This blog is all about how to travel the world on an accommodation budget. Let’s face it, hotels and Airbnbs are expensive. In fact, from my own experience, accommodation can make up around 40-50% of an entire vacation budget.
So, if you can eliminate this huge percentage it means more travel, for longer. Or it means saving a small fortune on the same vacations and destinations and using that saved money elsewhere.
I have been traveling the world for years using various proven methods that have saved thousands of dollars in accommodation costs. So if you’re planning to get traveling more, or are just interested in how to save on your regular vacations, then read on to learn more.
My Experience of Traveling On an Accommodation Budget
My wife (and fellow BATWD creator) Hannah and I left the UK in January 2022 with a plan to travel the world. Budgeting was, and still is, a huge part of the process, but where do you possibly begin with such a big adventure? We knew from previous experience that even basic accommodation would eat up our savings pot very quickly.
We knew we needed to find and embrace alternate ways to cover this cost. In doing so we have uncovered some great ideas that can be used by anyone that wants to save a bundle on their traveling costs. Using these ideas has also given us an enhanced traveling experience and created many long-term accommodation options.
Let’s get into it!
House Sitting
If you follow this blog at all you probably could have guessed that house sitting would be high up on this list. I will talk until I am blue in the face about the benefits of becoming a house sitter. It’s a great way to travel the world when you’re on a tight accommodation budget.
We have used sites like Trusted Housesitters for almost 5 years and it plays a huge part in our traveling lifestyle. The website averages 5000+ listings at any one time across the world. We have had amazing experiences in countries around the globe, from Costa Rica to Vietnam.
But there are many great house sitting websites out there to explore. Sits can last from a single night to months on end. Our longest stay was almost 3-months in Durham, North Carolina. Often a car is even included too, we had two in Durham! Which again saves a huge cost and opens up traveling possibilities even more.
It’s free to sign up but you’re going to have to give me a little wiggle room with this list. To complete an exchange you’ll need a full membership and the price for a top house sitting site like Trusted Housesitters starts at $129/year. But use code BEACHES25 at checkout to save 25%, click here to get started. However, other options like Mind My House cost just $29/year, if you’re able to secure one night away with any site, you’re in the black.
The Pros
- Unrivaled Options. There’s everything from apartments in Barcelona to ranches in Tucson, Arizona.
- Enhanced Experience. Living somewhere rather than simply passing through as a tourist makes for a far greater traveling experience.
- Huge Financial Savings. Stay in properties you could only dream of ever booking.
- Long-Term Stays. It is very common to see stays lasting 1 month+ in countries around the world.
- Safe and Secure. Most platforms are reviewed-based and have in-depth profiles for both hosts and sitters.
The Cons
- Responsibilities. Caring for someone’s home comes with routine but daily requirements and a duty of care.
- Pets. Furry friends, predominantly cats and dogs are often part of the bargain too. This could be in the pros column if you like pets!
- Annual Fees. Not technically free, but with low annual memberships house sitting is great for tight accommodation budgets.
- Flexibility Required. Being open with your travel plans geographically will usually lead to more house sitting listings being available to you.
Final Thoughts – House Sitting as an Accommodation Option
With the number of options available, house sitting is a top choice for securing accommodation around the world. Whether you are a solo traveler, a couple like Hannah and I, or even a family looking to save money on a getaway there will be a house sitting opportunity for you.
Sign up for free and remember to use code BEACHES25 at checkout to save 25% on any full annual plan, click here to get started.
Workaway
A great option for anyone looking to travel with free accommodation is Workaway.info. I have a real soft spot for sites like this as my experiences using them have led to long-lasting friendships and some truly memorable experiences.
Essentially, Workaway is a platform that seeks to connect volunteers with hosts around the world in need of some assistance. In exchange for an advertised amount of volunteer hours per week, hosts offer accommodation, usually all meals, and sometimes even payment for services.
As an average from my experience, the workload is 3-5 hours per day, 5 days a week, but this can vary from listing to listing. Hannah and I secured free accommodation twice in Costa Rica in exchange for talking English around the dinner table with a family keen to learn. There are so many language exchanges available like this.
There are also many cool eco projects, fun hostels, farmsteads, and individuals generally looking for assistance. You’ll lose hours just scrolling through the listings! Again, it’s not free but at $49/year or $59/year when a couple signs up, it’s as good as free.
The Pros
- Tons of Options. Workaway has 50,000+ postings all looking for volunteers right now.
- Used Globally. Listings span the globe, you’ll have fun just thinking about where Workaway could take you.
- As Good as Free. With annual membership prices as low as $29pp, it’s essentially free accommodation.
- Bonus Meals. Most Workaway hosts include meals during work days as standard.
- Accessibility. With a web and app-based platform, Workaway is easy and convenient.
- Achievement. Become part of a project or volunteer with a worthy cause.
The Cons
- Work Required. Most listings require 3-5 hours per day, 5 days a week in exchange for accommodation and meals.
- Social Interaction. Unlike house sitting where the host leaves, Workaway hosts usually stick around. This means plenty of interaction, especially around meal times with new people.
