Travel is expensive. However, with budget always being on the back of my mind, I’ve discovered some great apps and other shortcuts to help me stretch my travel.

Take advantage of free mobile apps! Hands down one of the most useful apps that has saved me hundreds is Couch Surfing. Couch Surfing connects you with other travelers whereby members either host their residence to travelers, or find someone to host them. Members create a profile specifying their location, interests, hobbies etc. Couch Surfing is free to sign up and stay! I have met wonderful people from around the world who have been gracious enough to host me. Disclaimer-I do not recommend using Couch Surfing alone.

Camper Mate is another fantastic app and was extremely useful to me in New Zealand. This free app shows travelers where the nearest freedom (free) camping sites are and what amenities they offer. Unfortunately Camper Mate is currently only available in New Zealand.

Salar de Uyuni (salt flats): Bolivia

Ride Sharing apps such as BlaBlaCar are fantastic. BlaBlaCar connects drivers with empty seats to co-travellers looking for a ride, and is used in 22 countries around the world. I had never heard of BlaBlaCar until I got to Europe, where everyone seemed to be talking about it. I have only used BlaBlaCar once, and it was less than half the price of a local bus ticket, and got me there in half the time. Another perk for my female readers is that travellers have the option to select female only drivers!

There are thousands of Facebook groups out there to help connect you with other travelers. Whether it be people looking for companionship, travel questions, recommendations or warnings, I found these groups extremely useful. Everyone is in the same boat and is so willing to help one another out.

When I lived in a car: Lake Pukaki, New Zealand

Hostel World-I think this might be an obvious one but you never know! Much like the name suggests, Hostel World is a hostel-booking platform that offers free cancellation (yay!). The reviews left on Hostel World are always spot on and the pictures never deceive. Hostel World allows you to specify your room size, allowing the option of male or female only.

While we’re talking about apps I wanted to mention MapsMe. Another free app that lets you download maps that can be used offline. This was recommended to me by a friend and was an absolute lifesaver when I didn’t have access to Wi-Fi (this is not to say that I didn’t still get lost almost daily).

Krka National Park, Croatia

Although not so glamorous, working for stay allows you to financially buy some time while still giving you the freedom to explore and do day trips around your area. Typically this includes working at a hostel (cleaning or working at reception) or doing farm work.

I worked for stay at a vineyard in rural New Zealand where the lovely owners housed and fed me for only three hours of work a day. You may have heard that New Zealand is out of this world expensive, including accommodation, so this was a great way to save some cash while compromising very little of my time. A huge perk to this is that you typically do not need a working visa (because in my case no money was exchanged)-most people are just happy to have help. Needless to say red wine has never tasted the same after picking thousands of grapes.