How to Travel the World for Next to Nothing | Bryce Conway

How to Travel the World for Next to Nothing | Bryce Conway | TEDxInverness

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8 жыл бұрын

Have you always wanted to go away for a fun Spring Break but never had the money? This was the problem that a young Bryce Conway faced and he took on the challenge in an inspiringly inventive way.
In this video Bryce shares his tips for "Travel-Hacking" which he describes as being like extreme-couponing except for travel.
We challenged Bryce to make it from America to the Highlands of Scotland to give a talk about it and he did it with ease!
Bryce is a 20-something entrepreneur, author and travel-hacker from Columbus, Ohio.
While trying to ensure he had a fun spring break Bryce stumbled upon a useful loophole in the credit card system.
He now travels all around the world for next to nothing, and keeps an entertaining blog about it as well as having written a book which you can download for free.
This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at ted.com/tedx

Пікірлер: 112

@icysurfer1 4 жыл бұрын

Travel brings REAL confidence..I love this guy.

@MrC0MPUT3R 4 жыл бұрын

Good thing I'm only hard of hearing in my right ear 😂

@LivingFree207 7 жыл бұрын

I traveled a bit when I was younger but now we have decided to sell off EVERYTHING to travel the world. We are 50ish and will be traveling ona budget. We need to educate ourselves as much as possible so we too can earn free points for airlines, airbnb, hotels, car rentals. Amtrak, etc...we have soooo much to learn. Thank God for vidoes like this. We are so excited about the future! Melody

@LivingFree207 7 жыл бұрын

That is wonderful Maria! It's never too late to start an adventure. Who knows where this will lead us. That is the fun part of it. We don't know where life will take us, where we willl go, who we will meet, what opportunities will arise. I'm amazed how many people are telling me what you just said. I thought it was just us who was doing something "wild" lol :) There are so many people on KZfaq sharing thier story on how they are doing the same thing as we want to do. It's nice to know there are others. I hope you will record your adventures and post on your KZfaq channel. I would definitely follow you :) We can learn from each other as we go. Melody

@c_mois4870 2 жыл бұрын

listening with my headphone, and it made me though the right one was spoiled

@365traveldates7 6 жыл бұрын

This kid hit the nail on the head. My wife and I traveled for 18 months and the majority of our flights were earned through travel hacking. I initially heard about the practice from a friend and then learned more on Upgraded Points. Before we left, we would sign up for a credit card whenever we had a big purchase to make, and voila, we were earned hundreds of thousands of miles left and right.

@thepennilesswritersguideto3963 7 жыл бұрын

This was so great. As a budget traveller, I'm constantly on the look out for ways to cut costs and hack the system, but I'm also terrified of 'playing the credit card game,' but this broke it down very nicely and cleared up a lot of misconceptions. I think I shall start on a much smaller scale than you, (I'm in the UK, so we don't get as many travel perks with our credit cards,) but I'm brave enough now to give this system a go. Thank you for this awesome presentation. x - The Penniless Writer's Guide to the World.

@365traveldates9 7 жыл бұрын

There are some brand credit cards on British Airways. I saw an article on one of the big blogs either points guy or Upgraded Points. Just google both, something should pop up. You'd be starting on a smaller scale anyways since the UK game is a bit smaller than the US.

@365traveldates9 7 жыл бұрын

Didn't even know travel hacking got into the TedTalk game! Good work Bryce. This was a good help for us in getting enough trips around the world during our year long honeymoon. These days I'm checking out Upgraded Points specifically with their articles on transferring points. Got tons from different programs and brands. Looks like a great trip. Next time try considering not riding the animals :) Happy hacking ahead.

@KenSamaGomenasai 8 жыл бұрын

How can I fulfill my dream of moving to glorious Nippon and becoming a Bushido Ninja?

@ACoustaDC 7 жыл бұрын

I think there's an app for that.....

@nahed1263 7 жыл бұрын

You have to reach a spending amount before earning any rewards, sometimes too much in order to receive rewards.

@waboms2477 8 жыл бұрын

Great presentation, Thank You for sharing, Bryce!

@daishi15 6 жыл бұрын

Well Said

@billyyoung3726 6 жыл бұрын

10K credits for a college student? which bank bro?

@Koshe4ka777 7 жыл бұрын

what to do if you are not from the US? Is there travel hacking for people from the rest part of the world? Or is it possible to register for al those cards online without living in the States?

