How to get cheap hotel deals

Five-star deals, hostels & mystery bargains

Never assume hotel or hostel prices are fixed. We've 20+ tips for bagging cheap accommodation, including cashback, how to grab special opening rates, and exploit free cancellation policies.

Staying in the UK or want a secret hotel bargain? This guide focuses on overseas hotels – while some tips apply to the UK too, see also our dedicated UK hotels guide and MSE Jenny's UK bargain break tips blog.

  1. Flexibility is still an important factor to consider, so be sure to check this before booking

    Previous years have shown how quickly and unexpectedly travel plans can change, so it's worth looking for a hotel where you’ve got no-quibble rights to change dates or cancel for a refund or voucher without charge.

    Many hotels, even cheap ones, will offer free cancellation up to a certain point (usually 24-48 hours before your arrival time) if you change your mind, and some won't require payment until then too. Have a careful look at the terms and conditions for your cancellation rights before you book. You may not get free cancellation if you're asked to pay upfront, so it's especially worth checking in that case.

    You can filter hotels by free cancellation on each of our top-pick comparison sites below. Even forgetting the pandemic and airport chaos in recent years, this is still a useful tip as if you find the same room cheaper just before you go, check availability, rebook, and then cancel. See our Hotel rebooking tricks below.

    And don't assume that you'll have an automatic right to a refund if you can't use your hotel booking because you're unable to travel.

  2. Use a review site to check if the hotel's a dud

    Whether you want to spend a few nights in luxury, fancy a cosy boutique hotel or just want a basic room as cheap as chips, the trick is to pick the right hotel first, within your budget, then try to get it for the best price possible. You might already have a particular hotel in mind, but if not, it's important to do your homework.

    When picking your hotel there are a couple of things to watch out for:

    • Check TripAdvisor. While hotel booking sites often include reviews, it's always worth checking independent sites too. A worldwide institution, TripAdvisor*, lists detailed reviews and customer ratings for hotels by past guests.

      You can filter reviews by rating, time of year and traveller type (such as families, couples), to find the ones most relevant to you.

      However, always remember anyone can pen a review. See MSE Jenny's blog Free tool to help detect 'fake' Amazon and TripAdvisor reviews for one way to spot them.
    • Don't trust the star system. Star ratings are determined by amenities, not quality – a five-star rating is often based on a pool, big foyer and conference facilities, not how nice the place is.

      As there's no universal worldwide standard, stars may be given by governments, review organisations or even the hotel itself, so treat them with a big pinch of salt.
    • Once you've settled on a hotel – check out the direct price on its website, but don't book yet. This will give you a good benchmark for the going rate – a useful starting point if you want to haggle later on too. It's also a good way to find out if the hotel's offering any special deals for those who do book direct.
  3. Comparison sites usually give the best price

    To check lots of hotel booking sites at speed, it's best to use a comparison site. Different comparison sites cover different booking sites, and the price you're offered can vary depending on the comparison site you're checking on, so ideally search all three big ones.

    Below is our suggested order, though as prices are much of a muchness and change day-to-day, we included a number of factors when deciding. We've based it on which features each site offers, how easy they are to use and how often they found the cheapest price in our quick test.

    Each of these sites let you filter the results to only show hotels offering free cancellation. This can be very handy if travel restrictions change, or you simply change your mind about travelling.

    Top hotel comparison sites

    Comparison site Why we like it
    Skyscanner* Best known for flight comparisons, Skyscanner is also a strong hotel comparisons tool. It has all the standard filters, such as price, star rating etc. Plus you can filter by meal plan and cancellation policy.
    Kayak* As well as the standard filters such as price and amenities, it lets you filter by ambience (eg, 'trendy', 'family', 'eco-friendly') and freebies provided (eg, breakfast, parking, airport shuttle).
    TripAdvisor* Popular review site, which provides hotel price comparisons as well as detailed customer reviews. Filters are basic, but the draw here is being able to filter and rank hotels by its well-regarded traveller ratings (though see what to watch out for).
    Other sites to check for full breadth
    Trivago*
    HotelsCombined*
    TravelSupermarket*
    Hotels.com*

    For ski holidays specifically, there's travel agency IgluSki, which includes 60+ tour operators. It's popular with MSE Forumites, who mention 'great prices' and helpful advice from customer service. It also offers a price match guarantee. While ski holidays aren't MoneySaving, if you're planning on having one anyway, the website is worth a check. Plus see how you can skim down other costs with MSE Jenny H's Skiing MoneySaving blog.

