How to find Cheap Accommodation when You Travel. Accommodation is one of the biggest fixed costs travelers have and reducing that cost can lead to big savings Im sure many backpackers would sleep in a barn if it was the cheapest accommodation they could find No matter what your accommodation tastes may be, one thing everyone has in common is that no one wants to pay a fortune for it. In fact, one of the best ways to take a cheap holiday is to cut down on accommodation costs. Since you have to stay somewhere every night, reducing this expense can save you a lot of money off the total cost of your trip. Next to finding a cheap flight, finding free or inexpensive lodging will have the biggest impact on your budget. Luckily, there are a number of ways travelers can find a decent place to stay without forking over their entire vacation fund Hospitality Exchanges. One of the best ways to get free accommodation is by staying with someone who lives where youre going. Workaway and Helpx are websites that connect volunteers and hosts to participate in work exchanges. It can be an amazing experience for the right person. Get to know the amazing humans that make the Farmhouse Kitchen thrive. Meet the staff and learn their stories and how their journeys led them to the same place. Volunteer work in exchange for free accommodation and food bed and board in Australia, New Zealand and Europe on farms, backpacker hostels, lodges and other properties. If you think that you cant afford to travel the world, finding a job on the road may be just the ticket. Travels wonderful, sure, but little things like food. Stay with a local who will give you a free place to rest your head, local information, and someone to hang out with There are a few websites that make this happen Couchsurfing. Global Freeloaders. Hospitality Club. Stay. 4Free. Couchsurfing is my favorite. The goal of the site is to help travelers not only save money on accommodation but also learn about the local culture by being able to stay and interact with a local. Programs Similar To Wwoofing' title='Programs Similar To Wwoofing' />I use this site all the time, and I think its one of the greatest things to happen in travel. While I love the fact I can get out of hostels and hotels and save money, what draws me to the site over and over again is that I get to see the local side of a city. I get taken to parties, and restaurants, and sites that arent in any guidebook. A lot of times, people are scared to couchsurf because they wonder if its safe. I was nervous about it at first, too. Programs Similar To Wwoofing' title='Programs Similar To Wwoofing' />There you are, in a new city, with all your stuff in a strangers home. What if they try to murder you in your sleep What if they steal your stuff However, Ive found that people who are willing to open their homes to strangers tend to be very open minded people, and are also usually former travelers. They know what you are going through. They want to help. Couchsurfing is aware of this and take many steps to provide security. It offers various levels of verification and allows users to rate and leave comments on peoples profiles. When I am looking for a Couchsurfing host, I use the following criteria There has to be a picture with the profile. WWOOFing-around-the-world-Budget-Travel-1080x612.jpg' alt='Programs Similar To Wwoofing' title='Programs Similar To Wwoofing' />Please be sure to review the terms and conditions of your WWOOF Japan membership. Your login will proceed once you have clicked the link I agree with these rules at. This just shows me that its a real person. The profile has to be filled out It shows they are interested and involved. Most people arent going to spend the time to fill this out if they arent going to be comfortable with strangers in their home. If someone hasnt bothered to fill out the profile, they probably dont use the site and I simply move on. They should have reviews If other people have stayed with or have at least traveled with the host and had a good experience, you and your stuff will probably be fine. You might not get along with the host but at least you know they arent a creep. The more positive reviews, the better. Verification helps Couchsurfing offers different levels of verification. People can be verified by other travelers, with a mailing address, or with a credit card. Knowing that a person has been verified reduces the likelihood that they are going to be a crazy psycho killer. However, if someone isnt verified but has a lot of reviews, thats O. K. with me. No matter what, you need to use your own judgment but I havent heard of any really bad couchsurfing experiences, besides the host being a jerk or a little anti social. Usually, you end up talking with hosts over e mail to get a feel for them and what they expect. If it doesnt seem right, dont do it But once you couchsurf for the first time, you see that it really isnt that bad. If you do it frequently, youll end up saving hundreds upon hundreds of dollars on accommodation and making friends around the world. Hostels. Hostels are another option for budget travelers. In hostels, rooms are dormitory style with all the facilities shared. Many people think of hostels as a young thing and are not interested in sleeping in a dormitory. Yet people do not often realize that many hostels offer small rooms, singles, and doubles designed for solo travelers or couples. I have met people in hostels in their 5. The myth they are dirty, gross places to stay designed for young people is wrong. Many hostels offer more amenities than hotels, the new ones are really clean, and as young people expect more comfort, hostels are cleaning up their ways. These arent the hostels you see in movies. I think hostel dorms are the best value for budget travelers. The bigger the room, the cheaper the cost. Yes, you have to share a room with a lot of people, but if you are on a budget, it is your best way to save money. If you are traveling in a group, you could get one of the dorms for your entire group and not have to share with strangers. While many hostels are geared toward young travelers, and set age limits, some of the bigger international chains such as YHA and Hostelling International focus more on older or group travelers. But Ive seen families, tour groups, and older travelers in hostels all over the world. A hostel is really for anyone who wants to meet other travelers, regardless of age. Hostels are safe, secure, and cheap. Dont overlook them even if youre not part of the young backpacker set. My favorite hostel booking website is Hostelworld. They have the best inventory, deals, and interface. Home Exchange. Another good way to get cheap accommodation is a home exchange program. This probably works best for older travelers who already own a home. These programs have been around for a long time but are growing in popularity due to good marketing and word of mouth on the Internet. Home exchanges are just like they sound for a set amount of time, you swap homes with a family from another country. Its a great way to live cheaply abroad. Most people dont do this because they worry about security but remember that the other family is trusting you with their home, too. Sites that facilitate home exchanges