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screwtheaverage · 4 years ago

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Tips and Tricks to Save Money on Your Next Car Rental

Renting a car and travel in general doesn’t have to be super expensive! We tend to opt for public transportation, but there are times where renting a car simply makes the most sense. It might be for an epic road trip or that we’re in a location where public transportation options are limited or non-existent. Because of COVID-19 and supply issues, renting a car is more expensive than ever. However, there’s no reason to let a car rental break the bank. Read on for tips, tricks, and hacks to save money on your next car rental.

Disclosure: We may receive a commission for links on our blog. You don’t have to use our links, but we’re very appreciative when you do. Thanks again for your support, we hope you find our posts and information helpful! Learn more.

Quick Links

How to Save Money when Renting a Car

Check Out Alternative Sites for the Best Savings

Tips and Tricks in the Rental Process

Plan Ahead

Non-Traditional Rental Companies

Earn Cashback and Miles for Your Rental

Don’t Forget about Credit Card Perks for Rentals

If you’re wondering how to travel internationally, or simply vacation nearby and not spend a fortune on airfare or hotels, then we’d like to welcome you to the world of ‘travel hacking’. See what credit cards we carry, and how we take full advantage of the points and miles we’ve earned.

How to Save Money when Renting a Car

We haven’t owned a vehicle since we sold our car in 2016 and set off to travel full-time for a year abroad. That year of full-time travel turned into a lifestyle and we’ve been successful digital nomads that house sit full-time while pursuing FI/RE (financial independence, retire early) for over 5 years.

There’s a freedom that comes with owning just what will fit into our carry-on backpack, not having to worry about maintaining a home we own, and not having a car to worry about. However, that does mean that getting around is a bit more of a challenge.

We typically rely on public transportation, or the generosity of a homeowner who allows us to use their car while we house sit for them, but there are times where renting a car simply makes sense. Like a road trip along some of Ireland’s beautiful coast line or an adventure on the Romanian Transfagarasan highway. And of course, there are cities where public transportation just doesn’t cut it.

So for those times when renting a car is a must, here are some tips, tricks, and hacks for saving money on car rentals. Some are simple and straight forward, some are creative, some take a bit of planning ahead, but all of them can save you money!

Check Out Alternative Sites for the Best Savings

Everyone has their favorite rental car company (Hertz, Avis, Sixt, etc.) but be sure and look around for deals. Don’t just go directly to the rental company websites, check out Travelocity, Costco Travel, AutoSlash, Rentalcars.com, etc.

One thing we like about AutoSlash is that much of the work of coupons and discounts are shown automatically for you when you enter in your memberships (think AAA, USAA, etc.) and discounts (like employer codes) within the search engine. Plus, if your booking drops in price, Autoslash will notify you.

Our tool box is full of resources! From travel hacking to house sitting, digital nomad jobs to privacy and security, financially independent retire early (FI/RE) to entertainment, plus travel hacking (credit cards, miles, points, and rewards), and much much more…

Tips and Tricks in the Rental Process

Pay Attention to Pick-up and Drop-off Times

Pick-up and drop-off times matter because rental cars are charged by the day, specifically 24 hour periods. So, say you land at your destination and pick up your rental vehicle on Monday at 12pm, but your flight home doesn’t take off until Saturday at 5pm. So you drop your car off five days later on Saturday at 3pm. But, instead of being charged for five days, you’ll be charged for six because you had the car for five 24-hour periods PLUS an additional three hours, taking you into day six!

Avoid this charge by being aware of your pick-up and drop-off times, or use your American Express Platinum at Hertz and get a four hour grace period.

Tip: If you end up having a few extra hours to fill at the airport, spend them relaxing in a lounge with a few drinks, a snack, and free Wi-Fi. We always travel with a Priority Pass because it makes our trip much less stressful. Want to try it out first? Get 10 free passes with the Hilton Surpass American Express credit card.

Decline the Free Upgrade

Who doesn’t love a free upgrade? While we’re all about a room upgrade at a hotel, we always decline a free upgrade when renting a car unless there’s a specific need for it.

The cost of a car rental isn’t just the per day rental price, it’s also the gasoline you’ll be using along the way. So we opt out of lower MPG cars (think a large sedan or SUV) and ask for the most fuel efficient car possible. We’ve even gone as far as to have rented the most efficient car, get offered a free upgrade at the counter (because that level of car was no longer available) and then negotiate a free tank of gas or a lower rental fee because we’d be spending more on gas.

When choosing a car be sure to keep in mind the size of the car can accommodate everyone you’re traveling with and their luggage.

Tip: Looking for the least expensive gas station along your route? Download GasBuddy from your app store and get peer reported gas prices to find the best deal nearby.

Use a Discount Code

Most rental car companies have discounted rates or free features for corporations, alumni, universities, and memberships. Of course, we don’t recommend using a code you aren’t eligible for, but think outside of the box. Here are a few organizations that offer discounts that you may be able to use:

AARP

AAA

Costco members

Military discounts

USAA

Union member discounts

University/Alumni

Employer

For example, sign up for a AAA membership and receive 20% off Hertz rentals, waived fees for driver under 25, unlimited miles on most rentals, and discounts on fuel costs. This could easily offset the cost of the membership and seeing the discount at checkout is simple through the AAA Hertz portal.

If you’re active military or veteran, or a spouse or child of an active military person you can enroll with USAA and get discounts at Hertz. Using the USAA Hertz portal will get many of your fees waived, like the under 25 driver fee and you’ll save up to 25% on your rental. Plus, you’ll still be able to earn Hertz points for the rental!

Change Currency and Website Location

Try playing around with the currency and localization of the rental site you’re using. While not common, we’ve seen deals when booking something on the local French site that were not offered on the United States site.

Watch Out for Tolls

Make sure to ask at the rental counter how tolls are handled and what your options are for paying them. Often times rental companies will charge you a convenience fee for having an electronic toll pass in the car on top of the cost of the toll.

If you do a bit of research ahead of time, you might find it’s cheaper to purchase an electronic toll pass directly from the city than paying the convenience fee from the rental car company.

Or, you might even be able to get a toll pass for free. For example, if you’re flying into the Orlando, Florida area you can pick one up for free at the airport!

Drive Away Deals

One-way rentals can become a problem for rental car companies. What do they do when they have way too many cars in a popular summer destination? Well, just like a cruise repositioning deal (get a cheap one way cruise when you sail a ship that’s moving from one location to another), car rental companies offer ‘drive away’ deals.

Rather than pay someone to redisperse rental cars, they’ll offer you an inexpensive rental for you to do it for them. This means you need to be flexible with your road trip and plan your itinerary around the deal, but it could mean HUGE savings.

Keep in mind that drive away deals are not typically advertised so you’ll need to ask the rental car company about them.

RV Relocation Deals

RV relocation deals are similar to rental car drive away deals (above), but for RVs instead. Deals generally get posted two to three weeks in advance and can be as low as one dollar a day! If you want to plan further in advance, you may be able to find a deal a month or two out, but you’ll pay around $20-$30 a day for it. Keep an eye out for deals with extra perks, like money towards a tank or two of gas!

Here are a few places to find RV relocation deals around the world:

Jucy (Australia and New Zealand)

iMoova (United States, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, United Kingdom, Europe)

Spaceship Rentals (Europe)

Wicked Campers (United Kingdom, Ireland, Spain, Netherlands)

Cruise America (United States)

Apollo RV (United States)

CanaDream (Canada)

Fraser Way (Canada)

El Monte RV (United States)

Road Bear RV (United States)

London, San Francisco, Paris, New York City, Athens and more?! Trusted Housesitters has allowed us to travel the world on a budget, but more importantly given us an opportunity to make new friends and have cute and cuddly companions along the way. Sign up and start your next great adventure!

Under 25?

If you’re under 25 years of age paying the additional fee can be tough to swallow. However, there are a few ways to go about avoiding it. First, many membership programs like USAA and AAA offer rental car discounts and waived fees, including the 25 and under fee.

Second, rent from Hopper where you not only avoid the 25 and under fee, but most fees aren’t charged.

Avoid Add-Ons

Read everything on the page when you’re booking. It’s easy to miss something like a fee for a GPS or other add-ons you don’t need. And, be critical about what add-ons you truly need because it’s easy for the small fees to add up to a large rental bill.

Also, when you pick up the car, be sure to do a thorough inspection and mark down all damage, make note of the fuel and have someone from the rental company sign or initial it. We’ve made it a habit to take pictures (or a video) of the condition of the car, especially damage. We also note the fuel gauge level. At the end of the day, if the rental car company thinks we caused the damage or didn’t fill up the gas to the same level, it’s their word against ours, unless we have a photo/video.

Tip: Play it safe and keep your pictures/video for at least three months. Thankfully it’s never happened to us, but it’s not unheard of for the rental car company to contact you with a claim months after you’ve returned the car.

Waive the Rental Car Insurance

Use a credit card that includes primary collision damage waiver (CDW) like the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card and save $10-$20 a day. Plus, if you use the right credit card, you won’t have to file with your personal car insurance company and pay the deductible or incur future rate changes. Just be aware of exclusions on the coverage, like exotic, expensive, antique, show, etc. vehicles and that usually the coverage is only valid on rentals of 31 days or less.

If you’re not already using a credit card that has primary CDW insurance coverage included, you may want to checkout Amex’s premium car rental coverage as you’ll pay a $20-$25 flat rate for the entire rental period, instead of per day from the car rental company.

Another option to try is to book a rate for non-United States and Canadian residents, which should automatically include full CDW/LDW often at rates that are less. To do this, when booking make sure the country or residency that you select on the rental company’s website is non-US. This usually only works when booking directly with the rental car company.

Plan Ahead

Renting Internationally? Learn to Drive a Manual Transmission

It’s rare to find a manual transmission car for rent in the United States, but abroad is another story. Not only are stick shifts the standard but you’ll pay a hefty convenience fee for an automatic transmission when renting. We highly recommend taking a few lessons and learning to drive stick because it could literally save you hundreds of dollars per rental!

Flexible Dates

Being flexible with your rental dates could mean big savings. If you have the flexibility, see what it costs to rent a car during the week, or maybe it’s cheaper on the weekend. Or maybe the following week is less expensive because a big conference is in town the same week.

Reserve Your Rental Car Early

Reserve as early and as far in advance as possible to get the best prices. And, because many places don’t charge you to cancel the reservation you can book even if you aren’t sure what your exact travel dates will be. Hedge a bit and book a few options, lock in the cheaper price of booking early, and then cancel the dates you don’t need once you’ve confirmed your travel plans. Just be sure to read cancellation policy before booking.

Don’t Rent a Car for Your Entire Trip

Consider not renting a car for some of your trip. For example, there’s no reason to rent a car if you’re staying in New York City and you can probably get away with only renting a car for the few days you’ll be going to Upstate New York. But even then, there’s the train or buses like Flixbus or Megabus only cost a few bucks.

Non-Traditional Rental Companies

Lyft Rentals

Lyft rentals are usually fulfilled by Sixt, which generally have equivalent pricing. But in some cities, Lyft operates their own rental services which offer very competitive pricing. On top of a lower price, you also won’t pay extra for gas or tolls and you’ll get discounts on longer term rentals. To top it off, rent from Lyft and get two $20 Lyft credits which you can use to get to and from the airport.

Peer-to-Peer Rentals

If you need a rental car for only in-town use (i.e. not a one-way trip) try a service like Turo where you’ll rent person to person. Just like Airbnb (vs. a traditional hotel), peer-to-peer rental services enable everyday people to rent out their car, home, etc. that might otherwise sit unused to tourists and business travelers. It’s a win-win because the owner makes a few extra dollars and you save money because the prices are typically noticeably cheaper.

Peer-to-Peer options:

Getaround (United States, France, Germany, Spain, Austria, Belgium or United Kingdom)

Turo (United States, Canada, United Kingdom)

Ali’I Rental Cars (Hawaii, now partnered with Turo)

RVshare (United States)

Outdoorsy (United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France, Spain)

Ride Shares and Car Shares

If you’re just looking to go from point A to point B, consider a ride share. You’ve probably already heard of Lyft and Uber, but we’re not talking about them. Instead, try a service like BlaBlaCar (based in the United Kingdom) to plug in where you’re at and where you want to go and see if anyone else is taking the same trip and catch a ride with them. It’s a great way to save money on what would be an expensive one way car rental, and you might even meet a great travel companion.

Or, if sharing a ride isn’t your thing, consider car share services like ZipCar that let you rent a car by the hour, or by the day. What makes this different than Hertz or Sixt you ask? Companies like ZipCar use a car share model that lets you find a car nearby, drive it to where you want to go, and then leave it there for the next person. Think of Lime or Bird scooter rentals, but hopefully no one is leaving the car parked in the middle of the sidewalk!

Rent a Car from a Dealership

A little known fact is that you can often rent a car from a dealership, which could save you money from higher priced rental companies. Try searching for ‘dealership car rentals’ in your favorite search engine.

Rent a Moving Van or Truck

If you’re just looking to get around and aren’t worried about how fancy your car is, or you simply can’t find a car available to rent during your vacation, rent a truck or van from U-Haul, Home Depot, or Lowes.

Don’t miss our Ultimate Gear and Packing Lists! Whether you’re traveling long-term or going on a short vacation, we'll show you how to travel with a single carry-on. We share our packing lists (his and hers!), packing tips, and our favorite gear. Plus, we discuss what we don’t carry and why!

Earn Cashback and Miles for Your Rental

Get Cashback

First, no one should ever buy anything online without checking to see if there’s a deal through a cashback portal, this includes renting a car.

Here’s why, cashback portals offer a flat dollar amount or a percentage back for online purchases (and sometimes even at brick and mortar stores!) if you click through a ‘portal’ (a link). In other words, you purchase something you were already going to buy but get cashback to do so. We can’t argue with that!

To make our cashback accounts easier to manage and to have our payouts be quicker (cashback portals have minimum payout amounts) we focus on four of the top cashback portals.

Mr. Rebates - Sign up through our link and get a $5 bonus!

BeFrugal - Sign up through our link and get a $10 bonus!

Rakuten (formerly eBates)- Sign up through our link and get a $10 bonus!

TopCashback - Sign up through our link and get a $10 bonus!

Earn Rental Car Points

If you don’t already have a membership, be sure to sign up for the rewards program with the company you’re renting from. You’ll earn points for your rental and possibly get discounts, coupons, and other deals by being a member.

Earn Airline Miles

Do you have elite status with an airline? Consider booking through the airline’s portal and earn miles with your rental. Just keep in mind that you won’t be able to double dip, so no earning miles at the rental company as well as the airline.

Don’t Forget about Credit Card Perks for Rentals

We’re all about travel hacking and credit card perks are a great part of that. Take a look at the cards you have to see what car rental perks they offer. If none of your cards work, apply for one of these cards that offer great rental car perks and discounts:

Chase Sapphire Reserve

The Chase Sapphire Reserve has a suite of car rental discounts, including:

20% off Silvercar rentals

Up to 30% off Avis

Up to 25% off National rentals

The Platinum Card from American Express

Hertz

Complimentary vehicle upgrades

Four-hour grace period for rental returns

10% bonus Hertz Gold Rewards points

Free additional driver (spouse or domestic partner)

Avis

15% off published car rental rates

Up to a 25% discount when using code AWDA756900; get a one-level upgrade when using code UUNA007

National

Emerald Club Executive elite status

Choice of full-size or better cars from the Executive area at the reserved mid-size rate

Reward choices and one free rental day with seven rental credits

No fee for a second driver

Guaranteed upgrades

World Elite Mastercards

(Mastercard-issued credit card with “World Elite” printed on the back) (IHG Rewards Club Premier, Citi Prestige® Card, Citi Premier® Card and Citi® / AAdvantage® Executive World Elite Mastercard®.)

