How to Travel for Free

Your bank account just called me to say it’s OVERJOYED.

If “travel more” is one of your forever New Year’s resolutions but you never get around to checking off “win the lottery” from last year’s list, there’s no need to give up entirely. Even if Instagram makes it seem like you need to be a millionaire to jet around the world in style, there are plenty of ways to book flights and find a place to stay for free—or at least, on the cheap. Here are 11 expert-approved tips for how to travel affordably.

Sign Up With a Cash-Back Website

Yep, it’s possible to actually *earn money* when you book a trip. Food and travel influencer Caitlin, of @BeFatBeHappy on Instagram, does the bulk of her buying on Rakuten, a free site where you can shop at more than 2,500 stores and get cash back. “I’m part of Rakuten, which gives me cash back across a bunch of different sites when I shop online. When I book on certain travel sites, there have been times when I’ve gotten up to 14 percent cash back on a purchase—more money in your pocket!” she tells Cosmo.

A post shared by Caitlin Sakdalan Befatbehappy (@befatbehappy) on Dec 22, 2019 at 12:32pm PST

Pretty reassuring to know that even our fave influencers aren’t always bouncing around the world for free, eh?

Three Words for Ya: Airline. Rewards. Program.

Okay, I’ll admit that signing up for an airline’s mileage/rewards program does come with a barrage of annoying promotional emails. BUT! The perks are worth it. Caitlin is a committed member to all of ’em. “Why? It’s free, and the more often you fly, the more miles you accumulate and the more perks you get,” she explains. Seriously, just by copying and pasting your email onto every airline’s loyalty sign-up page (for a whopping zero dollars, I might add), you can get free flights and free upgrades.

A post shared by Katie Giorgadze (@katie.one) on Feb 2, 2020 at 9:49am PST

Book Your Stay With a Company That Has Deals

Booking hotels or even Airbnbs can get quite pricey. Instead, look for sites that offer discounts and perks. Caitlin recommends Hotels.com: “On Hotels.com, when you book any 10 nights, you’ll get one night free. The value of this free night will be the average cost you paid for the 10 nights.” Sounds pretty sweet to moi.

A post shared by Luxury Travel and Hotels (@luxurytravelandhotels) on Feb 23, 2020 at 10:27am PST

If You Want to Live Abroad, Consider Working as a Nanny or Au Pair

If you’ve never heard of an au pair, it’s basically just a live-in nanny—often someone in their late teens or early 20s who moves in with a family abroad to learn the native language in exchange for caring for their kiddos!

My college roommate turned best friend Olivia worked as an au pair in Spain a couple of years ago and barely dropped *any* dough on the trip. “My time au pairing in Barcelona was one of the best experiences of my life. I can’t recommend it enough. It’s one of, if not the best ways to experience a new culture for (basically) free,” she remembers.

In Olivia’s opinion, nannying is even better than studying abroad for a semester. “You get to immerse yourself within a community and make connections with people who actually live there, which was especially great for practicing my Spanish.”

Be Strategic With Your Christmas List

Instead of asking for the newest iPhone the next time you’re due to receive a present, create a travel fund. Lifestyle and travel influencer Selena Taylor, also known as @FindUsLost, swears by Zola—a wedding registry website that allowed her friends and family to donate money to her and her husband’s ideal vacation.

“We dreamed of having our honeymoon in Tahiti and asked our guests to donate to our travel fund instead of purchasing home goods. Thanks to them, it was the trip of a lifetime,” she tells Cosmo.

WORLD TRAVEL is cheap and easy. In fact, with a little practice and effort, you can travel for free.

The idea that travel is expensive and difficult is bullshit peddled by tour companies, hotel chains, and corporate media. The tourism industry wants you to buy cruise packages and stay at all-inclusive resorts. They want you to choose a world travel experience the same way you would choose a new jacket at the mall. They want your credit card number.

The tourism industry doesn’t want me to reveal the simple secrets of free travel, but I’m going to share them with you anyway. It can be scary to travel the world with nothing more than optimism and good-will, but personal freedom begins with a leap of faith.

1. Embrace the simple joy of travel.

Travel frees you from the grind of daily routine. You will explore new places, meet new people, try new foods, and learn things about the world — and yourself — that you never imagined were possible.

The joy of new experience is the most wonderful thing about world travel — and new experiences are free. Walk the streets of a city. Stop and chat with a local. People watch in a public park. Climb to the top of a hill and watch the sun set over the ocean.

The simple joy of being in a new place is just a matter of…wait for it…going someplace new. No tour package required.

2. Keep your needs to a minimum.

The modern American economy is built on the false premise that people need to buy new goods and services all the time. Again, I call bullshit.

People need fresh air, healthy food, clean water, exercise, creative stimulation, companionship, self-esteem, and a safe place to sleep. All of these things are simple to obtain. Most of them are free.

For fresh air, go outside. For exercise, take a walk. For creative stimulation, go somewhere new. For companionship, make a friend. For self-esteem, turn off your TV, breathe deep, and open your spirit to the basic goodness of the world.

