What do people find as being the best way to save money when traveling?

[manlymatt83]

I overheard a group of folks talking about couch surfing today at lunch. I'm actually planning some trips soon to both Europe and parts of the US. Normally, I'd stay in hotels (use hotwire.com or something simpler). However, I wouldn't mind taking advantage of the ability to have a home stay or "crash on someone's couch" for a small fee.

Anyone have experience with these? Any recommended sites? Anything I can do now to get started?

 

[Ns1]

learn the rules of the road

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXz-HCcDUHY

 

[manlymatt83]

learn the rules of the road

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZXz-HCcDUHY

haha. I've never seen that.

 

[Ns1]

haha. I've never seen that.

Greatest stoner comedy ever.

 

[RossMAN]

I overheard a group of folks talking about couch surfing today at lunch.

However, I wouldn't mind taking advantage of the ability to have a home stay or "crash on someone's couch" for a small fee.

Anyone have experience with these? Any recommended sites? Anything I can do now to get started?

https://www.couchsurfing.org/n/how-it-works

 

[RossMAN]

Here's an interesting read about couchsurfing:
http://www.thelmagazine.com/newyork...-in-nyc/Content?oid=1251855&showFullText=true

 

[alkemyst]

/slowly backs out of this thread.

 

[IHateMyJob2004]

/slowly backs out of this thread.

Not sure if walking butt first is a good idea given the topic.

 

[7window]

use wifi instead of roaming

 

[shortylickens]

dont eat, bring a filter, drink tap water.

 

[brianmanahan]

Not sure if walking butt first is a good idea given the topic.

tbh it doesnt matter which direction he is walking, its always butt first

 

[ElFenix]

airbnb might be better than couchsurfing

 

[lxskllr]

Tarp, military pad, blanket, and a case of sardines. Should be less than $25 excluding the plane.

 

[herm0016]

we rent our guest room on airbnb. I think its great. we have made about 3k in the last 6 months.

also. hostels are great, and cheap.

 

[ttott]

good idea:thumbsup::thumbsup:

we rent our guest room on airbnb. I think its great. we have made about 3k in the last 6 months.

also. hostels are great, and cheap.

 

[schmuckley]

Pack sandwiches.

 

[schneiderguy]

Sell your body.

 

[mikeford]

Get a better job and enjoy the vacation.

Major exception, you have an insanely great job and a month of vacation. Rent a room in a private residence with a bathroom and stay more or less in that area the whole time making short trips and really immersing into the culture. A member of our family does this, rent a room and usually buys a couple bicycles to use, month long local transport pass and digs in, with maybe a week on either end of the trip someplace too far for a day trip.

Depending on your personality, and the location, visiting family can save a bundle and at the same time making you appreciate Motel 6.

 

[AznAnarchy99]

Hostels not hotels. Hotels are insanely expensive in major cities in Europe.

 

[AViking]

Hostels in Europe. Also depending on how you're traveling just use a sleeper coach between cities. I'm pretty sure you can drink the tap water in every Western European country but if you can't buy a portable pen filter. Not sure where you're going. Russia you'll need it. Stockholm you won't.

I personally haven't couch surfed but my girlfriend has and we're thinking of hosting people here and there. Couch surfing is a really good way to meet people and see the city from a local's perspective. The problem with being a tourist is that you spend the most money for the lowest quality. For example if you were to go to Rome the odds of you finding good food are slim unless you go where the locals eat. All this despite Italy having such a great reputation for food. I ate by the Colosseum once since I was in a hurry and paid a crazy amount for terrible food.

Staying in Hotels is really boring and insulated. If you're going to come all the way over here you might as well see Europe. No better way than being right smack in the middle of it. Plenty of people rent out rooms for cheaper than hotels if Couchsurfing is too scary for you.

 

[shortylickens]

 

[AViking]

And before we get into the whole Hostels are where you get murdered discussion we might as well bring up black lights in hotel rooms and how they're covered in semen. Couchsurfing and staying in someone's place suddenly doesn't sound so bad.

 

[shortylickens]

And before we get into the whole Hostels are where you get murdered discussion we might as well bring up black lights in hotel rooms and how they're covered in semen. Couchsurfing and staying in someone's place suddenly doesn't sound so bad.

I got a UV light and ran it around my room that first night I had it working. Learning something very fascinating:
Most cleaning products leave spots that show up like body fluids.

You can easily tell where I've sprayed febreze and liquid cleaner on my carpets.

 

[KMFJD]

Hostels and local street food

 

[xSauronx]

we rent our guest room on airbnb. I think its great. we have made about 3k in the last 6 months.

also. hostels are great, and cheap.

this, on both accounts. my cousins went to europe and used a site similar to airbnb, rented one hell of an apartment on the amstel river for dirt cheap for a week (i think it cost them like 300 each for the week, with 3 people)