Assume I Am A Starving Student On A Budget That Can't Even Support Ramen Noodles

With that said, where should I be looking for lodging arrangements for a 1-3 month stay in India.

I'm not down with hanging out in the slums or with the bedbugs either, a girl has her standards you know.

 

I don't know if the option is there in India, but I had a friend stay at a yoga retreat (this was in Malaysia) for a week and it was just on a donation basis. They served food as well, but there was yoga practice involved and I think a big part of it was silent meditation! Not sure if that would be up your alley but the roof over your head and food side of things would be covered!

 

I had a friend stay at a boys orphanage. It was very clean and she was able to stay there in exchange for teaching students English a few hours a day. Do you want to offer you services? It seems like a great trade and no one is out to con you!

 

Now this is something very interesting, there is actually where we can stay for free and they serve food the whole day? Why would they do that, is it a charity? Either cases, it's certainly something that we can take advantage of if we really don't have any money.

 

I suggest you try looking into couch surfing. Basically, you pay someone a small amount to sleep on their couch. I really like to do couch surfing because you get to meet new and interesting people, who are always happy to share amazing stories and even make you delicious meals if you are friendly.

 

Cheapest way is to get in touch with relatives or friends of friends who can hook you up at their place in India-- the benefit of which is new friends and people you can trust (probably). Get some contacts from your embassy as well maybe they can help you out with some locals. You can also try house exchange or airbnb but I haven't personally tried it yet so I wouldn't know how much it costs. Ask around about accomodations in temples or religious missions too they usually need a lot of volunteers in exchange for a place to stay, you will also be doing them a good deed.

 

I agree that Couchsurfing is a great way to see the world on a budget, but as far as I know it shouldn't cost you anything. Have people charged you to stay with them?

 

I've never done it but I would assume that lots of people do...are there any Facebook groups or similar for people looking to find other people who are offering a couch/spare bed?

 

Couch surfing is a terrific idea! It's super popular in America, and I've heard of people traveling all over the country doing that. It's cheaper than hotels, but it is a bit riskier... As long as you do your research regarding who you're going to be staying with, it would be a much more enjoyable experience than shelling out a couple dollars for a cheap slum hotel.

 

I'm also planning an extended trip across India. You may want to check into hostels. They are much cheaper and you can meet other backpackers and budget travelers from all over the world to share information with and get advice from. You'll even find travel partners and friends that you keep in touch with after you leave. Does anyone recommend any hostels or guest houses?

 

I don't think I would be travelling at all if I couldn't afford Ramen noodles. I also don't think I would want to stay in the cheapest place there is, either. If I were a parent, I wouldn't let my child go if they couldn't afford to stay somewhere decent.

 

Honestly, for that length of time you should look into some sort of an exchange program. Or, you could see about working with a local university. You might be able to get reduced costs for accommodations for English language services. I would also check airbnb, since they also offer rentals for extended periods. If you could find two more people, I think you could afford a very nice place for that length of time.

 

Here are my suggestions for you:

1. Short-term Room Rentals. You basically rent a room out of someone's house or apartment. There are tons of websites that allow you to see such rentals all around the world.

2. Lodging by Religious Organisations. Typically, such religious monasteries offer a more affordable price for accommodating you.

3. Schools or Colleges. Some academic institutions offer a room and a bathroom for some tourists for a very affordable price.

Good luck!

 

Well I hate to say it but I think you might be out of luck. Lodging was pretty expensive when we traveled there and even after going cheap it was about half of our entire budget. I am sure that there are options, though, and my best advice would be to do your research and contact a travel agent.

 

You have no option but to knock on the doors of people and hope they take you in out of goodwill. But that happening is very difficult since there are a lot of homeless people on the streets in India and people will mostly ignore them. Having said that I must say it is very peculiar question: even assuming you are from a difficult place here for a better life why do you want to stay only for 3 months?

 

Someone else mentioned couch surfing, and that's probably your best option. It's also a good way to get to know people who can help you find your way around.

 

Put that way, it will be difficult for you I think especially assuming if you are not up to sharing with other people. With your kind of premise, the best thing is to really be in touch with a local family who can provide you with accommodations. You can look into volunteer programs that will allow you to stay for free and even get free meals in exchange for a service such as teaching English to a local community.