Sixt

Sixt Platinum elite status

Savings of up to 15% on Sixt rent a car/rent a truck worldwide

A complimentary upgrade to the next highest car group subject to availability

Preferred reservation priority

Access to special Sixt Platinum counters/parking lots at select airports/stations

Rolzo

$100 discount on your first car rental booking with ROLZO

Enterprise and Alamo

Up to a 5% discount

National

Up to a 25% discount

United Club Infinite Card

Hertz

Top-tier Hertz President’s Circle elite status

Confirmed one-car-class upgrades at participating locations

Choose any vehicle in the President’s Circle section of the Hertz Ultimate Choice lot on the spot at no extra charge

No additional driver fee for a spouse or domestic partner in the U.S.

Hertz Valet terminal drive-back service at participating locations up to four times a year

25% bonus on Hertz Gold Plus Rewards points

675 Rewards Points after every 15 qualifying rentals

#Budget/Expenses #Frugal #Hacks

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screwtheaverage · 4 years ago

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Why We do House Sitting Jobs for Free

House sitting is an amazing way to travel on a budget! We’ve house sat full time for over four years and have had amazing adventures all around the world. At this point, with so much house sitting experience and over 70 five-star reviews we could likely make a bit of money by charging for our services, but we choose not to. Read on to understand not only why we don’t charge but also how we started house sitting and why we love it. Plus, find a wealth of links to resources with tips and tricks to help you be successful house sitting.

Quick Links

A Little About Us

Discovering House Sitting Jobs

Our First House Sitting Job

How We Find House Sitting Jobs

Can We Charge for House Sitting?

Why We Don’t Charge for House Sitting Jobs

A Little About Us

There are a few key features of our lifestyle that standout.

First, we’re digital nomads and can work anywhere in the world as long as we have a computer, electricity (or a good battery!) and internet access.

Second, we’re pursuing financial independence, retire early (FI/RE), which for us simply means having options and freedom.

Third, we travel full time and in the last four-and-a-half years have been fortunate to visit 3 continents, 26 countries, and nearly 100 cities.

And lastly, we house sit full time, which means we care for the pets and homes of others when they travel for work or pleasure.

Generally, as we get to know people and the conversation evolves into questions about our lives, we talk about some or all of this lifestyle information. And, as soon as we mention house sitting, there’s a good chance the follow up question will be something along the lines of ‘how much do you charge?’ or ‘that’s a great way to make money’.

"When others learn that we don’t charge for our services we usually get a surprised reaction..."

So, to explain why we don’t charge for house sitting jobs we need to tell you a bit of how we found house sitting to begin with…

Discovering House Sitting Jobs

Well before we started traveling full time in 2016, we were planning and preparing for only a year of travel abroad. Now nearly five years later we’ve embraced our initial adventure and made it our way of life.

"Sergio has this amazing talent for finding out unique facts, methods, and philosophies by being super curious about many topics."

On one of Sergio’s dives into travel hacking he found a couple that discussed house sitting full time as a way of getting free accommodation in exchange for caring for a home and pets wherever they traveled. He told Shannon about this very intriguing concept of house sitting, but we both suspected it was ‘too good to be true’. We kept it the back of our mind as something to look into further in the future.

Well, the future came and it was time to seriously start planning for travel. As we neared the point where we got rid of 95% of our belongings and started our travel adventure with a $70 flight to Dublin, Ireland we did some serious research on the possibility of house sitting abroad.

We’d already entered the world of travel hacking via credit cards and knew that we could save a lot of money on hotels by using reward points, but it was very intriguing to consider being able to care for someone’s home and pets while they traveled and we explored the local area. We thought that realistically we would sprinkle house sits here and there during our initial one year adventure… assuming we could find them and be chosen.

Want to learn more about house sitting? After nearly five years of successfully house sitting full time, we wrote the Ultimate A-Z Guide to House Sitting!

Our First House Sitting Job

We thought we needed to build up a profile with many 5-star reviews before we could get prime location house sitting jobs. So in 2016, our first house sit was just three days in Newton Arlosh…

Newton Arlosh? … Where is that you ask?

Imagine a village in England with a church, a main street, a pub and a few homes. That’s Newton Arlosh. We cared for two dogs, two kittens, fish, and learned a lot about house sitting. For example, as digital nomads, high speed internet is critical and three days isn’t enough time to settle into a home or an area. But it was such a unique and amazing experience that we were excited to undertake our next (and longer) house sitting job in Amsterdam, Netherlands with Bailey the dog.

And that was that. Three days in Newton Arlosh and a couple of weeks in Amsterdam and we were hooked! In our first year traveling abroad we completed 18 house sitting jobs, and in the years following that we’ve house sat over 50 more times in North America. That’s over 70 house sitting jobs to date!

How We Find House Sitting Jobs

The easiest way to find house sitting jobs is to sign up as a sitter on a house sitting website. There are several to choose from, some have a global footprint while others are specific to a country or region. We’ve used a couple different sites and actually ran an experiment of tracking new listings in the United States daily for two weeks across half-a-dozen sites. Both our favorite to use and the one with the most new listings (it had more listings than all of the other sites combined!) is Trusted Housesitters.

Trusted Housesitters and most other house sitting websites run on the same concept. You pay for your profile on the website which matches homeowners to house sitters and when it comes to the house sitting job, there’s no exchange of money for services. There’s the occasional house sit listing where the homeowner will request that the sitter pay for utilities, but that’s rare.

We prefer being on a website where both sitters and homeowners pay a yearly fee. The yearly membership cost is negligible when you consider how much one or two nights at a hotel cost versus the lodging expenses saved while house sitting.

"When both sides pay for their membership you know there’s ‘skin in the game’ and everyone is serious about their listing and their applications."

So, now after nearly five years house sitting and we find all of our house sitting jobs on Trusted Housesitters.

Can We Charge for House Sitting?

Honestly, at this point, yes we probably could charge for our house sitting services.

"After 70+ house sits in countries around the world we’ve built a network of people who invite us back and recommend us to their friends."

We also have glowing reviews and owners that wouldn’t hesitate to be a reference for us.

If a homeowner chooses to board their pets while they travel, that’s hundreds of dollars out of pocket and sadly their pet is away from the comforts of their home. Having someone who comes in and cares for their pets in their home, loves them, makes sure they’re safe and healthy, and sends regular updates with pictures and videos is a dream come true for most pet owners.

We take house sitting very seriously and are professionals with every house sitting job we do. We know we’re coming in to care for someone’s most prized things, their pets and their homes.

Have we considered charging for our house sitting services?

We’ve been told on many occasions that we should charge for our services and we’ve considered it as well. When we commit to house sitting, it’s now a job we’ve taken on.

"We do our best to know everything we need to care for the home, the pets, and how to manage emergencies if they should arise."

It’s not uncommon that between walking, feeding, playing with, and watering plants and general care for the home we end up spending one to two hours a day caring for the house sit. We go out of our way to try and leave a home cleaner than when we arrived and we love the pets like they’re our own.

So, with glowing reviews, a network of homeowners around the world, and a non-trivial amount of time put into every house sit, why not charge?

Why We Don’t Charge for House Sitting Jobs

To put it succinctly, we’re looking for a mutual conveyance of appreciation and gratitude, not an ‘arm’s length (sterile) transaction’ that often happens when you pay (or are paid) for a service.

We have a deep sense of gratitude for every house sitting job we do. It’s not lost on us for a moment that the homeowners have entrusted us with their home and their pets. Similarly, nearly every homeowner we’ve house sat for appreciates us taking care of their home and pets, because of the money saved, the pet’s anxiety avoided by not boarding them, and the personal touch and genuine care we offer. From the moment we apply to the moment we depart we’re looking to build a true friendship with the homeowners.

During the application and interview process we’re looking for a homeowner that not only values our communication, trust and character but also embodies the same. Typically, when you pay for something you feel entitled to a level of service, rather than grateful for it.

"We go above and beyond on all of our house sits because we want to, not because we’re getting paid to do so. And homeowners appreciate us and what we do, rather than expect it because they’re paying for it. "

Ultimately, what we’re trying to convey is that the exchange and experience we get by house sitting for free is what we’re looking for. We love making new friends and having a sense of community around the world. We believe we would lose that if we charged.

#House Sitting

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screwtheaverage · 4 years ago

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Be an Outlier. Interview Series | Meet Dan, FI/RE'd & Slow Traveling

Imagine being able to spend time with someone who’s living the life you want. Someone who’s living a life that most people only dream of. From traveling the world, to working remotely, to being financially independent and retired early (FI/RE)… and beyond. In other words, being an outlier!

In the third edition of our Be And Outlier interview series, we’re excited to talk with Dan who fired his boss and has been traveling the world for over thirteen years! Along the way he’s met his partner Qiang Hui, started a vlog, created a successful online business, and teaches others how they can also retire cheaply abroad.

Quick Links

Be An Outlier Interview Series

Meet Dan: FI/RE’d and Slow Traveling

Introduction

Lifestyle: Slow Travel

Financial Independence, Retire Early – FI/RE

Advice

Be An Outlier Interview Series

After several years of sharing our story on Screw The Average (be an outlier.) we thought it was time to ask others about their story living outside of the norm. Considering our way of living isn’t the only or correct way of living, we’re excited to see what life others have chosen to live.

Being a digital nomad couple pursuing financial independence, retire early (FI/RE) while traveling and house sitting full time is a unique way of living. It comes with many adventures, times of pushing our comfort zones, and significant personal growth.

We’re two outliers among many more and this interview series seeks to spend time with others that look at the world a bit differently. We want to hear their stories, learn from their mistakes, and walk away with a few good pieces of advice.

We’re glad to have you join us on this journey!

Each interview is unique in that responses are done by our guests in their own voice/writing. We’ve done minimal editing to stay true to their personal stories.

Meet Dan: FI/RE'd & Slow Traveling

Over the years of traveling and blogging we’ve met many great people and it’s always a treasure when we meet someone that approaches life in a way that’s different than most people. It’s a great opportunity to hear their stories, their thought processes and hopefully learn from them.

That’s how we feel about Dan! We met Dan through our friend Bryce and really got to know him better when we were interviewed by him on his YouTube channel, Vagabond Awake. Our conversation continued after the recording stopped and we realized that not only did we have a lot in common with Dan, but we also wanted to learn more about him and hear his stories.

We’ll let him tell you about himself, but let’s just say that if you’re looking to retire abroad, Dan and his partner Qiang Hui are a great source of information!

Introduction

What’s the most interesting thing that’s happened to you in the last few weeks?

I just visited my 66th new country and Qiang Hui visited her 28th new country. We are in the Dominican Republic for a few more weeks and then we head to Panama.

I hit 50k subscribers on my Vagabond Awake YouTube Channel this week and two people we have never met in person before just walked up to us in the last 48 hours and thanked us for all the information and work we put into our YouTube videos and Retire-Cheap Reports on VagabondBuddha.com.

Tell us about yourself

I am Dan from Vagabond Awake, the YouTube Channel for VagabondBuddha. I am 60 years old and I have lived in or visited 66 countries in my life. But I wasn’t a true international traveler until about 14 years ago. Before that, I was just a normal guy living a normal life in the USA that took two weeks per year vacation, internationally.

Jumping on an Opportunity

Everything changed for me in 2007. I was working in the USA but wishing I could retire early and travel the world. One day, I received a call from a headhunter who asked, ‘Would you consider moving to India for 2 years to teach Indians what you do?’ I said, ‘yes.’

They flew me to India 30 days later for a job interview. Things went well and they offered me about twice what I was making in the USA. But since my real dream was to see the world, it didn’t make any sense for me to be in India for 2 years with only 2 weeks vacation per year.

The Power of Negotiation

So I said I would accept the offer if they gave me 7 weeks vacation per year. I would work 6 weeks, and then have the seventh week off. I would fly off somewhere during the 7th week and enjoy a one week vacation. Then I would be back at my desk a week later. Then I would work six more weeks and off I would go again. They accepted my offer.

At the end of the 2 year contract, they asked me to extend another year on the same terms, which I did.

"So in 3 years, I had 22 one week vacations."

Slow Travel

At the end of the third year, I said I would extend only if they would let me work remotely on my laptop. They agreed and I worked for them for 4 more years. Since I was able to work remotely on my laptop, I started slow traveling the world.

Once I was working remotely on my laptop, I started staying in each country for a few weeks or months. I went wherever I wanted and stayed for as long as I wanted, limited only by visa rules. I called my lifestyle: slow traveling the world. It was only possible once I was working remotely on my laptop.

Leaving the Corporate World

Eventually, I got bored of the work itself and decided I wanted to work full time for myself. So I started a webpage called VagabondBuddha. VagabondBuddha teaches people how they can retire internationally in their favorite place or slow travel the world. Living internationally often costs much less than people think.

So I make YouTube videos and I write Retire-Cheap Reports about my favorite places in the world. I also post videos on my YouTube Channel, Vagabond Awake, showing people what life looks like in each paradise destination. My videos are on the ground in each country showing the life available in each country and giving the cost of living information.

Meeting Qiang Hui

In 2016, I met Qiang Hui in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. After watching me travel the world for about a year, she said she wanted to join me. So in 2017, she started traveling the world with me. After a year or so of travel, Qiang Hui started HoboVentures.com and her own YouTube Channel.

Qiang Hui was a runway model before she started traveling with me. She has walked runways in about 8 different countries before she started traveling the world with me. Since leaving Malaysia together, we have traveled through the UK, Mexico, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru, Hungary, Slovakia, Portugal, Morocco, Spain, Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Philippines, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic.

What does a typical day look like for you?

My day starts out with a run wherever we are in the world. I walk out my front door no matter where I am in the world and I start running. Then we plan our day. We may investigate the town we are in, edit videos or eBooks. We also go on tours, review restaurants, do video walking tours of towns, and communicate with our subscribers via email and on our YouTube Channels.

We also make plans for future places we will visit next and make any travel or accommodation reservations we will need. All we do is travel now and report on the best places to live in retirement on limited budgets.

We also love to cook at home and we try to learn about and cook local cuisine wherever we are in the world. This requires us to shop for local groceries which helps us determine the cost of living.

Whenever we have enough data, we start making videos about each place we visit and I write Retire-Cheap reports for our members so they know what each place looks like and what we are spending to live there, whether rents, groceries, utilities, tours, restaurants, etc.

Lifestyle: Slow Travel

How is your lifestyle different?

No jobs, no home, no cars, no boats, no bicycles, no toasters. We just wander around the world at whatever pace suits our fancy on the slow travel world highway.

And what led you to slow travel?

I read a book called the 4 Hour Work Week by Tim Ferris. Everything about our lives is talked about in that book. We have the ultimate freedom. We even earn more money than we need online as we travel the world.

When considering your lifestyle, what are some of the biggest challenges you face?

The biggest challenge was finding who to listen to about how to make money online. There are a bunch of people that know how to sell courses but many such courses don’t deliver. So you spin your wheels and waste your money trying to figure out the holy grail of paying for your life as you travel the world. Once I had figured it out, some of my subscribers wanted to know how to make money online. They wanted to know the best course to take. But no course taught me how to do what I was doing. I had pieced together a frankenstein of ideas from various courses. So I didn’t feel comfortable referring people to courses that didn’t work for me.

So I created my own course called The Hobby Income Course and I gave it for free to my existing paid members as a bonus for helping me make my dreams come true. The hobby income course teaches how my hobby pays for my world travels.

And what have some of your biggest achievements been?

Making two to three times what I need to slow travel the world.

Receiving hundreds of messages per week from people that truly appreciate all the information we share.

Being able to fly home and spend time with my father and mother before they each passed away because I was free to be anywhere in the world without a time or money limitation.

Going wherever we want, whenever we want, for as long as we want.

What abut your friends and family, what do they think of your lifestyle?

