A travel aficionado by heart, you have dreams of cruising around the world and exploring the weirdest of places to satiate your thirst for travel and adventure. The first thing that prevents you from taking the big, luring step is the financial concern, the major part hitting your pocket being accommodation expenses. But who said you have to be a Bill Gates or a Warren Buffet to travel the world? Believe it or not, but there is no dearth of cheap accommodation options and even places where you get to rest your head without shelling out a penny from your pocket. In fact, such billionaires too would advise you to curtail on your expenses to be rich, in this case enjoy traveling without ending up in bankruptcy. So check out some ways in which you can actually stay in places for free.

1. House Sitting

If you have proved yourself a pro in keeping your own house prim & proper and are comfortable having pets around, house sitting is one of the most convenient and enjoyable accommodation options for free. Imagine this- you will have a whole house to yourself with all things in place, a well-equipped kitchen, a bedroom with a comfy bed and depending on the location an awesome view as well. And if you love pets, well, that is an added attraction for you since most house sitting opportunities come with pet sitting as well. All you need to do is keep your commitment of looking after the house and pets well while the owners are away and of course not damaging anything in it. You can make yourself available through house care websites whereby owners will contact you for the same.

2. Couchsurfing

How about mingling with the locals of a place and reveling in the local bonhomie? Couchsurfing, as the term goes allows you to stay with locals and spend nights on couches, mattresses, attics or small beds whereby you get to meet new people, know their culture, take them as your guide on trips and create unforgettable memories of your travel. You just require registering yourself with a Couchsurfing organization, check reviews of accommodations proffered by hosts around the world and gear up for a great experience with the locals.

3. Friends and relatives

Needless to say, trips to foreign lands can turn out even more exciting and affordable if you have friends and relatives residing there. While you can get to stay without spending a penny it also gives you the opportunity to catch up with old buddies and dear ones. Be sure to take a small token of gratitude for the host though and enjoy the places you have always dreamt of exploring without having to think about accommodation expenses.

4. Camping

If you are an adventure enthusiast what better way to get up close and personal with Mother Nature than camping amidst her bountiful lap? Camping is a great opportunity to feel nature’s serene presence and fill your senses with the enigma of the cryptic and captivating things around. Pick out an area that allows you to camp without much hassle such as National Forests, beaches, free camping grounds at local parks and the like and set up your tent to spend the night.

5. House Swapping

This option goes like this- you are contemplating on visiting a beautiful place but tight on budget and really do not wish to have someone intervening into your privacy like the couchsurfing alternative. Register to sites like Home Exchange and swap your home with someone in the particular city who wishes to visit your place at the same time. You may feel a bit daunted about letting strangers stay in your home in the beginning but the trust is mutual and the other family too relies on you of keeping their home safe while they stay at yours.

6. Labor for Accommodation

Nothing in this world comes absolutely free of cost but when you have a place to stay and regular meals without having to take out a shilling from your pocket you would not mind doing something in exchange. There is no dearth of organizations and programs wherein you can enroll to offer your labor in lieu of getting accommodation free of cost or for a meager charge. The Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, Workaway and HelpX are some of the programs through which you can spend your time working on a farm, looking after horses and doing other domestic chores to obtain free stays.

7. Point Usage at Hotels

Keep track of all your hotel cards meticulously, there will come a day when all those points you collected will earn you a free stay. Make the most of your frequent flier miles and your credit or debit card sign up deals to obtain free stays at three to five star hotels. You could win 2 to three free night stays at top-notch hotels along with free points to enjoy other luxuries.

8. Blogs

Once you establish your travel blog, you will start getting requests for complimentary stays from hotels, booking sites, etc., You’ll get a free stay so long as you write about it. Whatever you write is still your choice. The idea is to always be truthful to your readers, have a disclaimer saying it was a free stay. This will ensure sustainability of your blog. Get started already!

9. Public Places

If you have been weary of traveling too much or going crazy thinking about the amount of money you have to spend on hotel rooms in case of cancelled flights or trains, opt for sleeping at transportation terminals. They come equipped with bathrooms and food and will enable you to sleep the night in comfort. Many of these have WiFi facilities as well and you can keep yourself updated with your work. Think Tom Hanks in ‘The Terminal’!

10. Employment Place

For those working with companies which have offices in various parts of the world one good way to get lodging free of cost is putting up at the company guest house or affiliated hotels. These are mostly luxurious ones and offer you all amenities and a pleasurable stay without being charged for anything.

So now that you know that travel does not mean having to splurge on accommodation, go forth and enjoy your trips opting for each of these options to save on at least one part.

Satarupa

Satarupa is a chatterbox always on the move. While Amritsar is her personal favorite, she aspires to visit any place that can be romantic! A word-monger addicted to all things travel and to the awesome food she gets to lick on each trip.