In November, the multi-day 2023 Corona Capital Festival will be headlined by The Cure, Blur, Pulp, and more. The event will be held at the Autódromo Hermanos Rodríguez in Mexico City, Mexico.
On the first day of Corona Capital 2023, Friday, November 17, Arcade Fire, Pulp, and Alanis Morissette are billed as headliners. As for Saturday, November 18, Blur, The Black Keys, and Thirty Seconds To Mars will take over headlining duties. Finally, closing out the festival on Sunday, November 19, The Cure, The Chemical Brothers, and Pet Shops Boys will headline.
Other notable acts on the lineup include Feist, Sleater-Kinney, Fleet Foxes, Arlo Parks, Brittany Howard, MUNA, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Alvvays, and Soccer Mommy.
During an interview with The Grammys, Ricardo Gomez, the Senior International Talent Buyer for Mexican promotions company OCESA, shared what goes into selecting artists for the festival.
“We don’t have any Latin acts, and we do that because we want to desegregate Corona Capital from other festivals in the market. We look at trends and what’s happening in the music scene internationally,” said Gomez.
The special CitiBank members’ pre-sale starts on June 9. While general ticket sales for Corona Capital 2023 begin on June 10 at 2 p.m. CDMX via Ticketmaster. Find more information here.
Ron DeSantis has been trailing way behind Donald Trump in the polls. But you know what might beef up his stats? Committing crimes — or at least getting cronies to commit crimes for you. After all, being an indicted criminal who’s been found guilty of other crimes has worked wonders for Trump’s numbers. As it happens, DeSantis may be in luck.
As per Miami Herald (via Raw Story), Javier Salazar, the Sheriff of Bexar County, Texas, has concluded its investigation into the Florida governor’s Martha Vineyard’s stunt last fall. According to a statement, they’ve concluded that heads must roll. Salazar and team are recommending both felony and misdemeanor charges of Unlawful Restraint for those involved with luring migrants to a place unprepared to help them.
Back in September, members of DeSantis’ office arranged for 49 migrants, most of them from Venezeula, to be flown from San Antonio, Texas and deposited, without warning, on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, off of Massachusetts. Some of the migrants described being lured with false promises of work and shelter. Upon arrival, they were housed at a church shelter, who did their best to help with limited resources. They were later voluntarily shipped to nearby Cape Cod.
The decision over whether or not to issue charges now moves over to the office of Bexar County DA. It’s unclear which DeSantis team members will be charged, but in their statement, Salazar’s team suggests they could go as high as top aides, including his chief of staff, James Uthmeier, and public safety czar Larry Keefe.
DeSantis may escape responsibility, but he may get a Mulligan: After a group of migrants were dropped off outside a San Francisco church on Friday, California governor Gavin Newsom suspected DeSantis was behind it and accused him of “kidnapping.”
Tom Holland is still a young guy, but he’s not that young. He’s 27, three years shy of his 30s. For some context, he’s less than a decade younger than Shameless star Emmy Rossum — who, as it happens, is playing his mom on Apple TV+’s forthcoming psychological thriller series The Crowded Room. But you know who doesn’t mind the short age gap? Rossum.
“It makes sense when I read the script,” Rossum recently told Entertainment Tonight. Her character, Candy, she says, is “a super young mom, she’s almost a child in her own right when she becomes pregnant at age 16. You watch as I age from 25 to 35, which is actually younger than I am now.”
Besides, she got over any anxiety she may have had about playing the mother of a 20-something after she “fell in love with the relationship between mother and son and the closeness and everything that they’re grieving in later episodes.”
Holland, mind you, isn’t the only actor playing Danny Sullivan, who as a young man is arrested for a shocking crime in 1979. The younger version of him is played by Zachary Golinger, with whom Rossum, a real-life mother, really bonded.
“I was so taken with the series and really just loved all my scenes, especially with young Danny,” Rossum said. “Our relationship was so beautiful and so I knew everything that we had that I had lost in the scenes with Tom. [It] was really fun.”
Anyway, this is far from the most unrealistic age gap in TV or movies. When The Graduate was released in 1967, 30-year-old Dustin Hoffman was playing an undergrad collegiate having an affair with his parents’ good friend, played by 35-year-old Anne Bancroft. Then there’s Oliver Stone’s Alexander, in which Angelina Jolie plays Colin Farrell’s mom (one year apart, by the way).
