4. Restaurants

Don't visit tourist-oriented restaurants.

Instead, ask locals to recommend family-owned or small restaurants. Not only will you pay less but food, quality and service will be much better.

Two years ago, I visited Monaco, France and we went to a small restaurant on a side street and we only paid $100 (for 4 people) for appetizers, great pasta, drinks and dessert (including tip). Not a bad price considering that Monaco is very expensive.

5. Metro vs. Taxi

In most places, there is a metro or train system which will be a lot cheaper than traveling by taxi. All you need to do is get a map and trace route you're going to visit and find out train or metro you need to get on to.

By planning your vacation in advance, choosing best dates to travel (low season), doing research about places and attractions to visit, going to local restaurant versus tourist-oriented ones, and using metro or train system instead of taxis, will save you a great deal of money and allow you to go on vacation at least twice a year.

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To maximize your chances for success, it is advisable to announce and begin promoting your trip at least a year in advance of your departure date, so that you have plenty of time to reach enough people -- and to enable your prospects sufficient time to raise fund and schedule trip.

If you are already affiliated with a particular group such as a school, a church, or a club, it makes promoting a trip all easier as you already have easy channels of communication in place.

Writing letters or emails, making phone calls, announcements at meetings or services, announcements in bulletins, etc.

================================= If you are interested in making as much money as possible in addition to a free trip -- either for yourself or as a fundraiser, you might want to look at other ways of reaching a wider audience. =================================

-- Press releases to newspapers and other media. -- Posters and flyers posted on community and church bulletin boards. -- Small ads taken out in newspapers and appropriate magazines. -- Posting in special interest forums on Internet -- Holding public meetings and seminars.

================================= Organizing a trip gives you rewards way beyond trip and money. In process of organizing a trip, you will also come into contact with many like-minded people you might never meet otherwise ... resulting in friendships that last a lifetime. =================================

For many, best part of actively organizing and promoting a trip is meeting new people who have at least some common interests.

Because you are group leader, you are in a unique position to have already "broken ice"... so that when it comes time to embark on your cruise or tour, you will often be on a first name basis with everyone.

This feeling of camaraderie with a large number of fellow tourists can contribute immeasurably to success of trip -- and can often lead to lifelong friendships.

So don't put off traveling just because you don't have cash.

Look through resources below for a travel company that suits you.

Then get in touch with them, set a date and a destination. And start making plans to take trip of your lifetime... by helping others do same.

Bon voyage!

=========================================== Free Travel Resources

Travel for Free as a Tour Leader. Organize a safari... or a scuba diving tour... or a world cruise. We have found travel agencies who are ACTIVELY seeking tour leaders. Many extensive promotional help... including brochures and websites. http://www.thelivingweb.net/free_travel_tour_leader.html

Travel Free as a Church Tour Leader   Earn a free trip or cruise or pilgrimage... and in some cases earn as much as $10,000 per trip for you or your church by organizing and leading a tour. http://www.thelivingweb.net/free_travel_holy_land.html Teachers Travel Free Leading Education Trips Cash Stipends often available. http://www.thelivingweb.net/free_travel_teachers.html

Travel Free and Earn Cash as a College Campus Rep.   Promote Spring Break Travel on your campus,. Earn trips and cash. http://www.thelivingweb.net/free_trips_spring_break.html

Free Trips and Cash as a High School Trip Organizer. Top organizers can earn as much as $10,000 promoting their graduation trip. http://www.thelivingweb.net/free_trips_highschool.html

Travel Cheap by Exchanging Homes. You can travel anywhere in world for cost of your plane fare or gas ... by setting up a house exchange in advance. You can even exchange an RV ... or an apartment... or a yacht. http://www.thelivingweb.net/free_travel_exchange_home.html

A version formatted for websites is available at www.thelivingweb.net/free_travel.html