10 ways to Travel for Free and Get Free Accommodation

In this post, I’m going to share with you how you can get free accommodation and travel for free! Yeah, you heard me. FREE. LIke $0.00. Like you don’t need no discount code because it’s freeeeeeeeee.

Have you ever looked at travel bloggers on Instagram and YouTube and wonder how the hell they afford to travel? To become instafamous, they had to spend their money travel before they got paid for it, so how did they do it? Even normal people seem to be able to do extended travel, if you ever looked up #backpackers you’ll see tons of people doing the damn thing.

So how does everyone afford to do it?

Let’s be real, even if you follow these tips to travel cheap without feeling poor, when you’re traveling for an extended time (and have no income coming in) money can run out real quick.

Oh man, nothing can prepare you for that feeling you get seeing the number in your bank account continually decrease. It can fill you with so much anxiety you’ll want to call it quits, just go home and get a job like everyone insists you should. Don’t do it!

This post will show you how to get free accommodation to travel for free! You’ll save tons of money and keep traveling! Trust me, you’d be surprised at just how many ways AND how easy it is to travel for free/cheap. You should also check out this post on 40+ travel hacks to save money on travel which will help you save hundreds!

Accommodation is the second most expensive part of traveling after your flights . You need a place to sleep, so many people think this is a non-negotiable cost. But that ain’t true. There are a bunch of ways to get your accommodation completely FREE.

Read More: How to get the Cheapest Flights to ANYWHERE

Some of these tips will take you out of your comfort zone and you may be apprehensive about trying them but don’t let fear stop you from saving those dollaz.

“Everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear.”

I love that quote, don’t you? Let’s get to it.

10 ways to get Free accommodation to Travel for FREE

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1. Couch Surfing

I’m sure you’ve heard of this one before but never actually considered using it. I know I never did and always thought it was some crazy scam where you’d end up dead or taken. Couchsurfing.com has been around for YEARS y’all. And I’m pretty sure they would’ve been shut down by now if it wasn’t a legit way to travel and get accommodation…right? Right!

So what exactly is it?

Couchsurfing.com is a site that connects travelers with local hosts around the world. It’s been around for more than 20 years and is a legit way to travel for free. Not only do you get free accommodation, it’s also a great way to immerse yourself into local culture and the hosts usually share with you insider tips to enrich your experience.

You may be thinking, “I ain’t staying at a strangers house. Who knows what they’re up to?!“

Trust me, I felt the same way. Don’t worry because on couchsurfing.com every host is rated and reviewed by people who’ve previously stayed with them. Safety is extremely important to Couchsurfing.com, and this business would not have the longevity and success it’s had if the hosts couldn’t be trusted. Before trying it, familiarize yourself with these Safety Tips for CouchSurfing.

Since Couchsurfing is really a community, it’s best to join the program before you begin your trip and host people in your home town. This will help build your profile and credibility.

Just like you’re worried about staying at a stranger’s house, the hosts are also concerned about the type of person who’ll be coming into their home. Building your profile is a great way to earn their trust and help you get accepted as a guest.

2. House/pet Sitting

This sounds too good to be true, doesn’t it? People will actually allow you to stay in their home for free – all you have to do is water their plants and making sure their pets don’t die.

Take that in, you’re getting to travel for FREE AND PLAY WITH PETS!!!

How it works:

Two of the best sites are: TrustedHouseSitters and HouseCarers.com 

Look at these cuties!

As you can see from the photo above, people need house sitters for as little as a few days to as much as a few months. If there’s a place you really want to travel for an extended time, this is a great way to do it completely free!

BONUS: An added benefit of house sitting is having access to a kitchen which will also save you a ton of money in food!  

3. Camping

This is something that a lot of people don’t typically consider, but it’s a great way to travel for free. Be careful though because camping isn’t always allowed in certain places/countries and it’s not always free.

Rick Steve’s, the master guide of Europe, has a lot of information here about camping in Europe.

For people wondering if you can just camp for free, this is what Rick Steve’s says in his post:

“Free Camping: Low-profile, pitch-the-tent-after-dark-and-move-on-first-thing-in-the-morning free camping is usually allowed even in countries where it is technically illegal. Use common sense, and don’t pitch your tent in carefully controlled areas such as cities and resorts. It’s a good idea to ask permission when possible. Never leave your gear and tent unattended without the gates of a formal campground to discourage thieves. With a camper van or motorhome, no stealthiness is required — you can sleep overnight in any legal parking space.” via Rick Steves

If you’re planning on camping in the states or Canada, you can find a really great comprehensive post on that here. more info on that here.

I have to say, because I’m a city girl and never really did the camping thing growing up (my parents moved to Canada from the bush, they don’t get why you would leave your house to sleep in the bush LOL) so I don’t feel comfortable camping. But I could get on board with the next option #4!

4. Camper Vans

Roadtrip anyone? Doing long term travel using a camper van is one of the best ways to save money on transport AND accommodation. Two birds with one stone!