A hint of jealousy from time to time but mostly they encourage us. Most of them just live vicariously through us, but we have made new friends along the way that are able to live like we do. There is a growing number of people that are able to live like we do around the world, like you two, Shannon and Sergio.

Thinking back, what’s the biggest mistake you’ve made along the way?

I should have started a few years earlier so my freedom would have come earlier.

How has the COIVD-19 pandemic impacted your lifestyle?

It has limited what countries we can travel to.

It has limited some of the information we normally gather because some tours are not running and some businesses are closed.

Financial Independence, Retire Early – FI/RE

Can you tell us a bit about your FI/RE journey?

I invested in real estate. I thought I would need more money to retire because I thought I would retire in the USA as a base and travel the world from there. But after realizing that I would rather retire offshore as a base and travel from an offshore base, I slowly realized that I already had enough money to retire.

At about the same time, my hobby (VagabondBuddha and YouTube Channel) started making money. So now I have two cash flow sources, both that exceed my international living requirements.

What’s your approach to FI/RE?

Before I left the USA in 2007, I had a few real estate investments. Last year, they finally generated enough cash flow to pay for traveling and living offshore.

Additionally, I was able to save a substantial portion of my income which I was able to live on after quitting my consulting career in 2018. That allowed me to focus on my hobby business which finally was successful after about 2 years working at it full time.

So, by 2020, both my real estate income and my hobby income each alone exceeds what we were spending to slow travel the world.

Now that you’re FI/RE’d , do you plan on continuing to work (in any capacity)?

I will never quit working. I like figuring out new technology for my hobby business which helps keep my mind fresh. I may change what projects I work on based upon whatever I love most, but I can't see myself ever giving up the learning required to create new internet income streams. I also love the feedback we get when people are able to live their dreams with a boost from ideas we share. It feels like we are making a difference in people’s lives.

What’s one of the best things about FI/RE?

Best thing is how you can focus on whatever you want to. There is no boss to keep happy. You decide what needs to happen next and how to get it done and you go after it.

And the worst?

The worst thing about FI/RE? You delay gratification to win your freedom. That part seemed easy because you watch the pile of money grow. You feel the power of choice it is giving you as it grows.

But it takes time to shift out of that mode once you achieve freedom.

"When you know how to get something really great somewhere in the world for really cheap, it is hard sometimes to get yourself to pay more, even when you can easily afford it."

Advice

If you could do it all over again, what would you do differently?

Imagine your dream life and go after it now. Don’t wait. You may not need to do what society thinks you should do next.

"Find someone living the life you want and model them."

In general, what’s your best money advice?

Live on way less than you earn. There is true power that comes from saving money that will allow you better choices in your future. Drive an old car, ride a bike, take the bus. Cook at home. Don’t buy new stuff all the time. Keeping up with the Jones’ is for losers. Don’t be a follower. Blaze a path and be the example.

Read The Richest Man from Babylon first. Then read The Four Hour Work Week.

What advice would you give to someone starting on a path similar to yours?

Find someone living your dreams and copy them (legally). Don’t reinvent the wheel. Just run on a proven path. Watch my interview with Sergio and Shannon of Screw The Average. It is fun to see them live in person on a YouTube video.

How Can Can Our Readers Find You?

YouTube Channel: Vagabond Awake

My Free eBook: How I Fired My Boss and Traveled the World for 14+ Years

Travel Blog and Retire-Cheap Reports: VagabondBuddha.com

How I make Money Online: The Hobby Income Course

Facebook: Vagabond Buddha

Final Thoughts

There are many ways to approach the world and life, and it’s rare that we come across someone that sees many things similarly to the way we do. We feel fortunate to have met Dan and Qiang Hui and very much look forward to learning from them, sharing stories, and simply enjoying a friendship.

We have yet to meet them in person, but we’re sure that along the way, our paths will cross and hopefully we’ll share a travel adventure together!

0 notes

screwtheaverage · 4 years ago

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The Best Face Masks for Digital Nomads, House Sitters and Travelers in a COVID-19 World

As digital nomads and full time house sitters and travelers, we’ve found that not every mask works for every situation. Sometimes we want something that’s quick and easy to put on, other times we want the highest level of protection, and then sometimes we want something that looks professional. We’ve done the DIY masks, used disposable and washable, tried out N95 masks, and worn various styles, all under different conditions from walking, traveling, running errands, and more. See our top picks and what we love (and what we don’t) about each!

Quick Links

COVID-19 and Continuing to Wear Face Masks

Wearing and Reviewing Face Masks

Pacsafe Protective & Reusable Silver Ion Face Mask

Respokare NIOSH N95 Respirator Mask

KN95 Face Mask

NIOSH Cup Style N95 Respirator Mask

NIOSH N95 Foldable Mask

DIY Handsewn T-Shirt Mask

Reusable Handmade Fabric Mask

Highly Rated Masks We Like but Haven’t Tried Yet

Mask Accessories

COVID-19 and Continuing to Wear Face Masks

At this point it goes without saying, COVID-19 not only changed our lives but it changed the world. We consider ourselves incredibly fortunate to have been able to continue being digital nomads, full time house sitters and travelers, all while pursuing FI/RE (financial independence, retire early).

And, while the world is adjusting to COVID-19, vaccines are widely available and things starting to open up, it’s still important to be cautious and continue to wear face masks. In fact, we’ve rather enjoyed not getting sick this last year (seriously, with so much travel we were getting sick 2-3 times a year before hygiene standards increased in 2020) and so we’ll likely continue to wear face masks while traveling and in highly populated areas for the foreseeable future.

Importance of Face Masks

While we liked our DIY masks that we made out of comfortable cotton t-shirts early on in the pandemic, we decided it was time to step up our mask game.

It’s important to have a face mask that’s right for the occasion. Consider the following situations and it’s easy to see that there unfortunately probably isn’t a holy grail one-face-mask-fits-all.

Formal and professional situations

On a plane or in a densely populated area

Someone knocking on the door unexpectedly

Going to the doctors office

Public transportation

Walking the dog

Exercising in a gym or outside

Running errands

Winter weather

Summer weather

Visiting friends

Wearing makeup

Eating out

And the list could easily go on and on. The point is, that while we’re minimalist and only carry a 36L backpack apiece, we’ll need a couple of masks to keep us safe and comfortable in most situations we end up in, or at minimum to have a backup mask.

Wearing and Reviewing Face Masks

We got a variety of different masks, from fit and color, to style and price and wore them in all different conditions. We wore them to check the mail, to run errands, to exercise, to walk the dog, and to travel.

We then took notes on the pros, the cons, and our impressions. We’ve included all of our notes and even share when we disagree or had a different experience than the other did.

We hope you find our research helpful!

Important Notes:

1. Several of the masks in this review were sent to as as free samples. We remain unbias and this did not affect the outcome of our review.

2. At the time of publishing we learned that N95 Mask Co has/is facing challenges with licensing rights from Respokare products they sell. Additionally, our experience with customer service and shipping was very good, however consumer agencies are reporting less than ideal reviews of this company.

Pacsafe Protective & Reusable Silver Ion Face Mask

Pacsafe Silver Ion Face Mask

Description (directly from Pacsafe):

The Pacsafe Silver ion Face Mask is a reusable and washable mask constructed with five layers that provides at least 99% filtration efficiency against microbials and airborne particles down to 0.1 microns, with a silver ion fabric that effectively disinfects and reduces microbes. Material: Silver ion cotton (main material) Modal graphene cotton (lining).

Compliance / Rating:

ASTM Level 2 Compliant, SGS Test Report & Nelson Labs Particle Challenge Report

Overall:

The mask looks professional, is well constructed, and is easy to adjust because of the ear strap fittings and the flexible nose bar. It’s pretty comfortable, however we did have a bit of fogging on our glasses.

The flexible but sturdy vertical bar in the middle (nose to chin) kept the mask from forming to the contours of our face. It also kept lipstick and lip-moisturizer in place and made it more comfortable when talking, chewing gum, etc.

Comfort:

General wear: Sergio had this mask working well right away and found it quite comfortable. Shannon on the other hand had to cinch it tighter than expected around here ears to keep it from moving around her face and it was a balance between being too tight and uncomfortable, and too loose and moving around her face.

Exercise: We wore these masks while doing fast walking and wearing our 36L backpacks in pretty warm (~85°f) weather for two plus hours. Sergio didn’t have any problems with his sunglasses fogging, but unfortunately Shannon did. She tightened the ear straps which dramatically decreased the fogging, but increased the pull on here ears.

Cost:

This was the most expensive mask we tried, however a well fitting, professional looking, protective mask that’s reusable is worth the cost if it lasts a long time.

Sizing and Fit:

Shannon was a size medium and Sergio a large but once we received them we realized that we couldn’t tell them apart! The color was the same, there wasn’t a size tag, and when we compared them side to side, there was barely a difference. We ended up tying a tiny thread over one of the ear straps to tell them apart.

Final Thoughts:

The Pacsafe Silver ion Face Mask has earned a place in our bag, which says a lot! We like the idea of it being reusable (hand-wash only), adjustable, and collapsible for packing.

It would be preferable if there was a size indicator on the masks or we’d gotten different colors. Also, we wish there was research backing up the silver ion claim for the masks. However, the five-layers and ASTM Level 2 Compliance is great.

Respokare NIOSH N95 Respirator Mask

Description (directly from N95Maskco):

Revolutionary patented design by Innonix, a company at the forefront of cutting edge innovation in personal protective equipment for over 19 years. Advanced antiviral technology not only blocks 95% of small (.3 micron) particles, but inactivates up to 99.9% within minutes.

Compliance / Rating:

NIOSH approved N95

Nelson Labs tested: Validation tests were conducted in compliance with GLP regulation. Approved according to 42 CFR Part 84.

Overall:

This was our first N95 mask and it was clear that it had the tightest fit and the most filtration with four layers. It’s not reusable or washable, but in crowded places, this is going to give you the best protection.

The look is somewhere between professional and a throw-away surgical mask. The fit keeps the mask off your lips, keeping lipstick from smudging and making it easier to talk, but there is a bit of a ‘duck-bill’ look to it.

Comfort:

General wear: The masks have two straps that go around the head, which made it harder to wear with long hair or a hat.

This mask has a tight fit, so it’s inevitable that when you take it off you’ll have lines marking your face of where the mask was. However, this gives it the seal that keeps air from getting in or out without passing through the four layers of filtration. It of course makes breathing a bit harder, but that’s what happens with the high level of filtration and protection. Plus, because of the seal, we had very little issue with our glasses fogging.

Exercise: This mask was challenging to walk long distances in because of reduced airflow. Doing anything that get’s your heart rate and breathing up would be hard in this mask, unless that’s what your after of course.

Cost:

A bit more expensive than we’d like to pay for a non-reusable mask. However, for high-risk situations the cost is probably worth the protection.

Sizing and Fit:

It wasn’t the case for Sergio, as it fit well for him. However, for Shannon the fit was a bit too tight because it pressed down on her nose, obstructing her breathing. This caused her to constantly re-adjust the mask, which was helped by raising the top strap on her head, but then to get the strap to stay she had to prop it up with a high pony tail.

We both appreciated the separation from our mouth which gave us more freedom to talk and Shannon’s lipstick didn’t smudge.

Final Thoughts:

The N95 rating on the Respokare NIOSH N95 Respirator Mask makes it great for high risk situations. And since it’s collapsible it will fit well in our gear and packing lists. However, the fit, especially for Shannon makes this an ‘only when we absolutely need it’ mask. On the other hand, this is Sergio’s top N95 pick.

KN95 Face Mask

Description:

KN95 masks are designed to offer better protection than standard disposable masks. KN95 masks filter non-oil-based particles such as those resulting from viruses, PM 2.5 air pollution, wildfires, or volcanic eruptions.

Compliance / Rating:

KN95 (China’s version of the U.S. N95)

Overall:

We’ve seen these masks all over the place and you probably have as well. They certainly have more protection than a disposable surgical mask, however it was very clear to us when wearing them that they are definitely not N95 equivalents. The fit just wasn’t tight enough as we could breath more easily in them, our glasses fogged up from escaping airflow, and they were noticeably thinner than conventional N95 masks we tried.

Comfort:

General wear: We both put these on and had very, very little need to adjust. They just fit.

However, Shannon has small bendable ears (we didn’t know that was a thing before masks became common place!) and the straps pulled way too much on her ears, nearly slipping off at times.

Exercise: Other than the ear loops being too short for Shannon, these masks would work relatively well for exercise. However, because they aren’t reusable, you’ll end up with a sweaty mask at the end of your walk/jog/etc.

Cost:

The KN95 Face Mask is relatively inexpensive. It’s less than an N95, but more than a surgical mask.

Sizing and Fit:

This fit really well for Sergio, but the straps were just too short for Shannon.

There was decent separation of the mask from the mouth area, so no smeared lipstick for Shannon.

Final Thoughts:

We probably won’t be carrying this KN95 Face Mask with us and will opt for a reusable mask for both cost effectiveness and to use less resources.

NIOSH Cup Style N95 Respirator Mask

Description (directly from N95Maskco)

The NIOSH approved N95 Respirator face mask is made per industry standards to block at least 95% of very small (0.3 micron) particles.

Compliance / Rating:

N95 and NIOSH approved.

Overall:

The cup style of this one makes it one of the best masks for keeping space between the mask and your mouth. However, it means that it doesn’t collapse down and therefore isn’t great for travel or packing. It also has that look that we’ve come to associate with construction… so we’re probably less likely to wear this in a professional setting.

Practically though, the seal around the face is tight. The exception for Shannon was that with the rigid shape the bottom of the mask rested a bit below her chin, leaving a bit of an open gap. And, being NIOSH approved with an N95 the safety of the mask is a highlight.

Comfort:

General wear: Like any mask that has straps that go around the neck and head (as opposed to around the ears) it’s more secure and has a tighter fit, but the trade off is that it’s harder to casually wear and take on and off quickly.

Sergio had very little need to adjust this mask. On the other hand, out of the box this mask was uncomfortable to the point of being painful for Shannon. Adjusting the nose bar took significant pressure off the bridge of her nose, which took this mask from a ‘no way’ to, ‘hmmm, I kinda like it’.

Exercise: The most protective consumer masks, arguably N95s, have a tight seal and multiple layers of protection. Which is great, but it does mean less airflow and more sweating. That’s not ideal for exercise. So, the cup design offers separation from the mouth which is great when you’re breathing heavy, however at the same time makes that breathing harder. That’s the tradeoff that needs to be made when exercising with an N95 mask.

Cost:

It’s on the higher side for an N95 mask, but it’s more durable and sturdy than others.

Sizing and Fit:

It’s a one size fits all mask and needed only minor adjustments for us. It sealed well to our face with the exception of a gap beneath Shannon’s chin.

Final Thoughts:

Although it fit well for Sergio, out of the gate, the NIOSH Cup Style N95 Respirator Mask was a no-go for Shannon because of the discomfort on the bridge of her nose. The discomfort was eased with adjustments but the simple fact that it isn’t collapsible is a final deal breaker for our lifestyle.

NIOSH N95 Foldable Mask

Description (directly from N95Maskco)

The NIOSH approved foldable N95 mask is made per industry standards to block at least 95% of very small (0.3 micron) particles.

Compliance / Rating:

N95 and NIOSH approved.

Overall:

This mask is visibly a disposable mask and because it’s white quickly shows signs of ware and dirt (and makeup!). It seemed well constructed but sadly after three or four times of taking it on and off one of Shannon’s straps broke (at the point where the strap attaches to the mask).

It’s collapsible but still has a sturdy enough shape that there’s separation between the mask and your mouth.

Comfort:

General wear: Like many of the other masks we’ve tried, we had completely different experiences.

For Sergio this mask started out really uncomfortable with a combination of itching around the nose area and discomfort from the metal nose bar placing pressure on the bridge of his nose. However, after a three-quarters of a day ‘breaking it in’ the mask became very comfortable.

