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

The joy of new experience is the most wonderful thing about travel – and new experiences are free.

1. Embrace the Simple Joy of Travel

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

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.

用低于每月油钱的费用环游地球

环球旅行是一项省钱而简单的事情。实际上，只需一点点行动和努力，你就可以免费环游世界。

“旅行是昂贵而复杂的”，这种看法只是旅游公司、连锁酒店、企业媒体们的商业伎俩。旅游产业希望您购买一份巡游套装，待在无所不包的旅游胜地享乐。他们甚至希望您选择旅游方式的方法和您在商场里买件夹克的过程差不多，说白了，他们就是想要您的信用卡号。

尽管搞旅游的都不愿意我透露这些简单的秘密，可我还是要在这里和大家分享免费旅游的心得。

也许你会因为只有乐观主义与良好愿望而不敢冒险旅行，但是个人的自由正始于这份信念的跨越。

1.拥抱旅行的简单愉悦

旅游把你从繁琐的日常工作中解脱出来。你可以探索新的地方，结交新的朋友，尝试新的食物，了解这个世界的新事物，甚至重新审视自我。这些都是你从未想过的。体验新鲜要算是旅游的最大乐趣了。徜徉在一座陌生城市的街道上，走走停停，和当地的人们闲聊，在公共公园里看人们行走在景色中，登高望远眺海上日出，一切都是新鲜的，更是免费的。最大的快乐莫过于来到一个从未走过的地方，再没有旅游团的兜售。

2. 缩减你的需求

当代美国经济是建立在错误的前提下的，那就是人民永远需要购买新的产品和服务，这完全是谬论。

人需要的是什么呢？是新鲜的空气，健康的食物，清洁的饮水，需要运动，灵感，伴侣，自我，以及一个安全的休憩之地。

所有这些事情是多么容易实现，而它们中的大部分都是免费的。新鲜的空气和运动只需外出散散步就可以获得，灵感的激发到一个新的地方自会出现。交朋友自会获得伴侣，关掉电视深呼吸，打开心灵面对世上的真善美，就会找到真正的自我了。

如果你在美国之外旅游的话，食物和房屋立刻变得便宜了不少，下面的第五条就会告诉你如何得到免费的食物和住处。

3.放慢行走的脚步

如果你住在纽约，想用两周的假期到非洲旅游，要想免费就实在不是件易事（尽管不是完全不可能，比如第八条我会提到）。

实际上，只要你相信时间就是金钱，那么你就一直在花钱。时间并不是金钱，时间是免费的，你拥有世界上的一切时间。

不买机票，而骑马穿越西部；或者改造一条旧船，或者干脆骑上你的单车出外远行。你走的越慢，花的钱也就越少。

4.扔下一切负担

旅游的时候，你不需要付房租，不需要汽车和微波炉，不需要洗衣机，不需要用电和有线电视，或者是健身会员卡、沙发或者装满衣服的衣柜。你也不需要工作时的西装领带，因为你已经不再工作了。不必担心因此花钱，因为根本没有需要花钱的地方。

一切都是自由的而免费的。

5.相信别人，你会得到免费的食宿

很多人渴望打开家门迎接旅游的朋友们。自己掏钱添麻烦，他们还会给你免费的午餐。

CouchSurfing和WWOOF是两个在线的热门网站，驴友这可以通过它联系到当地的接待家庭。couchSurfing的用户都希望给旅行者一个可以睡一两天的住处。WWOOF会联系驴友，当地的有机农场的农民愿意以超低价把房子租给你。很多这两个网站的会员都希望寻找一种可以替代受高度影响的消费文化的新的生活方式。

6.学会一种有用的技能

如果你有一技之长，比如烹饪、饲养动物，按摩，音乐才能活着一些基本的木工活，你就可以拿这些来换免费的食物和住处了。

大家普遍公认的技能里，烹饪最受欢迎。尽管一些像网页设计这样的高级技能也很有用。母语是英语的旅游者可以通过教英语来获得免费的旅游机会。

你走的越慢，你就越容易找出可以和当地社会或主人互利互益的方法。

7.到郊区去

尽管你可以在一座大城市免费旅行，但是这相比更困难些。城市是由财富建起来的，新鲜的空气、纯净的水和安全的住处，在大城市都是难得一见的。

到乡村去，那里的人们过着轻松的生活，有着充足的食物和宽敞的房间给旅行者享用，你甚至可以把睡袋放在星空下面入睡。

8.找份需要旅行的工作

如果你需要一笔收入来支付贷款，养孩子，那就找份工作来付这份额外的旅行吧。有数以百万的工作需要环球旅行。

当然，有些工作会让你更容易爱上它，当然这些包括旅游的工作也同样带来了当地生态系统和传统生活方式的破坏。尽量避免做那些不道德的工作，它们不利于你的身心健康。

关于工作想法，你可以查看这本旅游手册的“旅游和探险工作”部分.

9.拥抱新发现

免费的环球旅行需要提前策划、以及随遇而安抓住一切机会的愿望。

你在couchSurfing上的新好友是不是想要一个驾车旅行的同伴？背上行囊立即出发吧！泰国有机农场是否需要一个雨季的农场看管员呢？到Christian Shearer网站看看去吧！

库尔特•冯内古特写过：“独特的旅行建议是上帝给我们的舞蹈课”。

让我们跳起来吧！