You may have to find some creative ways to shower, but it will definitely be an adventure! Think of the stories you’ll tell your future kids one day about the times you were traveling and showered on the beach and behind bushes. LOL.

Campervan travel is especially popular in Australia and New Zealand. And there are tons of resources online about this type of travel. Here’s a good one about how to travel in a camper van and more.

5. Overnight Transportation (Buses, Trains, Planes)

This is a classic way to save money while traveling and a way to get free accommodation. When traveling long distances between cities you can save a lot of time and money by traveling at night.

TIP: Always check safety conditions for night travel. In developing countries, it’s not always safe to travel overnight due to poor road conditions and poorly lit roads. No amount of savings is worth compromising your safety so travel safe!

6. Work at a Hostel in exchange for free food/accommodation

If you plan to be in a city for an extended amount of time, working for a hostel is a great way to get your accommodation for free. Some will also include your food too!

We stayed at many hostels and met so many people who were doing this and having a great time! The most impressive one was at the Secret Garden Cotopaxi, where we stayed in a hobbit hole! Yes, a legit hobbit hole!

Everyone working there got their accommodation for free in one of the best places in the world. They also got all their food for free and their “job” was guiding hikes and socializing with the guests.

Dreamlife, amirite?

I mean, look at this view!

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Life's to short to just work, pay bills and die. Yolo. #discoversouthamerica #bucketlist #cotopaxi

A post shared by Naomi | Eatloveexplore.com (@eatloveexplore) on Sep 25, 2017 at 10:25pm PDT

Read More:

• Jobs to travel the world – Get paid and travel for free!
• 5 Coolest Places we Stayed in South America

7. Use Airbnb to fund your trip & get free accommodation

Unless you’ve literally been living under a rock, you know what Airbnb is, so I’m not going to explain it. But I will explain what I mean by using Airbnb to fund your trip and get free accommodation.

Before leaving for your extended travel, you’ll need to save money. Airbnb is just one of many ways to make money online.

In addition to being a great way to make money for your trip, you can also put your home on Airbnb while you’re gone so that you’ll be earning money from it during your trip.

As long as while you’re traveling, you stay in accommodations that cost less than your place back home costs, you’ll actually be making a profit! If you can make this happen, be getting your accommodations while traveling completely free PLUS more!

TIP: Start earning credibility by taking steps to become a Super Host. The higher your credibility, the more you can charge and people will still be more inclined to pay it! 

8. Volunteer

You can volunteer and be a tourist at the same time. This method of traveling the world for free has become so popular lately that a new term has been coined describing it – Voluntourism.

Some great sites you can check out if interested in this type of travel are:

• Voluntourism.org
• Volunteer Forever
• GoAbroad
• Projects Abroad

You can volunteer, give back to a community in need and get free accommodation to travel for free.

Be cautious of where you volunteer because not all places actually help the locals. There have been many case studies on this subject, you can read more about it before deciding who to volunteer with.

9. WWOOF

Before traveling through South East Asia, I had never in my life heard of this. The first time I heard of this I thought it had something to do with dogs and I love dogs. Lol.

Actually, WWOOF stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. Phew! that’s a mouthful.

WWOOF is a huge network of non-profit organizations that can connect you with local farmers. They have positions open all over the world! You can make amazing memories and gain some interesting work experience working on a farm in exchange for your labor! This has some great info on how WWOOFing works.

People who opt for this, save tons of money by getting free accommodation to Travel for Free. You get to be immersed in the local culture, learn how to farm and give back to communities. On your off days, you can explore your city and get into amazing adventures you may never have known about if you were just hitting the tourist highlights.

I never really understood why volunteer programs expect you to pay for the opportunity to work for them for free, but with WWOOFing you don’t pay a cent.

Read more about Alesha’s experience WWOOFing in South Korea!

10. Teach Away

Teach Away is a great way to make money, live abroad and get free accommodation to travel for free!

Once hired, many schools provide or subsidize housing, and those that do not will often assist you in finding a suitable place to live. If they do not include housing in your contract, many times your salary will be higher than normal to make up for this.

It’s a great way to really get to know a country and travel for free!

Read more:

• 15 ways to get free money fast!
• 9 Ways to Make Money Online for FREE
• Jobs to Travel the World and Make Money

The Wrap Up:

I bet you thought I was talking s*%^ when you clicked on this post, didn’t you? DIDN’T YOU?! Well I showed you! ha.

10 ways to Get Free Accommodation and Travel for FREE:

1. Couch Surfing
2. House/pet Sitting
3. Camping
4. Camper Vans
5. Overnight Transportation (Buses, Trains, Planes)
6. Work at a Hostel in exchange for free food/accommodation
7. Use Airbnb to fund your trip & get free accommodation
8. Volunteer
9. WWOOF
10. Teach Away

Extended travel doesn’t have to cost you your life’s savings. Use some of these tips to get free accommodation and enjoy your trip even more!

Which one of these surprised you the most? Let me know in the comments below!

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