5 ways to travel without paying for accommodation

I believe that everything in life is a matter of creativity and having access to the right information, but mainly having the will to make something happen.

Once, while living in Australia, I was trying to get a place in a hostel called Arts Factory, for me living there would change the whole experience I could have in that little seaside town called Byron Bay.

In a conversation with a girl from Argentina who worked there, she said to me:

If you really want to live here, you’ll find a way, when we really want something, we always find a way to make it possible.

 

That sentence stuck with me because it has a lot of truth in it. In the end, I got my place in the jungle and got a lesson for life.

Now, whenever I really want something, I never think if it will be possible, but I wonder what I can do to make it real. Because if we really want something, we’ll find a way to do it.

However, nothing better than having access to information that makes this journey easier. Today, I come here to share with you five ways to travel without paying for accommodation and which still allows you to have an incredible experience!

Ready?

 

1 | COUCHSURFING

It is a digital platform that makes the bridge between travelers looking for accommodation in local people’s houses and people who want to welcome travelers into their homes.

At the beginning of my travels, this was my platform of choice. I backpacked for 40 days in South America using Couchsurfing and I ended up having incredible experiences. I did it again in Indonesia, Singapore, and Japan.

It may seem weird how someone opens the door of their house without knowing you and welcomes you for a few days, or how you’ll stay in the house of someone you’ve never seen in your life. But you quickly realize that there is an exchange and mutual trust.

Whoever welcomes you have the opportunity to travel through you and you have the possibility of getting deeper into the local culture and living experiences that you wouldn’t have if you stayed in a hostel.

You can register on the Couchsurfing site for free, fill up your profile and start contacting people.

TIP – When choosing my host, I always pay close attention to the reviews that other travelers have written, especially from women traveling alone, so I don’t have any unpleasant surprises. And in fact, I’ve never had a single problem and I’ve always been incredibly well welcomed. Even today I have friends I made during my Couchsurfing experiences.

 

2 | WORKWAY

Workaway has recently been my favorite platform to travel without paying for accommodation and its proposal is to connect hosts with volunteers.

It’s perfect if you want to travel for a longer period of time and have the experience of creating a routine and staying longer in one place.

Basically, you work about 20 hours a week in exchange for accommodation and usually meals too. On the platform you will find several different types of volunteers, which can range from teaching English in small villages, working on farms, helping artists, volunteering in hostels, and many other options.

You can register on the official Workaway website. The registration is around $50 per year and you have access to volunteering all over the world!

However, if you are curious, you can access the site for free and have access to the profile of all hosts and see the possibilities that exist, however, to get in touch with them you need to make your registration.

In this same line, you also have the HelpX platform option working very similarly to Workaway.

*On my Instagram I have a highlight dedicated to WorkAway. If you are more curious about the subject, stop by.

 

3 | WORLPACKERS

Worlpackers was created by Brazilians and is a collaborative platform that connects you with hosts around the world. Therefore, your proposal is very similar to the one mentioned above, Workaway.

Personally, I have never traveled to volunteer with Worlpackers but I met several traveling friends who did it and highly recommend it.

There are different plans to become a member, the cheapest is the Trip Solo Plan for 49$ valid for one year. There is also the possibility of making a Plan with a couple or with a friend for 59$. However, this last one doesn’t allow you to travel alone, in case if you change your mind.

On the Worldpackers website, you can easily find everything you need to know about the platform.

What I found interesting about this tool is that if you are a member you can contribute to the community and receive money from the WP Programs. In other words, once you have positive reviews, you can apply to the program and manage content, such as writing articles, producing and editing videos, among other things, and they will pay you a commission for that. I think it’s a great initiative!

 

4 | HOME EXCHANGE

As the name indicates “Home exchange”, it is exactly the purpose of this tool.

Do you know that movie with Cameron Diaz and Kate Winslet “The Holiday”?

During the Christmas holidays, they swap houses without knowing each other. One goes to the other’s country and then it becomes a romantic movie haha.

So basically the Homeexchange.com platform allows you to have the same experience as Cameron Diaz in this movie 😂

As I don’t have a home of my own, I never had the opportunity to experience this way of traveling, however, if one day I decide to settle down somewhere, I will definitely live this experience!

The platform offers more than 400,000 homes in 187 countries and works as a tool that allows you to contact other members with complete security. The annual cost to become a member is $150 and allows you to make unlimited house exchanges during that period.

 

5 | PET SITTING

This one is especially for those who love animals!

The TrustedHousesitters platform works as a connection point between people who are traveling and who need someone to take care of their pets, giving them care and food while they are away.

This way, you can guarantee to travel without paying for accommodation in various places around the world and still have a pet company with you 😊

On the site, you can find three different plans that range from 100$ to 240$ per year, and they all offer you unlimited stays per year, however, the more expensive ones offer you insurance and different guarantees.

 

IT HAS NEVER BEEN SO EASY

It’s beautiful to see how the world is increasingly connected. These platforms do not only allow you to greatly reduce the cost of your trip, but they will also allow you to live experiences that no money could afford.

I still remember the feeling I had when I arrived at my first Couchsurfing in Uruguay and the house’s owner gave me a key’s copy at the first minute he met me! Or how in Indonesia they filled me with presents the day I left as if it wasn’t already a present they welcomed me and allowed me to have that whole experience that I will never forget.

For those who have never had an experience like this, I believe it may arouse some fears, but it is when we allow ourselves to live this kind of adventure that we realize how wonderful the world is and how people are in their essence genuinely good.

So, from traveler to traveler, be sure to try traveling this way at least once in your lifetime.

And then, come here to thank me 😉