Hotels are one of the largest day to day expenses travelers have and everyone is always looking for the cheapest place they can find. No matter what your accommodation tastes may be, one thing everyone has in common is that no one wants to pay a fortune for a place to stay. There are various ways people can use to get good accommodation and not over their entire vacation fund.
One of the best ways to get free accommodation is by staying with someone who lives where youre going via Couchsurfing. Couchsurfing connects travelers with people in various cities that offer free places to stay. Sometimes its a bed, sometimes its a couch, sometimes its literally just space. You get to make a new friend and get a local perspective on sites and activities. Its a good way to mix up your travels between meeting people in hostels and meeting the locals.
A lot of times people are scared to use this service because they wonder if its safe. You don't need to worry. the people who would open their homes to strangers tend to be very open minded people and former travelers themselves. They just want to help you out. Here are some tips that can help you determine if the person you are e-mailing with is trustworthy and how to stay safe using the service:
The profile has to be filled out. It shows they are interested and involved. Most people arent going to spend the time to fill this out if they arent going to be comfortable with strangers in their home.
The users profile should have some form of verification. You can get many forms of verification by the service and if they are verified, they are probably for real and want to help and not kill you.
They should have comments from other travelers. If other people have spent time with them and live, you will too.
No matter what, you still need to use your judgment. If it doesnt seem right, dont do it! Couchsurfing can be a great occasion to meet other travelers and get the inside perspective of a city. I havent heard of any really bad couchsurfing experiences besides the local was unhelpful. Just remember to go with your gut. - 16887
One of the best ways to get free accommodation is by staying with someone who lives where youre going via Couchsurfing. Couchsurfing connects travelers with people in various cities that offer free places to stay. Sometimes its a bed, sometimes its a couch, sometimes its literally just space. You get to make a new friend and get a local perspective on sites and activities. Its a good way to mix up your travels between meeting people in hostels and meeting the locals.
A lot of times people are scared to use this service because they wonder if its safe. You don't need to worry. the people who would open their homes to strangers tend to be very open minded people and former travelers themselves. They just want to help you out. Here are some tips that can help you determine if the person you are e-mailing with is trustworthy and how to stay safe using the service:
The profile has to be filled out. It shows they are interested and involved. Most people arent going to spend the time to fill this out if they arent going to be comfortable with strangers in their home.
The users profile should have some form of verification. You can get many forms of verification by the service and if they are verified, they are probably for real and want to help and not kill you.
They should have comments from other travelers. If other people have spent time with them and live, you will too.
No matter what, you still need to use your judgment. If it doesnt seem right, dont do it! Couchsurfing can be a great occasion to meet other travelers and get the inside perspective of a city. I havent heard of any really bad couchsurfing experiences besides the local was unhelpful. Just remember to go with your gut. - 16887
About the Author:
Matthew Kepnes has written for many travel magazines and has used couchsurfing a lot. For more information and stories, visit his travel website.
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