Things like food and shelter are much cheaper once you get outside the United States. See #5 below for ways to obtain food and shelter for free.

3. Go slow.

If you live in New York and want to take a 2-week vacation to Africa, it will be very difficult (though not impossible, see #8) to travel for free. Indeed, as long as you believe that time is money, you will spend money all the time.

Time is not money. Time is free. You have all the time in the world.

Instead of buying a plane ticket, catch a ride out West, or remodel an old sailboat, or just hop on your bike and ride away from town. The slower you travel, the less money you will spend.

4. Leave your possessions and obsessions behind.

When you travel, you don’t need to pay rent. You don’t need a car. You don’t need an oven, a washer-dryer, electricity, cable TV, a gym membership, a sofa and loveseat, or a closet full of clothes.

You don’t need a suit and tie to wear to your job because you don’t need a job. You don’t need to worry about paying the bills, because there are no bills to pay.

5. Trust people and you will receive free food and lodging.

Many people are willing to open their homes to travelers. Chip in with a few chores, and they will give you a free meal, too.

CouchSurfing and WWOOF are two phenomenal online networks that help travelers connect with local hosts. CouchSurfing members are willing to give travelers a place to sleep for a night or two. WWOOF connects travelers with organic farmers who want to trade room and board for an extra hand.

Many members of both CouchSurfing and WWOOF are seeking an alternative to high-impact consumer culture.

6. Learn a useful craft or skill.

If you have a skill, such as cooking, animal husbandry, massage, musical ability, or basic carpentry, you can barter for free food and accommodation as you travel the world.

Universally appreciated skills like cooking are best, though niche skills that are in high demand, like website design, are also useful. Native English speakers can often travel for free by teaching language classes in each destination they visit.

The slower you travel, the easier it will be to work out a mutually beneficial arrangement with a local community or host.

7. Get out of the city.

Although it’s possible to travel for free in a big city, it’s damn difficult. Cities are built on money, and necessities like fresh air, clean water, and a safe place to sleep are difficult to come by in cities.

Go to the country, where people are more relaxed, food is plentiful, and there’s ample room for one traveler to lay out her sleeping bag under the stars.

8. Find a job you love that entails world travel.

If you need an income in order to pay off loans or support a child, find a job that calls for extensive travel. There are millions of jobs available in the global economy that demand world travel.

Of course, some jobs are easier to love than others, and much work that involves travel also involves the destruction of local ecosystems and traditional ways of life. Avoid unethical work if at all possible — it’s bad for your health and worse for your soul.

9. Embrace serendipity.

To travel for free requires a blend of advance planning and the willingness to seize opportunities and go with the flow. Does your new CouchSurfing friend want company for a drive across the country? Grab your pack and ride along! Does an organic farm in Thailand need a farm sitter for the rainy season? Dig in!

As Kurt Vonnegut wrote, “Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God.”

People travel all the time.

Travel is lovely.

Travel is expensive .

Wrong.

Here are 25 ways to travel for free.

Volunteering in order to travel:

• Wwoof – Get free room and board for working on a farm.
• Peace Corps.– 2 year travel opportunity abroad.
• Global Giving– volunteer for a variety of programs.
• United Nationsvolunteer program
• Couch Surf– stay for free in homes in areas of interest to you
• Global Freeloader– you’ll also have to host travelers in return
• Servas Internation volunteer program
• Hospitality Club – cultural exchange program
• Americorps – volunteer and earn a stipend or get free room and board.

Other cheap options for traveling:

• Become a tour guide. Organize trips for other groups and be the tour leader. You’ll get paid to travel 😉
• Become a house sitter and care for houses in areas you’d like to travel to.
• Work as crew on a cruise line.
• Relocate vehicles. Many travel cross country.
• Carpool.
• Work for a room. Hostels often offer opportunities to work in exchange for a free place to stay.
• Swap houses.
• Work Seasonal at a ski resort. Just imagine a picturesque resort in the mountains…
• Teach English as a second language in another country
• Work as a nanny in a location you’d like to travel to
• Hitchhike, probably not the safest option.
• Go human powered. Bike/walk/run across the country.
• Work at summer camp. They’re all across the states and also in other countries too!
• Enter contests, you never know what you could win.
• Get free flights by cashing in on credit card deals
• Be a secret shopper or reviewer. You’ll get to check out travel locations in exchange for your review.

1. Sign-up for a new Frequent Flyer Credit Card

If you haven’t done this yet you need to because you are losing miles on every purchase you make without a travel rewards card. This is the easiest way to earn a free flight right away. Almost every airline has a partnership with a card. Delta offers 30,000 miles just for getting approved for their AmEx. United offers a MileagePlus card from chase that will earn you 40,000 miles when you sign-up. Just about every airline offers a card with bonus miles just like this and you can see a complete list on Daily Markets. Keep in mind some cards have minimum spending limits to meet in the first few months but often those can be met just by paying your bills. When you book your flight you will have to pay some taxes but they are often very low when compared to the flight cost. 30-40,000 miles is more than enough for one domestic flight and well on its way to a international flight.

