Back in 2006, Kepnes, sometimes fondly referred to as Nomadic Matt, headed out on a trip that was supposed to last 18 months. He’s still on the road today and with this book, newly revised and updated, he shares what he’s learned about traveling long term on the cheap. And while the book is an excellent primer for those who take the plunge and head out on a tour that’s going to last a year or more, you really don’t have to fit into that category to benefit from the read.

If you want to backpack through Europe for a summer, Kepnes spells out how to avoid costs that you might not anticipate like ATM fees and foreign transaction charges on credit cards. Kepnes also advises that you keep your traveling funds in two separate accounts; experience has taught him that sooner or later, you’ll run into a situation where ATMs are down or cards quit working and you’ll be thankful to have some of your cash in an alternate account.

The book has chapters about saving money on food (cook your own instead of eating out, eat with locals), transportation (discount cards for land travel, racking up frequent flyer miles on airlines) and accommodations, from house-sitting to hostels to name-your-own-price hotel rooms. After all the basic tips are doled out, Kepnes gets real specific with info about some of the most popular places for long term travel such as Europe, China, South America, Australia, India and Southeast Asia, which is widely recognized as the region that offers the least expensive experience.

Most importantly, and Kepnes stresses this in more than one place in the book, those considering long term travel shouldn’t be afraid to jump in; millions have done it before you and been just fine.

Grade: A