Travel the World for Free: A Comprehensive Guide

Traveling the world for free probably sounds like it’s too good to be true. If it were that easy, everyone would be doing it, right? Well, yes and no. It’s very easy to find this information online, but you won’t find it if you don’t know what you’re looking for to begin with. So, this right here is the guide that I wish I had when I first started traveling by myself on a very tight budget. Hopefully, this will make your life a lot easier and a lot cheaper.

1. Volunteering Abroad

Volunteering abroad is probably the biggest category because it’s the most straightforward. There are seven websites I want to mention in this category, starting with my personal favorite, Worldpackers. If you’re a subscriber, you will have already heard of them because I’ve posted a few videos about the platform.

To summarize, you just log on and get access to a lot of different projects all over the world, ranging from working behind the front desk at a hostel, cleaning, doing tours around the town, to helping places with their social media. You contact the people or organizations hosting those activities or volunteer placements, and they will get in touch with you. You will then mutually decide whether that is a good fit and then you go off. Sometimes you will get Free Accommodation, sometimes you will get Free Accommodation and free food, and sometimes you’ll also get free activities if you’re staying in a hostel.

Personally, I think volunteering through Worldpackers is such a good way to see the world. Often, you will also meet other volunteers, so you already have that built-in sense of community. What I really like about Worldpackers over some other platforms is that they have a really good support network. If you contact them with any issues, they’re very fast to respond and help. If you get to a project and it’s not what you thought it was going to be, they will help you out.

Having said that, I don’t want to scare you because that’s quite unlikely to happen. When you apply to volunteer at a project, you will see loads of reviews, and you can contact other Worldpackers members to discuss how they felt there. There is, however, a small annual fee that you have to pay to access all those volunteer placements. I do have a discount code which I’m listing here and in the description below. You absolutely don’t have to use it, but it exists and it will save you money.

Yes, it’s a bit of an upfront cost and I understand that that’s not possible for everyone. But if you do just one volunteer placement, that cost will be far less than you would have paid for accommodation on-site. Accommodation and food in some cases, so personally, I think it’s really worth it, especially if you’re going to be using it quite a lot.

Here are a few other websites: Workaway, HelpStay, HelpX, and WWOOFing. WWOOF stands for Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms, and they purely focus on that type of volunteering. This organization has existed for many decades, so you know that you’re getting good quality. Because they specialize in one type of volunteering only, it means that there are tons of opportunities. Organic farmers will automatically list on there, so other volunteer platforms might not have as many opportunities of this sort. If this is something you want to do, definitely check out this platform. One great thing about WWOOFing is that food is typically included in your stay, not always, but typically.

Pueblo Ingles

Now here are two more volunteer websites I would recommend. The first is Pueblo Ingles, an organization that will host you for a week at a beautiful resort somewhere in Spain or anywhere all over Europe. You will then just talk to people. That’s literally all you have to do. The prerequisites are you being a native speaker of English, and that’s it. Apparently, it takes just five minutes to apply, so why not check it out? I personally haven’t used Pueblo Ingles, but it sounds like a great organization. I reviewed a lot of the reviews and they sound great.

Indigo Volunteers

I also want to mention one final organization, but before I talk about this type of volunteering, which is volunteering in the humanitarian sector, I want to mention a few caveats. My background is in political science; I did global development and international relations at university. It’s something I am hugely passionate about. Volunteering in the humanitarian sector is absolutely admirable, but sometimes it can do more damage than good. I do have a separate video talking all about this, so I can link it below or you can check it out on my profile.

In short, make sure that you are volunteering with a reputable organization. Make sure that you are not volunteering with vulnerable individuals if you’re just staying for a short period of time. What I mean by that is, don’t volunteer at an orphanage. That’s a whole topic of its own where you are making really deep connections with children that are vulnerable, that have been hurt before, that have been abandoned, only to do the same thing to them two days later. You know, you’re hugging this child, you’re forming a bond, and then you leave them, and it creates really troublesome psychological issues for them. So, please, please, please do your research.