"For Shannon this was immediately her favorite N95 mask. It was more comfortable than any of the others and didn’t cause any fogging of her sunglasses."

Exercise: After Sergio’s ‘breaking in’ period, we both agreed that this was comfortable to exercise in. And, while Shannon had very little fogging of her sunglasses, Sergio had mild to moderate fogging of his glasses.

Cost:

Reasonably priced for an N95 mask.

Sizing and Fit:

Very little adjustment was needed to be made to make the mask fit well. The seal of the mask is tighter than a non-N95 would be, but that’s to be expected.

Final Thoughts:

The NIOSH N95 Foldable Mask landed a spot in our bag. Shannon is even going to pull out her travel sewing kit and do a stitch or two to extend the life of this mask. The strip of foam padding on the nose bar is a nice touch and because it’s collapsible it’s easy to tuck in our backpack.

DIY Handsewn T-Shirt Mask

Description

At the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic we were able to get one disposable mask apiece. However, when it became clear that COVID-19 was going to be around for a while and masks were going to be a normal part of our lives for the foreseeable future we knew it was time to get a long term reusable face mask.

Both because masks were a rare commodity and because we didn’t like the idea of the waste of always using disposable masks Shannon went on the search for a well fitting, yet simple mask that she could make with limited supplies (remember, craft stores like Michaels were wiped clean and elastic was impossible to find) and no sewing machine.

After dozens of YouTube searches Shannon took away ideas from several videos but liked most of all Jess Dang’s DIY Face Mask (the second mask in the video).

Since elastic was no where to be found so she cut thin strips of the cotton t-shirt to make ear straps.

And, we got creative with the nose bar and pulled the metal prongs from a couple of file folders and wrapped them with painters tape to sew into the top fold of the mask. After 100’s of wears and hand washes, the metal wore holes through the fabric, but we’ve been able to repair them so far.

Compliance / Rating:

None, although we doubled up the fabric.

Overall:

These were our go-to masks for over a year. They’re comfortable, soft and hand washable. The upside is that we can adjust the ear straps as needed (just unknot, tighten or loosen, and re-knot). The downside is that there’s no separation between your mouth and the fabric making makeup smear and talking and chewing gum less comfortable.

Comfort:

General wear: We wore these everywhere and all of the time. They’re comfortable enough that we’d be back in a private space and forget to take them off. We also had very little issues with fogging of our glasses.

Exercise: These worked well for exercise because they’re easier to breath in and don’t have a tight seal against the face.

Cost:

Money wise they were free, however they took about 2-3 hours each to hand sew.

Sizing and Fit:

These were custom made so they fit very well, however there aren’t any tight seals.

Final Thoughts:

These have the least amount of protection but are very comfortable and easy to fold up and tuck in a pocket. We’ll keep these around for most situations and will even use to put over an N95 mask to make it look a bit more ‘discreet’.

Reusable Handmade Fabric Mask

Description

In late summer of 2020 we house sat for Donna and very much enjoyed an evening around the dinner table with great conversation. We talked about COVID-19, about face masks, and travel. To our surprise and delight, on her return home she had a gift for us, two masks hand made by a friend!

Unfortunately, the talented maker of these masks doesn’t have an online store or Etsy, but we found some similar and highly rated masks:

Base Camp Reusable Cloth Face Masks

3M Daily Face Mask

The Revival Mask by coRevival

Compliance / Rating:

None, but the fabric is at least double if not triple layered.

Overall:

These were gifted to us with claims of their comfort and that they stayed in place on your face and didn’t require constant adjustment. We’re happy to say that they lived up to the hype!

With an adjustable nose bar as well as what is referred to as a ‘3D’ structure, these masks not only stay in place but there’s a good amount of separation from your mouth and the mask. That means we can talk, chew gum, laugh, etc. without getting a mouth full of mask, and Shannon doesn’t have clown lips from smeared lipstick when she takes hers off.

Comfort:

General wear: Because the straps are over the ears, the mask is easy to get on and off quickly and is pretty comfortable to wear. The straps are light weight so they don’t pull on your ears, however this is probably the weak point of the mask as the elastic may wear out faster than we’d like.

Exercise: These masks have more coverage than our own DIY masks, making them a bit harder to breath in for exercise, but it means better protection.

Cost:

Ours were a gift, but similar masks are mid-range in price. In our opinion paying a bit more for a good reusable mask is worth the long term savings!

Sizing and Fit:

The ear straps are adjustable, there’s a flexible nose bar to get a good fit, and the coverage of the face and chin are good.

Final Thoughts:

These masks easily fold down and are easy to fit into the hip belt pockets of our backpack. Between the comfort and protection, we can see ourselves with these masks for years to come!

Highly Rated Masks We Like but Haven’t Tried Yet

REI Co-op Active Face Masks (UPF 50 sun protection)

Columbia Tech Trail™ Face Mask (UPF 50 sun protection)

KN95 White

KN95 Black

Cloth Mask w/ Replaceable Filters

Mask Accessories

Mask Bracket (helps keep your mask away from your mouth!)

Mask Tite (reduces or eliminates fogging!)

Antifog, mask seal (reduces or eliminates fogging!)

Mask Silicone Toggles (DIY your own adjustable straps!)

#Digital Nomad #House Sitting

0 notes

screwtheaverage · 4 years ago

Video

youtube

Itching to travel post COVID-19 & want to take advantage of working remotely?

In this interview we Vagabond Awake we cover the strategies we use to do just that!

#ScrewTheAverage BeAnOutlier FIREMovement FinancialFreedom DigitalNomad WorkAnywhere

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screwtheaverage · 4 years ago

Text

Hyatt Mattress Run: Part 2 | How We Earned Hyatt Globalist Elite Status for Two Years

At the end of 2020, we wrote about the possibility of doing a Hyatt mattress run. The allure of earning Hyatt Globalist status for two years (through February 2023) and earning points in a hotel program we hadn’t participated in yet had us contemplating all of the possibilities! With a stacking of a few promotions, like a 50% reduction in elite qualifying nights required, the doubling of elite night credits for each stay, and the improved World of Hyatt Chase credit card offer, we could easily earn our way to Hyatt Globalist faster than ever before.

Ultimately, the path to Hyatt’s top elite status for two years and a healthy amount of Hyatt reward points was simply too enticing for us to pass up!

Quick Links

Hyatt Globalist Mattress Run Overview

What’s a Mattress Run?

Other Mattress Runs We’ve Done

Deciding to do the Hyatt Mattress Run… During COVID-19

Planning Our Hyatt Mattress Run

Our Hyatt Mattress Run Experience

Hyatt Globalist Mattress Run Overview

We started reading and hearing about the opportunity to do a mattress run and get Hyatt Globalist elite status through February 2023 (that’s two years!) at the end of last year. When the promotions were extended and the mattress run seemed simply too good to pass up, we wrote a piece on how we could get Hyatt Globalist for two years. Check it out for more detail on the promotions and requirements that we took advantage of.

To summarize, here are the milestones to getting Hyatt Globalist elite status.

Promotions and Signups:

Hyatt Globalist status requirements of 60 elite qualifying nights was reduced to only 30 nights.

Apply for the World of Hyatt credit card

Before Dec 31, 2020 and receive 10 elite qualifying nights (after Dec 31, 2020 and receive 5 elite qualifying nights)

Earn two elite qualifying nights for every $5,000 spent

Sign up bonus: 50,000 Hyatt points, tiered at 25,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 (within the first three months) and an additional 25,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 more ($6,000 total) in the first six months.

Bonus Journeys (no longer available): Register by Jan 15, 2021 and valid between October 1, 2020 and Feb 28, 2021. Earn double elite nights (base elite nights for the check-out year & bonus elite nights credited for 2021), meaning any check-out date for 2021 up to Feb 28th will earn double elite nights. On top of that, you’ll earn triple points for hotel stays and Hyatt credit card holders will earn quadruple points at select properties.

What’s a Mattress Run?

The basic concept of a mattress run is to book a qualifying hotel stay(s) that triggers a promotion in which you earn reward points or elite status with the hotel's rewards program.

However, depending on who you ask the execution can vary greatly. On one side of the spectrum, you have people who book a hotel room with no intention of actually sleeping in the room. On the other side, you have people who take full advantage of the room and stay for the duration of the booking (e.g. stay-cation, vacation abroad).

As you can probably figure out, we’re the latter and choose to make an adventure of every mattress run we undertake!

For more details on what a mattress run is and other travel hacking terms, check out our travel hacking glossary.

Other Mattress Runs We’ve Done

We started dipping our toes in the world of travel hacking around the time we met in 2007/2008.

"The possibilities of travel hacking seemed too good to be true but we quickly realized that traveling for ‘free’ was all very real and very possible."

The landscape for travel hacking has changed a lot in the last 15 or so years but we’ve adapted our methods and adventures along the way.

Best Rate Guarantees

Not exactly a mattress run, but a hotel hack that we enjoyed to the fullest was BRGs (best rate guarantee). There are still many BRGs out there, however Wyndham had one of the best BRG policies that’s sadly no longer around. Essentially, if you could find a better price for a Wyndham property on a non-Wyndham booking site (think Hotels.com) then they would give you the night for free. That’s right, completely free!

We were able to get free nights for our full vacations in both Florida, United States, Ontario, Canada and Quebec, Canada.

SPG (now part of Marriott)

Our first official mattress run was with SPG, which has since been acquired by Marriott.

To do that mattress run we asked SPG to match our Hilton elite status and they obliged by giving us a challenge. We could match our then mid-tier Hilton status by completing a handful of nights at SPG properties, or we could upgrade to SPG Platinum elite status by going the distance and staying a total of 18 nights.

We accepted their challenge and it was a grand adventure! Our 18 nights were split between Brussels, Belgium, Istanbul, Turkey, and Cairo, Egypt.

Luckily, when SPG was bought by Marriott our Platinum elite status was carried over and we’ve maintained our Platinum status with Marriott over the years.

Hilton

We couldn’t pass up the opportunity to do a 41 night stay Hilton mattress run in Queretaro, Mexico.

"We extended our Diamond elite status for an additional year and completed the stay by earning more Hilton reward points than we paid!"

The adventure wasn’t just that we did 41 nights in Queretaro, Mexico, but that we did it all by single night stays cycling between four different Hilton category one hotels.

Deciding to do a Hyatt Mattress Run… During COVID-19

We’re very cautious when it comes to COVID-19. We don’t eat out, we always wear a mask in public spaces (sometimes two!), we maintain at least six feet of social distancing, we sanitize our hands regularly while outside of the home, we’re careful of what we touch, and before touching anything when returning home we thoroughly wash our hands.

"So, when we were contemplating a mattress run that required us to fly and stay in a hotel room it wasn't a decision we took lightly. "

First, it’s a tricky situation to be in. The main reason the Hyatt Mattress run was so obtainable was because of COVID-19. But then, COVID-19 was the exact reason we considered not doing the mattress run. So it was a decision that needed to be made carefully.

Air Filtration

When assessing the increased chances of exposure to COVID-19 we took into consideration that the air on a plane is circulated frequently through a filtration system (HEPA) with a large percent of the air coming in being fresh (World Health Organization).

Sanitizing Kits

We travel with a ‘COVID-19’ kit, which includes wipes, sanitizing gel or spray, and masks.

Personal Precautions

We can also control our own space on an airplane by wiping down everything in our row, from the tray tables to the seatbelt buckles and the armrests to the window. We choose to wear two masks while on a plane, and while indoors and on the plane we don’t remove our masks for any reason. Additionally, we sit window and middle seat to avoid close contact with people walking in the aisle.

"It’s not 100% prevention, but we take every precaution we can."

In our opinion, we have more control and less exposure risk on a plane than we do in a grocery store. We could very well be wrong, but we doubt that grocery stores are sanitizing the entire store and all of the products top to bottom every night.

The Hotel Room

Once in the hotel, we can take our time to wipe down and sanitize every surface. Then, while it means no cleaning service for the duration of our stay, no one enters our room until we’ve checked out.

"With these precautions in mind we decided to go for it and do the Hyatt Mattress run and get Globalist status for two years (through February 2023)!"

Note: Please exercise caution and your best judgment on whether or not doing a mattress run (or traveling in general) is worth it to you during COVID-19. We’re not advocating for people to do or not do it, we’re simply sharing our experience.

Planning Our Hyatt Mattress Run

In our first article about Hyatt mattress running we discussed that after all of the promotions and getting the World of Hyatt credit card we’d need to stay nine nights to get Globalist status for two years.

However, after sitting on the idea for a while we decided that we’d be able to meet the spend requirement on the Hyatt credit card to get an additional two elite qualifying nights. Therefore, we only needed to book seven nights at a Hyatt property to complete the mattress run!

Planning the Mattress Run Logistics

Now on to the logistics and planning!

Choosing the Hyatt Property

There were several variables that we considered when looking for a property to stay at for the required seven nights.

Low cost per night

Walking distance to a grocery store

Low cost airfare

Close to an airport

We took every one of these into consideration and didn’t actually choose the lowest priced hotel. We ended up choosing the Hyatt Place Denver Tech Center for the following reasons:

Southwest had tickets for about 5,000 miles roundtrip from San Diego (SAN) to Denver (DEN).

At about $67 a night it wasn’t as cheap as an option we considered in Aguascalientes, Mexico, but it was within $10 per night of the least expensive US properties (taking into consideration resort fees… yes we mean you Las Vegas!).

It was a short 10 minute walk to a Kroger grocery store, making meals simple and inexpensive.

It was a mile walk to a light rail (RTD) station that went to the Denver Airport (DEN).

Only One of Us Could Go

We both enjoy the adventure and of course each other’s company but sadly, only one of us could do the mattress run this time. It’s a shame too, because we have the Southwest Companion Pass which lets us fly on Southwest 2-for-1, meaning it wouldn’t have cost us anymore to do the Hyatt mattress run together.

However, we were in the middle of a house sit in Carlsbad, California when we decided to take advantage of this opportunity. One of us had to stay back and care for the home and Bailey the Golden Retriever. It wasn’t a burden by any means (an adorable dog and a house three blocks from the beach!), but we were both itching to travel.

Ultimately, it made the most sense for Shannon to make the trip since the World of Hyatt credit card was in her name and once travel was allowed again in the corporate world, Shannon would be the one traveling more frequently.

So, Shannon won the coin toss this time!

Our Hyatt Mattress Run Experience

The Flight and COVID-19 Precautions

In any public place we proceed with caution. The moment Shannon stepped out of the car and walked up to the airport terminal she was double masked, went out of her way to social distance herself, and was keenly aware of every surface she and her belongings touched.

The experience at the San Diego Airport (SAN) was different and much better this time (compared to our flight from SAN to PDX in March 2020).

The airport had plexi-glass barriers between employees and travelers at desks and TSA check points.

Our bag wasn’t taken for additional security checks and everything wasn’t pulled out piece by piece until they were wiping and testing the seams of the bag.

There was sanitizer stocked and strategically placed throughout the airport.

Southwest enforced not only wearing a mask, but didn’t allow valve masks or bandana type masks. They even provided free disposable masks if you needed one.

Shannon took her COVID-19 precautions a step further and kept her two masks on at all times, opting not to eat or drink anything for the duration of her travel (from the San Diego airport terminal to the Denver Hyatt Place hotel room). She was also very glad to have a row to herself on the roundtrip flight.

The one thing that took discipline and planning was social distancing. Unfortunately, this isn’t something everyone does but realize that sometimes it’s as simple as just forgetting!

Uber During COVID-19

Once in Denver, Colorado it was well past sunset and weighing the pros and cons of taking late night public transportation and the time it would add to her travel, we both agreed it was wise to take an Uber.

Her driver was extremely kind, had a plexi-glass shield between the backseat and the front of the car, and wore his mask appropriately. The ride added $38 to our Hyatt Globalist mattress run, but it was worth the safety precautions and the time saved!

