| The economy across the western world is in tatters | | | | the good scout you are be prepared to do some |
| yet you still want to go on holiday. Nothing wrong with | | | | homework to find the best deals before they get |
| that but you will have to be a little more inventive in | | | | booked up. Renting a camper van or motor home .can |
| your planning and finding cheap accommodation is a | | | | save you a lot of money and you will have a lot of fun |
| vital part of that planning. | | | | exploring new horizons and experiencing the sights and |
| Singles and couples can normally find hostel | | | | sounds of your travels. |
| accommodation at reasonable prices in most large | | | | Bidding for your vacation or holiday accommodation is |
| towns and major cities. The old images of hostels as | | | | another great money saving idea. If you want to bid on |
| being scruffy and needing you to share rooms are | | | | or for example, be sure you know what you are doing |
| largely a thing of the past. The new-era hostels are | | | | or your cheap accommodation will not be cheap |
| more sophisticated and offer all the modern facilities | | | | anymore. Once again do your homework and plan |
| including internet connections. | | | | ahead. Go to Google and visit both and where you will |
| You can also consider private "homestays" where the | | | | learn to avoid common bidding mistakes and therefore |
| owners are happy to rent one or two rooms for a | | | | how to get the best deals. |
| smaller price than the commercial establishments. | | | | Look further a field. Think outside the box. If you are |
| Traditionally designed for students, homestay hosts | | | | used to going to one type of place or following one |
| accommodate families (and very often business | | | | type of activity think again. Your favorite spot and your |
| people too). To take advantage of a homestay holiday | | | | favorite things to do will still be there another time but |
| go to Google where you will find websites from | | | | you may be pleasantly surprised at how you could |
| around the globe telling you all about "homestays" and | | | | enjoy going somewhere different and doing something |
| how you will benefit from this type of cheap | | | | completely different. For example, if you plan to visit |
| accommodation.. | | | | Europe, spend some time in Morocco. Quite different, |
| A trend of recent years has been for house swapping | | | | certainly but it is a cheaper option. If that is too drastic |
| or home exchange. This arrangement is particlarly well | | | | for you, instead of the Caribbean try Argentina, Chile |
| suited for families and especially if you have pets. | | | | or Costa Rica. These ar marvelous places to visit and |
| People house swap across the globe for both short | | | | all with very cheap accommodation. |
| and long term periods and for all sorts of reasons. It is | | | | If you must visit the big cities here is something you |
| even becoming more common to make arrangements | | | | might like to try. Book your cheap accommodation in a |
| for long weekend swaps so you can take your | | | | smaller town outside the city and make it a treat to |
| vacation in smaller chunks if that suits you. | | | | visit the city for your sightseeing and shopping. Find |
| The advantage of being able to cook your own meals | | | | somewhere nearby using Google Maps. You don't |
| in a proper home can lead to tremendous savings in | | | | have to stay in New York to see Manhatten or in |
| your quest to find somewhere cheap to sleep. | | | | Sydney to see the Opera House. Sometimes when |
| Additionally you get to know a little more of the area | | | | you do less, you enjoy more. Try it. |
| with any useful help the owners left you and the fact | | | | Before the economy improves you may have to |
| that you will be doing the shopping locally. Many times | | | | make adjustments to your vacation or holiday plans. |
| a car swap comes into the bargain so you save on | | | | But that is all it is, an adjustment , because you will still |
| car hire too. Just remember to splash out at the end | | | | have your vacation. Finding cheap accommodation is |
| of the week with all that money you saved, after all it | | | | part of the plan and you can choose between hostels, |
| is your vacation | | | | homestay, home exchange, camping or even bidding |
| Camping is a perennial favorite and will no doubt | | | | for your whole holiday online. |
| remain so. However with more and more people | | | | Whatever you do, you will find somewhere cheap to |
| camping and demanding more and more of the home | | | | sleep even if it is a tent in the desert! |
| comforts this is not as cheap as it used to be. So like | | | | |