Backpacking Like a Boss on a College Budget | StudentUniverse Travel Blog

I’ll save you the obvious list of backpacking on the cheap tips that includes staying in hostels, picking countries that are cheap to backpack in and getting groceries instead of eating out for every meal. There are ways to enjoy a deeper immersion in the culture, have a stress-free night’s sleep on a bed (or couch) that isn’t yours, and even try enough local cuisine to feel more like a tourist than a ready-to-get-down-and-dirty-and-starve-for-2-months-as-a-sacrifice-to-see-the-world backpacker. Care to find out? Here’s how.

Genoa, Italy

1) Couchsurfing

At this point in your research of backpacking, I’m sure you’ve stumbled across this handy source of meeting locals called couchsurfing. People will post their couch or spare bed as available to travelers upon request. There’s a safety structure around the site with the accountability of references and being verified, but each traveler needs to figure out if it’s the right method of cheap travel for them. The promise of free housing for a night or two in a new city with a local had me sold once I did the extensive research into each host profile that I was considering staying with.
As a 3rd party outsider with your personal safety definitely in mind, I suggest you check this post out for suggestions on mastering Couchsurfing – both preventing potential disasters and creating a phenomenal experience for yourself and your host.