    Check if you can save by going direct

    Once you've found the best comparison site price, call the hotel to see if it'll beat it – sometimes they offer direct bookers early booking promos or three-for-two night deals that comparison sites miss.

    It's worth noting that the pros of going direct and getting the hotel to match the price include the chance of freebies, such as Wi-Fi being thrown in, and earning loyalty points if the hotel has one.

    It's all very well us saying it, but to see how it works in reality, and how much you could save, here are a few previous successes from MSE Towers:

    I booked five nights for two people in a five-star hotel in Zanzibar, all inclusive, for £714 total via Trivago. That's less than half the £1,620 price booking direct.
    - Former MSE Nick

    I got seven nights in a four-star hotel on the coast near Rome for £565 total, including breakfast. That saved over £100 compared to booking direct, and I got 13% cashback on it too.
    - Former MSE Sally

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  4. Play detective and uncover 'secret' hotel bargains

    With a bit of detective work, mega bargains are available from sites selling 'secret hotel' rooms. Here, you're just told a star level and rough location – only once you've paid do you find out the hotel's name. This means rock-bottom prices, as hotels needn't worry about losing trade from those who go to them directly.

    You can never be 100% sure which hotel you'll be staying at before you book, and it is getting harder to solve the name of the missing hotel, so these sites aren't for those desperate to stay at a particular place. But there are usually sneaky ways to discover the hotels' identities to see if it's worth it.

    The top sites doing this include Lastminute.com* and Hotwire* for UK and worldwide deals.

    Then there's Priceline*, which claims to offer discounts of 'up to 60%' when you opt for one of its 'Express Deals'. You'll book a mystery hotel knowing only a rough location and star-rating, then the hotel will be revealed. Priceline also offers a 'Pricebreaker' option, showing you three hotels (names and details all provided), and selecting one for you. It claims you can get up to 50% off this way. Find these offers by filtering your hotel search by 'Express deals and Pricebreakers'.

    For a full how-to and more details, see our Uncovering secret hotels guide.

  5. Hotel rebook trick 1 – if you book with free cancellation, you can save if the price drops

    Whether you've booked via a travel agent or direct with the hotel, often you're able to cancel for free up to a certain point, typically 24-48 hours before your stay starts. (If you don't have free cancellation, you may be able to take advantage of sites' price promises – see more on how below.)

    Flexibility was particularly important when booking travel during the pandemic, but it can also be MoneySaving. If you book or have booked a room, you can save by cancelling if the price drops after you've booked.

    To do this, simply cancel the original booking, then rebook at the cheaper price. Often this can work with the site you booked with.

    Most booking sites and hotel websites give you a non-refundable and a free cancellation option for each room type. Non-refundable rooms tend to be cheaper, so you'll need to weigh up if paying more for free cancellation is worth it.

    Here's some inspiration to show it can work:

    I found this booking at a hotel in London for July at nearly £600 for two days back in January, on the off chance I checked earlier this month and it had dropped to £250ish so cancelled and rebooked.

    - Chris, via Twitter

    • See a few more successes...

      I booked a hotel for three nights in Worcester for £360. This was six months in advance. I checked back a month later, it had dropped to £300 so I rebooked. A month later it dropped to £220! So I rebooked. All normal rate. Then I rebooked on the fixed rate... £180.
      - superShaun, via Twitter

      I saved £200 when the price dropped two days before travel!
      - Alison, via Twitter

      Mum booked us a hotel for Oct which was £220 without breakfast, £30 for two breakfasts so £250 total. I rebooked it last week for £180 with breakfast included, so a total £70 saving! So glad I looked.
      - Heidi, via Twitter

    Even if cancelling your booking isn't free, it's worth weighing up the cancellation charge against how much the price has dropped – if the charge is small, you could still be quids in.

    How to check if there's free cancellation

    If it's not clear, check the terms and conditions – they should clarify your cancellation rights – before you book. It's not likely to be free cancellation if you're asked to pay upfront, though it depends what site you book through.

    If you can't see a free cancellation room in the options for the hotel you want, call it and check.

