Planning your first trip to Europe?

Oliver Winter, founder of a&o Hostels, one of Europe’s fastest-growing hostel brands, shares insider tips on how first-time travelers can explore Europe more affordably.

Oliver reveals how hostels have evolved far beyond backpacker basics to welcome families, digital nomads, and business travelers.

Tune in for timeless European travel advice that applies whether this is your first trip or your tenth. You’ll learn what to pack, how to spot real value when booking accommodations, and smart ways to stretch your travel budget without sacrificing comfort.

Connect with Oliver Winter

Website: www.aohostels.com

Instagram: @aohostels

Other Episodes You’ll Enjoy:

• Is Budget Travel Still Possible? What You Need To Know with Matthew Kepnes - Episode 195
• Airline Stopovers: How To Visit Two Cities For the Price of One with Charlotte Gage - Episode 196
• Stop Overpaying For Travel: Hidden Fees, Pricing Tricks & Smarter Booking Tips With Pauline Frommer - Episode 198

Want more cheap flights, points and miles, and money-saving strategies? Below are all my best episodes neatly organized in Spotify playlists.

🎧 Binge my Cheap Flights Series

🎧 Binge my Travel Hacking episodes

🎧 Binge my Vacation Fund Series

Connect With Danielle Desir Corbett

Website: www.thoughtcard.com

Follow on Instagram: @thedaniellecorbett

Follow on Threads: @thedaniellecorbett

Work With Me:

Email thethoughtcard@gmail.com for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

So much is possible when you get intentional about your money. Chelsea Riffe’s journey is proof that you don’t have to wait to take action. You can make aligned, empowering financial choices right where you are, even if you’re halfway across the world.

After a whirlwind group trip left her deep in debt, Chelsea made a bold decision: get serious about her finances without putting her nomadic lifestyle on pause.

She chose destinations with lower costs of living, kept her rent under $1,000 per month, embraced co-living, cooked her meals, and created a simple, sustainable budgeting system that worked on the road.

Chelsea didn’t wait to become debt-free to live her dream life. Instead, she paid off over $10,000 in credit card debt while traveling full-time — proving that it’s possible to pursue financial freedom and explore the world at the same time.

This conversation is packed with practical takeaways and mindset shifts for anyone balancing debt, travel, and personal growth.

Resources Mentioned

• I Will Teach You To Be Rich by Ramit Sethi (book)
• Money for Couples Podcast by Ramit Sethi
• All Bank - get $100 when you open a new bank account
• Coliving.com - find affordable coliving spaces in 70+ countries
• Outsite.co - find coliving spaces, community, and perks for remote workers

Connect With Chelsea Riffe

Website: chelseariffe.com

Podcast: In My Non-Expert Opinion

Instagram: @chelseariffe

Other Episodes You’ll Enjoy:

• Ways To Travel Without Getting into Debt - Episode 143
• How To Travel Debt-Free with Cinneah El-Amin - Episode 82
• Digital Nomad Lifestyle Pros and Cons with Tom Blake - Episode 84

"Frommer's Travel Show" is a trusted resource for what's happening in the world of travel today. Learn about under-the-radar destinations, different travel styles, and smart strategies for traveling more affordably.

🎧 Listen to Frommer's Travel Show on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you tune in.

Oh, and tell Pauline that Danielle from The Thought Card Podcast sent you!

Read or listen to our podcast episode together:

Stop Overpaying For Travel: Hidden Fees, Pricing Tricks, and Smarter Booking Tips - Episode 198

Discover more incredible travel podcasts by checking out this list.

Connect With Pauline Fromer

Website: www.frommers.com

Connect With Danielle Desir Corbett

👩🏾‍💻 Website: www.thoughtcard.com

📸 Follow on Instagram: @thedaniellecorbett

🧵 Follow on Threads: @thedaniellecorbett

📩 Join Newsletter: https://thethoughtcard.substack.com/

Work With Me:

Email thethoughtcard@gmail.com for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

The travel industry makes billions from travelers overpaying.

Today we’re exposing the traps that drain your wallet—and how to avoid them.

Many of us overspend on travel without even realizing it, falling prey to shiny marketing tactics or getting caught off guard by hidden fees we didn’t see coming.

Pauline Frommer knows exactly how the travel industry works and ways the industry gets you to spend more than you should. She’s pulling back the curtain on the travel industry’s pricing tactics, shares how to spot real value, and gives us a smarter game plan for booking great trips on any budget.

Read blog post: https://thoughtcard.com/hidden-travel-costs-pauline-frommer/

Connect with Pauline Frommer

Pauline is the host of The Frommer’s Travel Show, president of Frommer Media LLC, which is the publisher of the iconic Frommer’s guidebooks, a series that has sold over 75 million copies worldwide.

Website: www.frommers.com

Instagram: @frommers

Podcast: The Frommer’s Travel Show

Read Pauline’s Guidebook:

• Frommer's New York City day by day: https://amzn.to/3IHyqXd

Other Episodes You’ll Enjoy:

• How To Save Money On Cruises - Episode 164
• How To Book Free Airline Stopovers and Visit Two Countries For the Price of One - Episode 196
• CardPointers Review: Best App To Manage Credit Cards - Episode 180
• How To Find Mistake Fares Like a Pro - Episode 152

Ever come home from a trip with a bunch of random video clips… and no idea what to do with them? 😅

Today, I’m joined by Emmy Award-winning travel filmmaker Juliana Broste (also known as Jules), who is sharing her best tips for capturing better travel videos.

We’re diving into shot setup, storytelling, and must-have gear for filming on the go.

From beginner-friendly accessories to tips for filming solo—and even how to actually use your footage later—this episode will help you level up your travel videos, whether you’re using your phone or a camera.

