How and Why You Should Become a Travel Hack

Anyone who is a writer will tell you that being called a ‘hack’ is no compliment, but I’m proud to say that I’ve been a hack for years – a Travel Hacker, that is. Which is a very, very good thing if you like to get the most bang for your travel buck. After all, who doesn’t like saving money if it means you can travel more?

But if this is the first time you’re hearing the expression, and are wondering what it’s all about, have I got the book for you: Travel Hacking for Canadians.

No, it’s not the latest thing the kids are doing, or a borderline illegal activity perpetrated by computer geniuses/criminals. Travel hacking is just a catchy new name that basically means doing a lot of pre-travel homework in order to save money. It means poring over multiple websites to find the cheapest flights or accommodation, learning how best to place a ‘blind bid’ to save on hotel rates, comparing offers and fees to get the most from a travel reward credit card, etc. etc. etc. It’s not rocket science and anyone can do it, but it does take a lot of time.

The good news is that you don’t have to spend your time researching all of this, because Steven Zussino has done it for you, in his book Travel Hacking for Canadians.

Zussino reached out to me requesting a review of his book, and after reading through it, I can honestly say that I found a lot of reasons to like this book, and a lot of familiar resources that I use all the time myself. (In fact, this book could have saved me tons of time if it had been written a few years ago, which may be my only criticism of it!) So unless you like to spend more money than you have to when you travel, here are 3 reasons why you should read this book, too:

1. This book is specifically for Canadians. Hurray! Finally, someone has put together information that is relevant for those of us who live north of the 49th. Because unfortunately, most of the travel hacking advice on the web and via other travel bloggers is more applicable to Americans than to those of us from other countries. In the States there are more options for credit cards, more options for airlines, and more options to take advantage of sign-up bonuses, hotel rewards, etc. For anyone who’s ever watched the US show, Extreme Couponing, we all know that some of the rules are different up here, and this book finally addresses that.

2. Credit Card Comparisons. Evaluating travel reward credit cards can be confusing, second only to comparing mobile phone packages from our fabulous national telcos. Fortunately, Zussino’s book does a good job of outlining the different cards available when it comes to travel rewards, whether that means flights or accommodation or both, with pros and cons clearly summarized for each card. I can tell you from experience that these summaries are accurate and helpful, having done the same research myself years ago before choosing my credit card. In fact, he validated not only why I chose my card, but also reminded me of some of the insurance benefits I had forgotten about! Save yourself a ton of time by reading what he has to say, and then, based on your own travel habits or preferences, the choice will become much clearer as to which is the right card for you.

3. Smart strategies for ‘Blind Auctions’. Not only does Zussino list and describe some of the major online sites for finding accommodation at the best possible price, but he also outlines strategies for you to hack otherwise ‘blind’ auction sites such as Priceline and Hotwire. While nothing is foolproof, the tips he provides certainly help you to understand the kind of hotel you can expect in the big ‘reveal’ should you go this route. Equally importantly, he highlights the restrictions for each website: especially helpful was his advice to check, re-check and check again the dates while you are booking, since this info has a tendency to ‘slip’ from one screen to the next. Since many of these accommodation discount sites offer no-change, no-refund policies, you don’t want to find the perfect deal for a hotel two months after you are going to be there. Zussino has spent the time reading each site’s fine print for you, so this time-saver alone makes it worth the read.

No review would be complete, however, without a little constructive criticism, and here’s mine: for the avid Cruiser, this section in the book is a little thin, especially when it comes to Zussino’s list of discount cruise websites. And speaking of websites, the images used throughout the book to illustrate his research are tiny and hard to read, and could have been larger. (Of course, this might just mean it’s time to get a stronger prescription for my reading glasses – or better yet, actually put them on.)

Putting these minor points aside, Travel Hacking for Canadians gets my thumbs up as a good resource to consult whether you travel once a year or once a month. Time is money, and this book can save you both. 

MY FINAL TIP?  Get the book sooner rather than later, since offers and websites change often, and you’ll want to take advantage of some of these while you can. Here’s how you can get this book in your hands now so you can start hacking for yourself:

Click here to view Travel Hacking for Canadians