2. Sign-up for a Non-specific Travel Rewards Card

Not loyal to one airline or can’t decide which airline’s card is right for you? No problem because there are plenty of travel rewards cards that will simply earn you points that you can convert to miles to fly for free. The Chase Sapphire will earn you 40,000 bonus points. There are plenty more to choose from such as American Express and Capital One. Cards with points are great alternative to miles. Check them out here.

3. Volunteer to Get Bumped and Use a Voucher

To use your travel voucher first you have to get bumped but if you are flexible that is not too hard. I have been offered them dozens of times and excepted them when I can. When flights are oversold, and they often are today, you can volunteer to give up your seat. These vouchers can range from a couple hundred dollars and up just depending on the airline and route. The best way to get offered these vouchers is to fly very popular routes. Usually these are valid for one year and can be used for a free ticket or towards a more expensive ticket. One thing I do not like about them is they often cannot be combined. I recently sat on the phone with Delta for a long time trying to just that for a flight to East Africa with no luck. But every dollar off helps and sometimes it covers the whole fare.

4. Seek Out Overbooked Flights

This goes along with volunteering to get bumped. Your odds of receiving a travel voucher go up when you are flying a route with a good chance of being oversold. Popular flights include the first fight of the day, popular destinations, flying on a holiday, and flying from a major airlines hub. Feel free to ask the agent at the gate if they think they will need volunteers to take the next flight. Keep in mind flexibility is the key to success here.

If you are planning to get bumped be sure to carry-on your bags. You want to have access to everything you need if you have to spend an extra night away from home.

5. Use Your Companion Ticket

This method allows you to take a friend/partner/boyfriend or just about anyone you can call your companion on a free flight that you are on. Many airline credit cards, such as Delta, will allow you to bring a companion along for free once a year for renewing their credit card. Your only cost the government taxes and fees ranging from $10.80-$27.60 (with Delta). Other airlines offer these as well so be sure to check the benefits of your travel rewards card before signing-up if this is something that would be useful for you.

6. Complain with Good Reason

This is not something you should take advantage of but if you experience a less than enjoyable flight you may receive compensation for it. Be honest and write a formal complaint to the airline. Don’t email the complaint to them but actually write this letter by hand with all your flight number, route, frequent flyer number and explain why you were dissatisfied. Explain to them that you want a free ticket because of what your negative experience was. Send carbon copy to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Aviation Consumer Protection Division so the airline will see that you are serious. The DOT site will also certify the letter so you know it has been received by the airline (source: elliot.org)

7. Do Your Shopping Through Airline Shopping Portals

All airlines have shopping portals where you will earn miles on almost everything you want to buy. They carry every major retailer and its is very simple to use. You can not earn a free flight quickly here but you can earn miles without even flying. They often have deals that will earn you a lot of miles on the dollar. If you need a couple more thousand miles to earn your free flight with miles this is a good way to bump them up a bit.

8. Fly on Special Military ‘Space A’ Flights

This is limited to servicemembers, retirees, and their families. So if you have someone in your family who is or once was in the military you can fly for free. The Space A or military hops, is a program that provides free flights for those who serve and their families. The catch is you have to be very flexible with dates and times. While I have never used this method I do have family members who have. It has become harder to fly under the Space A program post 9/11 but it is still an option for those who are eligible. More info on Space A here.

9. Work for an Airline or Make a Friend Who Does

This takes some dedication or perhaps a career change but you can fly for free if you work for an airline. You don’t have to be a pilot or a flight attendant to enjoy these perks. Simply working for most airlines will provide you with access to free flights wherever that airline flies. You will be able to fly your immediate family and some airlines even allow you to fly a companion for free. So just making the right friends may get you access to a free flight.

10. Earning Miles the Old Fashioned Way

When you have applied for too many credit cards and have been declined or you are tired of churning them every year you can simply go back to the basics. Just earn the miles you need to fly for free with the basics. This starts with flying consistently with one airline when it is reasonable to do so. Loyalty pays off but don’t let it force you into buying a more expensive flight. Do all your shopping through airline portals online (see #7). And lastly, if you do have at least one airline credit card make sure you use it for all your regular expenses every month. In time you will earn free flight but they just won’t be as fast as some of the other methods.

Conclusion

Flying for free or a discount allows you to spend money on other things when you travel such as lodging or extended stays. Some methods are much easier than others and numbers 8 and 9 are not possible for everyone. The point is there are a lot of ways to earn free travel so be sure to always get those miles and points when they are available to you. Seek travel vouchers when they are available, never be afraid to complain about a bad experience, and don’t forget to use those companion tickets your airline offers you every year. Being flexible is the best way to get deals and earn free flights. Hopefully you can apply one of these methods soon and earn a free flight.

We are committed to full transparency in our mission to make the world smarter, happier, & richer. Offers on The Ascent may be from our partners – it’s how we make money – and we have not reviewed all available products and offers. That transparency to you is core to our editorial integrity, which isn’t influenced by compensation.

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Who wouldn’t want to travel for free? Anyone can do it — all you need is the right credit card for the job.

Image source: Getty Images.