The Crowded Room, which also stars Amanda Seyfried, bows on Apple TV+ on June 9.
Donald Trump is up to his ears in legal woes. Not that the majority of Republicans care. The former president is crushing his GOP opponents in the 2024 primary polls, perhaps in part because he’s finally being held responsible for his alleged crimes. One MAGA lawmaker even thinks the many criminal investigations plaguing him give him “credibility.” Now a former employee is speculating that he might have to accept his third nomination while affixed with an unwanted gizmo.
“He could be wearing an ankle bracelet while accepting the nomination at the Republican convention,” James Comey tells @jrpsaki about Donald Trump.
“You could have a president who is potentially incarcerated when he is elected.”
— Inside with Jen Psaki (@InsideWithPsaki) June 3, 2023
As per Newsweek, James Comey, who served as the director of the FBI from 2013 through 2017 — i.e., for the first year-and-change of Trump’s presidency — went on Jen Psaki’s MSNBC show over the weekend. They discussed, among other investigations, the Department of Justice’s look into his alleged mishandling of government documents. Trump has long maintained his innocence, though last week a smoking gun emerged: a recording of him acknowledging that one document in particular was indeed classified.
At one point, Psaki asked Comey if he could “envision a scenario where Trump manages to win back the White House and justice is delayed.”
“I could, I don’t want to but I could,” Comey replied. “It is this crazy world that Donald Trump has dragged this country into but he could be wearing an ankle bracelet while accepting the nomination at the Republican convention.”
Comey added, “It would be rejected if you put it in a script for a show but you could have a President who is potentially incarcerated when he is elected president, so that would be weird and awkward.
“It seems crazy to even be coming out of my mouth but that is the situation that we face,” he continued. “It looks like the Republicans will likely nominate someone who is under serious criminal investigation, is indicted, who knows where that is going to lead us.”
Comey’s not the first person to acknowledge that Trump may have to campaign after being convicted of a crime (or crimes). Ages ago his good pal Sean Hannity assured viewers that he could still run for president from the slammer.
Taking to Twitter, hip-hop’s favorite Barbie shared that her new project will be released before the year’s end. On social media, Minaj kept it short, writing, “10/20/23. The Album.”
This isn’t the first time Minaj has discussed the upcoming album. “NM5 is the best thing that will come out of 2023 & will raise the bar to new and unreachable heights,” Nicki wrote in a tweet. “NM5 tour will be hailed as ‘genius.’ That’s it & that’s all.”
When the album is released, it will mark Minaj’s first studio album in over five years. The last album she released was Queen in 2018. The album featured singles “Chun-Li,” “Barbie Dreams,” and “FEFE” with 6ix9ine.
Minaj has shared no further details. However, it is safe to assume that her latest singles, “Super Freaky Girl” and “Red Ruby Da Sleeze” will be included in the album’s tracklist.
Warning: This post contains some very well-known spoilers for The White Lotus Season 2.
Jennifer Coolidge’s Tanya McQuoid was such a breakout character on the first season of The White Lotus that creator Mike White brought her back for the second — then had her killed off. She could always return; surely one season could go prequel. But for now consider her dead. Perhaps a similar fate awaits another character — a character who may have played a hand in her demise. If so, Coolidge wants it their end to be very nasty indeed.
During a recent chat with The Bear star Jeremy Allen White for Variety’s Actors on Actors series (as caught by Entertainment Weekly), Coolidge hoped that her on-screen husband Jon Gries gets to return — only so Greg, Tanya’s philandering husband, may get his just desserts.
“My hope for Jon [Gries] is that he’s not finished with Greg,” Coolidge told White. “I hope there’s some comeuppance for evil Greg. I think he should, I don’t know, end up in a meat-grinding machine.”
Towards the end of Season 2, Tanya pieced together that Greg, who’d bailed on their Italy trip for a likely affair, was probably in cahoots with the “gays” who tried (and failed) to kill her so Greg could inherit her fortune. Even though Tanya thwarted her attempted murderers (only to die herself — big body count that season), Greg probably did inherit that fortune. That sets him up for some grisly retribution, and if Coolidge has anything to do with it, his demise could come straight out of Fargo.
