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Photo by Gina

You can travel the world for less money than you spend each month to fill up your gas tank.

[Si eres hispano hablante, por favor chequea Cómo viajar gratis por el mundo (De verdad).]

WORLD TRAVEL is cheap and easy. In fact, with a little practice and effort, you can travel the world for free.

The idea that travel is expensive and difficult is bullshit peddled by tour companies, hotel chains and corporate media.

The tourism industry wants you to buy cruise packages and stay at all-inclusive resorts.

They want you to choose a travel experience the same way you would choose a new jacket at the mall. They want your Credit Card number.

The tourism industry doesn’t want me to reveal the simple secrets of free travel, but I’m going to share them with you anyway.

It can be scary to venture into the world with nothing more than optimism and good-will, but personal freedom begins with a leap of faith.

1. Embrace the Simple Joy of Travel
The joy of new experience is the most wonderful thing about travel – and new experiences are free.

Travel frees you from the grind of daily routine. You will explore new places, meet new people, try new foods and learn things about the world – and yourself – that you never imagined were possible.

The joy of new experience is the most wonderful thing about travel – and new experiences are free. Walk the streets of a city. Stop and chat with a local. People watch in a public park. Climb to the top of a hill and watch the sun set over the ocean.

The simple joy of being in a new place is just a matter of…wait for it…going someplace new. No tour package required.

2. Keep Your Needs To A Minimum

The modern American economy is built on the false premise that people need to buy new goods and services all the time. Again, I call bullshit.

People need fresh air, healthy food, clean water, exercise, creative stimulation, companionship, self-esteem and a safe place to sleep.

All of these things are simple to obtain. Most of them are free.

For fresh air, go outside. For exercise, take a walk. For creative stimulation, go somewhere new. For companionship, make a friend. For self esteem, turn off your TV, breathe deep and open your spirit to the basic goodness of the world.

Things like food and shelter are much cheaper once you get outside the United States. See # 5 below for ways to obtain food and shelter for free.

3. Go Slow

Cambodian Coast. Photo by Ryan Libre

If you live in New York and want to take a 2 week vacation to Africa, it will be very difficult (though not impossible, see number eight) to travel for free.

Indeed, as long as you believe that time is money, you will spend money all the time.

Time is not money. Time is free. You have all the time in the world.

Instead of buying a plane ticket, catch a ride out West, or remodel an old sailboat, or just hop on your bike and ride away from town. The slower you travel, the less money you will spend.

4. Leave Your Possessions and Obsessions Behind

When you travel, you don’t need to pay rent. You don’t need a car. You don’t need an oven, a washer-dryer, electricity, Cable TV, a gym membership, a sofa and loveseat or a closet full of clothes.

You don’t need a suit and tie to wear to your job because you don’t need a job. You don’t need to worry about paying the bills, because there are no bills to pay.

You are free.

5. Trust People and you will Receive Free Food and Lodging

Many people are willing to open their homes to travelers. Chip in with a few chores, and they will give you a free meal, too.

CouchSurfing and WWOOF are two phenomenal online networks that help travelers connect with local hosts. CouchSurfing members are willing to give travelers a place to sleep for a night or two. WWOOF connects travelers with organic farmers who want to trade room and board for an extra hand.

Many members of both CouchSurfing and WWOOF are seeking an alternative to high-impact consumer culture.

6. Learn a Useful Craft or Skill

If you have a skill, such as cooking, animal husbandry, massage, musical ability or basic carpentry, you can barter for free food and accommodation as you travel.

The slower you travel, the easier it will be to work out a mutually beneficial arrangement with a local community or host.

Universally appreciated skills like cooking are best, though niche skills that are in high demand, like website design, are also useful. Native English speakers can often travel the world for free by teaching language classes in each destination they visit.

The slower you travel, the easier it will be to work out a mutually beneficial arrangement with a local community or host.

7. Get Out of the City

Although it’s possible to travel for free in a big city, it’s damn difficult. Cities are built on money, and necessities like fresh air, clean water and a safe place to sleep are difficult to come by in cities.