Image source: Getty Images

As exciting as it is to travel, the experience is that much sweeter when you get to do it for free. You can take your trip without stressing out about how you’re going to pay for it, you’ll be able to do more at your destination since you saved money getting there, and let’s be honest, you’ll be the envy of your friends and family when they hear how little you spent on your vacation.

The big question is how to score free travel opportunities. Assuming you don’t have a rich uncle interested in financing your trips, the best option is getting the right credit card and using points to travel.

How to use points for free travel

Here’s a basic breakdown of how you can travel for free with credit card points:

1. Apply for a credit card. Make sure you’ll be able to use the points it earns for the travel you want.
2. Spend enough to earn the card’s sign-up bonus.
3. Use the bonus to pay for your travel.
4. Put as much of your usual spending as possible on your credit card to continue earning points.

By using your card regularly, you’ll have more points coming in, which you can then use for more travel opportunities.

Most of that is straightforward enough, but finding the right credit card can be the tricky part.

Finding the right travel rewards card

There are two ways to book travel with credit card points:

• Purchase award travel, which is when you book in points with an airline or hotel
• Redeem points at a fixed rate (most often $0.01 per point) for travel purchases, either by booking through a card issuer’s travel portal or applying points as a statement credit to previous travel purchases

The most versatile travel rewards cards let you either transfer your points to any airline or hotel partnered with your card’s rewards program or redeem your points at a fixed rate. You can do this with cards in the following programs:

Each program has a different lineup of airline and hotel transfer partners, so you should check to see which ones have partners you use regularly.

Once you know what program fits your travel needs, you can pick a credit card in that program. While it’s important to compare the key features of each card, pay special attention to rewards rates. When a card earns bonus points in spending categories where you shop regularly, it’s much easier to build your rewards.

Earning points

Once you have your new credit card, it’s time to earn points. Fortunately, most credit cards now offer lucrative sign-up bonuses, which you get if you spend at least a minimum amount within a specific timeframe. Make sure you spend enough, as this is the fastest way to earn points.

I also recommend putting as many of your normal expenses as you can on your credit card. In doing so, you can maximize the number of points you earn per month.

Redeeming your points

Now we’ve reached the fun part: You have your points and you want to travel somewhere.

First, you need to know what specifically you want to book, such as airfare or a hotel stay. Then, you can look at what booking options you have with your points and choose the one that gets you the most value.

Let’s say that you want to book airfare and you have points you can either transfer or redeem at a fixed rate. Check how much an award ticket would be with any airlines where you can transfer your points, and then search for the same route in your card issuer’s travel portal. Whichever one costs you fewer points is the way to go.

Never pay for travel again

If you have a good travel credit card and spend enough with it, you could end up traveling for free every year. Just make sure that you take your time comparing the best travel cards to find one that fits your needs, and then make it your main payment method. Try to shop for your travel early, too, as this often helps when you plan to pay with points.

Our credit card expert uses this card, and it could earn you $1,148 (seriously)

As long as you pay them off each month, credit cards are a no-brainer for savvy Americans. They protect against fraud far better than debit cards, help raise your credit score, and can put hundreds (or thousands!) of dollars in rewards back in your pocket each year.

But with so many cards out there, you need to choose wisely. This top-rated card offers the ability to pay 0% interest on purchases until late 2021, has some of the most generous cash back rewards we’ve ever seen (up to 5%!), and somehow still sports a $0 annual fee.

That’s why our expert – who has reviewed hundreds of cards – signed up for this one personally. Click here to get free access to our expert’s top pick.

• Travel Rewards Credit Cards
• Cash Back Credit Cards
• 0% Balance Transfer Credit Cards

Short of winning a sweepstakes, a no cost holiday to a foreign country is an impossibility for most people. Of course, there are countless ways to reduce the cost of a trip, but ultimately you must decide if the traveling is worth the money you will spend on it. With growing fears of recession and a dramatically weakening dollar, the scales of reason seem to be tipping more and more in favor of staying at home.

But what if you could travel for free, even be paid a stipend, in exchange for contributing time to help a foreign community as a volunteer?

Purposeful travel has become very popular and the opportunities to take ‘volunteer vacations’ are endless. However, all of these programs cost money, often just as much as a traditional package tour.

There are a lot of good reasons why travelers should pay to volunteer, but we are about to see that you don’t have to.

Here are 11 options for free or very cheap travel through volunteering:

Long-term Programs

The Peace Corps is the classic all expenses paid volunteer option that first comes to an American’s mind. They offer two-year appointments, mostly in Africa, Asia, and South America, as well as modest stipends. Popular among recent college graduates, the Peace Corps is actually open to people of all ages. It is part of a larger government program called Freedom Corps, which includes the Volunteers for Prosperity (VfP). VfP offers similar benefits and projects as the Peace Corps, but assignment lengths are variable, from a few weeks to several years in duration.