Over the weekend The Atlantic published a devastating profile of Chris Licht, who last year made the perhaps unwise decision to go from late night comedy to running the currently spiraling CNN. Its 15,000-word length is positively teeming with dirt, but there was one part that seemed like a positive: Back in 2020 he managed to drop 50 pounds through a combination of exercise and dieting. But it turns out that maybe that’s BS, too.
As per The Daily Mail, multiple sources have told the British rag that it wasn’t just extremely clean living that helped Licht shed pounds. It was also Ozempic, Hollywood’s favorite weight-loss drug. Indeed, one “close friend” of his blabbed that he was an early adopter.
“I heard about Ozempic from Chris,” the pal claimed. “When he was at Colbert he explained that he was a huge fan of it and he’d been using it to get his weight under control. This was back in 2021”
The source said they were “shocked” that Licht attributed the weight loss to a personal trainer and skipping meals. “Puh-lease,” they said, “he told me point blank he uses it.”
In the profile, Licht calls himself a “f*cking machine” for going from 226 pounds to 178. He went further than that: He charged that his CNN predecessor, ousted president Jeff Zucker, “couldn’t do this sh*t.”
“When he mocked the physicality of Jeff it was beyond hypocritical as he lost all of his weight on Ozempic. This was just so offensive,” said two senior staffers in a joint quote. They alleged that Licht had straight-up told them he was on the drug. “I was impressed that he was so open about it as he looks great.”
Upon reading the profile, they quipped that he’s “the Star Jones of CNN,” dragging him for claiming he used diet and exercise. “No sweetie you used a doctor.” They even said he “championed” the drug during editorial meetings.
“Our iconic brand tagline is ‘This is CNN,’ they said. “He should’ve just said ‘’This is Ozempic.’ instead of sh**tting all over Jeff Zucker.”
Vodka is maybe one of the most misunderstood spirits on the shelf these days. For years, decades even, every bartender and spirits “expert” in the West would tell you that vodka was a neutral spirit that was odorless and flavorless (this was never an issue in Central and Eastern Europe or Central Asia, by the way). The gospel was so ingrained in the U.S. that it bordered on a faith that blinded some from seeing what was right in front of them.
I always hated that “odorless/flavorless” descriptor. As someone whose baptism by vodka led me to take spirits seriously as a professional, I knew it wasn’t true. So I’ve spent my life looking for fellow travelers in the vodka world who knew that definition of vodka was pure bullshit. This led me to Ricky Miller, III.
Miller co-founded Carbonadi Vodka and has been spearheading a movement to not only make a killer vodka with a deep flavor profile but educate the average vodka drinker on how deeply flavored the spirit can be. Miller is the sort of champion that vodka needs. He cares deeply about the terroir, process, and presentation of vodka and is elevating the whole category by making one that absolutely slaps as an example.
Before we dive in, let’s get a little context. For years, the TTB (the trade bureau that defines U.S. spirits) classified vodka as a “neutral spirit without distinctive taste.” People took that to mean that a “neutral” spirit must be odorless and flavorless thanks to inaccurate and poor wording. First of all, “neutral spirits” are never flavorless, odorless, or “without distinctive taste.” All spirits are made with water, yeast, and sugar from grains, fruits, vegetables, or even dairy and always have flavors and odors.
Moreover, unaged whiskey is a “neutral spirit.” So is unaged brandy and rum and tequila. “Neutral” has never meant flavorless or odorless, it simply means it hasn’t been altered by other flavoring agents — like oak aging or a ton of other possibilities. Thinking that vodka is odorless and/or flavorless is wildly inaccurate since it’s impossible for it to be. The water, yeast, and sugar in the fermentation will always impart a wide range of flavors. And all of the multiple distillation or filtering processes that you hear some vodkas go through are meant to highlight specific flavors while muting others — but never removing all flavor.
Luckily, Miller knows all of this too, and was kind enough to jump on a call. We talked about making vodka in Italy, the official re-defining of vodka by the U.S. government, and how he likes to drink the good stuff. It’s a very educational conversation that’ll hopefully get you interested in drinking and enjoying the nuances of a great our of vodka. Let’s jump in!
Also Read: The Top Five Cocktail Recipes of the Last Six Months
Let’s start with the grain. Tell us how Carbonadi stands out from the jump.
