Couch Surfing

In case I haven't filled your ear with my excitement over Couch Surfing, here are the nuts and bolts.  There is an amazing web service called Couch Surfing that allows users to travel the world and crash on someone's couch.  Rather than paying for a hotel room with no culture and no personality, you could actually spend a few nights in the hospitality of person who lives in the city that you're traveling through.  You could thank them by bringing them a small gift from your hometown, taking them out for a meal, or reimbursing them for gas if they drive you somewhere or for helping you wash your laundry.  And this person would share their city and their music and their culture with you!

"At CouchSurfing International, we envision a world where everyone can explore and create meaningful connections with the people and places they encounter.  Building meaningful connections across cultures enables us to respond to diversity with curiosity, appreciation and respect. The appreciation of diversity spreads tolerance and creates a global community."

Here is our account on Couch Surfing.  Would you like to stay with locals for free when you travel?
 
Okay.  I admit that there is a big step to take in being able to trust someone that you're just meeting online but besides the basic background check, Couch Surfers are able to rate one another based upon their experiences together.  So, similar to eBay, there's a chance to read feedback before you blissfully decide to spend a night in someone's home or welcome them to yours.  We decided to host a bit before our travels to make sure that the system worked and to build up a little Couch Surfing cred.