House Swap, Couch Surf to Vacation Savings

MYFOXNY.COM - After a difficult winter, you might be thinking of taking some time off. But can you afford to?

If guilt and money woes are keeping you grounded, Brenda Hunsberger, a travel expert with AAA, says think of it this way: "One of the best ways to stimulate the economy especially within the U.S. is to travel domestically."

WATCH LISA MURPHY'S REPORT (VIDEO, LEFT)

Indeed, it's never been less expensive to travel. But when every penny counts, some people, like Ray Bartlett of kaisora.com , say if your budget is tight, there are alternatives to an expensive hotel

"Because I'm a travel writer, I'm traveling all the time and frequently need to crash on a couch," Ray says.

He means that very literally. Instead of booking a hotel room, Ray finds a sofa to suit his needs through the website couchsurfing.com .

It's completely free and the service covers the globe. Ray says sometimes a couch can be just as welcoming as a nice hotel.

According to recent reports, it's also much cheaper to travel than it was last summer.

Here are some resources:

>COUCHSURFING.COM

>HOMEEXCHANGE.COM

>AAA MID-ATLANTIC

>AAA NEW YORK