We’re using organic Winter wheat. Everything’s grown and harvested in Piedmont in North Northwest Italy Right by the French and Swiss borders. So people obviously don’t associate vodka with Italy. But some of the best ingredients in the world are from Italy so it tracked for me to make my vodka there. Plus, I never lead with “organic” just because I’m not pushing it as an “organic product.” I’m really trying to elevate the category and that’s where Italy comes in. And I think I kind of have to be careful with what and how people get attached to the product. I want to push it as elevated Italian vodka and the bonus is that it’s organic too.
Where do the black diamonds come into play?
For some history, before they were called “black diamonds,” they were called “carbonado.” So at first, the vodka was called “Black Diamond Vodka.” But, it kind of came off as a little corny to me. I wanted people to focus more on the function of the carbonado rather than the vanity of the black diamonds. You know, if you Google “diamond-filtered vodka,” you get a bunch of cheesy options online. And usually, they only touch the diamonds and that’s it (for marketing speak) and I didn’t want to go that route. I wanted people to focus more on the science of it. And so we went with Carbonadi because I want people to, you know, really focus on the filtration part of it.
Tell me why the filtration is so important.
So we filter it through these stones — the black diamonds or carbonado — and what they’re doing is extracting impurities from the alcohol that common filtering cannot extract.
What does that mean to the average person though?
So all that really means in terms of the consumers is that it makes the vodka way cleaner than your average vodka. You don’t get that smack in the face of ethanol. And so it’s really mild in that sense and people love it.
But there’s more than just filtering that makes for a smooth vodka. Talk us through what happens to the spirit next.
After filtering, we “micro ox” it, which is infusing specific amounts of oxygen into the spirit. Without getting too technical, this process elongates the molecule so that it’s gliding across the tongue as opposed to poking and burning your senses. We’ve eliminated that as much as possible. I like to imagine it like, ‘Do you want a square wheel going across your tongue or do you want a round wheel going across it?’
So how does that present to the person actually drinking the vodka?
First, visually a glass of Carbonadi will coat the glass like a fine wine. It’s also pleasantly creamy and has a lot of body, the cleanliness and the texture are really what sets it apart. Then it comes through on the palette in the glass.
So let’s talk about the taste of Carbonadi. You have a combination of Italian ingredients, black diamond filtration, micro-oxygenation, and then proofing with Alpine water. What flavor notes are you going for?
For me, I’m not the guy on the machine working the stills. It’s all a taste thing for me. It’s an experience thing. So my distiller will give me like four different options and we’ll taste them, play with them, and then that’s how I’ll decide which distillate will become Carbonadi.
What I’m looking for is that you get more of those florals, herbal, and fruity things that come out of the yeast specifically. The Winter wheat is actually slightly sweeter than the typical wheat that’s often used.
For sure. I’d say you have a good balance of sharp yet sweet mint with a touch of creamy vanilla as the core-tasting touchstone.
I think you’re right, Zach. And look, when I was new to this game, I thought a lot of tasting notes were bullshit. It really just felt like they were all just marketing words like “buttery” and “creamy” because it sounded good but it has nothing to do with the spirit. But now I know better because something like “creamy” is what I’m actually producing in the flavor profile of this vodka, man.
Then when you’re talking about the mint part of it, I love that too. That’s a note that’s consistently being called out by people who are pretty sophisticated tasters and I can always find that too.
With brown spirits truly having a moment right now, what has been your biggest hurdle in getting people interested in vodka again?
I feel like with vodka right now, it’s a huge uphill battle, especially with knowledge. You know, the whole “neutral” thing, which we already touched on.
Also, I feel like part of the propaganda of both brandy and whiskey is that ‘if it’s not aged, it should be cheap.’ That is a huge misconception because the grain, the fermentation with yeast, the water, the whole process isn’t cheap, man. The distillation process, the filtering, the proofing like all of that costs the exact same amount of money in whiskey and brandy as it does in vodka. It’s the exact same process at the end of the day. I know we’re not aging our distillation, but the biggest expensive processes are done by then. So that makes it the biggest hurdle for the consumer in understanding our product — just helping people understand the price and the quality they’re getting for that amount of money.
One thing that I love that you’re doing is breaking down the idea that “neutral” means “odorless” and “tasteless” when talking about vodka. The idea that vodka doesn’t have any flavor notes is so wildly inaccurate.
You know, we talk to bartenders and they always talk about how vodka is an “odorless, tasteless, neutral spirit.” And I’m like, “No, we really have distinct characteristics in our spirit, and all spirits do.”
