Volunteer 

Volunteering to help others either in a foreign country or right here at home 
is an excellent way to travel while making a difference in the world. Volunteer 
opportunities usually require that you pay for the transportation to and from 
the work site, but accommodations and meals are usually free.

1. WWOOF. World Wide Opportunities on 
   Organic Farms allows you to volunteer to work on organic farms from one week 
   to several months. As a volunteer, you live for free as a part of the family, 
   but you do not earn any money. You may need to pay a very small fee to recieve 
   the farm listing and transportation is not included.


2. VolunteerLouge. Read this 
   blog to stay abreast of chances to volunteer around the world. They include 
   links to a variety of other sites that offer opportunities, tips, resources, and 
   more.


3. GoLiveGive. This TV show offers opportunities to combine travel with 
   volunteering for ecological foundations. Read their 
   blog for more information on how you can be a green volunteer and travel 
   too.


4. Repair a trail. Volunteer with the Pacific 
   Northwest Trail Association and you can spend 8 days in a national park. You 
   will need to provide your own transportation, but the opportunity for 
   friendships and a unique vacation are limitless.


5. Volunteer at Mount Rainier. You can work for a weekend or long term 
   repairing trails, leading hikes, or any number of  other positions. Check out 
   their blog for more about 
   becoming a volunteer.


6. Work at a kibbutz. In exchange for room and board, you can volunteer 
   your time at a kibbutz. This site 
   sponsored by a man who was a kibbutz volunteer for over two years, offers all 
   the information you could want to get you started down the path of becoming a 
   kibbutznik.


7. Be a missionary. If religion is important to you and you have a 
   strong desire to help others, then becoming a missionary may be the way for you 
   to combine those passions with travel. Here 
   is one woman’s experience as a missionary in Liberia.

Learn 

Whether you are taking the time to learn a little something or using the 
knowledge you’ve built up over years of education, studying can get you free 
travel. Take advantage of one of these ideas below just by using your brain.

1. Learn Esperanto. If you invest a bit of time into learning Esperanto, 
   you can participate in an exchange 
   program with other Esperanto speakers. Once you have learned a bit of 
   Esperanto, either buy Passport Services for $25 or agree to list your home in 
   the book and receive a copy for free.


2. Group Study Exchange. The 
   Rotary Club offers a group study exchange for people between  the ages of 25 
   and 40 who are starting out in their careers. You will have to spend some time 
   doing presentations, but you receive a four week trip with airfare, 
   accommodations, and meals free of charge.


3. Become a Fulbright Scholar. Fulbright offers exchange programs for 
   students, teachers, recent graduates, and post-graduate students. Read about this Australian Fulbright Fellow’s 
   experience in the United States.


4. Listen to a timeshare pitch. The folks who sell timeshares frequently 
   offer incentives for people to listen to their pitch. Gifts range from full 
   vacation packages to overnight accommodations. Be aware that they are working to 
   sell you a timeshare, so you must not fall victim to their selling 
   tactics–unless you are in the market for a timeshare, of course.


5. Intern or study abroad. There are many agencies that will arrange 
   internships or study programs for students. While there are sometimes costs 
   associated with these services, many scholarships are offered to allow those who 
   cannot afford it to participate.


6. Apprentice. Many artisans can apprentice to learn how to become a 
   master in their field. From carpentry to pottery, if you aspire to become a 
   professional artisan, check into apprenticeships. Many times in order to study 
   under a master, you will need to travel to where he or she lives and works (at 
   your expense), but you will gain unequalled experience and enjoy living in a new 
   place at the same time.

Free Accomodations 

Sometimes finding a place to stay is the most expensive part of travel. From 
crashing on a stranger’s couch to writing about a resort, the suggestions below 
will help you find a way to stay for free.

1. Couch surf. If you enjoy meeting new people, consider joining CouchSurfing.com. Simply join, 
   participate in discussion groups to get to know the other members, and when you 
   have booked your travel, you contact the members in what ever part of the world 
   you plan to travel and work out a play to stay. The service is completely free 
   of charge and there is a member screening process to ensure safety.


2. Join The Hospitality Club. The Hospitality Club works similarly 
   to CouchSurfing.com in that it connects people around the world who are willing 
   to open their homes up to travelers. This service is free and you can browse the 
   member profiles to select a potential host.


3. Home swap. If you are willing to trade homes, you can stay free 
   anywhere in the world. For a small fee, you can join a home 
   exchange group and never pay for accommodations again.