Staying at a Hotel During COVID-19: Hyatt Place Denver Tech Center

Check-in

Shannon was welcomed into the lobby of the Hyatt Place Denver Tech Center with a giant bottle of hand sanitizer for guests. Sadly, that’s the best type of welcome you can get these days.

Check-in was simple and both Shannon and the front desk person were protected by a plexi-glass barrier. Contactless payment was very much appreciated and made the process pretty simple!

Disinfecting the Hotel Room

Once in her room Shannon began a meticulous 20 minute disinfection process.

Hyatt was kind enough to leave a few alcohol wipes in the room, but they simply weren’t sufficient for more than a wiping of the remote and a couple light switches. We don’t doubt that the room had been sanitized before arrival, but unfortunately there’s simply no way to be 100% certain that it was done thoroughly or that the person doing it didn’t have COVID-19.

Once settled in and the microwave that the front desk attendant was happy to have sent up arrived, Shannon ate a quick bite and called it a night.

The rest of the stay was thankfully routine.

Room Cleaning

We don’t have anyone clean our hotel room under normal circumstances, so requesting no room service for the duration of the stay was typical protocol for us.

WiFi / Internet Speed

The internet connection was strong enough for Shannon to take her work video calls throughout the day and stream Netflix in the evening. We suspect the hotel wasn’t anywhere near capacity, so we’re not sure if this would still be the case during normal travel times.

Of course, Shannon used a VPN when accessing the internet to keep the connection encrypted and secure.

Breakfast

Sadly, breakfast did suffer because of COVID-19. Guests went from hot breakfast buffet options to mostly high sugar high carb to-go options (banana, sweet muffin, granola bar, oats, and cereal). Thankfully though, there was a grocery store within 10 minutes walking distance.

If you’re reading this Hyatt Place, hardboiled eggs and a breakfast sandwich option would be much appreciated!

Checkout

The staff were kind and helpful, and checkout was just as contactless as check-in, if not more so since you don’t even give someone your room keys. Instead you drop your key(s) into a sanitizing bucket and your paper sleeve into a (hopefully) recycle bucket.

Denver Public Transportation

Rather than an Uber back to the airport, Shannon opted to take the train. It was a 90 minute journey and turned out to be in light snow and 20 degree weather, but nothing we can’t handle!

Unfortunately, because of the snow she walked a bit more cautiously (i.e. slower) and she got to see the train leave the station as she attempted to purchase a ticket.

"However, she soon realized it probably wouldn’t have mattered because the ticket machines weren’t accepting cash or credit?!"

We still don’t know what option was left to actually purchase a ticket, but thankfully a bus driver came to the rescue!

Not only did she sell Shannon a ticket to the airport (we carry around emergency cash that we almost never need but saves our butts in moments like this), but she also invited her on the bus and explained that her bus route that would get her to the airport faster than waiting for 30 minutes in the freezing cold for the next train.

Shannon was so grateful that she made a point to thank the driver before departing the bus. Comically, this led to her missing the connecting airport train by a mere 15 seconds! However, it was only a 15 minute wait for the next train and she had a chance to thaw out in the warmth of the heaters before arriving to the airport!

Quick tip for the Denver Airport (DEN)

Every time we’ve flown out of the Denver Airport the South TSA Security entrance has been full with long wait times. However, when we try the North TSA Security entrance, there are, if not shorter lines, no lines at all.

If you don’t want to walk to the North TSA entrance (you’ll likely enter the terminal closer the the South TSA entrance), you can always ask an employee standing at the entrance to the TSA lines if the North side is a shorter wait.

Getting Hyatt Globalist Status

With the seven night stay under our belts, the promotions applied and the World of Hyatt credit card in hand, we were well on our way to Hyatt Globalist until 2023!

We needed to spend additional money on the World of Hyatt credit card (above the original amount we spent to earn the signup bonus points) to earn two more elite qualifying nights. This might seem like a tall order if you’re aware of our yearly budget over the last two years (2020 Budget and Lifestyle: Living on $7,000 a Year During COVID-19). However, as consultants we pay our state and federal taxes quarterly.

"There’s a small fee to pay taxes with a credit card, but in this case the benefits outweighed the cost. "

Once we paid our taxes with our World of Hyatt credit card it was simply a matter of waiting for all of our elite nights to post.

The nights earned from Shannon’s seven night hotel stay in Denver posted right away and the nights from the credit card posted in less than a month.

The stacked promotions we leveraged expired at the end of February, but by then we’d not only completed our mattress run, but had officially earned Hyatt Globalist!

Final Thoughts

There’s a light at the end of the tunnel and the world is seeing hope as COVID-19 vaccines are being rolled out.

One of the reasons we decided to undertake the Hyatt mattress run wasn’t simply for the adventure, but also because of our optimistic belief that WE WILL travel again.

So watch out, whether it’s six months or a year, we’ll be back exploring the world! And now, we’ll be able to do it in the comfort of Hyatt hotels with the points and status we’ve earned.

#Adventures #Frugal #Hacks

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screwtheaverage · 4 years ago

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2020 Budget and Lifestyle: Living on $7,000 a Year During COVID-19

It was unbelievable that we lived on $7,000 ($3,500 each) for a whole year in 2019. So, it’s incredible that we did it again in 2020! See how in 2020 we managed to keep our spending low despite the upheaval COVID-19 brought the world.

Quick Links

Looking Back: Expenses Over a Decade

2020 in Review

Our Expenses in 2020: $7,000!

Comparing Budgets: 2019 to 2020

First, before you dive into 2020’s numbers, we strongly encourage you to read How We Lived on $7,000 ($3,500 each) All-Inclusive for One Year. It’s not only an all inclusive look at what we spent in 2019, but it also exhaustively dives into our financial philosophies and goals. We consider it something akin to our ethos. Plus, it’s full of a growing list of frequently asked questions and tips!

Looking Back: Expenses Over a Decade

We commonly say that we’re where we are today not because one decision made, but thousands of choices made along the way.

While we came from different backgrounds we share many similar philosophies, including the way we think about finances. This made melding our finances, both in our goals and our day-to-day management of money, a simpler task than what some couples go through.

"We feel fortunate that we’re pulling in the same direction, rather than away from each other. "

For those that know our story, we started traveling full time as digital nomads and house sitters in late 2016. However, our pursuit of financial independence, retire early (FI/RE) started well before that.

Between 2010 and 2016, we spent between $9,000 and $12,000 per year!

We’re naturally frugal and minimalist, so a small apartment (nothing over 600 sq feet!), furniture off of Craigslist, a few Correll dishes, a four piece silverware set, and a versatile but small wardrobe was just the life we wanted. In addition, we worked to minimize our expenses and our footprint by limiting our driving to under 5,000 miles a year, turning down the water heater, and taking bagged lunches to work (we still travel with lunch gear from Light My Fire who use bioplastics).

In 2017 all-inclusive for a year abroad we spent $16,000!

We’d thought about it and planned it for long enough! In late 2016 we sold and donated 95% of our belongings, turned over the keys to our beloved apartment and set off to explore the world.

A year later we’d been to 3 continents, 23 countries, and 60 cities. We’d had an adventure of a lifetime and never felt like we’d sacrificed our enjoyment or experience to save money. And, we did it all for just $16,000 (that’s all in for both of us)!

The 23 countries we visited during our first year of travel:

Ireland

United Kingdom

Germany

Netherlands

Hungary

Luxembourg

Belgium

Turkey

Switzerland

Italy

Vatican City

Egypt

France

Norway

Romania

Slovakia

Austria

Poland

Czech Republic

Greece

Bulgaria

Spain

Morocco

In 2018 our all-inclusive budget was $7,435.67!

We wrapped our year of traveling abroad and planned to come back to the United States. However, we loved our lifestyle so much that we couldn’t begin to imagine giving it up.

We took our love of house sitting and made it a full time job while we continued to work as digital nomads and travel throughout North America.

In 2019 we spent $7,000 traveling and living throughout the US!

We spent all of 2019 within the borders of the US and traveled full-time, visiting Alexandria, VA, Philadelphia, PA, Chicago, IL, Atlanta, GA, and New York, NY.

For context, here’s what Living on $7,000 for two people looks like:

$7,000 for two is equal to $3,500 a person for a year of living expenses.

$7,000 for a year of living expenses for two people is $583.34 a month.

$3,500 for a year is $291.67 a month per person, or $9.59 per person per day.

2020 in Review

2020 is a year that will define a generation. Many prospered, many struggled, but all of our lives changed dramatically.

"We consider ourselves incredibly fortunate to have made it through 2020 safe and healthy. "

And, as we sat down to write this article, we struggled with how to write about our pursuit of FI/RE and our budget and expenses for the year in the midst of the challenges and suffering that so many around the world have and are enduring. Ultimately, we understand that love, happiness, and life must continue. It’s how we’ll make it through and the only way we’ll keep moving forward.

COVID-19 Impact

Beyond COVID-19’s obvious impact of social distancing, wearing face masks, washing our hands, and sanitizing everything we come in contact with, our pursuit of FI/RE while traveling and house sitting full time as digital nomads was put to the test several times throughout 2020.

Digital Nomads

As established digital nomads, the pivot to remote work around the world was a different transition for us than most office workers. While Shannon missed the occasional days that she could go into an office and enjoy the many perks the company offers, we were already accustom to working from our laptops wherever we happened to be.

The big change for us was the significant increase in work for Shannon. Her project management role evolved into a program management one as she not only worked with a global team to transition to a virtual model but also worked with management to drive a change in direction and implement innovation within the business unit.

As one can imagine, her work hours grew as did her stress. All of which impacted the rest of our lives and our over all busyness.

She combated her stress with meditation and fitness and reduced her after hours work by shutting down her work devices outside of agreed upon work hours.

As many have struggled with finding a work-life balance during COVID-19 and working from home, here are a few tips we use:

No meeting days - Block out your calendar one day a week to put a pause on the seemingly endless virtual meetings so that you can get some work done.

Turn the camera off - It’s not always obvious, but being visible to everyone on the call for the entirety of a meeting can be wearing. So, if you’re not presenting, consider turning off the camera to give yourself a break.

Take breaks - Schedule 15-20 minutes on our calendar throughout the day to take a break away from your computer and work.

Stay in the ‘flow’ - Minimize interruptions by turning off your pings and notifications, putting your status to away, and blocking out time on your calendar to maximize your productivity.

The unexpected consequence of the global switch to working from home because of COVID-19 was a new level of understanding by others of what it takes to work remotely (efficiently, productively, etc.). Everything from developing a skill to keep life and work separate while being at home, to knowing how important reliable and truly high-speed internet is.

House Sitting

House sitting full time means that we don’t have a home base and we go from one house sitting job to the next.

Since the main reason homeowners need house sitters is travel related, many sitters were left with an empty calendar when sits were canceled and new travel plans weren’t being made. Thankfully, we had a very different fortune, as many of our house sits were extended by a week or longer. One was even extended by two months!

And even though we limited ourselves to a single region (to stay near family), we continued to find and book new house sits throughout the year. We can’t say for certain, but we have to think it may have something to do with our thorough profile and application, as well as four years worth of extremely positive reviews. In the end, whatever the reason, we know not all house sitters were as fortunate, so we’re incredibly grateful!

Travel

We initially took off in 2016 with the intent of traveling Europe for a year. We’ve been at it for over four years now and haven’t regretted it one bit.

With just a 36L backpack apiece we love the freedom we have to get up and go whenever and wherever we want. Between our love of travel and our inherent minimalist nature, we treasure our experiences more than we do our ‘things’.

With that context in mind, we’re sure you can imagine that we’ve had our moments of stir craziness during COVID-19!

To minimize our risk of exposure, for most of the year we opted to remain regional and stayed near family on the west coast of the US. So, we didn’t travel as much as before, but when we did we wore two masks, sanitized everything top to bottom and chose not to eat or drink in an enclosed space (including airplanes) because it would require taking our masks off.

Whether we’re on an airplane (rare these days) or going to the grocery store, we now travel well equipped to reduce our chances of contracting COVID-19.

Financial Independence, Retire Early (FI/RE)

Financial independence, retire early (FI/RE) for us is a two pronged approach. On one side we work to spend less money, and on the other we work to make more money.

2020 was a year of financial devastation for people around the world (take a look at the unemployment rate). It was also a year of financial prosperity for others (take a look at the stock market).

"For us, when it came to earning it wasn’t exponential, but we did do better this year than last. "

And with that, we’d like to take a moment and talk about giving. Helping others who are struggling and giving an opportunity to those that otherwise wouldn’t have one is important to us. Finding organizations that do work that resonates with you is important. For us, one of those organizations is Flyte, which “works with students in underserved communities to promote the benefits of travel, education, and cultural awareness by funding overseas educational programs”.

When it came to spending and lifestyle in 2020, we lived life as we usually do. It’s normal for us rarely eat out because we cook our meals at home, we house sat full time, and we didn’t need much in the way of restocking supplies (clothes, gear, etc.) this past year.

We spent shockingly close to the same amount in 2020 as we did in 2019 (seriously, jaw dropping similar dollar amounts!), however, the distribution of where we spent our money in 2020 was a bit different.

We can’t recommend enough that you take a moment to read How We Lived on $7,000 ($3,500 each) All-Inclusive for One Year. It’s not only an outline of what we spent in 2019, but it’s full of frequently asked questions and tips. We’d like to think of it as something akin to our ethos.

Read on for more on how we spent our money last year and the comparisons to 2019.

Our Expenses in 2020: $7,000!

Overview

2020 was a turbulent year with many new challenges. We kept focus on our pursuit of FI/RE and were fortunate to be able to continue house sitting full time.

Our methods for reducing spending that worked in years past still hold true to this day. If you’re looking for tips on how to reduce your own spending or dial in your budget we detailed our best tips and advice in Practical Tips on How We Lower Our Expenses by Category.

If you’re skeptical of being able to live on just $3,500 apiece for a total of $7,000 a year, we don’t blame you, but hope you’ll read our answers to your questions with an open mind. And, if you simply have questions on our philosophies and how we do it, we’ve answered and continue to answer questions at the end of How We Lived on $7,000 ($3,500 each) All-Inclusive for One Year.

As we did in 2019, we tracked and included every dollar spent for the year as we make every attempt to be transparent.

Where Our $7,000 Was Spent by Category

Where Our $7,000 Was Spent by Month

Comparing Budgets: 2019 to 2020

Our expenses in 2020 totaled a surprisingly similar amount to expenses in 2019. Interestingly though, where we spent the money each year was a bit different.

We decreased our cell phone costs with Google-Fi by switching one of our phones to a data only SIM.

Because of COVID-19 grocery store shortages we spent a bit more on groceries at the beginning of the year.

We also had an increased grocery bill because Shannon wasn’t traveling for work or going into the office, which means work wasn’t supplementing a portion of her meals anymore.

We spent less on travel and sightseeing because of COVID-19 safety measures and precautions.

We’re relatively healthy so we purchase low premium, high deductible health coverage. Unfortunately, we had to visit the doctor a few times this year, including a trip to urgent care, which meant more costs in our medical category. Despite that, our choice for a high deductible health plan still worked in our favor.

Our business expenses increased in 2020 because Sergio expanded his consulting services to include the ability to remotely view or control mobile devices.

We lowered our personal care and clothing category this year because we simply didn’t need to buy much more gear. We’d replaced a lot in 2019, so we were good to go for 2020.

Here’s the comparison of 2019 to 2020, broken down by categories:

2019 compared to 2020, in monthly averages:

Final Thoughts

Despite the world events of 2020, financially we had a very good year, for which we’re incredibly grateful for!

If you have questions, if you want to read more on our financial and lifestyle philosophies, or if you want to pick up a few tips on how to tighten up your budget, we highly recommend reading How We Lived on $7,000 ($3,500 each) All-Inclusive for One Year.

