8 Ways to Get Free Lodging in New York City

Tomorrow I (and many others) begin a month of travel using JetBlue's All-You-Can-Fly pass. One destination I want to visit is New York City. That is convenient, since New York's JFK airport is a JetBlue hub and their HQ.

Some say New York City is the greatest city in the world. I recently saw Travel and Leisure's ratings of the world's top ten cities: New York City was number 10. It was the #1 city in the United States; San Francisco was #2.

I have already planned a couple of day trips to the Big Apple. It is an easy flight to and from my home airport. However, I do not plan to spend a night in the city that never sleeps. I would like to but have not found a place to stay. OK, my budget is very, very tight and I am looking for free or cheap lodging. Here is my process. Perhaps it will help others:

1. Have a friend living in the city

I will start with the obvious. Knowing someone in New York City or even close would be ideal. I do not. Strike one.

2. Have a friend of a friend in the city

I even put out a feeler on Facebook and LinkedIn for a friend or a friend of a friend. I must know someone or know someone that knows someone there. OK, I can certainly try harder but I have not. Strike two (let's call it a check swing).

3. Anonymous "friends"

There are places to find people with a spare bed, couch or floor space for a night. I have not tried couchsurfing.com, servas, craigslist (shiver) or others. There must be dozens or hundreds. Again, I could spend some time trying to find a place or a host. Do I want to? I am pretty comfortable flying up in the morning and flying home 8 to 10 hours later--and even repeating the process the next day. I know that I could try alumni groups and even travel contacts. Hey, Donald Trump might be in Chicago or Palos Verdes during my visit. Even if he is in town, there would be plenty of room. So, Mr. Trump, have your people call my people. OK, I have no people. Darn. Strike three (looking).

OK, so the nearly passive approach will not work for me. What else can I do? I struck out but I am still in the game...

4. Make a new friend during my trips

Indeed, I will attend the JetBlue AYCJ kick off celebration in Terminal 5 tomorrow. Perhaps I can sweet talk my way into some free floor space in one of the boroughs. Yes, Upper East Side is preferred but anywhere is a short subway ride from anywhere. Right? OK, this idea has merit. Also, I will be on probably a dozen flights during the first two weeks. There will probably be over 2,000 potential people that live in New York City or know someone that lives there. On the other hand, I am not much for in-person networking. Plus, is the allure of a free place to stay worth the potential risk? I am not Monk from USA Network but, still, many people are scary.

5. Sleep? I don't need no stinking sleep

I can book a morning flight to New York City and return home the next morning. Sure, I can stay up all night and see what the fuss is all about in this city. When it gets to be 3am, I just have to stay awake until my flight in the morning.

6. Ride the rails

Researching ground transportation options from JFK airport to Manhattan and around New York City, I learned that the subway operates 24 hours. Sweet! I can ride the rails when I get tired. Oh, yeah, there are the muggings on the subway. I cannot realistically do this, can I?

7. Sneak a snooze

Then there are hotel lobbies, all night diners (like on Seinfeld), theaters, train/bus stations and parks. Again, scary people and the mugging factor. Perhaps the JetBlue terminal would be a safe haven. I can book an early morning flight from JFK, play in the city all night and when I get tired, take the subway/train to JFK and snooze before the flight.

8. JetBlue Flights

I can keep doing what I already have planned. Visit New York City between morning and evening flights. Take an evening flight home and then fly back to New York City in the morning. Honestly, I live close enough to do this and it will be fun. If I did not, I would consider flying to another city to stay the night and then return the next morning. JetBlue has tons of flights from JFK and there must be many evening flights to destinations with less expensive lodging. For instance, there is a 10:3oPM flight to Portland, Maine. Perhaps there are even red-eye, overnight transcontinental flights (there are from the West coast to the East coast).

So, there you have my 8 Ways list. What do you think? Any additions? More importantly, can you spare a spot for me in the next month? Especially anyone from the Trump camp.

Happy Travels.

©2010, Charles McCool

travel deals on Twitter revisited

Well, I did not get much reaction to my blog post about Twitter not being great for travel deals. I will assume, then, that it is still true.

In the October issue of Conde Nast Traveler magazine, Wendy Perrin wrote an article titled, "How to Tweet Your Way to Amazing Travel Deals," with a sidebar article to 21 Twitterers to Follow. Check it out and let me know what you think.

Thank you.
© 2009, Charles McCool

Is Twitter all that?

Is anyone reading this?

I am on Twitter (CharlesMcCool), use Twitter, but am not that impressed. Am I wrong?

Sure there is a lot of "social networking"--"follow me," "I'll follow you," "here is an article I found (probably written by one of your Twitter BFFs)," "ooh, look at me retweet someone's link to another article."

Most (if not all) of the information I find on Twitter is also posted elsewhere. Do you find it quicker on Twitter? If anything, it is more difficult to find worthwhile information on Twitter with all of the crud.

The most valuable and recent news item I remember finding on Twitter before anywhere else was jetBlue's All You Can Travel promotion. I happen to be on Twitter when jetBlue's tweet popped onto my screen. I was likely the first person (out of millions, it seems) to retweet the news. This promotion even spawned a Twitter acronym (Trending Topic) and accounts dedicated to the trip.

Sure, that is all entertaining but not informative.

So, what travel skills can be gained from Twitter?

:: cricket, cricket ::

Enlighten me, will ya, if there is some value for DIY travelers using Twitter. I have seen a couple of hotel properties list special rates and jetbluecheeps lists rock-bottom, last-minute fares (essentially useless since they are valid for just one day). Other than that, Twitter is not "all that." If it IS all that to you, please let me know what I am missing and who you are following.

Thank you.

© 2009, Charles McCool

Twitter Me for Travel Deals

OK, I mentioned that my next post would be about travel reference books. I will get back to that soon. This post is a recap of this blog's purpose and some quick announcements.

This blog's purpose is to teach readers skills to save money, time, and stress on all aspects of travel. By following this blog and incorporating the skills into your travel planning process, you will become better at planning travel and finding deals. I appreciate hearing from readers. Instead of sending e-mail to me, please post comments so that everyone can learn from your suggestions and experiences. I approve comments and only post those that are appropriate and useful. I have not approved some that are spam or ads. Thank you.

I do post individual travel deals on Twitter. Click here to follow me on Twitter and read my travel deal (and other) twits. Check out the people I am following; many post their own travel deals.

© 2009, Charles McCool