4. Share your guest room. If you are willing to open your extra bedroom 
   up to someone, you can take advantage of the same opportunity to stay in an 
   extra room for your vacation. Sign up with Guestroom 
   Network and for only $4, you can stay in another member’s home.


5. Arrange a sponsorship. Some companies will provide accommodations for 
   you in return for your services. For example, a specialist in a specific field 
   who gives a presentation at a conference or for a company retreatmay get room 
   and board in return for sharing their expertise.


6. Write a review. If you have writing skills, try writing a review for 
   a hotel or resort. Many online guides will pay for the accommodations in return 
   for a professionally written review.

Ask for freebies 

Sometimes getting something is as simple as asking for it.

1. Get married. Instead of signing up for traditional gift registries 
   for housewares, many couples are asking for gifts of money to go toward travel 
   expenses so they can take a nice trip instead. Check out this 
   site that allows you to set up a registry free of charge.


2. Ask for donations. This 
   couple posted a request for donations on their travel blog to help keep 
   their travels going. There’s no guarantee anyone will donate, but if you’ve made 
   your friends and family angry enough at you, there’s no telling how much they’ll 
   pay to keep you away.


3. Ask for gift cards. Next time the next major gift-giving holiday 
   rolls around, ask for a travel gift card in lieu of gifts. Many major airlines 
   and hotels offer gift cards as do many travel 
   services.

For those who love to travel, finding a way to do so on someone else’s dime 
can make all the difference between staying at home and embracing the joy of 
exploration. Many of the suggestions below require that you give something in 
return, be it your time or a reciprocated place on your couch, but at least you 
don’t have to pay your own way. While it’s true you may not be getting something 
for nothing, at least you can take that vacation without breaking the bank. 

Work 

If you need a job and love to travel, there are ways to do both. Most of 
these ideas provide free transportation and either free or low-cost living 
accommodations. Keep in mind that these are jobs, so you will need to apply, get 
hired, and do the work once you’ve landed the position.

1. Teach English. Many companies in other countries hire native English 
   speakers to teach English to both adults and children. You will usually receive 
   a good paycheck, a stipend for living expenses or free accommodations, return 
   airfare, and sometimes you receive a free airline ticket to the destination. 
   Check out sites such as this one for more 
   on these incredible opportunities for travel.


2. Become a caretaker. If you are looking for work and want to travel, 
   caretaking is a great way to live and travel 
   inexpensively. If you can do housework or work on the grounds of an estate, 
   caretaking usuallys provides you with a place to stay, money earned, and 
   beautiful surroundings.


3. Be a travel agent. Sometimes when you sign a contract to become a 
   travel agent, the company will provide you a free vacation. This 
   blog provides a link to one company that does just that.


4. Join the Peace Corp. The Peace Corp offers a two-year stint doing 
   work in a foreign country. You receive living accommodations and a small stipend 
   and will need a college degree to qualify. Read about the experience 
   of a couple working together in the Peace Corp. Of special interest, their post 
   on April 15, 2008 includes some FAQs about the Peace Corp as well as their 
   location.


5. Become an au pair. If you are younger than 30, you can be an au pair, 
   or a mother’s helper. You will receive room and board and a stipend in exchange 
   for helping with the children and maybe some light housework. Depending on the 
   agency, you may have to pay for your transportation or the host family may pay 
   for it. This 
   blog post captures the essence of being an au pair.


6. Be a tour guide. If you enjoy learning about the culture and history 
   of an area and like sharing what you know, then you could be a tour guide. Many 
   places where English isn’t the first language like to hire native English 
   speakers to guide their tours.


7. Translate. Granted, you need to be fluent in a language other than 
   English, but if you have that knowledge, use it. Translaters are usually in high 
   demand, so take advantage of it and land a job that will pay you to live and 
   work abroad.


8. Join the military. While your travel may not be on your terms, you 
   can learn a new vocation and earn money while traveling.  If defending your 
   country and potentially going to war are your thing, you may enjoy reading 
   about this man’s experience in the 
   U.S. Marine Corps.


9. Work as a personal assistant. The key to this job is to work as an 
   assistant to a high-powered executive. You may put in long hours and need to 
   deal with the personal whims of your boss, but you will likely spend a lot of 
   time traveling and participating in fun perks such as high-profile 
   events.

Win 

While there is no guarantee you will be able to actually take a vacation this 
way, it’s worth a try to see if you can win something. Take these suggestions if 
you feel lucky.

1. Holidays & Travel. Check out the numerous vacation giveaways on 
   this site. They also offer 
   travel deals, so you will have to read through the posts to find the chances to 
   win instead of paying for your vacation.


