Couchsurfing to Savings

Have you ever said "I wish I knew someone in this city" when traveling out of state? Ever say "I wish I had a place to crash here?" If you answered yes to either of these questions, there's a solution for you!

More than 1.4 million people participate in the social network Couchsurfing.org, a way of connecting poor travelers with people who offer a couch for them on which to crash. Sound sketchy? OK, it is, kind of. See, there's a feedback section where you can vouch for people, or warn people to stay away from particular people. You just browse the network's profiles in the city you're looking to visit and can contact the people directly.

The vast majority of people on the site are 18-29, though there are a few people who couchsurf into their 80s! More than 230 countries are represented on Couchsurfing.org, meaning wherever you’re planning to travel, chances are there is someone who can host you. Those that have hosted couch surfers say they love meeting new people and learning about different cultures. There's a lot of stereotypes in the world to be confirmed or proven false. Couch surfing helps you do that.

Be safe in hosting and traveling. Check and make sure the other person seems normal ... view his or her profile and look at the feedback left for the person. If you're offering up your apartment in NYC, do not leave the surfer home by themselves ... otherwise you're just asking for trouble.

Happy Surfing!