    What to watch out for

    Although this can save £100s, it's not foolproof, so:

    • Check your booking for any hidden T&Cs – make sure that cancelling really is free, and there aren't any extra charges.
    • Bear in mind some sites make you pay in full when booking, even if you can cancel penalty-free. If so, you'll need to factor in if you can afford to rebook, given the refund from the original booking may take days or even weeks to come through.
    • If you booked in a currency other than sterling... be aware the value of your refund could be less – or more – due to currency fluctuations.

    Can a website help you track prices and rebook?

    Price tracking website Rebookify claims it's able to find you a cheaper rate on a room you've already booked, so long as it has free cancellation. The service is free; its website says it makes its money through affiliate referrals and advertising. Forward your accommodation booking confirmation email to Rebookify and it will alert you if the price drops, then guide you through cancelling and rebooking yourself. 

    We're currently trying out Rebookify for ourselves and will update here once we have more to add.

    Have you tried it out? Please let us know in the Rebookify forum thread.

  6. Hotel rebook trick 2 – some sites have price promises and will refund the difference

    Some sites offer price promises, guaranteeing to refund the difference if the price of the hotel you've booked drops before your stay, or you find it cheaper elsewhere. So even if you didn't book with free cancellation, you may still be able to get money back.

    The comparable hotel must be on exactly the same terms as your original booking. So the same room, hotel and dates, plus the same booking type – for example, bed and breakfast, non-refundable. It also must be available to book, in the same currency you originally paid in or booked using, and the price must include all taxes and fees.

    Secret hotels, where you find out the name of the hotel after you've paid, are generally excluded, as are some loyalty scheme deals. It's also worth noting that screenshots aren't accepted as proof – when you claim under the price guarantee, the site you're claiming from must be able to find the deal itself.

    Here are some of the big sites which do this:

    Large hotel sites with price promise guarantees

    Site How to claim if you find your room cheaper
    Booking.com Will grant a refund of the difference up to 24 hours before check-in. Look for 'Found this room cheaper elsewhere?' on your confirmation page or go to 'Bookings' in your account.
    Ebookers* Will grant a refund of the difference up to 48 hours before check-in – fill in this claim form. (If you booked a flight and hotel together, it'll only refund the difference if you find the exact same deal within 48 hours of booking.)
    Hotels.com* It suggests cancelling and rebooking if you can cancel for free (as do we – see above). But if your booking is non-refundable, it'll offer you the difference back in vouchers you can use on a future Hotels.com booking. You'll need to submit a claim via this Hotels.com page by 11.59pm the day before your stay.
    HotelsCombined* This is more limited than the three above. You've just 24 hours after booking to make a claim and you can't do it if the cheaper price you've found is via a site that features on HotelsCombined (see its full T&Cs).

    Spotted a price promise that's not on our list? Let us know in the forum.

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  7. Don't forget to check cashback sites

    Cashback websites pay you when you click through via them to spend. In essence, it's nothing more than an extra click before you get to where you want.

    With travel, it can shave £100s off the cost of your holiday – especially when it comes to hotels. Remember, cashback's not guaranteed, so think of it as a bonus – see our Top cashback sites guide for more info.

    For example, when we checked on 16 July, we found up to 11% cashback booking through Hotels.com via Topcashback* and up to 9.6% via Quidco*

    Of course, we're not saying book via a certain site because the cashback is high – always do a comparison and ensure you couldn't get a cheaper price overall elsewhere. 

    A couple of things to watch out for:

    • You may not always get cashback on the full price you pay for your hotel, as extras and fees are sometimes excluded. 
    • Cashback sites like to shout about high cashback rates, for example, 'up to 15% off Expedia', but then only offer the top 15% on car hire, and a measly 3% on hotel bookings – check before you click.
  8. Member-only sale sites can smash comparisons' prices

    Special members-only websites such as Secret Escapes* offer big but short-lived discounts on luxury hotels worldwide. It's free to sign up – you just need to log in to see what's available.

    For example, we found the Hotel Balmoral in Paris for £116 a night on Secret Escapes, compared with £210 a night booked directly. Le Meridien Lav in Croatia was also £142 a night through the site, and £184 a night booked directly.

    In the past we've mentioned members-only site Travelzoo* too. However, as of 1 January 2024 it’s no longer free to join – it now costs £30/year. It's worth noting that existing Travelzoo members who joined before then should have had the fee for 2024 waived. If that's you, make sure to check Travelzoo while you can, and remember to cancel if you don't want to be charged for the following year.

    Hotel companies and travel brokers also often offer short-term sales and these can be worth looking at. But always do your own independent research to see if you're really getting a good deal, or if you can beat it elsewhere.

