This week, I finally obtained a Twitter account. I know I am a little (read: seven years) behind the rest of the world, but for a long time I was morally opposed. I just don’t think people need to read every little thought that pops into my head, and therefore stayed away from Twitter.

All this time, however, I was looking at this the wrong way: I shouldn’t use Twitter like a social media site (ex. Facebook), I should use it like an RSS feed, following people and news organizations that interest me and use their tweets the same way I would read the newspaper. A journalist’s dream (although I still buy the paper too), an endless supply of news, at the moment it happens. This in mind, I have modest account and I am following a bunch of people that are interesting, and if you’re food, travel, and news–minded like I am, you should also be interested in what these people and organizations are saying.

Anthony Bourdain– My food idol. Someone who came from hard knocks to make it in the industry.  I loved “No Reservations” when it was still on the Travel Channel, and read “Kitchen Confidential.” I love how sarcastic he is, and reminds me of my home city of New York.

BostonFoodTruck – Food trucks are cornerstones for cheap, delicious eats, and thankfully, the trend doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Following food truck news on Twitter is perfect for running around looking for unique cheap eats.

hiddenboston    – The Twitter account of Boston’s Hidden Restaurants, a website that features off–the–beaten–path type places to eat in Boston.  Being obessed with finding gems in unexpected places, I love to stay up to date on great places to eat around town.

Zagat  – The authority on food, always good to keep your finger on the pulse of food in general, not just cheap eats.  I have found some of my favorite food steals at higher–end joints.

Seth Kugel  – Kugel is the man behind The Frugal Traveler blog that I love, so it’s only natural to also follow his Twitter.

Lonely Planet – A great travel authority, very much to me The New York Times of the travel book world. They use Twitter to retweet the best in travel, acting as a forum for travelers worldwide.

Fodor’s Travel – I have a few of their travel books, and I love them.  They are a travel authority, much like Lonely Planet.   Just a great company to follow if you have an interest in travel.

Tripologist – Their twitter description says, “designed to help you travel the world and see unique places on a backpacker’s budget.” That is my life philosophy, so I love to see what they are tweeting about and put it in my memory bank for a time when I can travel.

GlobalPost – To be a frugal traveler, or any traveler, for that matter, it is important to stay up to date on world issues. Being global isn’t just an activity, but a way of life.  My love for learning about other countries does not end when I return home, but continues always, and Global Post does a great job of covering world wide news, so their Twitter is a great thing to follow. GP can somehow still afford to keep correspondents overseas, so the tweets are straight from the source.

The New York Times – Growing up in NYC and dreaming of being a journalist, The New York Times has always been mecca to me.  A must-follow for some of the best journalism the world has to offer.

Now, I’m not saying that everyone should follow all of these, but they are certanly great ways to stay involved in the food and travel worlds and stay abreast of cheap ways to live full lives exploring the world and eating everything in sight.

-L