With all that said, the organization that I have volunteered through and that I would thoroughly recommend because I know that they do their research is Indigo Volunteers. I used Indigo Volunteers to help out at a refugee camp. I worked there for three months in northern Greece, full of different nationalities. I taught English at a women’s space—a building and community purely designed for women. My classes were level zero (people with no knowledge of English) and level one (beginners who know a little bit). I would do daily classes; it was always the same people, so we got to know each other. I was there for three months, so it wasn’t just in and out. It was such a wonderful experience. I could not recommend it more. I learned so much about the world and about myself. I think I gained a lot of empathy through that experience.

It wasn’t something I got paid to do, and I actually had to pay a small stipend for my accommodation and to cover my food, but it was a very negligible amount. I think I paid in total with food and accommodation about three or four hundred euros for the first month, and then after that, because I was staying long term, I paid less, maybe 200 euros. So it’s a very cheap way to live. I know it’s not sustainable to volunteer non-stop forever, but if it were, I’m not sure I would have left, to be honest. It was just such a good experience. I have a whole separate video on it if you want to learn more, and I will make sure that I’ve linked it somewhere here.

2. Free Accommodation

Now we’re going to move on to our second large topic, and that’s Free Accommodation. Accommodation and transport tend to be the two biggest costs, and I’m going to tell you a secret: I have literally paid zero pounds in rent this month. I’m going to be doing a whole separate video on it, but my secret is actually all around me. I am currently house sitting and paying nothing to stay in this absolutely gorgeous house.

Let me show you around. Here’s the dining room and the absolutely gorgeous garden. It’s huge, and that right there is a chicken coop. I have been a chicken mama for the past week. Let me put my shoes on and introduce you. Here we go. Hello, chickies! Oh, hello, hello there. Oh, there’s two of you. Yes, you wanna come out? These are my new friends. Oh, where are you going? Bye, girlies. Okay, here is the kitchen. This is the study right here, but the best part is in the bedroom. Don’t worry; this video is not taking a turn. It’s very, very cute. You’re gonna love it. Hello, Tom. This is my new best friend, Tom. So cute, so loving, so fluffy. You’re such a good cat, you know? You’re such a good cat. Okay, we’re gonna let Tom sleep, but how cute!

I found this house sit through TrustedHousesitters.com, and there are many different websites that pretty much do the same thing. I personally really like TrustedHousesitters because I feel like they have the most listings. I have found it really easy to find loads of places that I could apply to. If you are new to the platform, which by the way, you also have to pay an annual membership fee for, similar to Worldpackers that I mentioned previously, yes, when I was first paying for it upfront, I thought, “I don’t know if I’m gonna use this enough.” But now that I’m staying here for two weeks, I am saving so much money. As I mentioned, I am literally paying zero pounds in accommodation this month. So, when you take that into account, the membership fee really doesn’t matter that much.

If you are new to the platform, I would caution patience because it does take a really long time to get accepted in the beginning when you have no reviews. It is difficult for the house owners to know they can trust you. I do have a few tips which I’m going to mention in my other video where I’m going to be talking exclusively about house sitting, but I caution patience. It does pay off in the end, and now I’ve got four houses lined up, so I’m living the life.

Couchsurfing

The second Free Accommodation website I want to mention is Couchsurfing. You’ve probably heard of it. They have introduced a rule where you also have to pay a small membership fee, but it is very, very low. I do want to mention that some women have reservations about using websites like this, and there are some disgusting predators out there. Predominantly, though, you will find nice people. There are reviews, and there is a verification system in place so that you can feel quite secure. If this is something that just seems a little too sketchy, don’t worry about it. There are many other options as you have seen in this video.