  9. Register for websites' email alerts to bag extra discounts – and make sure you log in

    One way to secure an added discount is to sign up for different sites' email alerts. Priceline*, for example, sends out 15% blanket discount codes via email, and many others do similar – if you can, sign up to a few. If you get tired of the emails after you've booked, you can always unsubscribe when you don't need to look for a hotel and resubscribe when you do.

    It can also help to have an account with the site you're using, as some offer exclusive deals or discounts just for registered users. Booking.com, Expedia* and Hotels.com* are among those to do this – make sure you log in when searching.

  10. Scout around for special opening rates

    New hotels often offer special rates to drum up custom. Typically this can be at least 50% off or even complimentary stays. To find new hotel openings, scour industry publications such as Hotel News Resource and Hotel Designs – these cover news worldwide.

    It's also worth keeping an eye on forum threads and social media for alerts on opening rate discounts. You can even try the brazen approach and just call up the hotel to ask about about special rates – a bit of sweet talk goes a long way.

  11. Register with loyalty schemes for mates' rates

    Many hotel chains have free-to-join loyalty schemes – some of the big ones include Best Western Rewards, Hilton Honors*, Intercontinental Hotels Group Rewards Club*, World of Hyatt and Marriott Rewards. These loyalty schemes are worth joining, not so much for the free stays – which can take ages to clock up – but for the special offers they send to members.

    Plus, if you call the hotel and ask for a discount or an upgrade when you check in, you're always more likely to get one as a 'preferred guest'.

  12. Going in a group? Villas, apartments and Airbnb can undercut hotels

    If you're travelling with extended family or a gaggle of friends; cottages, villas and apartments can massively undercut similar quality hotels – and the bigger the group, the bigger the potential saving.

    It's usually self-catering, and you'll have to do your own cleaning and washing up. But if you want space, privacy, a kitchen, washing machine and more, it can be a winner. And with the rise in the popularity of sites such as Airbnb*, it's now easier than ever to find rooms or properties for your party abroad.

    For example, we found a three-bed Marbella villa for £600 a week, while three rooms in a similar quality hotel nearby was £2,196 a week.

    We've more on this in our Cheap holiday rentals guide, including how to score discounts booking directly with owners. And for inspiration:

    We've stayed at wonderful places in Europe and the Caribbean using rental sites and have always been delighted. It's way more cost-effective than hotels. 

    Barbecues on relaxing evenings with glasses of wine, jump in the pool anytime, do washing as you go. Loads of privacy and space to enjoy yourselves as a family... I love it.


    - mrsdee

  13. Consider worldwide hostels – dirt-cheap, not dirty

    Hostels can offer massive savings over hotels. While a few may be dodgy, many are clean and friendly, with free internet access and breakfast. Plus, you're more likely to strike up a conversation in a hostel than a Hilton. And you won't necessarily be bunking up in a dorm either – many offer singles, twins and doubles.

    The centrally located Riverside Lodge hostel in Berlin, for example, has excellent reviews and we've seen double rooms priced at about £50 a night – staying at a nearby hotel would cost about £100 to £150 a night.

    To check prices and availability, you can use Hostelworld* – it gives hostels a percentage rating based on users' experiences. Even if they say a hostel's full, always try emailing direct, in case there's a spare room that doesn't show up. To read more reviews from past guests and compare prices, try hostelz.com.

    On top of cheap prices, there are further discounts to be had. With a £25 a year Youth Hostels Association* membership (£20 a year by direct debit), you can get 10% off per night at Hostelling International hostels. Bookings that include anyone under 26 can get 15% off per night.

  14. Traditional package hols are often cheaper than DIY trips

    Package holidays often win if you're heading for a traditional tourist destination (such as Rhodes, Malaga) for seven, 10 or 14 days.

    When we checked, we found a week in Lanzarote for a family of four, including flights, transfers and accommodation, at £217 per person. Going DIY, the flights alone for the same dates were about £480 per person – add a hotel and it pushes the cost per person to about £605. Plus with a package, you get ATOL protection (see below for what this means).

    For package holiday prices skimpier than a pair of Speedos, it's normally cheapest to book late. But if you need special facilities, book early where you can, and consider carefully whether booking a package really will save you money. See Cheap package holidays for a full guide.

