This Site Will Help You Save Money While Traveling — If You're Willing to Work For It

When a "corporate dropout" recently did an AMA on Reddit about quitting a job to backpack around the world, one thing they mentioned was how they were able to keep the trip at a reasonable cost thanks to volunteering to help people out in exchange for accommodations through a site called Workaway.

"I used Workaway.info for a free room and board for a month here and there. I wanted the luxury of not working all the time, but you could definitely arrange it so that you are jumping from host to host, never paying for your stay," the poster said. But there are some ins and outs of Workaway that you should know before you dive into trying it next time you travel.

Workaway is a site that will connect travelers with hosts all over the world. You create a profile to basically sell yourself as someone a host will want to bring into their home. On the site, you can search for hosts and find out their location and what kind of work they might want you to do. There are thousands of hosts in over 135 countries, so the options are endless.

There is a vast range of things you can expect to take on if you're staying in someone's home. You might do some cooking and cleaning, you might help someone build something, or you might even take care of some animals or kids. Because these hosts are offering you a "free" place to stay, you can expect to earn it with small tasks.

Workaway is great for a huge variety of people, really. The minimum age is 18, and after that there are countless possibilities. You can even use Workaway as a family, though the site says it's more difficult to find a host — but not impossible! This program, like the Reddit user suggested, is great for anyone backpacking around the world who wants to cut costs as much as possible.

Treat your Workaway hosting situation as if you were staying with a friend. Be respectful of their space, do the job you said you'd come to do, and adhere to any house rules they might have. Clean up after yourself, also, unless they specifically tell you otherwise. They aren't your parents or your maids.

Workaway has a special search function just for last-minute trips, so rest assured, no matter your timing, you should be able to find something.