Around the world without money: How you can travel almost for free
Want to see the world, but your bank balance says no? We know this all too well – but it doesn't have to be the Caribbean. If you're open to new experiences and enjoy spending time with people or animals, there are plenty of options for nearly free travel. We reveal the best money-saving hacks for anyone who suffers from wanderlust but is chronically broke.
Flight deals are often available – but booking accommodation can be expensive. But these costs are avoidable! A popular way to travel cheaply is to swap apartments. Accommodations near the beach, in major cities, or other attractive regions are particularly in demand.
An apartment with a sea view: With the house swap, you can get one for free.
Source: Getty Images/iStockphoto
House swapping has been a household name since long before the Hollywood romcom "The Holiday." There are various platforms that arrange vacation rentals around the world: Home Exchange, HomeLink, Intervac, and People Like Us are the most well-known. Membership is usually paid, but you'll never have to pay for a hotel room again.
If you love animals, there's another exciting option for a free vacation. Many people face the challenge of finding reliable pet care when they travel. Boarding kennels for dogs and cats are often expensive, so pet sitters are a popular solution. They take care of dogs, cats, or horses – and in return, they can stay in the owner's home for free.
Looking after a dog and sunbathing on the beach? In some places, you can do both.
Source: IMAGO/Dreamstime
Anyone with experience working with animals and willing to take responsibility for them can save on accommodation costs this way. Often, this work is even paid—so you can recoup the cost of plane or train tickets, for example. Walking the dog on the Côte d'Azur or feeding cats in New York? Anything is possible. The international platform "Trusted Housesitters" is ideal for this.
Animals aren't your thing, but crafts are? Then volunteering abroad could be a good alternative. There are numerous programs looking for volunteers for social or environmental projects. Build a skate park in Morocco, teach children in Sri Lanka, or help with a yoga retreat in Greece—the possibilities are endless.
Of course, you also want to leave time for relaxation and exploring your holiday destination. Therefore, your assignment is often limited to a few hours a day, with the rest of the time at your own disposal. In return for your help, you'll receive accommodation and usually even meals. There are countless platforms and programs: Workaway, Travelworks, Volunteer World, and Wayers are among the most well-known.
Couchsurfing is arguably the oldest travel hack for saving money. It lets you stay with hosts all over the world for free, experience the everyday life of locals, and easily make new friends – perfect for adventurous travelers.
However, this type of accommodation offers little privacy and flexibility. Sometimes male hosts mistake the platforms for dating apps. If that doesn't deter you, Couchsurfing is a great way to find free overnight stays around the world. In addition to the original, there are also other networks like Hospitality Club, BeWelcome, Global Freeloaders, and Staydu.
Do you dream of crossing the Atlantic, but cruises are prohibitively expensive? Then a concept called "couch sailing" might be just what you're looking for. Sailboats and even yachts regularly sail across the ocean without passengers because they need to be transferred from one location to the next. For example, because the next job is due there, because the ship needs to be in the shipyard, or because it's returning to its home port at the end of the season.
You can also volunteer on a sailboat.
Source: Getty Images
If you're handy, can help in the kitchen or with cleaning, and don't get seasick, this is your chance: Ask around at the harbor to see if anyone needs free help. Backpacker Timo Peters sailed across the Atlantic this way and documented his experiences in a book.
Those who choose to stay at a campsite instead of a comfortable hotel room can save a lot of money. However, it's still not free: German campsites cost just under €29 per night, according to a recent analysis by "Camping.info." It's cheaper in Portugal (€24), Belgium (€23), Poland (€20), and Albania (€14).
The right of public access in Norway allows travelers to camp wild in nature.
Source: imago images/CSP_kamchatka
However, if your budget doesn't stretch to the overnight fee, wild camping is recommended. This more adventurous version of camping is legal in Finland, Sweden, and Norway, as well as parts of Scotland, Switzerland, and the UK. Even in Germany, there are some federal states that do not impose penalties for camping in the wild.
There's also a great opportunity for young people to travel through Europe for free: The "DiscoverEU" initiative raffles off around 35,000 travel passes twice a year to 18-year-old Europeans, allowing them to travel by train for free for four weeks. The application deadlines are mid-October and mid-April.
Looking for more inspiration? You can find tips for all the top travel destinations at reisereporter, and the best travel deals on our deals page .
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