The United Nations volunteer program sends experienced professionals from almost any field to every region on earth. As a volunteer all expenses, including airfares to and from your work site and any pre-appointment necessities like vaccines and visas, are covered. In addition, volunteers receive various grants and stipends that vary in amount depending on the project’s local economy. Like most of the groups in this list, they are looking for people with extensive experience in their field. Like the Peace Corps, most appoints are for two years, though they claim to be increasing the number of six-month and year-long options.

The ArtCorps is a program specifically designed for professional artists. The program focuses on using art as a teaching tool, as well as a means of expression, for communities that face pressing social problems. Though the program does require that participants do some personal fundraising, the cost of travel is otherwise fully covered, along with a small stipend. Most assignments last 11 months.

Voluntary Service Overseas (VSO) was recognized as the “International Development Charity of the Year” at the 2004 UK Charity Awards. They have placed over 30,000 volunteers, primarily in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean and Eastern Europe. They provide a stipend, in addition to covering all expenses. While most assignments last two years, there are some special projects for experienced professionals lasting between two weeks and six months.

Shorter-term Programs

Geekcorps is a volunteer program that specializes in placing experts from the IT industry in communities with the goal of fostering digital independence. Geekcorps runs projects primarily in Mali, Ghana, and Lebanon. The program covers travel and living expenses in addition to providing a small stipend. Most of the placements are four months in duration, though options range from one to six months.

Winrock International is a non-profit organization that works to build economic prosperity and civil empowerment while encouraging sustainable resource use and environmental protection. They have projects in many parts of South America, Asia, and Africa. They offer to cover all travel expenses including a small per diem and most assignments last two to three weeks, including travel time.

ACDI/VOCA leads projects focused primarily on economic development. They are looking for experienced professionals with knowledge of business, banking and finance, marketing, agriculture, food processing, and community development, in addition to other, project specific, areas. They administer projects all over the world and cover all project-related expenses. Typical assignments are between two and four weeks long.

The International Executive Service Corps (IESC) encourages the development of private business and industry with the goal of increasing prosperity and development around the world. They are looking for volunteers with a background in business or industry and operate in many locations. All travel expenses are covered by the program in addition to a small stipend. Assignments vary from one week to several months long.

The Financial Services Volunteer Corps (FSVC) places business and finance professionals in developing and reforming economies to provide education and guidance. They cover all expenses and operate primarily in Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia. Assignments typically last between one and two weeks.

Not Free, But Very Cheap

Willing Workers On Organic Farms (WWOOF) places volunteers on organic farms around the world. While working, your room and board at the farm is free, though volunteers are responsible for all expenses involved in getting to and from the site. Volunteers must pay a small annual membership fee to join the organization in the country they wish to work in order to access the database of farms. This is a great opportunity to learn about organic farming and spend a week or two doing some fun physical work.

Finally, there are a number of “work camps” worldwide that place teams of volunteers on a two or three week project. These can involve everything from farming to construction, education to art, every project is different. It costs about $300 for two or three weeks of room, board, and work. Not free, but not bad for two weeks of traveling. These projects are organized through clearing houses, the most popular being Volunteers for Peace and Service Civil International. As a great deal, Volunteers For Peace charge $500 for an entire family, regardless of the size.

Keep in mind that these trips will not be a week sitting on the beach. You will have to work, but even if you are doing something related to your everyday job, the location and unique challenges will make it seem fresh and new.

Besides a vacation, these opportunities provide an opportunity to learn a new language, take a leadership role, experience everyday life in a foreign country, and make some new friends and professional connections. With experiences like that, maybe it is smart to take a vacation during a recession.

For more general information on volunteering check out Transitions Abroad, the True Travellers Society, and the Idealist.

Thousands of Americans — of all ages — have ditched the “American Dream” for a better one.

These people travel year-round and live where they want.

One Baltimore couple recently booked two round trip flights and 3 nights in Paris for $333.

“We were blown away how easy it was to fly for free. We never expected to travel anywhere for so cheap…certainly not to Paris,” explains Josh, a physical therapist at the University of Maryland Medical Center in Baltimore.

How did they do it?

I’ll give you a hint…

It wasn’t through a travel agent or years of saved up airline miles…

Instead they let the system work for them.

Like this couple, they fly anywhere in the world for FREE…Sleep for free…even eat for free!

And for the first time ever all in one place, one new (and FREE) guide reveals all their secrets….

#1 How to Fly for FREE (Or Pennies on The Dollar)

This secret alone is good for up to $5,000 in free airfare per year (possibly more), plus free first-class upgrades.

It all comes down to one thing: Using credit cards wisely.

If you don’t use a rewards credit card for every single thing you buy, now’s the time to start.

#2 How to Get Free Accommodation Anywhere in the World

Accommodations is always the biggest money sucker when you travel.

Thanks to a few tried and true tips anyone could stay anywhere for free…if they know where to look.

Nora Dunn, a freelance travel writer, estimates that she’s saved over $63,500 in accommodation expenses using a few simple tricks.

She’s traveled the world since she quit her job in 2006 and no matter where she lands, she stays for FREE.

How does she do it? Several ways…

One thing she does is house (and pet) sits whenever possible.

On the Caribbean island of Grenada, for example, she spent three months in a beautiful beachfront villa and had full personal use of two cars.

