How to Travel (Basically) For Free on a Backpacker’s Budget
Originally posted November 2016, updated January 2023
Yes, you read that correctly.
You can absolutely travel the world on a very limited budget. Aside from paying for airfare (use Going to receive email alerts on cheap flight deals) – traveling on a backpacker’s budget is very doable. Here are a few of the most common “alternative” ways to travel, which provide FREE accommodation…
How to travel with free accommodation
Workaway / HelpX / WWOOF – these opportunities vary from helping with a media project to volunteering on an organic farm to working the front desk of a hostel. Essentially, you’ll be trading a bit of work and skill (typically 20-25 hours per week) in exchange for free accommodation and usually free food. I’ve used WorkAway on three different trips (and can’t recommend it enough!), but HelpX is the same idea, and WWOOFing is more for organic farm work. Whatever floats your boat!
House sit – In exchange for caring for a person’s home (and possibly animals), you get to stay in their home while they’re gone…free of cost. Since accommodation usually ends up costing the most over a period of traveling, you’re saving yourself a ton of money - while also potentially enjoying the company of a few furry friends.
Couchsurfing – as in, the app & website. I’ve met so many people throughout my time traveling who have used it regularly, and absolutely recommend it. Plus, what better way to get to know a place than to experience it by staying with a local? That being said, always have a back-up plan, especially when relying entirely on someone else for access to accommodation.
Actually work overseas – So many hostels (and by that I mean, nearly every hostel I’ve ever stayed in) employ people from all over the world. A working holiday = you get to travel to a new place and make a bit of cash while you’re doing it. Win-win. Of course, this usually means getting a working visa beforehand, so plan accordingly. I did a working holiday in New Zealand, and received free accommodation in a separate house for employees at my hostel job.
Bonus tip: start travel hacking as soon as possible to earn points & miles for free hotel stays! Scroll to the bottom for more information about travel hacking.
How to get free car rentals
This is one of my favorite travel hacks, and I’m so excited to share it with you.
Before diving in, the site that I’m referring to is only available in the following locations:
New Zealand
Australia
Brazil
North America
South Africa
Transfer Cars is your ticket to free car rentals while traveling. The key to success with this site is that you must have a very flexible travel schedule and not need the car for an extended period of time, or you must be willing to switch between various rental cars.
Essentially, you are relocating a rental vehicle for a specific company between two of their rental locations. The rental car is totally free to you for the designated amount of time that they’ve allotted for the relocation (i.e. a relocation period of 6 days, and those dates are chosen by you from their calendar of availability). They almost always include the first tank of gas for free, as well.
I used Transfer Cars in New Zealand, and worked this in my favor to do an entire loop around the South Island. Between two separate car relocations, I had almost two weeks with a totally free rental car. How amazing is that?!
Again, as long as your travel dates and locations are somewhat flexible, Transfer Cars is a wildly useful travel hack.
How to get free flights
Play the points and miles game, friends! Otherwise known as “travel hacking,” which starts with signing up for a travel rewards credit card. Anyone can do this, even if you’re working with a backpacker’s budget.
The goal with travel rewards credit cards is to hit the “sign up bonus,” or SUB. For example, this incentive could look like spending $3,000 within 3 months to receive 90,000 point SUB. Then, those points are ultimately used for booking free flights or hotel stays!
The most important thing to remember is that you should be reaching that SUB spend amount with regular, essential / everyday purchases that you would need to make anyways! Not going on a spending spree just for points, that wouldn’t make sense. You should be using the card for groceries every week, gas, paying bills, etc in order to hit the SUB.
My favorite travel cards for a great SUB and amazing travel perks (hello, lounge access) are:
American Express Platinum
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Those two cards have a high annual fee to reflect all of the perks that you receive. However, if you are an active duty military member or spouse, they will waive your annual fee.
These next two cards have a lower annual fee, and are some of the best beginner options for travel hacking:
Chase Sapphire Preferred
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
But I am by no means an expert on travel hacking, so you should head to the 10x Travel site for information from the actual experts. Their free online course is where I learned all about travel hacking, and they make it so simple to understand.
Happy travels!
- J