- No Cancelation Policy. If a host cancels, there is not a lot you can do about it. It should be noted that this is rare and has never been my experience.
- Hard Work. Some Workaway postings can be tough assignments, be sure you know what you are getting yourself into.
Final Thoughts – Workaway as a Free Travel Accommodation Option
If you are someone who is open to new experiences and doesn’t mind exchanging a few hours each day for exciting opportunities around the world, Workaway could be for you. It is perhaps best suited to individuals and couples, but I know for a fact that families also use Workaway.
It’s a great way to secure free accommodation around the world and in most cases free meals too. There are significant savings to be made in overall travel budgets by using a volunteer-based exchange. Plus, If you have exchanges like mine, then the people you meet will become great lifelong friends too.
Home Exchange
Homeexchange.com is a great option for securing free travel accommodation around the world. However, it may take some explaining so bear with me. Just always keep in mind that you never have to actually let out or exchange your home, you can if you want, but you never have to.
This site also requires you to have a property of your own to list, you’ll need to provide a recent utility bill and verify your ID. By listing your property and completing the ID checks you’ll be awarded a number of guest points, usually around 2000, to spend on accommodation. You can then start perusing the thousands of global listings on the website.
A night away can cost as little as 50 guest points, so in essence just by signing up you’ve bagged 40 free nights. If you want to replenish your points you’ll need to list your property and have people spend their points on you. I have several friends who use Home Exchange as a full-time means of free accommodation.
It may be a one-and-done option for many who seek to travel the world with free accommodation, but it’s a great one. Membership, which includes excellent cancelation insurance and unlimited exchanges, is just $220/year. Spread that across a couple of exchanges in some amazing homes and it’s an absolute bargain.
The Pros
- Many Users. 150,000 listings in 145 countries use Home Exchange.
- Amazing Houses. Prices are set in points not dollars so some amazing properties can be easily within your points budget.
- Great Website. The search filters allow you to find users who are only interested in a guest points exchange and are not looking to actually swap homes with you.
- Insurance. If an exchange gets canceled, Home Exchange will secure you another listed property regardless of the guest points cost, or pay your accommodation costs.
The Cons
- Time Consuming. Getting hosts to agree to an exchange can take many attempts, the site suggests reaching out to 15 people on average to secure an agreement.
- Flexibility. Furthermore, being open to exact locations and dates will help ensure you secure an exchange.
- Replenishing Points. Once your sign-up points are spent, they can only be topped up by letting out your property.
- Annual Fee. $220/year is a bargain for what it can get you but is on the high side for options in this post.
Final Thoughts – Home Exchange as a Free Travel Accommodation Option
Using a site like Home Exchange is a great option but of course, it may not be possible for some. If you have a home to list, then great! Sign up and get the 2000 guest points. If you have two homes even better, list them both and get double the points.
Again remember you are not required to let anyone stay in your property. Simply use the sign-up points and enjoy your free accommodation.
Home Exchange is a fantastic option for anyone with a second property, an annex, a holiday let, an apartment above a garage, or just a willingness to exchange their home. Do it ‘properly’ and the points and free accommodation will keep rolling in.
More Cost-Saving Options
It’d be great to travel the world with free accommodation without ever having to shell out, but sadly it’s not always possible. Here are a few more ideas and methods that we incorporate into our planning and budgeting when it comes to booking a place to stay.
Cost Saving Ideas
- Airbnb Discounts. Hosts on Airbnb often have huge discounts as high as 50% for lengthy stays. Be sure to search for exactly 28 days or longer to secure the maximum discount. Sometimes even if you plan to stay less than 28 days, the discount for booking longer can save a lot of money.
- Haggle. If you plan to stay somewhere for a while and see an accommodation that you like, request a discount from the shown rate. It never hurts to ask, they can only say no. Most places will consider a price reduction if it means securing a long-term booking.
- Book With Free Cancellation. Not all booking websites offer free cancellation. I’d suggest always booking with a site like Booking.com that often includes free cancellation as standard. This allows you to lock in your accommodation but with the flexibility to pursue better options right up to the day before you arrive.
- Price Match. An extra bonus of Booking.com is that they won’t be beaten on price. If you are locked into a room without the possibility to cancel but then see the exact same room elsewhere for cheaper, Booking.com will refund the difference.
- Use Comparison Sites. Much like with everything else there are comparison sites for hotels. I like HotelsCombined.com, it has been a good money-saving source over our years of traveling.
Conclusion
I hope this blog has given you some insights and ideas of how to travel the world with free accommodation. We continue to use these methods as vital parts of our travel plans and couldn’t imagine our life on the road without them.
Although there may be some small initial signup costs, when you consider the price of say a Trusted Housesitters membership against even a week-long vacation, the savings are phenomenal.
Although getting started as a house sitter or venturing out as a volunteer can be daunting at first, we have lots of information to help get you going. Be sure to read my previous article – What to Expect From Your First House Sitting Experience and Hannah’s article – 5 Important Things We Wish We’d Known About House Sitting.
*Owners consent given to show property and pets