If Your Hotel Isn't FREE, You're Paying Too Much

If you're a writer who loves to travel and you're NOT cashing in on this, something is broken.

Nobody should have to stay in serial killer motels just to make travel more affordable.

Especially not writers (unless you’re a true crime writer with a serious desire to retrace every murderous footstep Dexter Morgan ever took across America 😂).

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Today’s post is part of Your Other Passport - a new column dedicated to transforming average travellers into destination bosses.

‘Your Other Passport’ is a set of blueprints filled with bright ideas, actionable advice, and bite-sized tidbits that’ll teach you how to stop spending money on travel, start earning money on the road, and become widely recognized within your destination of choice, even if the destination is where you currently live.

This post has been a LONG time coming. Since launching my publication, I’ve dished out plenty of tips on earning fun side-hustle money while chasing your wildhood.

What I haven’t dished out yet is how I have managed to NOT spend at least $50,000 throughout my travel escapades. And to be honest, that figure is probably a lot higher if you consider that these people paid $36,000 for a hotel that I stayed in for free.

When you think about travel, what’s the biggest expense that comes to mind?

Hands down it’s your accommodations, right? A comfortable place to rest your weary, travelling head usually outprices flights and rental cars by far.

For a former travel addict like me, this was a huge problem because I didn’t have money. I only had a child I could sell. Obviously not the most viable option. 😁

So, what did I do? Nothing besides spending six years pulling stupid stunts like paying the rent late and racking up credit card debt just to get my travel fix. I wasn’t satisfied doing what most people do - saving up half a lifetime to go on one grand bucket list trip every five years.

I needed to disappear several times a year to curb my cravings. Also not very viable for a one-income single mom.

While teetering on the edge of probable bankruptcy, I had been writing a fairly new travel blog that mostly highlighted how to drink more rum for less money in Jamaica.

Then, one desperate Canadian winter day, a dim lightbulb briefly switched on above my head. My birthday was coming up and I wanted to treat myself to yet another unviable vacation. But this time I figured that somebody should want to host me for free as a birthday gift because I’m sooooo VIP-ish. 😂

I went out on a limb and fired off a short email to a resort manager, asking for a free stay. When the results of that email came back positive it felt like the winning pull on a Vegas slot machine.

And so began what turned into ten years of NEVER paying for another hotel again.

You know that saying, “Fake it til you make it”? It exists for a reason and the good news is you only have to fake it ONE time before it becomes real. Once it’s real, this is what your life of free travel looks like…every single time.

I didn't just pull these pictures out of a hat. I took them and then jumped on all the beds!

Creating in public

Writing this post feels weird because it sounds like I’m bragging but honestly…I’m not. What I AM doing is sharing how to get this life.

I’ve been struggling with how to present this content for years. But I’ve finally taken the time to sit my butt in a chair and type it out so that others can cash in on it. I WANT others to cash in on it because I’ve been there, done it, and bought all the gift shop t-shirts along the way.

Just kidding. I don’t buy gift shop shirts.

For me, this is like passing the baton because even though I’ve traded in my life of checked baggage for dog poop bags, this might just be the lifestyle YOU are looking for.

This brings us to my first iteration of how to master a craft that will change the way you travel. Rather, it will forever change how padded your wallet stays when you travel. It will free up thousands of dollars you’d rather spend on experiences outside a hotel room.

This is Captain Obvious speaking….click the image to download the guide 😁

I’ve published my first draft of a 37-page guide on how to do this, where to do it, and WHY you should want to.

This is what we call “creating in public” and iterating as we go. I want every writer who loves travel to download this guide, put it into practice, and then help shape it into something bigger down the road.

ALL feedback is welcome!

I struggled with the decision of whether this should be a course or a guide but I settled on a guide because writers are SMART people. You don’t need my frizzy-haired, talking head to fully absorb the knowledge needed to turn this craft into an art.

I figured it all out on my own. Surely others can figure it out with a bit of guidance.

Behind the scenes…

Recently I’ve been loosely coaching one fellow Substacker on the all-encompassing craft of destination writing. I’ll keep her identity a secret for now because she’s not ready to go public but let’s just say that she has inspired me to possibly start coaching at some point.

Her positive feedback and excitement behind the scenes coupled with this first draft of my review writing guide are the initial steps I’m taking toward coach-hood.

I know I want to do it but maaaan, does it ever take time to compile thoughts well enough to put teaching material together. (That’s code for, if anyone out there wants to do it all for me I’ll just be over here waving a white flag! 😂)

It also took a certain amount of bravery to put this out into the public eye. Am I ready? Is it good enough? I suppose we’ll find out when you all download it and run me through the shredder!

So here’s the offer one more time.

For less than the cost of ONE night at a serial killer Super 8, you can stop worrying about the cost of ALL hotel rooms for good!

While you’re rifling through 37 pages I’ll be over here wincing in the corner waiting for your feedback!

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