Airfare has skyrocketed up over $400 in the past six months, making it almost impossible for me to travel as much as I like. After researching a few college Web sites while trying to find a cheaper alternative, my friend shared her secret to traveling all over the globe—yes, even to Brazil, Baller.

A project that is slowly gaining worldwide recognition, Couchsurfing.com is the best-kept travel secret. As a student with low funds to begin with, most of my travel cash would go toward a plane ticket, not leaving much left for a room, food, and travel within the country. But with Couchsurfing.com, the price for a room is within anyone’s budget—it’s FREE!

In 2002, Casey Fenton, then 23, purchased a discounted airfare ticket to Reykjavik, Iceland, for a long weekend. All packed up and ready to go, Casey discovered one thing was missing—a place to stay. Being a free spirit and not wanting to be an average tourist, Casey decided to spam more than 1,500 Icelandic students and ask them if he could crash on one of their couches. The rest is history.

Two years later, Casey started Couchsurfing.com and a way of life for some travelers. The site basically lets people offer up their couches for free to travelers who are coming through their area and don’t want to pay for hotels. Many of the hosts double as tour guides, giving the surfers a one-of-a-kind look at their city or town that visitors won’t get during their own exploring.

Now, I’m assuming that a few of you out there are thinking, “Who would be crazy enough to sleep on a stranger’s couch thousands of miles away from home?” Well, at least 735,611 members of Couchsurfing.com are—and me, of course! I don’t think the hosts’ couches could be any more uncomfortable than the beds offered up in hotels or hostels, and this way you get to select your host and talk to him to see what he’s all about, an option not granted to travelers staying in hostels.

To make the process safer and more enjoyable for everyone, Couchsurfing.com has what they call the “trust circle.” The first step is for you to sign up for an account and begin to link yourself to current users that you know personally. They, along with people who couch surf your abode, leave you “vouches” to ensure future surfers of the kind of person you are. For extra security, members are then required to pay $25 via credit card to verify that they are who they claim to be. Then, a letter containing your password is mailed to the address you’ve given. If the name and address you’ve given are correct, you will receive the mail and be able to go to become an authorized member.

Couchsurfing.com doesn’t just connect travelers with hosts. The site also has the option for locals to meet up with travelers for a drink or day explorations if they don’t feel up for hosting. It also gives great traveling advice for groups and single travelers—advice like storing different amounts of cash and a few different credit cards in different sets of luggage just in case one is lost, or never accepting packages from strangers due to a few Couchsurfing community reports of travelers being tricked into smuggling drugs. They even have a page for solo female travelers to read over and to be more prepared for the experience.

So, if you’re low on cash and are looking to travel on a small budget, this may be for you. Friendly people and a unique getaway offering a local’s perspective can be found on any continent and in any country you want to experience. Couchsurfing.com is my No. 1 pick for discount accommodations whether you keep your travel within the United States or take it overseas.