Guide to Find Cheap Accommodation in Overseas - Save Time and Money on Travel

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Accommodation is one of the biggest fixed costs travelers have and people are 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. Some just want cheap hotels. Others want luxury. Everyone has a different preference.

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 a cheap holiday is to cut down on accommodation costs. Since you have to stay somewhere every night, reducing this expense can save you a lot of money of the total cost of your trip. Next to finding a cheap flight, finding free or inexpensive lodging will have the biggest impact on your travel budget.

Luckily, there are a number of ways travelers can find a decent place to stay 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 a free place to stay. Sometimes it’s a bed, sometimes it’s a couch, sometimes it’s literally just space. The goal of the site is to help travelers not only save money on accommodation but also learn about the local culture but being able to stay and interact with a local.

I use this site all the time, and I think it’s one of the greatest things to happen in travel. While I love the fact I can get out of hostels and hotels and save money, what draws me to the site over and over again is that I get to see the local side of a city. I get taken to parties, and restaurants, and sites that aren’t in any guidebook.

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 — in a stranger’s home. What if they try to murder you in your sleep? What if they steal your stuff? However, I’ve found that people who are willing to open their homes to strangers tend to be very open-minded people, and are also usually former travelers. They know what you are going through. They want to help. Moreover, Couchsurfing is aware of this and take many steps to provide security. It offers various levels of verification and allow users to rate and leave comments on people’s profiles.

When I am looking for a Couchsurfing host, I use the following criteria:

• There has to be a picture with the profile. 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. If someone hasn’t bothered to fill out the profile, they probably don’t use the site and I simply move on.

• They should have reviews. If other people have stayed with or have at least traveled with the host and had a good experience, you and your stuff will probably be fine. You might not get along with the host but at least you know they aren’t a creep. The more positive reviews, the better.

• Verification helps. Couchsurfing offers different levels of verification. People can be verified by other travelers, with a mailing address, or with a credit card. Knowing that a person has been verified reduces the likelihood that they are going to be a crazy psycho killer. However, if someone isn’t verified but has a lot of reviews, that’s O.K. with me.

No matter what, you need to use your own judgment but I haven’t heard of any really bad couchsurfing experiences, besides the host being a jerk or a little anti-social. Usually, you end up talking with hosts over e-mail to get a feel for them and what they expect. If it doesn’t seem right, don’t do it! But once you couchsurf for the first time, you see that it really isn’t that bad. If you do it frequently, you’ll end up saving hundreds upon hundreds of dollars on accommodation and making friends around the world.

There are other sites that do the same thing — Global Freeloaders, Hospitality Club, and Stay4Free that you can also try out. They are all essentially the same thing, Couchsurfing is just the most popular.

Hostels
Hostels are another option for budget travelers. In hostels, rooms are dormitory-style with all the facilities shared. 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. I have met people in hostels in their 50s and 60s. The myth they are dirty, gross places to stay designed for young people is wrong. Many hostels offer more amenities than hotels, the new ones are really clean, and as young people expect more comfort, hostels are cleaning up their ways. These aren’t the hostels you see in movies.

I think 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 way to save money. If you are traveling in a group, you could get one of the dorms for your entire group and not have to share with strangers.

While manu hostels are geared toward young travelers, and set age limits, some of the bigger international chains such as YHA and Hostelling International focus more on older or group travelers. But I’ve seen families, tour groups, and older travelers in hostels all over the world. A hostel is really for anyone who wants to meet other travelers, regardless of age.

Hostels are safe, secure, and cheap. Don’t overlook them — even if you’re not part of the young backpacker set. To book hostels online with no booking fees, go to Hostel Bookers. I tend to use them the most, simply because I’ve interacted with people from the company and they were nice and friendly. Moreover, unlike other hostel booking companies, they don’t have a booking fee.

Home Exchange
Another good way to get cheap accommodation is a home exchange program. This probably works 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 amount of time, you swap homes with a family from another country. It’s a great way to live cheaply abroad.

Most people don’t do this because they worry about security — but remember that 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 e-mail, and there’s no commitment if you find that it’s not right for you. Most people who do this are like-minded, so the chances 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 bring this travel option into the mainstream. Some of the other home exchange websites are: Seniors Home Exchange, IHEN, and Home for Exchange.

If swapping homes isn’t your thing, then consider house-sitting as an alternative. In exchange for watching and cleaning someone’s home while they are away, you’ll get a place to stay in the area you are visiting. Good house-sitting sites include: Mind My House, House Carers, Luxury House Sitting

Short Term 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 rentals 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.

Another option, especially for older travelers, are timeshare rentals. Timeshares are a great rental option because you’ll receive the same comforts as you would in a regular apartment rental — like washers and dryers, kitchens, spacious living rooms and multiple bedrooms. You’ll find that most of the rentals online are offered at prices lower than or similar to most hotels and resorts.

So next time you head out on the road, consider these options when thinking about accommodation. Get out of the hotel mindset! They will help you reduce your expenses, freeing up more money so you can do activities, eat out, drink more, and overall, experience the destination you saved so long to visit.

My book, “How to Travel the World on $50 USD per day,” has over $600 USD in accommodation discounts for hostels and hotels all around the world. That will help you save a lot of money on your next trip! Click here for more details!

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