Finding Cheap Accommodation

Accommodation can eat into any budget and people constantly looking for the best value they can find. I’m sure many backpackers would sleep in a barn if it was the cheapest accommodation around. Some people will stay anywhere as long as it has a roof. Others want more luxury. However, 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 cheap holidays is to cut down accommodation costs. If you can cut your accommodation costs, you can save a lot of money. It tends to be the biggest expense on the road and therefore deserves the most attention.

Luckily, there are a number of ways travelers can get decent accommodation without forking over their entire vacation fund:

Couchsurfing
One of the best ways to get free accommodation is by staying with someone who lives where you’re going. Couchsurfing connects travelers with people in various cities that offer free places to stay. Sometimes it’s a bed, sometimes it’s a couch, sometimes it’s literally just space. No matter what, you’ll save on accommodation and meet locals.

I’ve used the service quite a few times and think it’s wonderful. You make a new friend, you get a local perspective on sites and activities, and it can provide a good respite from the hostel/hotel scene.

A lot of times people are scared to couchsurf because they wonder if it’s safe. I was nervous about it at first too. There you are, in a new city with all your stuff (and you!) in a stranger’s home. What if they try to murder you in your sleep? Don’t worry! The people who would open their homes to strangers tend to be very open minded people and are usually former travelers too. They know what you are going through. They want to help. Moreover, these websites are aware of this and take as many steps to provide security. All offer various levels of verification and allow users to rate and leave comments on traveler’s profiles.

When I use couchsurf, I use the following criteria:

  • There has to be a picture. This just shows me that it’s a real person.
  • The profile has to be filled out. It shows they are interested and involved. Most people aren’t going to spend the time to fill this out if they aren’t going to be comfortable with strangers in their home.
  • They have to be verified. Couchsurfing offers different levels of verification. They can be verified by other travelers, with a mailing address, or credit card. Knowing that a person has been verified reduces the likelihood that they are going to be a crazy psycho killer.
  • They should have comments from other travelers. If other people have stayed with or have at least traveled with the host and were O.K., chances are you will be O.K. too.

No matter what you need to use your judgment but I haven’t heard of any really bad couchsurfing experiences besides the person was a jerk. Usually, you end up talking with people over e-mail and get a to feel them out a bit about what they except. If it doesn’t seem right, don’t do it! Once you do it, you see that it really isn’t that bad. If you use it frequently, you’ll end up saving hundreds upon hundreds of dollars.

Moreover, there are other sites that do the same thing- Global Freeloaders, Hospitality Club, Stay4Free, and the original, Servas. They each market to a different audience. Couchsurfing is more for the young backpacker set while Servas and Hospitality Club are for an older, more family oriented/couple crowd.

Hostels
Hostels are another option for budget travelers. In hostels, rooms are dormitory style with all the facilities shared. Typically, hostels are geared towards young people and a number of hostels set age limits. However, there are many options for old travelers. Big international chains such as YHA or Hostelling International do not set age limits and are geared more towards older or group travelers. It’s the smaller hostels, especially those in Europe and Australia, that market to young people that set age limits.

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.

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 option. If you are traveling in a group, you could get one of the dorms to yourself.

Hostels are safe, secure, and cheap. Don’t overlook them- even if you’re not part of the young backpacker set. To book hostels on line with no booking fees go to Hostel Bookers. I tend to use them the most simple because I’ve interacted with people from the company and they were nice and friendly. I like to support good people.

Home Exchange
Another good option is a home exchange program. This option is probably 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 time frame, you swap homes with a family from another country. It’s a great way to live cheaply in another country. Most people don’t do this because they worry about security but remember 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 email and there’s no commitment if you just find that it’s not right for you. Most people who do this are of like mind so the instances 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) while in another city without paying for it.

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 people’s fears over home exchange and bringing this travel option into the main stream. Some of the other home exchange websites are: Seniors Home Exchange, IHEN, and Home for Exchange.

Rentals
Similar to home exchanges, rentals allow people to stay in furnished apartments while away. These apartments can sometimes be cheaper than hotels and provide many more amenities. They are great if you plan to spend a week or more in one place. You’ll get all the comforts of home without spending a fortune. You can find a lot of this in Europe and Australia, where apartments tend to be rented on a week by week basis. If you are in a city long term, this is a better option than a long term hostel stay. To find apartments to rent, check out sites like Craigslist or Google “short term apartment rentals” or a similar phrase.

So next time you head out on the road, consider these four option when thinking about accommodation. They will help you reduce your housing expenses giving you more money to explore and participate in the culture you came all this way to visit. Saving 100 dollars can be the difference between doing a lot of activities or eating out in a city and staying in and cooking pasta for a week.

Last Updated: June 2009