Go to the country, where people are more relaxed, food is plentiful and there’s ample room for one traveler to lay out her sleeping bag under the stars.

8. Find A Job You Love That Entails Travel

If you need an income in order to pay off loans or support a child, find a job that calls for extensive travel. There are millions of jobs available in the global economy that demand travel.

Of course, some jobs are easier to love than others, and much work that involves travel also involves the destruction of local ecosystems and traditional ways of life. Avoid unethical work if at all possible – it is bad for your health and worse for your soul.

For job ideas, check out the Travel and Adventure jobs section here at the Traveler’s Notebook.

9. Embrace Serendipity

Traveling the world for free requires a blend of advance planning and the willingness to seize opportunities and go with the flow.

Does your new CouchSurfing friend want company for a drive across the country? Grab your pack and ride along! Does an organic farm in Thailand need a farm sitter for the rainy season? Get in touch with Christian Shearer!

As Kurt Vonnegut wrote, “Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God.”

Go Dancing.

Community Connection

What are your tips for cheap or free round the world travel? Share in the comments.

Budget + Backpacker

 

About The Author

Tim Patterson

Tim Patterson is a long-time contributor and former contributing editor at Matador Network.

Archived Responses to How to travel the world for free (seriously)

  1. Dolakh Thapa says:

    Why select Mountain Mart Treks to be your travel partner?

    MMT is a Nepal-based local travel company specializing in nature, culture, adventure and research. Our management as well as all guides and other employees have hands on experience on the in trekking, managing base camp services, climbing and mountaineering services, guiding, organizing and managing individual and group trekking and expeditions. Our more than two decades of mountain experiences, whatever be your goal and whatever your condition, make it happen. We assure our customers of a high quality services, ultimate satisfaction, security and safety. We never stop exploring new unspoilt destinations and pioneering new routes.

    Honesty and simplicity are vital slogans of MMT. Our fully equipped and insured guides and Sherpas will never tire to make your holiday one of your most memorable, remarkable and valuable experiences.

  2. Rajasthan Tour says:

    Its a nicely written content, a nice work done here. I like it very much a great piece of information is also given here. And also requesting to post some content who are not regular traveller as me. As a tourist I have only experience of Jaipur.

  3. Spring Wills says:

    I just came back , hitch hiked 4 month 1 week. cross the US and by the way mexico and Canada. did not cost anything. I played music on street to make money for food.

  4. Joe McMaster says:

    sooooo what if I want to go to another country and realllly experience different cultures instead of the same old boring USA crap? if I do chores for a friendly boatowner will he sail me across the sea?

  5. Jennifer Burrhus says:

    This sounds like so much fun… too bad I have 2 cats and a service dog depending on me! That… and a fiance who prefers the finer things in life. lol.

    • Minela Kuzelj says:

      Omg, same here. 2 dogs and no reliable place to leave them while I travel. To be honest, I would love to travel with them.

  6. Ibrahim Blue says:

    I’m from Egypt and travel a big problem and needs to be huge sums just to get out fromEgypt and for a long time up Elly three months to get a visa only Mdama I do?

  7. Andrew Jones says:

    I’m travelling around the UK so far, Came from Warrington, to Kent, back to warrington now in Peterborough and going Devon on the 9th, then I’m hopefully going france by march next year and then travelling the world! Walking of course! haha!

  8. Spring Wills says:

    please check my ebook : Love On the Road. welcome to write book review.
    http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A33E000
    http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00A6NTABQ

  9. Amanda Keel says:

    I’d love to up and go traveling whenever I felt like, but in today’s world, I feel as a woman, it’s not as easy for me to stick out my thumb and hitchhike all over without worrying about winding up in a meat locker or something. :c

  10. Zach says:

    Thank you for your reply.  You have no idea how much this helps me. Although it may be a bit of a cliche to say so, you have given me hope that I too will one day be able to do this. All my best to you in the weeks and months to come. God Bless!!

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