Overheard a guy at the hostel say he never pays for accommodation

That guy's probably just broke and lying to make himself feel better about it.

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Hostels have work exchange programs where you clean or work the front desk for a few hours and get a free bed. Some backpackers do that for months at a time and it's not really about being broke, it's more about making the trip last longer. Also seen people do house sitting gigs through apps where they watch someones place and pets for free while the owner is away.

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the_derek2mo ago

People really act like sleeping in a random dude's spare room or scrubbing toilets for a few hours is some kind of life hack. I've met those work exchange guys and half the time they're just trading their time for a bunk in a room with eight other people. House sitting sounds fine until you're stuck in some suburban house with a cat that hates you and the owner keeps texting about the thermostat. It's not exactly a flex to say you're not paying for accommodation when you're still cleaning up after strangers. Maybe the guy was just bragging to sound cool at a party and not making a big statement about his lifestyle.

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