All she had to do was watch the house while the owners were gone. Sound simple…it is!

#3 Get Paid to Cruise

Many cruise ships are looking for men and women to entertain the guests. If you’re a social butterfly, like an adventure, or you’re looking for a lucrative way to see the world, this job is perfect for you.

Your only responsibility is to have fun with the guests.

Average compensation: $1,500 – $2,000 a month plus free room, board and drinks!

#4 FREE Museum Tickets, Backstage Passes, and Special Events

Ever wish you could get backstage and mingle with the stars?

Tired of paying for tickets to museums?

Or how about access to the next big Hollywood blockbuster premier…for free?

The first step is easy…become a member of gofobo.

Membership is 100% free, and it’s easy to sign up.

Once you’re a member you’ll get private invites to the latest Hollywood premiers.

You’ll soon realize that gaining access to almost any venue for free is incredibly simple.

#5 Deduct Your Next Vacation

There are several ways you can turn your family vacation into a partial tax deduction if the travel expenses are necessary for your job, personal business, or even if you’re looking for a new job while traveling.

To deduct the cost of your vacation, the trip must be within the U.S. and primarily (over 50%) for business. If going abroad it must be 75% business to deduct the cost of more than one week’s travel.

The beauty of this trick is that bringing your family along for the business trip won’t disqualify you from writing off anything that you wouldn’t normally be able to deduct.

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Anna Pedersen

Anna is a freelance writer and editor, currently based in Portland, Oregon. She has traveled to 40+ countries, lived on four continents, and called the United Arab Emirates home for over two years.

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The old adage says that you need three things in order to travel: time, money, and energy. When we’re young we have time and energy, but no money; when we’re middle aged we have energy and money, but no time; and when we’re in our old age we have money and time, but no energy. But in our modern world with alternative travel options that don’t cost an arm and a leg, this doesn’t necessarily have to hold true.

In fact, there are ample opportunities to go overseas without spending much money at all! Volunteering abroad can be a great way to travel and see the world without breaking the bank. Read on for suggestions on how to volunteer abroad for free.

Shouldn’t Volunteering Always Be Free?

This may seem like a simple question, but the reality is that many volunteer opportunities charge administrative fees in order to cover the program’s operational costs. This doesn’t mean that these programs are trying to rip you off or take advantage of young people who just want to travel—after all, these organizations truly are trying to do good and they can’t do that without some financial help.

The costs will vary by program, but most fees associated with volunteering typically cover things like housing, food, transportation, in-country support, and so on. They want to make your experience impactful and enjoyable and so they need your help in making that possible. The more money the organization spends on you, the less money they’ll be able to spend on the cause you’re all trying to help.

But that doesn’t mean that volunteering always has to cost money. There is a plethora of volunteer abroad opportunities that are completely free!

Ok, but like, actually free?

You’ve got me there. Even if the program is free and charges you absolutely nothing, there still will generally be some costs involved. From airfare, to housing, to food, you will generally have to be prepared to spend a little money. But think of the adventure you will have in exchange! It can still very much be worth the investment in order to travel and give back at the same time.

So let’s talk specifics.

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Free Volunteer Abroad Opportunities

Where to look

There are a number of sites that match intrepid travelers with eager hosts. Generally, both parties—the guest (that’s you) and the host—are peer reviewed, meaning that you can see what other people who have stayed with them have said. It can certainly be scary (maybe more so for your parents) to fly to a foreign country only to stay with strangers, but the truth is that most hosts on these sites are just like you and me: they love traveling, love meeting new people, and simply want to open up their home (or farm or business) in order to get some free labor and make some new friends. Really, it’s a win-win.

Some of these sites are much better known, like WWOOF, but they all offer pretty similar services. For a small membership fee, usually between $20-$40, you have access to hundreds, if not thousands, of hosts around the world. You can search by desired location or desired experience, and then sort through hosts to see what opportunities stand out to you.

Most opportunities will be in agriculture—there are a lot of hosts looking for help on small family farms, vineyards, or ranches, or looking for assistance with just general maintenance around their property. Some hosts are looking for childcare or English language help in the house. There are opportunities at hostels and small bed and breakfasts. Some local community centers will even be listed, and they might be looking for English teaching assistance or help with specific projects. Opportunities run the gamut, so it’s up to you to think about what you most want out of your volunteering experience.

Pour yourself a cup of coffee and set aside a few hours to delve into these sites. It can be super engrossing to look through all of the different possibilities and dream about all of your adventures to come!

• WWOOF: The name stands for World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms, and as you might assume, this site will generally only list opportunities on organic farms. So if you’re looking for an outdoor adventure, this is the place for you!
• Workaway: I spent about six months volunteering with different Workaway hosts in South America. You can find all sorts of free volunteer opportunities on this site, from beekeeping in France to llama ranching in Patagonia. They’ll also have options in cities, generally in hostels or private homes.
• Help Stay: This site also offers a full range of projects around the world. The staff at HelpStay also reviews host profiles, so you can trust that the people you’ll stay with are already vetted. Heads up though, some hosts will charge a small fee (maybe $10 a day) to cover your living costs.
• Moving Worlds: This site is more skills-based than the rest. They offer projects in accounting, design, marketing, photography, and more. If you’re already a skilled professional in a field, this site offers you the chance to take your trade global while still giving back.