And then during the pandemic, the TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) finally and very quietly changed the definition of vodka by removing the phrase “a spirit without a distinctive taste” which was such a dumb definition. I was like, “Man, fucking awesome!” That definition was the bane of my existence for so long.
Dude as a long-time vodka snob, it was mine too. It was a Sisyphean task convincing people of the beauty of nuanced vodka.
Same. I just thought it was a very archaic way of like to look at it. And it was just a poor word choice because neutral doesn’t mean flavorless. You know, when your cars are neutral, it’s still running.
Exactly. A white dog or moonshine is a neutral grain spirit that’s whiskey. So unaged whiskey is neutral and, obviously, people have a million tasting notes for that and would never call it odorless or tasteless even though it’s “neutral” — it was wildly stupid that vodka got pigeon-holed that way, man.
Yup. With my vodka, we’re still dealing with a yeast-driven grain product. There are going to be flavors in there, right? And I find that interesting in that you can sort of go multiple ways then because you have flavors that you can build up, build off of, that you can remove, or you can have flavors that you just enjoy.
So let’s wrap up by talking about how you actually like to drink your vodka.
If I’m at home and I have access to whatever I need, I keep it in the freezer and I drink it neat with anything citrus. That’s all I need.
Nice. Simple. Tasty. Something I try to tackle as well as using good ingredients when making cocktails. Like, you don’t want to use shitty wine when cooking food. It’ll taste like that shitty wine. No one wants that!
Exactly!
So, I like using great spirits for great cocktails. What’s your go-to when you do make a cocktail with Carbonadi?
So the signature martini is a Black Diamond Martini which is extra dry. A tiny amount of dry vermouth and the oils from the lemon peel — just very, very simple. I dig the lemon because, for me, it ties into the lemon culture in Italy. It just all makes sense to me and to the taste of the vodka.
Name a better road trip snack than a bag of Cheez-Its. Go on, we’ll wait. Nothing right? Cheez-It’s are great, they scratch that itch for salty cheesy snacks as good as anything else, but have complexity and dimension to them that Cheetos and Takis don’t have. And now, for just one week, people in Southern California have a chance to visit the world’s “cheesiest roadside attraction,” the Cheez-It Stop.
Located on Twentynine Palms Highway in the Joshua Tree area, The Cheez-It Stop is equipped with the Cheez-It pump, a gas-pump style Cheez-It dispenser that no one asked for but now some weird rich Cheez-It obsessive will definitely want in their home, a merch store with all sorts of Cheez-It inspired t-shirts, shot glasses, and postcards, and best of all, a selection of some of the hardest to track down Cheez-It flavors, like hot and spicy, bacon, and Cheddar Douz.
Katie Gardner
Sure, it caters to Cheez-It fans and pretty much no one else, but it’s the sort of weird and fun stop that works to energize you after a long and grueling drive, whether you’re on your way to Los Angeles, San Diego, or Joshua Tree and Palm Springs, and will serve as the perfect backdrop for their strangest social media post you’ll ever make.
If you’re not in it for the photo and content-generation opportunities, do it for those salty smokey Bacon Cheez-Its.
The Cheez-It stop is open from today until Sunday, June 11th, between the hours of 10 AM – 6 PM and is located at 61943 Twentynine Palms Highway in Joshua Tree. Take some mushrooms, chill out in the desert, and go to the Cheez-It stop for snacks later, it’ll be the weirdest day of your life.
It’s June, which means we have six months remaining this year. Seriously though…don’t ask us where the time has gone because we don’t know either. Hopefully you’ve made use of the first half of the year with some exciting travel plans, maybe hitting up some chill spots in Cabo or hiking through some of the country’s most scenic national parks during the spring blooms. Or maybe you’ve opted to experience more of the nightlife and culinary scenes this year and made it to Coachella – or better yet, the exclusive Coachella after parties – or some of this year’s craft beer festivals to down a couple of pints or…
You get the idea. There are endless opportunities out there for intrepid travelers. But no matter what you decide to do, there’s nothing better than saving some money when you hit the road. While traveling is indeed a privilege, the idea that travel has to cost a lot of cash is slowly becoming a thing of the past. In fact, some of the most memorable adventures require the least amount of money.