@khalaka1160 7 жыл бұрын

Travel hacking rules are different for each country. In the US the system allows you to earn a huge amount of points without getting a ridiculous bill from your bank. Keep it real: You are not going to hack the system. Having control of 20 credit cards requires a lot of work. Follow these tips and i can promise you a better deal in your next trip/vacation. Tip 1: Set a real goal, make a plan. Have something in mind months in advance. Most of your savings can come directly from Airlines. They need to keep those planes packed so you must follow the path of your destination in order to land a big discount. Tip 2: Apply for credit cards with the most miles/points welcome bonus. Most of them will require a mínimum purchase in the first 3 months to win the bonus. Try to reach that mínimum with regular month expenses. Dont go crazy with stuff you dont really need. Tip 3: Now that you won all those points and your statements says "$0.00 debt" you can take some scissors and destroy those bad boys, unless that card gives you multiple points per dollar. You keep that OK! Tip 4a: If you´re not going to use a credit card and already took all the bonus points dont let it go too far in time. You can get surprised with an anual membership charge. Tip 4b: If you´re keeping that credit card, pay in time, use it regularly and apply for an upgrade after the first 6 months. You´ll probably get a new credit card with more bonus points, more benefits and lower interest rate. If you follow these simple steps you´re not getting a free trip but you will be saving money on your tickets and hotels, also you´ll have a few extra bucks in your pocket to spend on the trip. Here is when you pull off the credit card with the most points per dollar outside your home country.

@nickjamesc3016 7 жыл бұрын

the problem is new people into the game sometimes dont really understand the different type of cards. it is pretty awesome of a game though, at least for people who travel. buyaticketandgo.com/blog/2016/4/29/understanding5typesofcreditcards an article for different types of cards

@pentrubarbati 7 жыл бұрын

I'm from Eastern Europe .... and travel hacking is travel hacking ... and you don't need to use credit cards for miles better use low coast flights/promos stay in hostels/house sitting / surf couching for cheap accomodation or even free and eat from supermarket not restaurants and you can go in same place for like 1/3 of the money that others spend ...

@NOGeorgie 8 жыл бұрын

I'd love to believe you bro, but your name says "it's a traaaaaaaap"

@autopaint111 7 жыл бұрын

hiw can i apply for one of those cards

@sew.8359 7 жыл бұрын

I'm curious how you add up all of your points across several cards when purchasing an international flight.

@10xTravel 7 жыл бұрын

Ellena Sam they don't all go in one pot but it's easy to use different points for different things. Points A for the flights, points B for hotels, C for travel excursions, etc.

@JinStyles 7 жыл бұрын

I'm not from the US. I'm from Asia. And I need to pay the visa too much. And my currency is pretty low. So, his tip does not work for me. I would end my life on the street as homeless.

@kibawhitefang7176 7 жыл бұрын

Then come here, be my gf and both travel together. lol

@jink6091 7 жыл бұрын

Flying AirAsia is MUCH cheaper than flying in the states and the service is just as good. Seats are smaller but you also don't have Big Fat Americans who spill over into your seat. Hey, there is my travel hacking tip. Buy only one seat and spill over to your neighbors and make him pay for your lard to fly!

@chazsteadman5020 7 жыл бұрын

Jin Kim Hey! I resemble that remark! LOL

@championdrummer1 5 жыл бұрын

Why are the lights so bright? Holy smokes!

@ABMW-tech 7 жыл бұрын

Hello, do we have anything simillar in Europe? Thanks

@bryceconway9 7 жыл бұрын

Unfortunately not.

@rensverstegen1437 7 жыл бұрын

So Europeans dont have acces to this system? Do you have any tips for Europeans who want to travel for next to nothing?

@stevecue 5 жыл бұрын

I've been wondering what the oldest son from the TV show Home Improvement is doing now, hmm.

@ajcoco3453 6 жыл бұрын

One question, what airline approved you if you were a “broke” college student? Sounds interesting

@Ujjwal927 5 жыл бұрын

In college, I could not get approved for any credit card, besides one with a credit limit of $200. Damn

@DVDeSalvo 7 жыл бұрын

so are you still able to buy these dollar equivalent coins or did the government stop that? Also you just keep applying and getting more credit cards and the travel points associated with them... Do you ever close the credit cards or you just keep accumulating them?

@LivingFree207 7 жыл бұрын

I hear closing will work against your credit score. I also read yous should not apply for more than 2 a year. I read that on Kredit Karma and a few other articles on FICO scores.. So this is only from what I heard.

@bryceconway9 7 жыл бұрын

This is generally a myth. Give this a quick read 10xtravel.com/does-closing-a-credit-card-hurt-your-credit-score/

@rhondarose8180 5 жыл бұрын

Daniel DeSalvo that’s a question for the credit bureau I think after you have too many and not use it does hurt your score at some point the amount available to you exceeds your amount of income it’s not all peaches and cream

@alexwright1567 7 жыл бұрын

What are somethings you can buy then go give it to the bank and pay off your credit card bill?