What to expect

Since these opportunities are generally not run by organizations, experiences will vary greatly. Accommodation could be quite rudimentary, sometimes you might be asked to do tasks that weren’t so explicitly laid out in the description, maybe your dietary restrictions are not always met.

By the same token, the lack of formal structure can also leave space for incredible, unplanned adventures. Maybe your host will teach you how to make a local dish or you’ll connect with other volunteers from around the world. The possibilities are endless.

The truth is that these experiences can be fantastic, but they can also fall short of your expectations. The key is clear communication with your host prior to your arrival and trusting your gut instincts. Solo woman traveling in rural Germany? Maybe don’t stay with the male host in a remote part of the country without Internet access and no reviews. Generally, people are who they say they are, but you still need to be smart and savvy.

If you’re looking for a volunteer opportunity with a little more structure and stability, you might consider a low-cost alternative. Free options are few and far between, but there are a number of wonderful options that come at a pretty low cost.

Last year my girlfriend and I spent nine months living in France, rent-free. We were house sitters which means we looked after other people’s homes and pets while they were away on holidays themselves. We took on four different house sits ranging from two weeks to five months, drank plenty of wine and consumed our weight in baguettes and cheese on a weekly basis.

It was a wonderful experience and it was incredibly cheap. Without the cost of rent, our only real outgoings were food and spending money. It meant we were able to live in France, a country we’d both wanted to live in for several years without having to go through the rigmarole of finding a place to rent and finding French companies that had job openings for two people with, it’s fair to say, very little French.

In return for staying there rent-free we had a few chores to carry out. The amount of work you’re asked to do varies from house sit to house sit. This one was quite a bit of work. In addition to looking after the pets, we also had to mow the several acre lawn and even try to sell the homeowners’ car.

What is House Sitting?

House sitting means looking after someone else’s home while they’re away. The reasons people get a sitter vary, but in most cases it’s because they have pets that need looking after and aren’t comfortable putting them into boarding kennels or a cattery. Often there are several pets to look after which would mean the boarding kennel costs doubles and very often people have pets that most boarding kennels won’t look after (we’ve looked after alpacas and turtles for example).

Other reasons for getting a sitter include: having someone to collect the mail, having someone there to act as a deterrent to burglars and having someone there to make sure things don’t go wrong (e.g. the pipes freezing during winter).

All in all, it often makes much more sense to get a house sitter than to go with any of the alternatives.

Why House Sit

Us house sitting in France

Anyone who’s ever travelled for more than a few weeks will know just how much the cost of accommodation adds up. In places like Western Europe, Australia and North America this can make travel and especially long-term travel seem very unaffordable. But house sitting is more than just free accommodation – as amazing as that is – it’s a unique travel experience that gets you living like a local in a proper house and usually with pets as well.

Towards the end of our house sit last year we were invited to attend the local repas de chasse; a six course meal of venison, wild boar, cheese and other delights thrown by the local hunting society.

How to Find House Sitting Assignments

When we first started house sitting, we did everything to market ourselves to try and get more house sits; we built our own website, advertised, contacted expats living abroad etc. It was a lot of effort for very little return. These days we just tend to maintain memberships on house sitting websites like TrustedHousesitters.com who currently have around 500+ housesits to apply for. Of all the different house sitting sites, Trusted Housesitters tend to be the best reviewed.

We’ve also built up some good relationships with people we’ve house sat for before and so are frequently invited back for repeat house sits.

There is ongoing transmission of novel coronavirus within the United States and in destinations throughout the world.

You may have been exposed to COVID-19 on your travels (domestic and/or international). You may feel well and not have any symptoms, but you can be contagious without symptoms and spread the virus to others. You and your travel companions (including children) pose a risk to your family, friends, and community for 14 days after you were exposed to the virus. Regardless of where you traveled or what you did during your trip, take these actions to protect others from getting sick:

• When around others, stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people who are not from your household. It is important to do this everywhere, both indoors and outdoors.
• Wear a mask to keep your nose and mouth covered when you are outside of your home, and including when using public transportation.
• Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer.
• Watch your health and look for symptoms of COVID-19. Take your temperature if you feel sick.

Follow state, territorial, tribal and local recommendations or requirements after travel.

Higher Risk Activities

Some types of travel and activities can put you at higher risk for exposure to COVID-19 (see list below). If you participated in higher risk activities or think that you may have been exposed before or during your trip, take extra precautions (in addition the ones listed above) to protect others for 14 days after you arrive:

1. Stay home as much as possible.
2. Avoid being around people at increased risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
3. Consider getting tested for COVID-19.

What activities are considered higher risk?