As someone who’s already boarded more than two dozen flights this year for some awesome adventures and serious smoke sessions, I’m excited to share my budget travel secrets with you. If you’re thinking of booking something soon, just know that the universe is on your side this summer — even Joe Biden wants us all to succeed in our travel plans, making it easier than ever to book that flight and ensure passengers are protected from airline inconsistencies. Now, let Uproxx help you protect your wallet!
1) Pack Your Own Snacks
UNSPLASH
We all gotta eat, so why not pack some snacks? This not only is a budget travel hack but also a time-saving hack. After begrudgingly getting through the pains of security (unless of course, you’re a step ahead of the rest with TSA Pre-Check or CLEAR), you’re always blasted with an array of food and drink options. Starbucks over the right, maybe a TGI Friday’s to the left, and all around you see little airport versions of convenience stores. But let’s be honest here — you’re definitely paying for the convenience. Even a pack of gum is priced double or triple the price you’d pay at a regular store.
Not only that, but you also have to factor in this time waiting in line to checkout or wait for your food.
If you know you’re one to always buy some snacks at the airport before your flight, hit your favorite store the day before, and bring a little bag in your carry-on or personal item. This goes for water as well. I never travel without my reusable water bottle. Empty it before you go through security, and then refill it at a free water refill station within the airport.
BOTTOM LINE:
No more $5 plastic water bottles? That’s a win for the environment and your wallet.
2) Exchange Local Currency With Your Bank
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Most of us know to never exchange currency at the airport. Okay, got it. But did you know that you’re still paying some amount of an exchange fee when exchanging currency abroad? If you’re able to plan two weeks before your trip, head to your local bank. You can directly exchange any amount of U.S. dollars for the local currency of your destination without any fees whatsoever.
Let’s say you want to spend $500 cash while on your trip to Costa Rica. Your bank can directly pull $500 out of your bank account and order the same amount in colones. This has always been an extremely seamless process for all my international travels when I know I want to spend a specific amount of money and stay within my budget, without any fees. Just make sure to do this at least 10 days in advance so your bank has enough time to order the currency and you can pick it up in time for your departure.
BOTTOM LINE:
Fees suck. Beat them with some planning.
3) Pack Light…Seriously
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I’m still trying my best at this one, but after my recent travels to Spain, I can see why this is a huge budget travel hack. First and foremost, packing light allows you to completely avoid any unexpected overweight or oversized baggage fees. I can’t even count the number of times I’ve been nervously looking at the scale when hauling my big checked suitcase to the airline counter and then dreading when the scale says it’s over 50 lbs. Seriously, did I really need to pack five pairs of shoes?
It’s even better if you can pack strategically and avoid paying for a checked bag altogether and zip through your travels with a small, carry-on suitcase. Many airlines – including Alaska, Hawaiian, Delta, American, and Frontier – allow passengers one free carry-on in addition to a personal item. More money and time saved.
BOTTOM LINE:
It’s the oldest hack on earth but also… maybe try it sometime?
4) Ditch The International Phone Plan For Free WiFi
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There are definitely pros and cons when it comes to getting an international phone plan or SIM card. Sure, you can stay connected while gawking with hundreds of others at the Mona Lisa or whilst partying until 7 am at a nightclub in Ibiza, but to me, that takes away from the present moment. As someone who admits they spend too much time on their phone, I use travel as an opportunity to drop more into the present moment and enjoy the scenes around me while also avoiding any international phone charges. With more international travelers jet-setting around the world and the need for equal access to the internet, many restaurants, bars, cafes, and museums usually offer free wifi to patrons. So yes, I’ll sip my mid-day cappuccino on the streets of Barcelona, connect to wifi to update friends and family, and (maybe) check my email, but once I’m out and about, I find that dropping into the present moment makes the trip that much more special.
For navigation, you can download the Google map of your destination beforehand. As for translating, you can also download languages on Google Translate to use when you’re out of service as well.
BOTTOM LINE:
Do you really need all the accessibility you like to think you need? Do you? DO YOU?
5) Travel Like A Local
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Uber and Lyft might automatically be the easiest and cheapest option to take on cities in the U.S., but that’s not the case in most international cities. Unlike the U.S., many cities – particularly in Europe – have fantastic public transportation systems that cost a mere couple of dollars. Ever wonder how people backpack Europe without breaking the bank? The Eurail stretches through 33 European countries allowing you to breeze through cities and international countries on a cheap budget. If you plan on staying in one city for a couple of days, there are amazing deals for weekly metro passes all across Europe, including in the cities of Barcelona, Berlin, Copenhagen, London, Paris, and more.
