One of the biggest travel expenses on a trip is definitely accommodation. But you you don’t have to be rich to travel. There are many accommodation options, and for some you don’t even need money. Here’s how to find cheap and free accommodation around the world, including ultimate tips and hacks.
The options are many: hotels, hostels, apartments, sleeping in local houses, house sitting, etc. You only need to choose the option that best suits your interests and needs.
In this post you will find:
The best options to find cheap and free accommodation for your travels:
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Couchsurfing
Couchsurfing is an online platform offering the possibility to stay with local hosts. This is perfect to make friends and know the local culture of your destination.
Since 2020 Couchsurfing is no longer free. Members are now required to pay a monthly or annual contribution to use their account. However that’s the only fee you need to pay. The hosts offer their houses for free, not to make money. You have to keep in mind that Couchsurfing is only for a couple of days, you can’t live in someone’s house for months. So if you’re planning on doing a long trip, this is not the best option.
Other similar platforms are BeWelcome or Trustroots.
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Volunteering: exchange work for accommodation.
Another great way to travel without spending money on accommodation is by volunteering in exchange for free accommodation and sometimes also for food. The most popular sites to find jobs are: Worldpackers, Workaway, HelpX and WWoofing. Some of the works you can find are: on farms, child care, house painting, etc.
If you register in Worldpackers through my link, you get a USD$10 discount on your membership. You can also just add the code POSTCARDSFROMIVI to get the discount.
It is a great way to save money on accommodation and at the same time to meet local people and live as one of them. You’ll have to do some work but you will also have free time to explore the area.
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Housesitting
This is an option to save money in accommodation that I can’t wait to try! Housesitting consists of taking care of houses and pets and in return you can stay in the house for free. You just need to watch after the house, the pets and the plants while the owners are away.
Housesitting is most used in Oceania, Europe and North America. There are different websites but the most popular and reliable are: Trusted Housesitters and HouseSitter. You have to pay an annual membership to use the platforms but it is a very low cost considering all the money you can save on accommodation.
It is the ideal option if you love animals and you’re doing a long trip as you can find sittings of even months.
- How to find cheap hotels
Have you ever wanted to stay in a luxurious hotel? We all love the stylish side of traveling and I believe that even luxury can be affordable if you plan smart. It is possible to sleep in hotels that offer a unique experience like a view of the city, a modern style or why not – with a swimming pool overlooking the sea. You don’t need to spend a lot of money to have this experiences if you plan ahead and follow my tips. There are many websites to find cheap hotels, here are the ones I personally use:
Booking is the most well-known online hotel search engine. The best thing about Booking is that you almost always find hotels at lower prices than on other websites, and in most cases, they allow you to cancel your reservation for free. The key is to stay flexible and book in advance (at least 3 months before your trip).
Another benefit of Booking is its Genius program, which has 3 levels, offering discounts of up to 20%, late check-out, and room upgrades.
Expedia is one of the largest accommodation search platforms in the world and, since 2023, it has merged its loyalty program with Hotels.com and Vrbo under the One Key system.
With every booking you make (whether it’s hotels, apartments, flights, or even activities), you earn points that you can later use as credit for future purchases. Plus, the more you use the platform, the more benefits you unlock.
A few years ago I booked 2 nights in Hotel Iberostar Park Avenue through expedia almost completely free using my points. Also for being + gold I got an upgrade to a larger room with a jacuzzi bath and I received a complimentary bottle of wine. Luxury is not always expensive!
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Stay in Hostels
An affordable and ideal option if you’re traveling solo. But don’t think hostels as just dorm rooms for backpackers. I’ve stayed in hostels that were more luxurious than some hotels I’d stayed. Besides, most hostels offer private rooms so it can be a cheap alternative to hotels.
The things I love most about hostels, besides saving money on accommodation is the possibility to meet other travelers.
Generator Hostel in London
Tips for finding cheap hotels and hostels:
- Avoid weekends: Accommodation prices always increase during weekends, so try to avoid staying on Friday or Saturday, especially in popular cities like Amsterdam or Las Vegas.
- Does the accommodation include breakfast?: A minor detail that can make the difference in expensive cities.
- Stay more than one night: Many places offer discounts when staying more than one night, especially in the off-season.
- Compare Prices: Compare prices in at least two booking sites and also check the price at the official hotel website.
- Stay outside the city center: staying outside of the touristy area of the city will almost always save you money on the cost of hotels and hostels. As long as you have good transport to the city this is a great way of saving money, plus you get to know less touristy areas that you might have not visited staying in the city center.
I hope this article gave you some great ideas on how to find cheap and free accommodation! Do you have any other tricks?
Other useful posts:
- Best cheap hotels in London
- Best budget hotels near Times Square in New York
- Where to stay in Paris: best areas and hotels
- How to get internet in Europe
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