a long haul with the bags!

[@susangarrard2753]

Great tips!

[@narellepayne1455]

We find the free nights that you get on the hotel booking sites are great to use when we have late night flights- just use your free night to keep the room right up to its time to go to the airport for departure . You can make the most of your final day, come back and have a nap, have a good shower and get all fresh before going to the airport.

[@bobhale8325]

You make my wife and I want to take up a new lifestyle. We just need to figure out how.

[@shaziaijaz5863]

We always buy refundable hotels and flights on miles

[@jeffreysmith5018]

Can you get a non-owner car insurance policy to cover rentals?

[@candicecampbell7818]

Can you talk more about the type of travel insurance you have and on what cards

[@kathyoliva6966]

Thank you again for such a valuable video! I always learn so much! 👍😁 lesson learned personally about getting to the airport way too early. Awful experience and now I know to get a hotel room even If I don’t stay the full night. Thank you for your wonderful advice!

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

You are so welcome!

[@mississippiapple1078]

Such great info! 😊

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

Glad it was helpful!

[@TerpsterVape]

Hello! You mentioned that you "shipped your luggage to Japan" how does that work?

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

Around in Japan, from Tokyo to Osaka for instance. The front desk of your hotel will ship it for you for roughly $30.

[@joethecomputerguy1]

Dats a lot of negatives!

[@jfelizondomd]

Do you use travel insurance?

[@David-os9ej]

I generally get travel insurance at a reasonable rate ($60-70/month) for the unlikely event of needing emergency medical care and medivac. But most of these policies also have modest coverages for trip delay, trip interruption, and luggage issues. Fortunately, I have never experienced a need for the medical, but I had a flight that was cancelled in Oaxaca due to a teachers' strike that shutdown the airport and I incurred an extra 750 in hotel, meals, and plane tix which got reimbursed. Shop around. The prices vary greatly. Also, get familiar with your credit card benefit brochure which frequently provides insurance for those types of losses.

[@halbuhr7220]

Booking with points works for both hotels and flights. I tested positive for Covid-19 in Japan last year and quickly booked a flight back to the U.S. before trying to use my home test kit to board a ship. I passed the nurse's checkpoint and immediately canceled my flight before hopping on.. You should try to book future cruises onboard and think of the reduced deposit as an option like you would with a stock.

[@timshel011]

Thank you ! ❤❤❤ !

[@GroundedLifeRetirementTravel]

You're welcome 😊