"If we had to sum up all of our tips and our methods of how we live the life we love and spend so little, we’d have to say it’s about... being intentional."

All of our choices and actions are thought out with an end goal in mind. For us the end goal is freedom, and financial independence, retire early (FI/RE) is our vehicle.

Whether you agree with us or not we truly hope that you’re intentional in the life you make for yourself!

And along the way, don’t forget to laugh, have gratitude, be kind, and of course smile!

#Budget/Expenses #Frugal #Hacks #Minimalist

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screwtheaverage · 4 years ago

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Thank you Hillary Hoffower and @businessinsider for featuring our financial independence and financial freedom journey, it was a pleasure collaborating with you!

#ScrewTheAverage #BeAnOutlier #firemovement #FinancialIndependenceRetireEarly #financialindependence #financialfreedom

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screwtheaverage · 4 years ago

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Hyatt Mattress Running During Covid-19 and Getting Globalist Status for Two Years

The world of travel came to a stop in early 2020 and the industry as a whole is pushing to keep their customers loyal, both through COVID-19 safety precautions and lucrative promotions. Hyatt’s current stackable promotions and 50% reduction in nights needed to earn elite status (until 2023!) have made a mattress run for points and top tier Globalist status extremely tempting!

Hyatt Promotions and Travel

We’ve been incredibly fortunate that as digital nomads we’ve been able to work and stay busier than ever in 2020. We’re also in a unique position that we’ve been able to continue to house sit full time this year. And, while we usually travel full time we’ve been able to stay near our families during this turbulent time.

"We’re glad to say that our immediate family and ourselves have stayed safe and healthy."

So, we’ve been able to continue to pursue financial independence, retire early (FI/RE) this year and we hope to match, if not best our expenses/budget from last year: How We Lived on $7,000 ($3,500 each) All-Inclusive for One Year.

As you might imagine, having traveled to 26 countries and over 80 cities in the last 4 years, we’re itching to get back out and have a few adventures. However, our safety and health (and those around us) have been our priority above all else this year.

As many hotel, airline, and other travel promotions have come up, we’ve generally passed them by. We’ve been grateful that our points and hotel and airline status have been generously extended over the next year but we haven’t wanted to expand our circle of exposure unnecessarily.

However, read on to see a promotion that we just couldn’t pass up and we believe that with the right precautions is safe to pursue.

"Please keep in mind that this is only our opinion, and we ask that you make your own call whether you want to take the steps needed to reach Hyatt Globalist status or not."

A Mattress Run During COVID-19?

In the past couple of months we’ve continued to run across articles and commentary on Hyatt promotions that intrigued us, but we didn’t act on them. First, it’s 2020, meaning COVID-19 has put a damper on travel. Second, we weren’t sure the time frame of the promotion fit with our upcoming house sitting schedule.

But as life may have it, it kept popping up on our RSS reader and frankly, Sergio couldn’t get it out of his mind and kept bringing it up to Shannon. Finally, when one of the key promotions was extended through Feb 28, 2021 , we couldn’t ignore it any longer!

So here we are, at the end of 2020. Despite a vaccine on the horizon, COVID-19 is still shutting down cities and we’re planning our next mattress run!

If you’re unfamiliar with the concept of a mattress run, we recommend starting with The Ultimate Mattress Run | Hacking Hotel Rewards for Free Rooms with Hilton!

Note: Please exercise caution and your best judgment on whether or not getting Hyatt top elite status (Globalist) until February 2023 is worth it to you during COVID-19. We’re not advocating for people to do or not do it, we’re simply sharing.

Hyatt Mattress Run for Globalist Status

We love the adventure of mattress runs and are frankly just excited to be at it again. However, it of course needs to make sense (e.g. financial, logistical, etc.). The main goal of this Hyatt mattress run is to earn Globalist status (Hyatt’s top tier) for two years.

Because it’s valid for two years, we’re thinking long term. We’ll likely not make a whole lot of use out of it in 2021, but we’re optimistic that we’ll enjoy the benefits of Hyatt Globalist in 2022!

There are several overlapping promotions and a few steps to get there, but they key to Globalist status through February 2023 is that due to COVID-19, Hyatt has cut the number of nights to earn status in half. So instead of needing to stay 60 nights at Hyatt properties, you now only need 30 nights to reach the top level of status with World of Hyatt!

On top of that, Hyatt has extended their Bonus Journeys promotion through February 28th, 2021 which means you’ll earn double nights towards elite status for every night you book with Hyatt!

So, with a simple policy update and a lucrative promotion you now only need to stay 15 nights to reach Hyatt Globalist…

"... But it gets better than that!"

If you apply for and get the World of Hyatt credit card (by December 31, 2020), you’ll receive a credit of 10 elite nights for 2021!

Note: Unless the promotion for the 10 elite nights is extended, you’ll need to apply for the World of Hyatt credit card by the end of the year. Otherwise, in 2021, elite nights will go back to the standard rate of five per year for Hyatt credit card holders.

Plus, once you spend $6,000 on the World of Hyatt credit card you’ll get 50,000 Hyatt points as a signup bonus. The bonus on this card is actually tiered, so you’ll get 25,000 bonus points after you spend $3,000 (within the first three months) and an additional 25,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 more ($6,000 total) in the first six months.

Note: For context, free award nights at Hyatt start at 5,000 points. Meaning, if you play it right, that’s 10 free nights at a category one property! Don’t forget to check out our Award Travel, Category 1, 2, & 3 Hotel Maps for Hyatt to plan your next free Hyatt stay.

With that being said we recommend spending $5,000 right away because for every $5,000 you spend on the credit card, you’ll earn two additional elite nights.

So, by simply getting the World of Hyatt credit card and spending $5,000 on it, you’ll earn 12 nights towards the already lowered 30 required elite nights for Globalist status. You’ll need to earn 18 more elite nights, but by signing up for Bonus Journeys, you’ll be able to earn those remaining stays in only nine nights!

Tip: Remember that each $5,000 spent on the World of Hyatt credit card will earn you two more elite night credits. It’s a hefty spend to make, but if you can pull it off, then it’s less nights you need to actually book and stay at a Hyatt property. Plus, after spending $15,000 in one year you’ll receive a free (Category 1-4) award night, which if you play it right can save you hundreds of dollars!

Getting More Than Globalist Status

The main goal of the Hyatt mattress run is to earn Globalist status through February 2023. But the cherry on top is the points we’ll earn as well. Between the sign up bonus points for getting the World of Hyatt credit card and the several overlapping promotions (be sure to sign up for them all!), we’ll be bringing a nice surplus of reward points that we can use either for future stays or to purchase the nights we book for the mattress run.

Hyatt promotions to sign up for:

Bonus Journeys: Register by Jan 15, 2021. Valid October 1, 2020 through Feb 28, 2021. Earn double elite nights (base elite nights for the check-out year & bonus elite nights credited for 2021), meaning any check-out date for 2021 up to Feb 28th will earn double elite nights. On top of that, you’ll earn triple points for hotel stays and Hyatt credit card holders will earn quadruple points at select properties.

Free Nights on Sale: Register by Jan 15, 2021. Valid July 8, 2020 – Feb 28, 2021. Get 15% of your redeemed points back (25% for cardholders), plus free parking.

Work From Hyatt Code: No registration needed. Valid August 25, 2020 to September 12, 2021, offer code WFHYAT. Minimum 7 night stay.

500 Reasons to Stay Somewhere New: No registration needed. Earn 500 bonus points for staying at qualifying Hyatt hotels.

Where to Book The 9 Nights to Earn Globalist Status?

Since we’re digital nomads, traveling full time and pursuing financial independence, retire early, we’re not likely to book nine Hyatt nights at $200 a pop. Instead, as you might imagine, we’ve looked at lower category Hyatt Hotels to find the least expensive properties we can. We’ve found a couple in Mexico that drop below $40 a night and options in the US, like Las Vegas that are inexpensive as well.

We may opt to use the points we earn from the World of Hyatt credit card sign up bonus to pay for our nine nights, however it’s more likely we’ll hold on to the points and pay out of pocket for our stay instead.

Tip: Sign up for the World of Hyatt rewards program first so that you can add the rewards number for your credit card application. This will make it easier to get your sign up bonus points deposited into your Hyatt account.

Step-by-Step: Tools and Resources

We like to know exactly what needs to be done and we like to track it so that we know it got done. So, we created this Google Sheet for ourselves that lists each task needed to complete this Hyatt Globalist mattress run as a to-do list. Be sure to make a copy of it first, then use it to track each step by checking off the checkboxes for completed items. At the bottom, it will tell you how many nights you still need in order to earn Globalist status.

If you’re like us, you probably want more detail on the promotions. We wouldn’t have known about this mattress run opportunity if it wasn’t for the detailed and easy to follow post from Frequent Miler (Thank you Greg, Nick, Stephen and crew!).

#Adventures #Frugal #Hacks

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screwtheaverage · 5 years ago

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City Guide to San Francisco, California: Part 3 | Street Art, A Photo Essay

San Francisco is known for many things, one of them being the culture of street art and murals that will surprise and delight you. As tourists exploring the city, you’re bound to stumble across many great pieces of art, but we also encourage anyone visiting San Francisco, California to put a few places known for street art on their must see attraction list!

San Francisco, California, US City Guides

We explored San Francisco from top to bottom and couldn’t fit it all in just one article. Be sure to read the rest of our San Francisco, California City Guides!

We’re a digital nomad couple pursuing financial independence, retire early (FI/RE) and in 2016, we sold most of our belongings, planned to be ‘homeless’ and traveled 3 continents, 23 countries, and 60 cities in a year!

After a year traveling full time internationally we decided it was time to come home to the United States. However, our life as digital nomads wasn’t something we wanted to give up. So, in 2017 we continued our house sitting adventures throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

"We love exploring neighborhoods, off the beaten path sights, and must see attractions in each city we visit."

We hope our city guides might inspire your wanderlust. And, since a picture is worth a thousand words, we’re sharing our favorite sightseeing images from the cities we’ve visited in photo essays!

Quick Links

Street Art and Murals in San Francisco

San Francisco Must See Sightseeing Map

Must See Alleys and Streets

Hearts in San Francisco Project

Street Art in Chinatown

Murals Around San Francisco

Joshua Coffy

Amandalynn

Santronimus

Nychos

Caratoes, Lauren YS, Tati Suarez

Amos Goldbaum

Sam Flores

Unknown Artist

Unique Art Around San Francisco

Mission District Sidewalk Tree Grates

Dragon Gate and the Harry Potter Chamber of Secrets Serpent Door

Painted Tree Stump

Street Art and Murals in San Francisco

Street art and murals are not hard to find in San Francisco!

In fact, the diversity of street art, especially as a statement of culture and political change reminds us of the street art we saw in Athens, Greece. In both cities we were inspired and awed by the art we stumbled upon as well as sought out.

We hope you enjoy some of our favorites and take the opportunity on your visit to San Francisco to seek out the works that bring the city to life!

San Francisco Must See Sightseeing Map

To possibly make your research on sightseeing in San Francisco, California (and other destinations) easier, we’ve kept our maps with all of the information we gathered (accurate at the time of our sightseeing). Finding hours, prices, and general information can sometimes be challenging, so we’ve tried to include these details on our maps and provide appropriate links below.

And finally, not every attraction is suitable for every visitor, but the copywriters and marketing departments for the destinations sure make it sound like it. How many times have you read “Great for kids and adults alike” and shown up at the venue to wonder why anyone over 20 years-old without kids would go out of their way to be there? Below we’ve included our full itinerary on the map and when combined with the official attraction information and website, it may help you decide if it’s a destination for your travel adventure or not.

Again, the map includes our full sightseeing itinerary, not just street art and murals. So be sure to check out the entire San Francisco City Guide Series!

NOTE: We used this sightseeing map for our personal sightseeing adventures, because of that, some notes may not make perfect sense, and some information could be outdated. Information on this map was valid at the time of creation. That being said, feel free to save it to your Google account and use it as a starting point (or modify it accordingly) for planning out your personalized itinerary in San Francisco.

Must See Alleys and Streets with Street Art in San Francisco

There are several alleys and streets in San Francisco, mainly in the Mission District, where the community has come together to create a block or more worth of murals that cover garages, fences, and walls. Be sure to add them to your itinerary!

Tip: Looking for street art on our must see sightseeing map? We’ve marked locations with a purple painter’s palette.

Clarion Alley

Clarion Alley runs parallel to Sycamore Street and 17th Street, between Valencia Street and Mission Street.

Balmy Alley

Balmy Alley is on Balmy Street which runs parallel to Treat Street and Harrison Street, between 24th Street and 25th Street.

Caledonia Street

Caledonia Street runs parallel to Valencia Street and Julian Avenue, between 15th Street and 16th Street.

Horace Street

Horace Street runs parallel to Shotwell Street and Folsom Street, between 25th Street and 26th Street.

Cypress Alley

Cypress Alley is on Cypress Street which runs parallel to Capp Street and South Van Ness Avenue, between 25th Street and 26th Street.

Lilac Alley

Lilac Alley is on Lilac Street which runs parallel to Capp Street and Mission Street, between 25th Street and 26th Street.

Osage Alley

Osage Alley is on Osage Street which runs parallel to Bartlett Street and Mission Street, between 25th Street and 26th Street.

Hearts in San Francisco Project

The Hearts in San Francisco project started in 2004 and is an annual installment of public art inspired by the Tony Bennett song, I Left My Heart in San Francisco. Each year the hearts are auctioned off and the proceeds are donated to the San Francisco General Hospital Foundation, but first the inspired works of art are placed around the city for three months for the public to enjoy.

If you can’t make it to San Francisco to see these hearts in person, be sure to check out the digital gallery. However, if you’re able to visit, we highly recommend checking out the official map and adding a few spots to your sightseeing itinerary. Especially, since some of the hearts have been placed near some of San Francisco’s big tourist attractions, like Union Square.

Heart Titled America's Greatest City by the Bay

The 2004 heart titled America's Greatest City by the Bay by Tony Bennett showcases the entire San Francisco Heart project and is located in Union Square on the corner of Post Street and Powell Street.

Heart Titled Migrant Heart

The 2004 heart titled Migrant Heart by Hung Liu is located at the Lyon Street Steps in San Francisco, California.

Heart titled Heartfelt Wisdom

The 2017 heart titled Heartfelt Wisdom by Jeremy Fish shows the struggle between the balance of love and hate. On our visit, Fish’s Heartfelt Wisdom was located in Union Square but has since been moved. The heart that’s currently at the corner of Stockton Street and Post Street at Union Square is I Heart Annie by Team Annie.

Heart titled Bae Area

The 2018 heart titled Bae Area by Piero Spadara was sponsored by Blue Shield of California and was on display in Union Square on the corner of Powell and Geary during our visit. It seems like this heart may have been moved and in its place is the heart titled Wild by Ari Takata-Vasquez.

Street Art in Chinatown, San Francisco

We didn’t visit Chinatown expecting to find a lot of street art, but boy were we surprised!

Bruce Lee by Luke Dragon

Find this mural by Luke Dragon featuring Bruce Lee on the side of the Eastern Bakery on the corner of Grant Avenue and Commercial Street.

Tiger- Dragon by Luke Dragon

Find the Tiger - Dragon mural by Luke Dragon at the corner of Grant Avenue and Commercial Street.

Notorious PIG by Luke Dragon

Notorious PIG by Luke Dragon is inspired by a well known Chinese fable called ‘Journey to the West’. Find this mural at the corner of Grant Avenue and Sacramento Street.

Unknown Artist, Chinatown Mural of a Dragon

Unfortunately this mural was painted over on the bottom portion, so the artist’s name was no longer visible.

Murals Around San Francisco

Joshua Coffy

Bird Song 3 by Joshua Coffy, 2015, presented by Artspan and Artspan artists.