BOTTOM LINE:
Get to know the local way of life by using the local mode of transport. It’s easy.
6) Ditch The Hotel For A Hostel Or House
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Okay, if you’ve ever watched the movie Hostel, I could understand your concerns when it comes to staying in one. But don’t allow a fictional horror movie to prevent you from saving some big bucks on your travels. In my opinion, the whole point of travel is to meet and connect with new people. Hostels can cost a lot of money, especially if you’re someone who plans last minute. Many cities throughout the United States and the world boast incredible hostels that allow you to meet fellow travelers and source a community of like-minded people. Not up for bunking?
A lot of hostels offer private rooms that are still cheaper than many hotel rooms. Additionally, if you’re someone who likes to stay in one place for an extended period of time, sourcing housing on Airbnb can be an ultimate budget travel hack. Oftentimes, Airbnb hosts offer extended stay discounts, sometimes up to 50% if you stay a whole month.
BOTTOM LINE:
Hotels are great! But if you’re on a budget, consider treating them like a splurge.
7) Use A VPN When Booking Flights & Hotels
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Most of us have heard the budget travel hack of booking flights on a Tuesday or Wednesday to get the cheapest flight prices. The same is true for travel days, with Wednesdays and Thursdays boasting usually cheaper flight prices. But did you know that using a Virtual Private Network (VPN) when booking flights can further save you money? Believe it or not, flight prices vary depending on the country that you’re located in. Airlines and travel booking websites use dynamic pricing that changes depending on factors, including your IP address and location, purchase history, demand and supply, and more.
Yes, it is weird and basically makes no sense. But by using a VPN, you can change your IP address to a different zip code and location which can show different prices. Especially in the United States where companies love to scrape as many pennies out of you as possible, setting your location to cities in Turkey, Spain, and Indonesia could save you up to hundreds of dollars when booking international flights and hotels.
Don’t want to use or have access to a VPN? You can search for flights and hotels using an incognito window for similar results.
BOTTOM LINE:
This hack is up for debate, but we’ve had success with it and many travel writers report the same!
8) Use Your Student ID… Forever
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Maybe that $80K piece of paper hanging on your wall isn’t the only thing you took away from college. Do you have your student ID still laying around and you’re under the age of 35? You can save some money by using your old college student ID to get student discounts on dozens of various bookings and attractions, including museums, art galleries, train tickets, and more. If you’re worried about being too old to look like you’re still in college, don’t. Hurray for graduate school!
Don’t have your student ID? Over 60 million people across North America do have AAA and forget that it comes with many travel discounts on hotels, rental cars, and even flights.
BOTTOM LINE:
College is going to keep you in debt for decades. At least let it get you a few deals in the meantime.
9) Limit Your Alcohol
UNSPLASH
I know, I know. You’re in a new city or country and you’re there to celebrate! However, as someone who already doesn’t drink a lot of alcohol, I’ve realized there’s more money left in my bank account than my travel companions who regularly order alcoholic beverages when eating out. Think about it: when going out to eat, even one or two alcoholic drinks can increase your bill significantly. Hydration is key when traveling, and alcohol dehydrates you. I always opt for a free glass of water for every meal and have made ordering a glass of wine or alcoholic drink before or after dinner a special occasion. You can even dazzle up your glass of water by putting it in a wine or champagne glass for a fancy aesthetic.
BOTTOM LINE:
Pick your party nights with your budget in mind and you might also miss a few hangovers!
10) Book Accommodations With Free Breakfast & Cook Meals
UNSPLASH
When traveling, you have to account for three meals a day without your usual kitchen setup. Of course, booking a hostel, hotel, or Airbnb with a kitchen to cook your own meals can help save you loads of money to prevent you from eating out all day. What’s even better is booking accommodations that serve up free breakfast. Here’s where you can fill up for the day ahead and even pocket some packaged muffins to snack on later. Now you can lightly snack for lunch hour and focus on sourcing a delicious, local, and authentic meal for dinner.
BOTTOM LINE:
Eat baseline meals that you cook (cheaply) and then go try the local fare when you’re already half-full!
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