I’m in the process of piecing together costs. My savings account gets padded on a constant basis and possessions have turned into potential profit – kudos craigslist and kijiji. Alas, I must face the truth – my spring chicken days are over. Options such as student discounts on flights, or a travel/work visa for Australia are well, decidedly closed.
Most people weighing the pros and cons of long term travel fret over budget. I’m no different. Even though I qualify for a platinum credit card, it doesn’t eliminate the reality: no job and all traveling involves balance. Never one to bail so quickly, I took to my laptop.
Here are some options:
Travel Community Networks
Great way to meet locals and make international friends. It’s free to become a member too! You can interact with people on forums or simply find a couch to lay your head. You pay no money to stay and in return be clean, courteous and willing to have fun!
Couchsurfing
Hospitality Club
Globalfreeloaders
Organic Farm Work Exchange
WWOOF (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms) is an international organization boasting a large database of organic farms, smallholdings and gardeners. Membership works two ways, national chapters charge a fee and mail a directory to your home. This is supplemental to the website. North American fees are minimal: $45 CAD or $20 USD. The second membership tier encompasses independent WWOOF chapters, but the fee you pay is good for 50+ countries. Work times vary from 4 to 6 hours per day in exchange for free room and board. Most volunteers live as part of the household. I met a fella in Brazil who volunteered on a farm for a month, then maneuvered sightseeing in Rio and Salvador into the rest of his trip.
Hostel Work Exchange
If hauling manure fertilizer is not your forte, a hostel work exchange might be more appealing. Visit hostelmanagement.com and search the forums for ‘hostel jobs available’. I was surprised at the types of jobs listed. For instance, there was a posting for a hostel opening in Moscow. In exchange for 4 to 6 hours of work you can enjoy free beer, breakfast, lunch and accommodation.
Get Sponsored
Perhaps you want to raise awareness of dengue fever in Southeast Asia. It could be your dream to end hunger by walking across Europe. Siesta time! Explore flamenco culture in Spain. The StayNomad founders did something similar. In 2005 and 2006, Amélie Racine and Mark Schanzleh cycled through Switzerland, Germany and the Netherlands for 5 months. Doesn’t sound extraordinary, but their trip garnered 14 sponsors and private donations. They worked with several agencies; the main goals were to conduct a study on cycle tourism and reduce energy consumption.
What does sponsorship entail? It could be free lodging, discounts on airfare and insurance, money donations, or free equipment. Become a member for free and submit your travel project. The site then promotes your project to find sponsors. I’m still figuring out mine. Uh, solo woman traveler, suffering from sick building syndrome and repetitive strain injury in her right wrist. Maybe I could land a free beer fund.
Stay at NGOs
This option is suitable for those interested in aligning with a particular cause. Orphanages, child prostitution, job training for rural women, or agriculture programs are a few examples. Even if you’re semi-stranded with sparse lodging options, I’m told NGOs won’t turn you away. A good place to start is Rob Lilwall’s site. He cycled from Siberia to England over a 3 year period. Whilst cycling, he stayed free at many NGOs. Another source is Worldwide NGO Directory. Browse by region or specific area of focus. Contact the NGO directly to introduce yourself, then state your purpose. Keep in mind you have to be a member to access the information, but fees are minimal – $32 CAD or $30 USD.
Ladies Hanging Together
Never one to ignore my traveling sisters, Women Welcome Women Worldwide (5W) was founded in 1984 by Frances Alexander. Their mandate is it to foster friendships between women in different countries. I call it home-stay for women only. 5W emphasizes this is not a free vacation, but a way to experience a country through the eyes of a local. You can become a lifetime member or yearly member, 5W also asks for an additional signing donation – it’s up to you what amount. Yearly sign up fees are $52 CAD/$50 USD. After that, it costs $37 CAD/$35 USD to remain a member. Many hosts can’t afford to travel, so meeting a new friend from another country builds self-confidence, becoming a significant event in their lives.
Welcome to the Family!
Couch surfing appeals to the hip, no-fuss traveler, while Servas reminds me of a local community centre, a haven for families, seniors and wayward kids. Established for 60 years, Servas has a home-stay program which offers travelers a chance to stay with individuals or families in over 130 countries. Their initiatives also include youth exchange programs, local events and relief efforts. Stays are free and a maximum of two nights. It’s free to become a member, however, receiving a host list for a region you’re visiting requires a deposit. Don’t worry, you’ll get it back, it’s refundable.
A dinner menu of choices. The key to traveling cheap is remaining flexible, yet tailoring an option to your travel personality. If your obsession is sustainable living or social responsibility, choose an NGO or organic farming. If you want to meet scads of people and fill up on local food and culture, couch surfing might be the way to go. Of course, this post was written by a woman who slept on the floor of a Thai bar once, what does that say about my personality?
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{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }
Loved poking around your site this morning. With my recent trip, it’d been too long! On Tuesday, I just moved into my new, gigantic house — that I’m renting for free. House-sitting is definitely one of the cheaper options for longer-term travelers. I’m paying for my own AC, but I know others with different set-ups. (Great if you can find it, right?) Here, slow season is just starting so a lot of people were able to get deals, because the snowbirds want someone living in their house to deter robbers.
There are a lot unique places for any beneficial adventure across the world. I do not find out how, still i do believe i love typically all the asian region meant for my own journey, since i think affiliates there are actually and so warm and friendly and also helpful
@Steph – Wow, I’m impressed you’ve been to the end of the internet and back. I’m going to refer to you as the oracle in internet matters from now on. :-P
@Brandy – Thanks so much for adding another resource. The more info everyone has, the more we can all travel and share. :)
@Sally – you’re welcome! So glad you stopped by, now it’s my turn. Hope some of these choices are fruitful for you. :)
Thanks for all the great links! I’m in the process of researching my year-long (hopefully) rent-free trip through Asia and this will really come in handy!
GREAT tips chick! Love the article… I would have to add http://www.HelpX.net as a great resource as well. it is where I found my host for Canary Islands & Italy! The annual fee is around $26USD, but worth it- love the posting!
Wow you have some new ideas I hadn’t considered, (rare since I feel like I’ve read the entire internet at this point). I will be looking into “Women Welcome Women Worldwide.” Thanks!
@Doug – Thanks for parking a comment here. Glad you found some of these ideas useful. Goes to show, travel is not expensive. :)
Came across this on twitter… all great points for someone wanting to do a RTW like myself!!