Here are examples of activities and situations that can increase your risk of exposure to COVID-19:

• Being in an area that is experiencing high levels of COVID-19, including destinations with a Level 3 Travel Health Notice. You can check the Travel Health Notices for recommendations for places you have traveled, including foreign countries and U.S. territories. You can also check states,counties, and cities to determine if these areas are experiencing high levels of COVID-19.
• Going to a large social gathering like a wedding, funeral, or party.
• Attending a mass gathering like a sporting event, concert, or parade.
• Being in crowds – for example, in restaurants, bars, airports, bus and train stations, or movie theaters.
• Traveling on a cruise ship or river boat.

If you know that you were exposed to someone with COVID-19, postpone further travel. Even without symptoms, you can spread COVID-19 to other people on your journey.

If you get sick with fever, cough, or other symptoms of COVID-19:

• Stay home and take other precautions. Avoid contact with others until it’s safe for you to end home isolation.
• Don’t travel when you are sick.
• You might have COVID-19. If you do, know that most people are able to recover at home without medical care.
• Stay in touch with your doctor. Call before you go to a doctor’s office or emergency room and let them know you might have COVID-19.
• If you havean emergency warning sign(including trouble breathing), get emergency medical care immediately.
• If you live in close quarters with others, take additional precautionsto protect them.

If you have a medical appointment that cannot be postponed, call your doctor’s office and tell them you have or may have COVID-19. This will help the office staff protect themselves and other patients.

This is how to travel for free! We do this with our kids year after year and you can too! Get free vacations to National Parks and Disneyland is included too. Even if you are looking for free airline tickets it is possible to do that too using this trick.

Ok I want to share how you can travel for free just like we’ve done time and time again. We have scored free first class round trip tickets to New York, taken trips to National Parks with my kids, and lots of fun road trips for free using these methods. There’s no trick and it doesn’t cost you anything out of pocket. Just tips from a Mom who is always trying to save a dollar every way she can. This is how we have gone on free vacations throughout the years and how you can too. One of our most requested tips on our road trip blog. (referral links present, originally published 5/16)

We are a middle class family of 5 who LOVES to travel with our kids!

We haven’t always had extra money to go wherever we wanted so early I had to get creative.

I was determined to find a way to travel for free (or at least close to it) so we could go on vacations with them more often.

I started by buying Groupons which definitely saved us money on activities and hotel stays, but I wanted to travel for free so this is what we used!

This was one of the first trips we took where we were able to travel for free to the Grand Canyon.

Here’s how we did it!

• I still liked the idea of getting discounted hotel stays and adventure packages through Groupon.
• Now I needed to find a way to get free credit to Groupon so there was no money out of my pocket.
• I found a way to get free Groupon gift cards here.
• Now I use the same method to get free airline tickets and gas cards too!!

We paired our free gift cards with this free admission National Parks pass and paid hardly anything out of pocket.

Here’s how you get started earning free gift cards so you can travel for free too.

1. Sign up for Swagbucks for free here
2. Once you’re logged in open a new browser window (the plus sign at the top right).
   1. Change your search engine to Swagbucks to earn a TON of free points just by searching the web each day.
      1. To do this right click on the far right of your search bar.
      2. Click edit search engines.
      3. Then select Swagbucks (it will probably already be set to Google or something)
3. Now you can also take quick quizzes on the Swagbucks website to earn points.
4. Additionally you can watch quick videos to earn more points which are traded in for free gift cards.
5. You can buy gift cards for other people on their site and earn points for doing that too.
6. Then every time you shop online and if there’s cash back for that store there will be a button to press like the one below.
7. Click on that & you’ll earn $ for every dollar you spend automatically.

In order to earn the free gas cards we needed for our road trips I used my points as well!

I buy probably 90% of everything online because quite frankly I don’t have the time to search for the right color, size etc….in the stores. Since most companies offer free shipping then I’m actually saving money since I’m not driving around.

So when I shop thru Swagbucks for clothes at Old Navy let’s say, I earn “bucks” (like points) for every dollar I spend.

Then I exchange those points for gift cards for free gas cards, credit to Groupon and anything else we need to travel for free!!

Here is another way we travel for free with free airline tickets:

• We use this card to pay all our monthly bills. We pay them off at the end of the month, and accrue airline miles for every dollar we spend. The miles add up quickly and we also earn 2 flights per year because we’re a member.
• They occasionally have specials where you earn 50,000 miles by signing up which translates to several free flights. You can also use your Swagbucks points to get free airline tickets for Southwest Airlines as well now.

If you want to travel for free to Disneyland using Swagbucks you can!!

We used this points system I explained above and it was easy peasy!

Here is one of my favorite vacations where all we paid for was food!

I watched videos on and off while I was doing chores around the house, did surveys in the evening, and did all my birthday and Christmas present shopping thru Swagbucks.

The next summer and it totally worked again and we were able to travel for free!!

I earned a TON of points when I changed by browser to Swagbucks. Now I earned points every time I searched the web for anything!

This got me totally hooked. Ok I occasionally trade in my points for free Starbucks cards too I cannot tell a lie. But typically I saved and saved so when summer or spring break I’d have the points I needed for our trip.

For more tips on how to travel cheap by yourself or with your family check out our top 5 tips here too…there is so much you can do!