Read blog post: https://thoughtcard.com/make-travel-videos-juliana-broste/

Connect with Traveling Jules

Website: travelingjules.com

Instagram: @travelingjules

YouTube: @travelingjules

See Camera Gear Jules Recommends: https://thevideohustle.com/shop

Other Episodes You’ll Enjoy:

• Everything You Need to Know About Flying Drones For Travel - Episode 136
• How To Become a Full-Time Travel Creator with Christopher Mitchell - Episode 52
• Best Travel Podcasts For Wanderlust - Episode 121

✈️ What if you could visit a second country on your next trip without paying extra?

Charlotte Gage joins us to share how stopovers can unlock free bonus destinations on your next vacation. Learn the difference between a layover and a stopover, how to book them, and which airlines offer the best deals — plus insider tips to make the most of your time on the ground.

Read blog post: https://thoughtcard.com/airline-stopovers/

Charlotte Gage is what she calls a “professional traveler.” She helps make travel safer, more cost-effective, and more accessible. So far, she has been to over 50 countries and all 50 US states. She is a passionate public speaker and licensed drone pilot, and loves to make friends in unexpected places.

🛒 Shop my favorite travel gear and accessories on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4dZscgY

🛒 Shop my favorite road trip essentials on Amazon: https://amzn.to/4n1uNLy

Want more cheap flights, points and miles, and money-saving strategies? Below are all my best episodes neatly organized in Spotify playlists.

🎧 Binge my Cheap Flights Series

🎧 Binge my Travel Hacking episodes

🎧 Binge my Vacation Fund Series

Connect with Charlotte Gage

Instagram @charfromchicago

TikTok: @charfromchicago

Other Episodes You’ll Love

• How To Find Cheap Flights with Thrifty Traveler Premium - Episode 70
• Best Travel Newsletters To Save You Time and Money - Episode 176
• Clever Ways To Save Money on Airfare - Episode 155

Connect With Danielle Desir Corbett

Website: www.thoughtcard.com

Follow on Instagram: @thedaniellecorbett

Follow on Threads: @thedaniellecorbett

Work With Me:

Email thethoughtcard@gmail.com for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Think travel is too expensive in today’s economy? Think again.

I’m joined by Matthew Kepnes, a.k.a. Nomadic Matt, to explore whether budget travel is still possible in 2025 and beyond.

Read blog post: https://thoughtcard.com/travel-tips-matthew-kepnes/

We get into:

• Money-saving tips that still work
• Travel hacks that no longer do
• Surprising destinations where your dollar stretches way farther than you’d expect

Back in 2005, one trip to Thailand changed Matt’s life forever. He quit his job, set off to backpack the world for a year... and never stopped.

Since then, he's spent the last two decades helping millions of travelers explore the world smarter, cheaper, and longer through his blog, books, and courses.

🎧 Tune in to hear what’s really possible when it comes to affordable travel today — and how you can make your travel dreams a reality, even on a budget.

Resources Mentioned:

• How To Travel the World on $75 a Day - practical, detailed, exhaustively researched travel advice that will help you get on the road better, cheaper, and smarter.

Connect with Matthew Kepnes

Website: nomadicmatt.com

Instagram @nomadicmatt

Other Episodes You’ll Love

• How To Find Cheap Flights with Thrifty Traveler Premium - Episode 70
• Best Travel Newsletters To Save You Time and Money - Episode 176
• Backpacking For Beginners with Will Hatton - Episode 138

Connect With Danielle Desir Corbett

Website: www.thoughtcard.com

Follow on Instagram: @thedaniellecorbett

Follow on Threads: @thedaniellecorbett

Work With Me:

Email thethoughtcard@gmail.com for brand partnerships and business inquiries.

Ever had that heart-sinking feeling when you realize your wallet, phone, or bag has gone missing? You're not alone. Over two million people a year become victims of theft while traveling.

Rachel Bloom is the designer of stylish smart bags built to protect your valuables on the go. She shares common ways travelers get targeted by thieves and easy habits to keep your belongings safe.

Read blog post: https://thoughtcard.com/anti-theft-travel-bags/

We talk about:

• Rachel's personal pickpocketing story that sparked her business

• Easy habits to keep your stuff safe in crowded spaces

• What most travel bags get wrong—and how her anti-theft travel bags are different

• What to do if your hotel doesn't have a safe

Check out RachelBloom.com (affiliate link) to shop Rachel’s anti-theft bag collection. I’ll be bringing the Smart Crossbody with me to Disney World soon, and I can’t wait!

🎒 Shop the Collection

Looking for a stylish way to keep your valuables safe while traveling?

Explore Rachel Bloom’s smart anti-theft bag collection:

• The Smart Backpack - perfect for everyday use
• The Smart Crossover - ideal for a cityscape and urban adventures
• The Smart Mini - the perfect park bag for Disney days and hands-free fun

Browse the collection at RachelBloom.com (affiliate link) and find the perfect travel bag for your next trip!

✈️ Travel Smarter & Spend Wiser

➡️ Start saving now with the Jumpstart Your Vacation Fund Challenge – a 5-day action plan to build your dream trip fund!

➡️ Get inspired with my book Affording Travel – practical strategies to make travel a financial priority.

➡️ Grab the Vacation Ready Financial Checklist – Your go-to guide to prep your finances for your next trip.

Connect With Danielle Corbett

Join my newsletter: https://thethoughtcard.substack.com/

Website: www.thoughtcard.com

Follow on Instagram: @thedaniellecorbett

Work With Me

Email thethoughtcard@gmail.com for brand partnerships and business inquiries.