usually have various levels of verification and security similar to Couchsurfing. Families talk to each other over phone and e mail, and theres no commitment if you find that its not right for you. Most people who do this are like minded, so the chances of something going wrong are slim. Moreover, the family sends a few people to check up on you when you arrive. You can get all the comforts of home hot water, laundry, etc. For more information on home exchange, check out Home Exchange. This website was featured in the movie The Holiday, which did a lot to alleviate peoples fears over home exchange and bring this travel option into the mainstream. Some of the other home exchange websites are Seniors Home Exchange, IHEN, and Home for Exchange. If swapping homes isnt your thing, then consider house sitting as an alternative. In exchange for watching and cleaning someones home while they are away, youll get a place to stay in the area you are visiting. Good house sitting sites include Mind My House, House Carers, Luxury House Sitting. Short Term Rentals. Similar to home exchanges, rentals allow people to stay in furnished apartments while traveling. Tools to Help You Travel Forever and Live Rent Free. Your information will neverbe shared or sold to a 3rd party. Promise. So youve decided to do it. You have a friend or family member who can store your belongings for an undetermined period of time, youve tied up loose ends, and your bags are packed. Its time to start traveling long term But now what You have a few family members and distant friends who have offered up a couch if youre in their neck of the woods, but surely they wont appreciate your arrival on their doorstep with no planned departure date in sight. Vlc Media Player For Blackberry 9800 more. How then, do you travel long term and not run out of money, while staying safeHotels are expensive over time, and finding rental accommodation in every city you visit is impractical. Heck you dont even want to pay rent at all Hostels are a great option as they are much cheaper and its a great place to meet others on the road. Space Available in transition FlickrHere are eight handy resources to help you get started on your long term travel adventure Caretakers Gazettehttp www. By joining this service annual membership is approximately US3. The opportunities vary widely in scope from ranch hands, to organic farm workers, campground hosting, motel management, nursing for the elderly, to just plain house sitting. Locales for your next potential gig could be anywhere in the world, from numerous U. S. locations, to Australia, to Europe and even Micronesia. Some are paying opportunities, while others are simply work trade arrangements for accommodation. Others yet will supply an additional stipend depending on your experience and the work entailed. This is what TIME Magazine had to say about the Caretakers Gazette. Woofinghttp wwoof. WWOOF is an acronym for a number of different phrases, the most apt of which in my mind is World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. It is an international organization located in over 7. Required services include basic garden and farm maintenance, as well as cooking, teaching, caring for children, and handy work. There is usually some work suitable for anybody willing to adopt this lifestyle. Whilst surfing Wwoofing opportunities, you will likely also find links to volunteer organizations, and other similar work exchange opportunities. Its a great way to gain valuable experience, friendships, and to cover your living expenses in a constructive manner. Most countries require a subscription to gain access to their full listings and contact information of the hosts, and the subscription prices vary from area to area but are not over priced for the value received. House Carershttps www. If you are happy to spend your vacation house sitting for somebody else, you may find the right opportunity here. You will find lists upon lists of people requesting house sitters for periods of time from a few days to a few months, anywhere in the world. In many cases there are a few hoops to jump through in order to gain the opportunity with liability and bonding issues, and already living or traveling in the same country carries an added advantage. You can choose from the limited free membership options or the full US4. Organic Volunteershttp www. Much like Caretakers Gazette and woofing, you will find many worldwide opportunities to proverbially pick blueberries for a living. The prospects arent limited to organic farms though you will find hostel management jobs, artist retreat internships, in addition to various agricultural and permaculture settings. For US2. 0year, membership will help you gain access to many great listings and a user friendly system of contacting hosts and searching for opportunities. Full house Hamed Saber. Couch Surfinghttp www. Couch Surfers are a network of people who are willing to open up their homes and hearts to frugal travelers, as well as be those travelers when they are not hosting guests. The site prides itself on referrals and having only high quality members, and has a comprehensive program in place to ensure the safety of both traveler and host. But as with any chance to stay at a strangers place for free, a prudent amount of caution should be exercised. Global Freeloadershttp www. Similar to Couch Surfing, Global Freeloaders is a cultural exchange program for hosts and travelers. Registration is free, but members are required to be able to host as well as travel, so unless you expect to be able to offer up your digs as a host within six months of signing up, you are politely requested to wait. Servashttp servas. This is the original Couch Surfers and Global Freeloaders. Servas meaning serve in Esperanto, is a non profit non denominational non ethnic organization of good will and cultural exchanges. Its been around for at least 5. United Nations. In addition to being a network to connect people and places, volunteers around the world work in relief camps and advocate for peace through various projects. Hosts offer their homes and dinner tables for two nights or more, at the discretion of the host to travelers who contact them and who meet with their approval. Travelers must go through an exhaustive process which includes an in person interview before being accepted to the program, as a way of screening for quality candidates. Once travelers are interviewed and accepted into the program, they are given printed lists or booklets of the hosts in their destination country Servas is moving towards an online platform, but is not there yet. There are also membership fees which vary from country to country. Hospitality Clubhttp www. Free to join and internet based, it appears to be the Servas of the online world. It is kept safe through a series of passport checks and online feedback systems with checks and balances. These are just a few opportunities in the world of long term travel, as you will discover with a little research. I dont vouch for any of the services or programs, and a healthy amount of caution should always be exercised when accepting hospitality from strangers. However I think Servas says it best when they say We are all friends. We just havent met yet.