The Traveler's Toolkit

"Travel makes one modest, you see what a tiny place - you occupy in the world"

- Gustave Flaubert

it is my belief that traveling is the BEST gift you can give a person, therefore, I want share what is my travelers toolkit. You will be able to see what I use to book my trips, how I plan my trips and how I save =)

Hopper (App)

Once you click on the picture, you'll be able to download that app straight to you phone.

Hopper is used to compare rates for flights and hotels across the board. I use Hopper to compare flight fares for every airline and explore the best time to buy the tickets.

For example: If I wanted a round-trip ticket from...

• Boston, MA USA (BOS) <--> Athens, Greece (ATH), I'll input that information into the app.

• Then I'll see calendars of months for about a year (sometimes it doesn't go that far). The calendars will days marked in Green, Yellow/Orange, Dark Orange, and Red. At the top under "Choose Your Flight Dates," it will give you that rates in each of those colored boxes.

• Once you seen the month/ days that work for you - click on the month and select your dates.

• If the rates are too high - go ahead and click on flex dates (remember nothing is guaranteed) and you can watch the trip. Hopper will let you know when is the best time to buy, if the rate is going to go down, if prices are increasing etc.

• Make sure notifications are on, this way you'll get the news right away.

• Don't worry- the app you let you know which airline you will book with before you book your trip.

Hostel World (App/ Website): Click on the picture =)

Hostel's are a great way to travel on a low-cost budget in a shared room (private rooms are also available for more $$$) and a good way to meet people during your a short-term stay.

If you decide to do hostel'- remember that it isn't usually a kid friendly place.

Tips: don't bring anything expensive with you. Travel light, bring a lock and ear plugs (you may need ear plugs to block out those that snore in your room). Always carry your passport, have a copy of your passport in a different place (just in case you lose it or it gets stolen), and make you give a copy to someone at home in the rare case you may need that copy for proof.

Travelocity (App/Website)

I prefer the APP because everything you need is there with all of your info, especially when you have questions or when you are checking in and it just seems easier to use.

This is more for anyone who is not going to travel using the world of hostels or need a small break from that low -budget traveling life- style =) Also, the customer service is amazing! They really take the time to understand what your need is and try to give you headache free experience.

Keep in mind that you can book not only your stay, but Flights, Cars, Cruise, Vacation Packages, and Things to Do.

Activities: (Apps)

There no right way to plan your activities for your trip. I usually mark few things I want to do and figure out the rest when I am at my place of destination. Some the apps that I use to book or explore activities are:

1. CouchSurfing - has few activities and sometimes you could even get a free place to stay. However, be careful when trying to use the free stays because there are, unfortunate, some creeps out there!

2. Airbnb - I've used this app few times and turned out okay for the stays. They do have a wide range of activities to do and I am always marking my favorites =)

3. Guides (from Lonely Planet)- I use this app the most! You can put in whatever your budget is once you picked where you are going and go from there. The information is updated (or at least every time I used it) and they do have few tips and trick as well. I would definitely look through this app =)

4. TripAdvisor - I use this app to find things to do but you can use it for Stays, Food, Shopping, etc. This app has so much to offer. It is worth downloading and exploring - if you find that it is not helpful - just delete it.

These are the apps I've used to find thing to do or just get an idea of the place I am visiting. Each app offers something that the other doesn't.

Transportation: (App/ Local Taxi Numbers)

So, you booked you flight, your activities and stays! YOU ARE ALL SET! or so you though.

If you don't have it already - Uber, lyft, and Via are all apps that will help you get around in most place in the world. Some places do not allow these apps and that is when you'll have to do your research to find local TAXI phone numbers, BUSES and TRAIN information.

Tips: Be careful wherever you go especially if you're traveling alone. Always let someone know where you are and where you are heading even if it's just people staying at the hostel. When using foreign transportation systems, beware of your surroundings. It is always a good idea to take few self-defense classes right before your trip.

These are my tips for planing an affordable, fun exciting trip that you won't regret going on especially when you see the bill!