Find this mural on Oak Street, between Van Ness Avenue and Franklin Street.

Amandalynn

This mural was painted by Amandalynn.

Satronimus

Mural of San Francisco’s iconic cable cars by Satronimus.

Nychos

Weird Lords Mural by Nychos.

Find this mural near the corner of Haight Street and Ashbury Street.

Caratoes, Lauren YS, Tati Suarez

This mural was created by Caratoes, Lauren YS, and Tati Suarez in 2015.

Find this mural on Oak Street, between Van Ness Avenue and Franklin Street.

Amos Goldbaum

Content Creation Myth by Amos Goldbaum, 2015.

Find this mural at the corner of Valencia Street and Clinton Park, and if you’re looking for more of Amos Goldbaum’s work, check out this Google map.

Sam Flores

Girl With Flowers by Sam Flores.

Unknown Artist

Mural in Haight-Ashbury district.

Unique Art Around San Francisco

If you get a chance to visit San Francisco and take the opportunity to walk around the city and explore some of the residential neighborhoods, you’re likely to find art that goes beyond murals.

Mission District Sidewalk Tree Grates

As part of the Valencia Streetscape Improvement project, DPW architects John Dennis and Martha Ketterer designed these unique sidewalk tree gates. These dancing skeletons are in the style of Day of the Dead (Día de Muertos) and protect the trees on Valencia Street in the Mission District.

Dragon Gate and the Harry Potter Chamber of Secrets Serpent Door

After visiting Fisherman’s Wharf we made our way to Lombard Street, via a walk on Levenworth Street. Like other passerby’s, we were compelled to stop and admire the ironwork on the home of Steve Pinetti.

Designed and created by Steve Pinetti, the Dragon Gate is nine feet tall and an incredible 450 pounds! On the door, Harry Potter fans might recognize the serpent sculpture that represents the seven horcruxes from Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.

When visiting the house, be sure to look up for a few more sculptures on the roof! You’ll see a gorilla sculpture and a Cat in the Hat sculpture.

Painted Tree Stump

During a house sitting job in the Sunset District we went for a walk around the neighborhood and stumbled upon a tree stump that was artistically painted with the face of a man. If you’re looking for it, head towards Abraham Lincoln Highschool and you’ll spot it on Santiago Street, between 22nd Avenue and 24th Avenue.

Final Thoughts

Having been both tourists and residents, we’ve seen many sides of this city and we’re so glad we get to share it with you. From all the view points to admire the Golden Gate Bridge from, or an itinerary full of must see attractions, to inspiring street art, San Francisco has a scene for everyone!

#City Guide

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screwtheaverage · 5 years ago

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City Guide to San Francisco, California: Part 2 | Must See Attractions, A Photo Essay

We’ve both lived in and been tourists in San Francisco, California. So, we’re bringing you a local’s perspective on how to make the most of your trip when visiting this iconic city. Read on to see not only some of the most well known must see attractions, but also several off the beaten path and unique things that San Francisco has to offer!

San Francisco, California, US City Guides

We explored San Francisco from top to bottom and couldn’t fit it all in just one article. Be sure to read the rest of our San Francisco, California City Guides!

"We love exploring neighborhoods, off the beaten path sights, and must see attractions in each city we visit."

We hope our city guides might inspire your wanderlust. And, since a picture is worth a thousand words, we’re sharing our favorite sightseeing images from the cities we’ve visited in photo essays!

Quick Links

Must See Attractions in San Francisco

San Francisco Must See Sightseeing Map

Palace of Fine Arts

San Francisco City Hall

San Francisco Giants’ Oracle Park

Jack Kerouac Alley

City Lights Booksellers and Publishers

Haight-Ashbury District

Buena Vista Park and the Tombstones

Alcatraz Island

San Francisco Architecture

San Francisco Cable Cars

California Academy of Sciences

San Francisco Street Art and Murals

Chinatown

Wave Organ

San Francisco National Cemetery

Fisherman’s Wharf

Ferry Building

Lincoln Brigade Memorial

Lombard Street

Golden Gate Park

Lotta’s Fountain

The Contemporary Jewish Museum

Martin Luther King Jr Memorial

San Francisco Fire Boxes

Legion of Honor Fine Arts Museum

Beautiful Urban Staircases

SFMOMA

Coit Tower

The Golden Gate Bridge

Land’s End Labyrinth - Coastal Trails

The Painted Ladies

The Seward Street Slides

Street Names and Misspellings

The Transamerica Pyramid

The Barbary Coast Trail

Fay Park / Garden

The Presidio

Union Square and Dewey Monument

Views of the City

Day Trips

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

Safari West

Muir Woods National Monument

Must See Attractions in San Francisco

We’ve been both tourists and residents of this destination city and have seen the must see attractions and found many off-the-beaten path and unique places as well. So whether you’re looking for a guide of the most well known places in San Francisco like Fisherman’s Wharf and the Golden Gate Bridge, or you’re curious what unique things there are to find, like incredible staircases and wave organs, we have you covered.

Read on to explore the sights of San Francisco in our city guide photo essay!

San Francisco Must See Sightseeing Map

Again, the map includes our full sightseeing itinerary, not just the Golden Gate Bridge. So be sure to check out the entire San Francisco City Guide Series!

Palace of Fine Arts

The Palace of Fine Arts was built for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition and while many of the structures constructed for the event were destroyed, it’s not hard to understand why this beautiful building remains today. It has become one of the city’s recognizable landmarks and between the lagoon and beautiful dome and archways, it’s a back drop for all types of events.

Visit the Palace of Fine Arts website for the latest visiting information and even a virtual tour.

San Francisco City Hall

The San Francisco City Hall you see today was built after the earthquake of 1906 destroyed the previous one. It was built to awe residents and visitors alike in time for the World’s Fair of 1915. Spanning two city blocks with a dome that stands 42 feet taller than the dome of the nation’s Capitol, the architecture is simply stunning.

Plan on spending an hour on the free tour and be sure to check the official website for the latest visiting information. Oh, and impress your travel companion by knowing exactly what the exterior lighting represents when visiting!

San Francisco Giants’ Oracle Park

Oracle Park has been the home of the San Francisco Giants since 2000, and if you don’t recognize the name, maybe you know it by one of its former names: Pacific Bell Park, SBC Park, or AT&T Park.

Be sure to take a look at the records that have been set in this stadium over the years!

Jack Kerouac Alley

Reminding us of the revamped Pittaki Street in Athens, in 2007 Jack Kerouac Alley went from a place to dump trash to an alley of bright murals! Below your feet you’ll find quotes from famous authors like John Steinbeck, and of course Jack Kerouac.

City Lights Booksellers and Publishers

In 2001, City Lights Booksellers and Publishers became the first business (not building) to become an official historic landmark for "playing a seminal role in the literary and cultural development of San Francisco and the nation."

Read more about Ferlinghetti, Howl and Other Poems, and how the subsequent First Amendment case lead the way for controversial work with social importance.

Haight-Ashbury District

Haight-Ashbury is commonly known as the birthplace of the 1960’s ‘counter culture’ movement. In other words, it’s an eclectic mix of people and shops that can most often be described as ‘hippie’.

The neighborhood is near Golden Gate Park and can easily be found by navigating to the cross streets of, you guessed it… Haight and Ashbury.

Buena Vista Park and the Tombstones

Not only is Buena Vista Park San Francisco’s oldest official park, but the stonework along the treelined paths is very unique! It takes a keen eye and a bit of walking around to spot them, but once you do, the pieces of tombstone within the stonework are hard to miss.

In the beginning of the 20th century, the cemeteries within San Francisco were relocated to Colma. If a family couldn’t be found or didn’t have the resources to relocate the deceased’s grave, the tombstones were destroyed and reused in the reconstruction of the city after the 1906 earthquake.

Beyond the old tombstones, Buena Vista Park is a great place to take a stroll or a morning jog. And, since it’s located at the top of one of San Francisco’s many hills the view of downtown is beautiful!

Tip: Keep your eyes peeled for pieces of the old tombstones along the bay near the Aquatic Park as well!

Alcatraz Island

Visiting Alcatraz Island should definitely be on your itinerary! The history, the stories, and the experience are well worth it. Just keep in mind that there are a limited number of visitors allowed on the island each day, therefore it’s recommended that you purchase your tickets in advance.

The National Park Service has up-to-date information on Alcatraz Island that will help plan your trip. Visit the official Alcatraz Cruises website for information on purchasing your all inclusive cruise and tour tickets.

San Francisco Architecture

Traditional San Francisco Homes

A walk or a drive around the residential neighborhoods of San Francisco will be sure to give you a glimpse of not only the traditional architecture of the area, but also the bright colors!

Churches

Most cities have beautiful churches and San Francisco is no exception.

Unique Architecture

We do most of our sightseeing by foot since walking allows us to discover things around the city we wouldn’t have otherwise seen. One of our favorite things about San Francisco was the architecture we found along the way!

Battery Spencer Park

Known as both Battery Park and Battery Spencer, this isn’t only a special place for us to view the Golden Gate Bridge, but many also argue it’s one of the best outlooks to view the bridge from.

Technically, the spot isn’t in San Francisco, it’s in Sausalito, California. And it’s more than just a beautiful view point, it’s also a Battery that was part of the coastal defense of San Francisco Bay between 1897 and 1942.

Check out part one of our City Guide to San Francisco to get a few tips on Battery Spencer Park as well as more great places to see the Golden Gate!

San Francisco Cable Cars

Cable cars are an icon of San Francisco and are the last remaining manually operated cable car system in the world. And, if you have a dreamt of riding one up a steep hill and holding on to the poll while you lean out of the car, you’re not alone. Just please, be careful!

If you keep an eye out you’ll see many different styles of cars as well!

Cable Car Turnaround

At the end of the line you’ll find a cable car turnaround, which since the cars can’t go in reverse is where the car is turned around by hand. You can find a turnaround at Powell and Market or at Hyde and Beach. It’s a popular destination though, so don’t be surprised to find a line of people waiting for the next car. It shouldn’t be too long of a wait though since cars hold up to 65 people and they depart every 5-10 minutes.

California Academy of Sciences

At first glance the California Academy of Sciences might seem like it’s just another natural history museum. But don’t be fooled, it’s so much more than that!

In addition to the natural history museum, the 400,000 square feet house an aquarium, planetarium, and a four-story rainforest. Plus, all of that is under a living roof!

Our favorite experience was the penguins (check out the live Penguin Cams!) but you’re bound to find your own favorites.

Check the official website for the latest visiting information.

San Francisco Street Art and Murals

San Francisco is known for its street art and murals that bring the city to life. You can plan an itinerary around alleys and streets that are painted from what seems to be top to bottom, or you can simply be delighted as you come across art during your sightseeing.

Don’t miss the next part of our City Guide to San Francisco where we showcase some of our favorite street art and murals and give tips on where to find your own favorites (Coming Soon)!

Chinatown

Chinatown in San Francisco is one of the oldest established Chinatowns in the United States. Find the heart of Chinatown on Grant Avenue and Stockton Street and be sure to check out everything from the street lamps, street art, and iconic gate to the bakeries, karaoke bars, and herbal shops.

Wave Organ

Conceived and built by Peter Richards and George Gonzalez in 1986 the Wave Organ is exactly that. An organ that plays its sounds via the surrounding water hitting a series of 25 pipes. It’s both a musical instrument and a piece of art!

The Wave Organ is part of the Exploratorium, but is free to visit. It’s a bit of a walk (pass the Golden Gate Yacht Club and keep going to the end) but worth the experience! We recommend planning your trip with high tide as that’s when it sounds best.

San Francisco National Cemetery

The San Francisco National Cemetery is one of only four cemeteries within San Francisco city limits and is part of Presidio Park. Visiting is an honor as it’s the final resting place of United States Veterans.

Fisherman’s Wharf

Fisherman’s Wharf is a neighborhood in San Francisco that has become a popular tourist destination. From Pier 39 that offers sea lions, games, and dinning to waterfront views and walks, Fisherman’s Wharf is a fun place to add to your itinerary. Not to mention, the city’s iconic cable cars will take you there!

Pier 39

Pier 39 is well known for its wide array of attractions, from a carousel to a water front park. Here you’ll find fun for the entire family!

Pier 39 Sea Lions

You can see sea lions on the pier throughout the year, but in the winter months there can be over 900 sea lions. Don’t take our word for it though, check our the Seal Lions cam!

Ghirardelli Square

Dating back to 1893, Ghirardelli Square is where the chocolate company headquarters was once located. Today you can still get your hands on Ghirardelli chocolate as well as shop and dine in the square.

Ferry Building

Located on the Embarcadero in San Francisco, the Ferry Building is a well known landmark of the city. As you might guess, the building is a ferry terminal, but it also holds a food court and office space. In our humble opinion, it’s a great place to start a waterfront walk and enjoy the views!

Lincoln Brigade Memorial

The Lincoln Brigade Memorial tells the story of 2,800 American volunteers who fought overseas in the Spanish Civil War in the 1930s. One panel quotes journalist Martha Gellhorn, “They deserved our thanks and respect, and got neither.”

The memorial was showing it’s age when we visited, so we were glad to hear that it was renovated shortly after our visit.

Lombard Street

Lombard Street is known for a single block portion between Leavenworth and Hyde streets that has eight well manicured hair pin turns.

It’s a steep walk up but whether your drive it or walk it, expect it to be crowded!

Golden Gate Park

With over 1,000 acres of land, Golden Gate Park is full of gardens and museums. Either plan a day to walk and explore the park, or make it a point to visit your choice of destinations.

California Academy of Sciences

Japanese Tea Garden

De Young Museum

Windmills and Tulips

Conservatory of Flowers

Beach and Park Chalet

Fulton Playground

Koret Children’s Quarter Playground

Golden Gate Carousel

Strybing Arboretum

Starwberry Hill

Golden Gate Aquarium

45th Ave Playground

Buffalo in Golden Gate Park

Lotta’s Fountain

Lotta’s Fountain was a gift to the city in 1875 by Lotta Crabtree and is the city’s oldest surviving monument. Lotta Crabtree got her start in the city during the Gold Rush and made her money by dancing on barrels in saloons. She used some of the gold she earned to gift Lotta’s Fountain to the city in 1875.

The fountain is not only San Francisco’s oldest surviving monument, but it has become a significant symbol from the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. As it was a meeting point after the devastating earthquake, it has become a place to commemorate the anniversary. Every year on April 18th at 5:15 am there’s a ceremony of remembrance held at Lotta’s Fountain.

The Contemporary Jewish Museum

The Contemporary Jewish Museum holds a variety of exhibitions throughout the year and doesn’t have permanent collection. Visit the official website for visiting and current exhibition information.

Martin Luther King Jr Memorial

Located in Yerba Buena Gardens is a beautifully serene and impactful Martin Luther King Jr Memorial.

San Francisco Fire Boxes

You might find yourself wondering, with the technology of cellphones, why are there over 2,000 working fire boxes in San Francisco? The answer is redundancy!

You can find a fire box within approximately every two block radius in San Francisco. Most notably, 9/11 in New York City crashed the cell phone network but because there were 15,000 working call boxes in the city, many New Yorkers were able to call emergency services.

Legion of Honor Fine Arts Museum

The Legion of Honor Fine Arts Museum (formerly known as the California Palace of the Legion of Honor) is a fine arts museum that has holdings spanning over 4,000 years of human history.

Check the official website for up to date information on visiting, and while there be sure to visit the Holocaust Memorial on the grounds of the museum.

Beautiful Urban Staircases

Staircases are designed to get your from one place to another, but in San Francisco, many of the urban staircases have been transformed into works of art. Hidden throughout the city are a number of staircases that offer amazing views, are tiled mosaic works of art, or are surrounded by gardens. Many are marked on our sightseeing map above and we hope you’ll discover a few on your own while you explore the city!