  15. Pay by credit card or book hotels and flights together to protect your booking

    Package holidays are usually protected (always check) under either the ATOL or ABTA consumer protection scheme. This means if your tour operator goes bust, you're covered.

    If you don't opt for a package holiday though, there are still ways to make sure you're covered:

    • Get ATOL protection on DIY bookings. ATOL doesn't protect standalone hotel bookings. If you book a flight plus separate hotel or car hire together from the same travel website in the same transaction, you get full ATOL financial and legal protection, just as with a traditional package holiday. If you book these elements from the same site, but in different transactions, you'll only get financial protection.

      Even better, if you book flights and a hotel together, Expedia*, Ebookers* and Lastminute.com* sometimes give extra discounts. Compare this with booking the cheapest flight and hotel separately to see if this protection 'costs' you.
       

    • Pay by credit card. If a hotel stay is more than £100 and you pay by credit card, you'll get extra protection. That's because under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, for purchases over £100 the credit card provider is equally liable if something goes wrong. See our Section 75 guide for more info. For bookings under £100, see our Chargeback guide.
       

    • Sort your travel insurance ASAB (As Soon As You Book). Some insurers will cover you if the travel firm goes bust, if you get made redundant or if you become too ill to travel, and some cover other elements of your trip too, like flights, if you can't find anywhere else to stay. Check your policy. See Cheap travel insurance for more.

    See our Holiday rights guide for more information.

  16. Stay in a swanky spare room

    Spare room and apartment rental sites have mushroomed in recent years, and can often offer cheap short-term stays worldwide. The idea is hosts put you up in their spare room or rent out their whole apartment to earn cash on the side. You can stay everywhere from swanky LA lofts to houseboats in Paris, and it's a great way to meet locals.

    Crashing in spare rooms often beats hotel prices too. We found a night in a double room in a Barcelona flat for £49 – a similar quality hotel cost £90.

    The sites below act as middlemen between hosts and guests to help. It's worth trying a few, as sometimes prices differ for the same room between sites. When comparing, always click through to the payment page, as they can add extra fees at the final stage.

    Top spare room comparison sites

    Comparison site Why we like it
    Airbnb* Best for breadth: It's the biggest name in spare room renting, with over 7 million listings worldwide. It charges guests a 5-15% fee to stay.
    Wimdu* Smaller selection but can be cheaper: Another major player, it features over 350,000 listings worldwide. It's free for hosts to list, so some price at slightly lower rates to reflect this. Guests pay a 15% flat fee to stay, shown on the payment page.
    9flats.com For belt 'n' braces: It covers slightly fewer properties, but it's also worth a look. The site says it features over six million listings worldwide. It doesn't charge any extra fees for guests, but charges hosts up to 15% of the transaction.

    Before booking... find out as much as you can about the host, neighbourhood and property. Scour reviews from visitors and check photos closely. If there's a choice of payment method, go through the site's own payment system for added protection rather than handing over cash – that way, your money will be held for 24 hours after you've checked in.

  17. Pay with the right plastic to get the best rates

    This isn't a specific hotels tip, but it's one that needs to be high on your agenda if you're paying for a hotel in foreign currency. There's one way to spend abroad that smashes all others – using a specialist travel card.

    An added bonus is that if you are booking on a credit card, you get Section 75 protection for anything over £100.

    - Top-pick credit card: Credit card Halifax Clarity (check eligibility chances) might suit your needs. Be aware though, you'll be charged between 23.94% and 29.94% interest on ATM withdrawals, so it's best suited for spending on, rather than withdrawing cash. ONLY get it if you'll repay IN FULL each month to avoid interest, or it defeats the purpose. See Travel credit cards for full info.

    - Top-pick debit card: The debit card from app-only Chase Bank* has no overseas fees on spending and the first £1,500/month of cash withdrawals (be careful if you'll need more). You can also get 1% cashback on most purchases.

    You'll need to apply for a new bank account, yet here it's only a 'soft' credit check, so there's no permanent mark on your credit report. You can use it as a second account without switching, but unlike a credit card, you will need to load cash into the account before using it.

    Full options in Travel debit cards or, for a similar method, see Top prepaid travel cards.

  18. Bag £100s off hotels with Clubcard points

    Regular Tesco shoppers who have saved up Tesco Clubcard points can trade them in for Rewards Vouchers*, which can be spent around the world at hotel chains such as Mercure and Butlins Hotels, as well as at Hotels.com*.