@johntorse1991 6 жыл бұрын

Alex Wright gift cards. Look up manufacture spending

@Ian_MacGregor 8 жыл бұрын

this is a very interesting idea, but what happens to your credit score when you do finally decide to start canceling some of them? at what point does it get to be too much to keep organized and make sure you're paying off each one?

@tryingmybest206 8 жыл бұрын

maybe don't go in debt?

@Ian_MacGregor 8 жыл бұрын

the entire basis of this video is to be able to afford to travel without going into debt. thanks for your contribution though. my original question was whether or not your credit score is effected if you cancel unused cards, which i have already found the answer to on my own. also, if you have handfuls of other cards, but you never use them other than to get the signup miles, then does the inactivity hurt your credit score? from my research, banks have the power to close inactive cards, which could definitely hurt your score, so this guy says he does 20-25 cards per year... does he use every single one of those cards on a regular basis enough to where they don't ever get closed by the banks? or does he have another system to deal with all the accounts that he opens? basically, my main question is, how many bills will i have to pay each month to keep this system going? if you don't have a reasonable answer to that, please don't reply.

@dannygc625 7 жыл бұрын

+Ian Smith that got weird...

@bryceconway9 7 жыл бұрын

Great question Ian. Believe it or not, this does not negatively effect your credit score. In fact, it will likely improve it. Here's why 10xtravel.com/ultimate-guide-to-improve-your-credit-score/

@Ian_MacGregor 7 жыл бұрын

Bryce Conway hey, thanks again Bryce! just got that new card in the mail today and my score went up by 12 points! time to get this thing started :D

@softwareofexcellence 7 жыл бұрын

Now that you cannot buy coins what is an example of manufactured spending?

@blaqbombshell 6 жыл бұрын

He commented on another comment saying buy visa gift cards with your credit card. Then buy a money order with the gift card. Then use the money order to pay of your credit card and keep accumulating points that way.

@FootprintsForTwoTravel 8 жыл бұрын

Does this work for UK (Britain) citizens?

@THEWOODS3 8 жыл бұрын

????

@10xTravel 8 жыл бұрын

+THEWOODS3 unfortunately it does not

@BrianYYH 7 жыл бұрын

+10X Travel mostly only in United States... Because here is where the credit card companies can earn the most money off of credit debt

@aoibhinnomahony7712 7 жыл бұрын

Just use the bonus and cut the card to stop temptation

@djmorgan5708 8 жыл бұрын

i got no sound,i only got it on the intro then nothing after hummmm

@philliesrock1414 8 жыл бұрын

Your left speaker must be broken

@rhondarose8180 5 жыл бұрын

Opened credit cards not using them raises your credit score?...

@deepeshchetwani6250 4 жыл бұрын

@jenniferchelsea1883 7 жыл бұрын

BUT the credit Cards cost a lot of Money! And also the expensice Hotels... So ist easier to pay a flight by yourself insteat pay more at the End!!!

@xaniiu 7 жыл бұрын

no if you are just paying bills and paying the card off with your bill money. it is quite easy and you are not spending any extra

@ChaseTerrier 4 жыл бұрын

The first thing he mentions is he has not paid for a flight in five years. I have not paid for a flight in five years either. Of course, I never been anywhere in five years (I was suppose to fly to Miami, FL but my plans was cancelled due to the Coronavirus Pandemic).

@medrict 7 жыл бұрын

Why even bother giving this talk when the system doesn't even work anymore? unless there is another loophole like buying coin

@bryceconway9 7 жыл бұрын

Still does. We constantly find new ones.

@medrict 7 жыл бұрын

Bryce Conway such as?

@bryceconway9 7 жыл бұрын

Buy Visa Gift cards using your credit card, take said Visa Gift Cards and use them to buy a money order. Deposit money order in the bank. Use it to pay off your credit card. Simple. The methods change often, but we always find ways.

@medrict 7 жыл бұрын

ahhh, I see, well, thank you, I guess you're still doing it? haha

@alonzo2k 7 жыл бұрын

Bryce Conway thanks for the tip, can you go in detail how that works thnxs

@WokeWook 7 жыл бұрын

Hmm. What kind of math are you people doing? In order to earn xx,xxx points when you sign up, you have to spend couple thousand with in first few months. Are you really going to spend few thousand dollars on things you don't "need" just to get one or two round trip flights?

@blaqbombshell 6 жыл бұрын

Silly you don't have to spend on things you don't need. Instead of using cash or debit for things you need use credit instead and pay off right away before interests is applied and you still get the points.

@mariadelourdesaniessanchez9731 Жыл бұрын

people never travel I bealive to sleep

@milabou4076 7 жыл бұрын

I feel like much of this advice is dangerous for young women. I wish there were talks about girls who have travelled safely on a budget. Because I'm usually scared of hitchhiking with strange men, sleeping in parks, or stuff like that. Maybe I'm paranoid because of men's constantly sexually aggressive behaviour towards young women, but it worries me and deters me from taking a low budget trip if I don't have safe conditions.

