The two biggest expenses when planning a trip are airfare and accommodations. What if you could skip one of those? While you’re unlikely to finagle a free flight without elite or airline-employee status, there are a surprising number of ways to score free lodging if you’re flexible.
How to Score Free Lodging
Forget tricky hotel deals and hidden rental fees—these seven hacks will get you truly free lodging.
Pet Sit
It pays to be a pet-loving traveler. One of the most popular and reliable ways to secure free lodging is through pet sitting opportunities, which have become widely popular through sites like TrustedHousesitters.com.
If hanging out with a furry or feathered friend sounds like a small price to pay for free lodging in locales ranging from France to Australia, simply think of the $10 monthly membership as a wise investment. Joining gets you access to listings and the chance to apply for gigs as a background-checked pet sitter, plus the ability to list your own home and pets—so you’re paying for a useful service rather than any lodging. It could potentially save you hundreds on both lodging and pet services like kennels.
Couchsurf
Free lodging in its most basic form is available on Couchsurfing.com. Think Airbnb minus the prices, and only for shared accommodations: The site is based on reviews by both hosts and travelers. Couchsurfing doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be sleeping on a sofa—in my experience, it meant a spare bed in a central Amsterdam loft. Most hosts, especially those in Europe, are former backpackers or seasoned nomads happy to help budget travelers and make some new friends. It’s not a bad idea to pay for verification to strengthen your profile or to bring along a thank-you gift once you secure a host, but the site is totally free to use and has thousands of listings in most major cities. Safety is of course more of a concern, so stick to hosts with plenty of rave reviews and always trust your gut when you arrive, no matter what you’ve read.
Related: Weird Ways to See the World When You’re Broke Book Overnight Transit
Overnight train or bus tickets can double as free lodging if you’re planning on making the trip anyway. A tactic every former study-abroad student and backpacker has likely used, this is best done in more comfortably arranged transportation options, like on coach buses or in first-class train cars when possible.
Use the Right Credit Card
Confident credit-card users can get hotel stays for free if they choose the right travel card. Get free nights for spending money as you normally would by earning double points—some of the best travel rewards cards are easy to apply for and there are fee-free options as well.
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