Free stay when you travel? Sure, no problem!

How would you like to have a free place to stay when you travel? It doesn't mater if you travel within your own country, some place just across the border or all the way around the world, too. So here is the deal - there is a website and community called "CouchSurfing" and community members all like to travel.

Most of them also offer their couches (literally) for other members of the community if they would like to visit and stay over for a few days. This is an absolutely brilliant idea! You do have to have a fully filled out profile with a lot of information about yourself, having someone vouch for you also helps a lot. The easiest way to get someone to vouch for you is to also offer a couch at your own place. That way when someone stops by (either for coffee or to stay for a day) they can write a reference that will let other users know that you are not some unfriendly creep, but a nice person who is fun. Those who stay at your place are also likely to offer you to stay at their home town when you travel.

What is truly exciting about this community is that they have members all across the world. Some of them live in locations that would normally be very expensive to visit, but by cutting down your hotel budget - one can probably afford to go almost anywhere as long as you can pay for transportation and food.

Of course the stay is not completely free - you are encouraged to pay for your own food, on occasion to cook for the host or maybe take the hosts to their choice of local eatery (which is also a good place to discover local food). You may also want to bring a small present for the people who are letting you stay at their place. You should make sure you use as much of your own supplies as possible (as far as toiletries and personal hygiene go) as no one likes freeloaders who just want to get everything for free.

Be fun, be friendly and travel!