    The big advantage is that Clubcard points are worth 1p in store, but they're worth double when converted into 'Rewards'. For example, £5 in Clubcard vouchers will get £10 in Hotels.com vouchers*.

    The snag though, is that hotels usually only let you use vouchers against their rack rates (ie, normal prices), which are often much higher than their cheapest online ones. So before exchanging your Clubcard vouchers, carefully compare prices, as you may get better value for your vouchers elsewhere.

    For more on maxing Tesco vouchers' value, read our Boost Tesco points guide.

  19. Staycationing? UK bargains include cheap rooms in the capital and £15 breaks

    If you're planning on staying in Blighty, there are a host of special ways you can cut accommodation costs, from cheap university rooms in London and hostels with Game of Thrones views to £15 breaks using newspaper vouchers.

    For full details, see our UK hotels guide and check out MSE Jenny's Cheap UK holiday tips blog.

  20. Try a house-swap holiday

    A number of home-swapping sites such as Home Base Holidays and Homelink allow you to switch your home with someone's elsewhere in the world.

    To join you'll need to pay a fee – Home Base Holidays is £49 for a year's membership (although you can slash the cost by choosing to pay in New Zealand dollars – the $69 yearly fee works out at about £32). Homelink's a pricier £120, though it claims to offer a more personal service, with representatives around the world. Then you upload photos and a description of your place.

    Home Base Holidays offers a two-week free trial, Homelink a 30-day free trial.

    Feedback varies – some have found it a way to make lifelong friends, while others wouldn't try it again – so you'll need to decide if it's for you. See the Great Travel Swapping Hunt MSE Forum thread for more tips on this.

  21. Camp under the stars

    Good ol' camping's a fun way to explore the great outdoors and get away on the cheap, especially if you're staying within Europe. Pack up a car with your own equipment and book a pitch at one of the many campsites across the Continent.

    As a starting point, check out the European Federation of Campingsite Organisations and Holiday Park Association or Campingo, which lists campsites in more than 85 countries.

    This can save on accommodation costs, even if you're travelling further afield – for example, when we looked we found a week's stay for a family of four at the Bloomfield Beach Camp in Tropical North Queensland for about £200. You'd pay about £900 in a nearby hotel.

    For a full list of MoneySavers' top tips on safe, hassle-free camping, see the Great Camping Hunt in the forum.

  22. Check if the price includes breakfast – and if it's really worth it

    When you're booking a room it's always worth checking if the price includes breakfast – sometimes it will, sometimes it won't. Always check.

    There's no hard and fast rule on this. Sometimes booking sites or hotels will throw in a 'free' breakfast as an added incentive to book and it's worth it, but sometimes you'll find you end up paying much more for the night as a result. So factor in the cost.

    Most places are likely to have nearby cafes, bakeries and eateries that will allow you to pick up inexpensive breakfast items if you don't pay. However, if breakfast is included for only a little more, it might be worth shelling out the extra amount.

    Breakfast also makes an excellent haggling point – if you're trying to persuade a hotel to beat a comparison site's price, ask them if it'll throw in breakfast for free.

  23. Work for your food and board

    It's sometimes possible to bag free food and accommodation in exchange for a few hours' work each day, usually on farms. Two of the biggest programmes are HelpX and WWOOF (Worldwide Opportunities on Organic Farms). Prices differ depending on which country you're in for HelpX, but WWOOF is free for basic members.

    MSE Laura F spent several months WWOOFing in Australia, which included housekeeping in a Brisbane hotel, and gardening, packaging soaps and house-building in the Northern Territory, 

    On the site workaway.info, jobs are listed in return for accommodation and sometimes food. It operates in 170 countries and you'll need to pay £42 for a one-year membership. We found vacancies listed near Rio working on a country estate, with jobs including gardening, cooking and working in the plantation.

    However, none of the sites we've mentioned will organise, or help to organise, a working visa for you. For many countries you're likely to need one to work. If you're not sure either way, contact the UK embassy in the country you plan to work in – it should be able to help.

  24. Unpaid carer? See if you can get a cheap room

    Charity Carefree gives unpaid carers (plus a companion) access to one/two-night breaks across the UK. These are unsold rooms donated to Carefree by hotels. There's a £33 admin fee, but no other costs for the accommodation (though carers must pay for their own transport, food and travel insurance, if applicable). You must be an 18+ unpaid carer doing at least 30 hours a week to qualify.

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