Lyon Street Steps

Lincoln Park Steps

Saturn Street Steps

Hidden Garden Steps

16th Avenue Tiled Staircase

Avalon Greenspace Steps

Arelious Walker Stairway

Steps to Macondray Lane

SFMOMA

The SFMOMA (San Francisco Museum of Modern Art) was the first museum on the West Coast to display only 20th century work. From a 30 foot living wall and a sculpture garden to rotating exhibitions, SFMOMA is dedicated to contemporary and modern art.

Everyone under 18 years of age gets free admission, plus parts of the museum have been left free and open to the public as a great way to inspire and introduce people to art. Check the official website for up-to-date visitor information.

Coit Tower

Coit Tower has been a recognizable piece of the San Francisco skyline since 1933! Built as a monument in honor of the city’s firefighters and decorated with murals that depict life during the Great Depression, Coit Tower is also an observation deck that offers wonderful views of the city.

The Golden Gate Bridge

The Golden Gate Bridge is one of the most iconic and well known bridges in the world. We’ve seen it from a hill, a beach, underneath, up close and from afar. There’s so many ways to enjoy the Golden Gate Bridge, so we wrote an entire guide just for it. Don’t miss our City Guide to San Francisco, California: Part 1 | The Golden Gate Bridge, A Photo Essay.

Land’s End Labyrinth - Coastal Trails

At the end of a coastal trail the Land’s End Labyrinth welcomes you!

Near Sutro Baths, a labyrinth made of stones offers a view of the Golden Gate Bridge in one direction and seemingly endless views of the Pacific Coast in the other direction.

If you’re up for a short hike, check our map above for its location (37.78801, -122.50583) and enjoy the scenery!

The Painted Ladies

AKA The Seven Sisters AKA Postcard Row

We might be dating ourselves, but we first knew of The Painted Ladies (AKA The Seven Sisters) from the intro to Full House. So, it seemed only natural to make our way to Alamo Square Park, throw down a picnic blanket and enjoy the row of colorful, late 19th century Victorian houses.

The Seward Street Slides

If you think that neighborhood protests and bulldozer sit-ins only happen in the movies, then we’d like to introduce you to Corwin Community Garden and Seward Mini-Park!

In the 1960s the community came together to protest the destruction of open land and won. Not only does the Corwin Community Garden and Seward Mini-Park still serve the local community but this show of activism helped shape the legislation that requires a minimum amount of open space for all new development projects within the city.

More than just a piece of history, the Seward Mini-Park is known for the twin slides, that with just a piece of cardboard to sit on, entertain the neighborhood and visitors!

Street Names and Misspellings

The 1906 earthquake that devastated San Francisco changed the city in many ways. One way you might not realize is the addition of street names being imprinted on sidewalks of just about every street corner.

It might seem redundant, but if the city is reduced to ruble, rescue teams will be grateful to be able to find their way via the street names on the ground.

You can turn this into something akin to a scavenger hunt and while touring the city see how many misspelled streets you can find. Every time a sidewalk is put in, a team quickly goes in and uses metal letter stamps to imprint the street name. Whether it’s an error of speed, bad spelling, or using a number in place of a missing letter, you can find Sannydale Avenue, Eightheenth Ave, Broadwey, M1ssor1, or…?

The Transamerica Pyramid

Most large cities have a building or two that stand out in the skyline and become representative of the city (think the Eiffel Tower in Paris, the Edinburgh Castle in Edinburgh, or the Palace of Culture and Science in Warsaw. In the case of San Francisco, one of those buildings is the Transamerica Pyramid, which was once the headquarters for Transamerica Corporation.

Construction started in 1969 and was the center of controversy, as the futuristic architecture wasn’t loved by everyone. It has since become an integral part of the city skyline, was the tallest building west of Chicago until 1974, and was even the target of a foiled terrorist attack in 1995.

The Barbary Coast Trail

Spanning a 3.8 mile trail in downtown San Francisco are 180 bronze markers for the Barbary Coast Trail. To discover the history of the area during the Gold Rush and all of the growth it brought, start your walk at the Old Mint (at 5th and Mission) or at the San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park.

Follow the arrows and you’ll make your way through many neighborhoods as you learn about the boom and growth of San Francisco. Find a map on the Barbary Coast Trail website.

Fay Park/Garden

If you’re a fan of landscape architect Thomas Church, then the Fay Park/Garden needs to be on your sightseeing itinerary!

The garden was originally designed and built for the enjoyment of the community in 1957. Gifted to the city in 1998, Fay Park/Garden is open to the public daily between 10am and 4pm.

The Presidio

Once a military base, The Presidio is now a National Park for everyone to enjoy. With ocean views of the Golden Gate Bridge, hikes, Crissy Field, historic museums, and more, this park should definitely be on your visiting itinerary!

Check the official Presidio website for visiting information.

Union Square and Dewey Monument

Dewey Monument has stood in Union Square since 1903 in commemoration of Admiral George Dewey and his victory in the Battle of Manila Bay during the Spanish-American War.

Union Square is a place of public events and the center of shopping in San Francisco and has come a long way since it was a sand dune prior to 1850!

Views of the City

While visiting all of these destinations in this city guide, plus simply walking around San Francisco, we captured some beautiful views of the city. We hope you too see many great skylines and views while you tour the city!

Day Trips

There are many great adventures that lay just a short drive from the San Francisco area. If you have time, we highly recommend exploring what Northern California has to offer. Here are a few day trips from San Francisco that we took and enjoyed!

Pigeon Point Lighthouse

Sitting 50 miles south of San Francisco, the Pigeon Point Lighthouse is the tallest lighthouse on the West Coast and has been a navigating point for sailors since 1850. It’s now part of a California State Park and is protected with a designation of a California Historical Landmark.

Visit the official website for information on visiting.

Safari West

From a safari day trip to ‘glamping’, Safari West has you covered. On over 400 acres there are nearly 900 animals to be discovered. We were most impressed by the number of unique species (90+) that aren’t caged, but roam the land.

In our humble opinion, this is a day trip that’s well worth it!

Muir Woods National Monument

Muir Woods National Monument is much more than walking trails and some trees. It’s a place where the city melts away and the earth comes to life. Redwoods nearing 1,000 years of age and up to 250 feet in height dominate the space, but 380 different species of plants and animals, along with a stream, Redwood Creek, truly make Muir Woods a sanctuary.

Check the latest visitor information on the Golden Gate National Parks Conservatory website, purchase your entry tickets at GoMuirWoods, and dive into the history of the park on the National Parks Service website.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to the number of things to see and do, this is one of our most exhaustive city guides yet.

We have many fond memories of San Francisco and hope you’ll make many during your visit to this great city!

#City Guide

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screwtheaverage · 5 years ago

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City Guide to San Francisco, California: Part 1 | The Golden Gate Bridge, A Photo Essay

There are so many different view points in San Francisco to get a peak at the Golden Gate Bridge. Whether you want to see it from below, from afar, experience it up close, or all of the above, you’ve come to the right place! As tourists, residents, and now house sitters, we’ve thoroughly explored San Francisco, California and found the best places to see, photograph, and experience the world famous Golden Gate Bridge.

San Francisco, California, US City Guides

We explored San Francisco from top to bottom and couldn’t fit it all in just one article. Be sure to read the rest of our San Francisco, California City Guides!

"We love exploring neighborhoods, off the beaten path sights, and must see attractions in each city we visit."

We hope our city guides might inspire your wanderlust. And, since a picture is worth a thousand words, we’re sharing our favorite sightseeing images from the cities we’ve visited in photo essays!

Quick Links

Everyway to See the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge

San Francisco Must See Sightseeing Map

Battery Spencer Park

Battery East

Fort Point

San Francisco Bay Trail

Golden Gate Welcome Center

Baker Beach

Sail the Bay

Drive the 101 Highway

Walk or Cycle

Everyway to See the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge

The San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge is a world famous landmark, right up there with Tower Bridge in London, UK, Chain Bridge in Budapest, Hungary and Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic. And it’s a prominent part of the skyline, so any visit to San Francisco, California will be one with many glimpses (on purpose or not) of this iconic and beautiful bridge.

For a bit of our personal story…

When we met we lived about 500 miles apart, Shannon in the San Diego, California area and Sergio in the Bay Area. When we made the decision to move in together, Shannon relocated to a city outside of San Francisco and we made a home in a small one bedroom apartment.

Between visiting each other (shout out to Southwest, Southwest miles, and inexpensive fares!) and then living near San Francisco for a couple of years, we had several opportunities to see the Golden Gate Bridge.

"We saw the Golden Gate up close, in a car, on foot, and from afar. "

But one of our more memorable visits was in the infancy of our relationship and Sergio’s first big surprise for Shannon.

When we were planning our first in person meeting (we met online before it was ‘thing’!) Shannon made a comment about wanting to see the Golden Gate from the view point you see in movies and television shows. You know the one, it’s from a hill looking down to the bridge and into the city.

That was all the clues that Shannon was able to gather. But Sergio, in all of his research skills was able to find the exact view point Shannon was dreaming of seeing!

In true form, he said nothing about it, only that he had a surprise. And sure enough, we drove over the bridge and up to San Francisco’s Battery Spencer Park.

"Shannon's still not sure if the moment was perfect because she’d always wanted to see the bridge from that view point, or if it was because this amazing man went out of his way to figure it all out, just for her."

But we digress…

Back to The Golden Gate Bridge!

Over our years of visiting San Francisco, living in San Francisco, and then house sitting in San Francisco, we’ve found some epic places to get great views of the world famous Golden Gate Bridge.

We hope you enjoy this photo essay of all the great spots we found!

San Francisco Must See Sightseeing Map

Again, the map includes our full sightseeing itinerary, not just the Golden Gate Bridge. So be sure to check out the entire San Francisco City Guide Series!

Battery Spencer Park

Known as both Battery Park and Battery Spencer, this isn’t only a special place for us to view the Golden Gate Bridge, but many also argue it’s one of the best outlooks to view the bridge from.

As one might expect, finding a military defensive location is meant to be challenging. But with Google Maps, it’s as simple as plugging in Battery Spencer on Conzelman Road in Sausalito, California. You can take public transportation, walk, cycle, or drive. You’re destination will be Alexander Avenue (there’s an exit North or South on the 101 highway) which will take you to the Conzelman Road parking lot.

From the parking lot there are two paths that both take you to Battery Spencer. The one on the left is the one with the amazing views, and the one on the right takes you to the fortifications.

Battery East

Battery East is on the San Francisco side of the bay, below San Francisco Golden Gate Welcome Center, but above Fort Point.

Unlike Battery Spencer, Battery East has less evidence of its previous use as part of the coastal defense system, however it too is known as a prime location to get spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge!

Fort Point

Take a drive down Marine Drive, a walk on a trail from the Welcome Center or Battery East, or walk the San Francisco Bay Trail and you’ll make your way to Fort Point. All options offer great views along the way!

Fort Point is part of the coastal defense on the San Francisco Bay and was built in the mid-1800s. It’s now a National Historic Site and managed by the National Park Service.

If you’re a history buff or simply appreciate the past, consider taking a moment to thank the Golden Gate Bridge project’s Chief Engineer, Joseph Strauss for appreciating the significance of Fort Point and designing the bridge directly over it and not destroying it.

Even if you choose not to enter the fort, the area around the fort is perfect for water front views of the bridge. Especially those that are close up of the underside of the Golden Gate Bridge!

Check the National Park Service website for more information on getting a tour inside Fort Point.

Hopper’s Hands (and Paws!) at Fort Point

As we walked up to the fence at the end of trail next to Fort Point we couldn’t help but scratch our heads. We had no idea what the sign with two hands and a label of ‘Hopper’s Hands’ was all about.

We used our Google skills (on our Google Fi cell plan) and found the story of the Golden Gate Bridge ironworker Ken Hopper.

With over 30 years working on the bridge he became accustom to seeing runners run the San Francisco Bay Trail to the dead end at the fence at Fort Point, touch the fence, and then turn back. He was inspired to give the runners something more inspirational to look at than industrial ‘no trespassing’ signs. He decided to post an image of his hands for runners to touch instead.

Over time, his name was added to the sign. And adorably, a smaller sign was added for dogs to share in the fun!

Over time ‘Hopper’s Hands’ has become a symbol of his hands reaching out to save the lives lost to suicide on the bridge, as over the years Hopper himself has talked or forced 30 people down from the bridge.

San Francisco Bay Trail

Along the San Francisco side of the bay runs the San Francisco Bay Trail, which, if you’re following along, runs along Marine Drive and dead ends at Fort Point. If you’re looking for a great scenic walk, we highly encourage taking this walk from Fort Point all the way east past Chrissy Field and the yacht clubs to the Wave Organ.

We enjoyed the walk and the sightseeing along the way, but the views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge along the way are beautiful on a clear day!

Golden Gate Welcome Center

On the San Francisco side of the Golden Gate Bridge is the Golden Gate Welcome Center. It’s a great place to start your walk or cycle across the Golden Gate Bridge and the center also offers free walking tours, historical information, and helpful staff!

Driving

If you decided to drive during your visit watch for signs because the Golden Gate Welcome Center will come up quickly as you approach the bridge. You’ll find it on your right side, via the 101 highway north.

Walking

If your walking across the bridge, which we highly recommend, you’ll either start at the Welcome Center, or end here.

Shuttle

Also, consider taking the free Presidio Shuttle to avoid the frustration of finding a space in the very small Welcome Center parking lot.

Check the Golden Gate Bridge website for more information on the welcome center as well as information on visiting the bridge, including tolls.

Baker Beach

Baker Beach is a mile long public beach that can get crowded on warm, clear days. For good reason though, the views of the Golden Gate Bridge are wonderful!

Sail the Bay

Sailing on the San Francisco Bay isn’t only a way to see the Golden Gate Bridge from an entirely different perspective, but it’s also an adventure!

Drive the 101 Highway

Some people have to drive across the bridge during their daily commute, but it’s also another way to experience the Golden Gate Bridge when visiting. There’s a few things to keep in mind if you opt to drive the bridge:

The Golden Gate is used by commuters going to and from the city for work. So, if you’re driving during rush hours be sure to calculate in extra time for traffic.

The bridge is free to cross when driving northbound, but there’s a toll when going south into San Francisco.

Check toll prices online and keep in mind reduced carpool rates during qualifying hours.

You can’t pay tolls manually on the bridge, as tolls are electronically collected. If you have FasTrak then you’re set, otherwise you have a couple of options, find a pay location nearby, pay online or by phone within 48 hours of crossing, or get a toll invoice via mail to the address registered to your vehicle.

It’s a cool experience to drive across the Golden Gate Bridge, but less fun for the driver. Plus, there aren’t any places to stop on the bridge.

Tip: If you drive across the Golden Gate Bridge but still want to stop and take in the views and maybe even walk part or all of the bridge, take advantage of the free parking lot on the north side (Sausalito side) of the bridge.

Walk or Cycle

Walking and cycling across the Golden Gate Bridge is free, just keep in mind that it’s 1.7 miles each way. Many visitors opt to drive to the north side of the bridge, park in the free lot and then walk across some or all of the bridge. Others take public transportation or walk to the bridge from the Presidio, the San Francisco Bay Trail, or the Coastal Trail.

The views of San Francisco and Marin County from the Golden Gate are spectacular!

Be sure to give yourself plenty of time to stop, take in the views, and snap a few good pictures.

Tip: If you opt to cycle across the bridge, keep in mind that many locals cycle to and from work via the bridge and will be focused on getting to work and likely not slowing down for the view.

Final Thoughts

There are so many different ways to see, photograph, and experience the world famous San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge!

We highly recommend making plans to purposefully see the bridge from a couple different vantage points. However, if you’re simply exploring San Francisco’s diverse neighborhoods, you’re bound to find a few surprise views of the bridge as well.

Enjoy and have fun in San Francisco!

#City Guide

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