@rscully5 7 жыл бұрын

Well of course.

@dasblatt8628 7 жыл бұрын

It is not dangerous at all. What are you thinking? It is not safer where you live than elsewhere. But I guess you can just learn that by travelling yourself.

@yuvee 7 жыл бұрын

There's a huge gap between luxury traveling and sleeping in parks. There are plenty of safe and cheap accommodation available all around the world. While it's true that it can be intimidating, it's really not much more dangerous if you come from a big city. Give it a go, it's really rewarding.

@jink6091 7 жыл бұрын

What do you mean? Like in India they beat the husband before gang raping the wife in front of him. He's in just as much danger.

@twelvesmylimit 6 жыл бұрын

It's great, but all those flights are terrible for carbon emissions.

@madisonmurdock3630 5 жыл бұрын

Bunchy Bunch do you suggest people just don’t travel?

@rhondarose8180 5 жыл бұрын

Bunchy Bunch so you walk everywhere?

@JohnSmith-mg5ve 8 жыл бұрын

do you have areal job or do you get paid to give these lectures? do you own a house or rent o rneither?

@gastongarciacorral 8 жыл бұрын

+John Smith a real job is a job. Any job.

@jaymeez 8 жыл бұрын

Right ear bud is not working? Get your shit together Ted!

@rhondarose8180 5 жыл бұрын

You should try an old a sigh up for hugs in the US ... if you have learned so much u shouldn’t say that

@rhondarose8180 5 жыл бұрын

The Monks don’t just collect food people give to Monks because Monks give blessings and prayer over people

@lukevandenlangenberg7114 7 жыл бұрын

You never ride elephants or other animals as a tourist. They usually force those animals to have human riders and treat the animals terribly

@herbertsmith4202 8 жыл бұрын

This lecture is crap. With most of these credit cards you need to pay annual fees among other fees on them, all he said was "you want to try to avoid this" he never mentioned... How.... And also you need to spend large amounts of money to earn the mileage points on these cards, at one point he quickly blurts out in about 3 seconds "no problem I buy coins and money online with the card and sell the coins back to the bank"

@9robke123 8 жыл бұрын

+Herbert Smith I think his aim with this ted talk was to introduce people to the idea of travel hacking rather than explain every detail. If you tell people how it's done people will not have the same urge to go and have a look for themselves, whereas I bet this talk had a bigger impact on the people and they went home and curious for themselves they searched online, speaking of which, if you want to know more about it just search online. There are some really good places offering good information on travel hacking. This is just my opinion.

@herbertsmith4202 8 жыл бұрын

+Revo Lution The title of the video "How to" would suggest otherwise

@10xTravel 8 жыл бұрын

Herbert I'm afraid you missed the point here. The annual fees are almost always waived for the first year, so most folks simply close the card within that time frame to pay nothing out of pocket. And the spending is easily accomplished using manufactured spending techniques, which Bryce discussed in the video.

@siameesecities 7 жыл бұрын

He mentioned that you can't buy the coins anymore. Pay attention.

@rscully5 7 жыл бұрын

Thank you! The entire lecture. Like most Ted lectures is foolishness.

@rhondarose8180 5 жыл бұрын

All that money spend and ya had to ride elephants?.

@brianotoole8666 7 жыл бұрын

I'm well traveled and I can honestly say the United States is the greatest country on Earth.

@jonathanallen9596 5 жыл бұрын

have you been to Luxemburg ?

@alexadnan1032 4 жыл бұрын

The most vague presentation I ever watched, dude stick to one point, you are all over the place

@Starscream2040 7 жыл бұрын

I hate when people sound the lips like this 1:14

@jaymeez 8 жыл бұрын

This guy stated he was making 5k per year and was approved for a 10k limit card. He was able to fly to Florida for a week then Vegas for a week then back home without paying for airfare but how did he spend 2 weeks away from home with all the cost of hotels, food, and fun; how was he able to pay for all of that on a 5k per year income? I smell bullshit with this guy 💩

@michaelmwm222 4 жыл бұрын

Dude, slow down. This is why people said you're on drugs! You just set a world record for words per minute while sweating profusely with your pupils eclipsing your iris.

@davidcastrillon3807 6 жыл бұрын

traveling to Thailand to ride elephants -- the gus is not very clever after all

@cookmaster3626 4 жыл бұрын

Dont beleive one bit of your story. To get Airline miles you need to spend $3K to 5K to get the miles. You were broke with no money. What did you buy and how did you pay. Your story doesnt add up one bit. You are here just to get some internet fame with your fake made up story.