Saving on Accommodation while Travelling
Often, the cost of accommodation is the most expensive part of a trip, so learning how to plan it properly is key.
Following are a few of the ways by which you can reduce your travel expenses when it comes to accommodation.
1. Comparison sites – If it’s hostels you’re after, sites like Trivago.com allow you to compare hotel deals around the world from more than 200 booking sites. If you’re looking for something in the very near future, check out Lastminute.com or Wotif.com for decent deals. Finally, check out online travel brokers such as Expedia.com and eBookers.com because they sometimes have special discounts on specific hotels.
2. Hotels sites – Hotels often have deals on their own websites so it’s worth spending the extra minute to check them out as well. Hotel sites may offer, for example, special promotions or 3-night deals that comparison sites don’t. Just bear in mind that some sites hide the true cost until the final booking page, so take this into consideration when booking a visit. Also, you might want to pick up the phone and call the hotel directly to see if there are any forthcoming promotions that are not listed on their site. Don’t hesitate to ask for a better deal!
3. Review sites – When you have a few good options on your shortlist, check out review sites like TripAdvisor.com to see if you’d be happy to stay at any of them. They list detailed reviews, ratings, and pictures taken by previous guests. Just don’t take everything at face value; check the context in which they were written and how biased the reviewers seem. Also, don’t fully trust the star system. More often than not, it’s based on amenities, not quality.
4. Hostels and B&B sites – Bed and Breakfast places are often cheaper and friendlier than comparable hotels. Plus, you usually get a breakfast thrown in. Directory sites like bedandbreakfast.com often offer worthwhile promos, so check them out. Hostels are especially great for solo travellers and those who want a more social environment for a relatively cheap price. If that’s the case for you, check out Hostelworld.com, which has the biggest selection of hostels on the internet. You might also be able to find B&B and apartments in their database.
5. Apartments and vacation rentals – If you plan to stay in one place for a week or longer, renting an apartment or a house might save you substantially. Sites like homeaway.com and vrbo.com feature millions of properties worldwide. Once you’ve found a rental, try contacting the owner directly to see if they are willing to drop the price. You never know if you don’t ask, right?
6. House swapping – If you live in a relatively desirable area and are willing to let others stay in your house, a home swap can be a huge money-saving opportunity. Only use reputable sites such as HomeExchange.com and LoveHomeSwap.com.
7. Home sharing and room rentals – One of my favorites! Home sharing sites like Airbnb.com offer the opportunity to rent out private rooms or entire homes (as well as castles, tree houses, private islands and even igloos) for prices that are relatively cheaper than hotels. It’s also a great way to meet locals. Currently, Airbnb.com is the largest home sharing site, with rentals in more than 190 countries, but other room rental sites started sprouting up recently, including Roomorama.com, 9flats.com, wimdu.com, and morningcroissant.com . It’s worth exploring a few of these sites, as sometimes prices vary for the same room.
8. House sitting – If you want to enjoy the comfort of having a home away from home for free, house sitting might be your smartest choice. Sites like Mindmyhouse.com and Trustedhousesitters.com have listings from homeowners looking for someone to house sit their home (and often their pets) while they are away. Craigslist.org is another option.
9. Couchsurfing – Meet locals and stay for free on a couch, or better yet, a spare bed. Above all, Couchsurfing provides a great way to get to know people and places on a deeper level. On the downside, staying with hosts you don’t know can be a lottery. Before applying for a couch at Couchsurfing.org, find out as much info as possible about the host and check his or her reviews.
10. Camping – If you love the great outdoors and want to experience nature on the cheap, camping can be a good option. If you are traveling in the US, check out Reserveamerica.com and Koa.com, which both have an extensive selection of campground sites.
11. Volunteer and work for accommodation – You can receive accommodation and food in exchange for a few hours of work a day, mostly on farms. The biggest sites in this space are WWOOF.org (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms) and HelpX.net
Take ACTION!
Register to some of the sites I mentioned and build your personal online profile on each one of them.
With Airbnb, and few of the other sharing sites, you can request references from your personal network, and the references will appear publicly on your profile to help other members get to know you.
So, if you have not done so yet, find friends who already use the platform and ask them to write up a little paragraph about their experience hosting you. You want to be ready when the opportunity comes.
*To obtain more inspiration and motivation to achieve your goals, you definitely want to check out my extensive list of growth goals. This page contains SMART goal ideas that can help you establish new aspirations and attain greater heights in your personal growth journey. I utilized this page myself to create my own list of 100 life goals, which I dedicated a decade to pursuing.
Chief Editor
Tal Gur is an impact-driven creator at heart. After trading his daily grind for a life of his own design, he spent a decade pursuing 100 life goals around the globe. Tal's journey and recent book, The Art of Fully Living, inspired him to found Elevate Society.