2. Prizatron. This blog is 
   devoted to listing sweepstakes. Almost every day this blogger posts links to 
   open sweepstakes. You will have to wade through them to find travel-specific 
   opportunities, but it’s probably worth it if you win.


3. All Because Two People Fell in Love. You can also subscribe to this blog. You’ll find posts and links 
   to tons and tons of sweepstake giveaways (mostly with a mama theme). Not all are 
   travel related, but many either award vacations or money that can be easily 
   spent on travel.


4. Search blogs. Try this blog 
   search by typing in vacation givaway in the search box. You will get 
   a list of blogs that feature giveaway opportunities. Be sure to check the dates 
   on these opportunities as they usually have a deadline to enter.


5. Enter raffles. Many schools and organizations hold raffles to raise 
   money, and depending on who donated for the raffle, you can sometimes find 
   vacation packages, accommodations, or flights as prizes. Spend a couple of 
   dollars to try for a free vacation.

Free Transportation 

Along with accommodation expenses, transportation is the other big ticket 
item while traveling. Find a way to travel for free and you are half way to a 
vacation paid by someone else.  Here are some thoughts on how to get your 
transportation for free.

1. Become a courier. For the price of delivering a package, you can get 
   free airfare to anywhere outside the United States.  Learn how 
   to be a courier and get a free flight to another country.


2. Cash in your frequent flier miles. If you’ve been saving miles, cash 
   them in for a free ticket.  If you haven’t saved enough of them, you can always 
   take advantage of the many promotional offers for extra miles by opening a 
   credit card.


3. Friends or family at an airline. Take advantage of the travel perks 
   your friends or family may have from their jobs at airlines. If you don’t know 
   of any friends or family connections, ask around. You may be surprised to learn 
   of someone’s connections you didn’t know about.


4. Book a tour. Sometimes promotional giveaways like this 
   one will provide free airfare if you book a tour with them. You may not have 
   as much flexibility with dates or destinations, but you can fly for free and 
   save quite a bit of money.


5. Transport a car. Many auto transport services need people to drive 
   their clients’ cars to destinations across the country. If you have a good 
   driving record and are responsible, you may be able to get to your travel 
   destination for free by driving a transport car.


6. Craigslist. Check out the rideshare section on craigslist 
   for people who are looking for company on a long drive. Sometimes the person 
   posting the ad asks for help with the driving or some gas money in return for 
   the ride. Or you can be more proactive and post your own ad looking for someone 
   to let you come along on their road trip.


7. Barter for Miles. If you have a skill or service, barter your 
   services with someone who has frequent flayer miles. You may even be able to 
   trade your services at your destination for the air fare to get there.


8. Use your debit card as a credit card. Some banks will reward you for 
   using your debit card as a credit card by giving points that are redeemable for 
   frequent flier miles. Check to see if your bank offers this service.  If not, it 
   might be worth your while to switch to a bank that does.


9. Hitchhike. While this option is not a safe idea in many countries, 
   including the United States, there are some countries where hitchhiking is not 
   only safe, but a common method of transportation. Read this 
   blog entry about hitchhiking (or "hiking") in Namibia.


10. Extend a business 
    trip. If your company is sending you on a business trip, extend the return 
    date by a few days and enjoy a short vacation before returning home. Make sure 
    this is alright with your boss before doing it, though, or that may be your last 
    business trip with them.

Fun Stuff 

While these ideas may not pay for your vacation, they will certainly help 
fund some of the extras that need to be taken into consideration when planning 
travel. From food to toiletries, find ways to get free stuff to take with you on 
vacation.

1. Free sunscreen. No matter where you plan to vacation, you will need 
   sunscreen. Simply fill out this 
   survey and receive a free tube of SPF 30 sunscreen.


2. $50 at a restaurant. Complete a 
   survey and get a gift card for one of many restaurants or a Visa 
   gift card spendable anywhere. Your information will be shared with their 
   marketing partner corporations, so you will likely get a ton of marketing 
   material.


3. Get free TV show tickets. If you will be in the Los Angeles area, you 
   can get free tickets to many TV and game show 
   tapings. Just select the show you are interested in seeing, click Order 
   Tickets, then print your ticket and bring it with you.  You must be 18 or 
   older and they suggest you arrive early.


4. Random free stuff. Visit That Freebie Site for a listing of 
   lots of free stuff.  Click on the Travel & Vacation link for freebies 
   specifically related to travel. Don’t forget to browse around for other free 
   things to take with you on your travels such as toiletries or 
   clothing.