Accommodations

Paid and Free Accommodations

Paid Accommodations

Paid lodging offers the most flexibility and freedom in how you spend your time.

As a couple we have found that the cheapest way for us to travel is to use AirBnB. We simply love this site and have used it in most every country that we've been. Our experience has been that if you read the reviews and you see a negative theme pop up more than once then be wary. Mostly we have had really great experiences and love that we can either rent an entire flat/apartment or just a room depending on our budget and needs. There is a lot of flexibility and great filters available. Additionally, some places give you a price break if you stay for longer periods like a week/month etc. We have used hostels and a few hotels along the way but AirBnB has been most used by us!

If you are looking to meet fellow travelers then I would highly recommend staying at hostels now and again. People who stay at hostels are generally quite friendly and it's a great way to make new friends and pick up some travel tips on destinations and such along the way! As an "older" traveler (I'm currently 38)  be aware of the rules. Some have age restrictions for both the very young and older travelers.

Free Accommodations through House Sitting and Work Exchanges

Free lodging does come at a non-monetary price. You either offer work in exchange for room, board, and sometimes transport such as a vehicle or you care for someone's home while they are away. This is best for travelers with more time on their hands and can offer a great reprieve to a weary travel schedule and a break on the budget.
  • Trusted Housesitters: This is a pay-to-use site where you can find house sits across the globe. Generally people need caretakers for their animals which can be as simple as a cat or as complex as farm animals.  Obtaining a house sit can be VERY competitive. If you are considering using this resource I would highly recommend finding house sits in your local area, before you depart for your travels. This will allow you to get reviews from people who are also members! I can't speak with certainty if that helps but if I had it to do over again I would have done some sits in Austin before I tried to get jobs internationally.

    We did finally get our first house sit in December of 2015! I attribute this to a) our great flexibility during this time b) it was during the holidays and people were leaving for extended time periods making it harder to obtain people who could stay (like us for 3 weeks over Christmas and c) during the holidays when people have plans they are in great need if their house sitter falls through. We had a combination of all three of these which led to our first official Trusted Housesitters opportunity.

    We were in a nice home in the suburbs of Sydney and cared for two cats (one inside and one outside) and a guppie. We also had to water the garden, take out the trash, and collect the mail. We loved caring for cats because it gave us more flexibility to go out and explore beaches, mountains, and the city! It also offered us a great reprieve from what had been a hectic 7 month travel schedule. It felt quite nice to have a routine again and we got some nice rest during this time. Hopefully we'll have more experiences to follow!

  • WorkAway and HelpX are also pay-to-use sites but the barrier to entry seems to be lower than Trusted Housesitters. The concept is that people need various help with gardening, house projects, kids, animals, etc. In exchange for about 4 hours of work a day you get a room and food. There are all kinds of opportunities and you can check them out before you sign up for a membership! I haven't actually used this yet but once our schedule opens up I'm going to look into it more. Right now our friend has an assignment in Tanzania where she works about 3 hours a day, eats chef prepared meals, has a car, and loves life! We know her and can verify this is a real experience.