House Swaps

Now that was Free Accommodation, but if you’re in the fortunate position of owning a house, an apartment, or a flat, you are also eligible for House Swaps. There are so many different websites that you can use to swap with places all around the world. If you’ve seen the movie “The Holiday,” you get the gist of this. You find a stranger who wants to go to the place where you live and vice versa. You swap, the end. There are three websites I want to recommend in this category: Love Home Swap, Home Exchange, and HomeLink. I’m reading them off my phone because I haven’t actually used this service myself, as I don’t have a home to swap with anyone. But if I did, I would definitely look into these.

3. Relocation Services

The next big category, I’m personally also not eligible for because I can’t drive. I know, I’m way too old to not be able to drive, but anyway, we move. I can’t drive, but if you can like a regular adult human being, then you can take advantage of this. It literally means just taking someone’s car and moving it to a different spot. I’m not talking about re-parking in the same city; I’m talking cross-country, maybe for people who are moving to a new home. In the vast majority of cases, you will have to pay for gas and accommodation. Sometimes you can maybe sleep in the car if it’s a van, but it is a really good way to save money.

4. Working on Boats

The next big category I would be eligible for because I love water. I love swimming, I love surfing, I love being near it, I love looking at it, and I don’t get seasick. If you do get seasick, this may not be for you because it requires you to be on a boat pretty much at all times. This includes working as crew either on a yacht or on a cruise ship. There are different websites, and these three are the ones that I would personally recommend. Basically, you will find placements working as anything from a steward or stewardess to performing or emceeing on a cruise ship. It can be stuff that is more solitary, or you can be a cook, a chef, or even drive the boat.

Now, I have personally never worked on a yacht, but I have watched “Below Deck” with semi-religious fervor. I’m not sure that the reality TV show is the same as reality; however, the job roles will be fairly similar, the drama omitted, which is probably for the best. If I were younger and single, I would probably consider doing this. It looks really fun. You’re constantly waking up in new places. Yes, it can be difficult work; it can be very physical and mentally demanding. You’ll probably get a bit of cabin fever, but overall, I think the benefits really outweigh the downsides.

5. Timeshare Presentations

Now, you have got this far in this blog, so I’m going to assume that you are pretty good at sitting through presentations if they serve a purpose. That ties very nicely into my next category, which is timeshares. People selling timeshares are pretty intense. They will do anything it takes to sell them, and that anything includes taking you on an all-expenses-paid vacation just for a chance to pitch this incredible purchase to you. The most popular website for this seems to be TimesharePresentationDeals.com. I haven’t personally used this because if I went, I would definitely buy something, and it would be an absolute disaster. But if you are someone who is not susceptible to marketing and won’t feel bad saying, “Thanks for the free bouquet, but no thanks,” then you should go for it.

6. Exploring Your Roots

Finally, this last category is not for everyone but for a very different reason, and that is Exploring Your Roots. If your ancestors come from one of the places that I’m about to mention, then you might be eligible for a free trip abroad. Here are the countries: Birthright Israel, Heritage Greece, Reconnect Hungary, Birthright Macedonia (North Macedonia), Birthright Armenia, and CubaOne. There might be other programs that I haven’t come across yet, but these ones that I’ve mentioned seem to be available right now. They have different requirements as to how closely linked you need to be to those roots, but overall, it seems like an absolute no-brainer. Why would you not take advantage of these programs?

So that is how I travel for free. Can I just show you a bit more of this room? It’s full of books. This is my absolute dream room. Look, these are the books that I want to read next. I’m so excited. It’s got a fireplace. I mean, it’s truly incredible here. I really hope you found this guide helpful. If you have any travel-related questions about budgeting, being a solo female traveler, or anything at all, please ask me below. Don’t forget that you can follow me on other social media. By the way, I post on Instagram and TikTok pretty much daily. I’m out of breath. Okay, we’ll stop it right here. I’m gonna go make myself a tea. Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe—all the usual stuff. I am again posting weekly. Let’s see how long that lasts this time, but fingers crossed. I’m enjoying it; it’s nice to be back. Okay, bye!