Off the beaten path: There is more than one form of dirt-cheap lodging

When considering lodgings, hostels come to the forefront of any  come to forefront of any travelers mind.While hostels can be cheap and inexpensive, don’t be afraid to roll your sleeping bag out on a beach, it may save you 15 bucks a day. In some countries that extra cash can prolong your travels by weeks.

By all means, stay in as many hostels as you want. They are full of kids your same age with the same agenda in mind: see the world. For the most part they are very cheap and a good way to save money. I’ve stayed many hostels and have loved every minute of it. But don’t only set your sights at hostels when trying to save some extra cash. Many people take the route of couch surfing. If you’ve never heard of it, it’s worth checking out. Basically in a nut shell you sign up on a website, you figure out where you are going and you can meet people online that are willing to let you sleep on their couch… FOR FREE! Apparently in Europe this is very common. You can meet up with the person first and decide if you (trust them) want to sleep on their couch. I have friends that have done this and they have all told me that it’s totally safe and have loved every minute. When you go to the website (www.couchsurfing.org) its set up similar to any networking website such as Facebook or myspace. You can see the person and read reviews from past couch tenants on any host. This is a great way to travel cheap, save money and see the world, 234 countries to be exact.

Ok, this next website I found is new to me but might appeal some. This website called www.wwoof.org (World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms). Summed up, WWOOF.org publishes lists of organic farms, smallholdings and gardeners that welcome volunteer help at certain times. The diversity of hosts available offers a large variety of tasks and experiences. You could be digging a ditch for a farmer in China, picking apples for a farmer in Germany or herding sheep for a Sheppard in Mongolia. The good part about this is the host family provides you with all your food and shelter during your stay. The arrangements of how long you stay is worked out with the host family and the volunteer. This is a great way to travel, get free food and lodging and helping people along the way. Although you will have to work for it.

So, check out:

Hostels at: www.hostelworld.com

Couch Surfing at: www.Couchsurfing.org

Wwoofing at: www.wwoof.org