I just booked my Airbnb stay for free! See how I did it.
Who doesn’t want to travel for free or damn well close to it? I know I do. I love travel hacking and although I travel for nearly nothing, I’m definitely not an expert in all the flashy terms and tricks, but I know some basics that are easy, repeatable and not time-consuming. Here are the ways I maximized those free dollas! Holla!
Start with your own Account (& my freebies!)
If you don’t have an Airbnb account but you think you might travel with them ever, sign up with a statement credit to get yourself started with some free money. Click airbnb for the $25-40 link (depending on their current offer). If you have a partner/friend who you live with and love to travel with make them your first customer, once you get signed up to double your credits.
To do this, look for the “Credit” tab on the top menu once you have signed in the account. Click on “Invite friends to earn more”. If you just hover over the “Credit” tab it shows your travel credits and expiration date.
When you click on the “Invite friends...” link, it takes you to this wonderful page of options.
Get Your First Referral Credit!
Send your significant other, travel friend or family member you are planning your next trip with your referral link and when they create their account they will get $25-40 towards their first stay and you will get the credit after their first stay is complete. If you each book one of the stays on a particular trip, it's double freebies.
Max Them Freebies!
I suggest you both max out your earning potential by Importing email contacts (sending all the people in your email Rolodex the Airbnb credit offer; I do this every 6 or so months ), sharing the clickable link on Facebook, Twitter, and all the social media apps you use. Don’t waste your energy picking and choosing which friend, former boss or landlord you don’t want to send the offer to, send it to everyone, it’s free money, no one is going to be mad at your for that.
If you scroll down further on that page, it shows you the status of the referrals:
Once someone is credited towards you referring them, you also have an option of earning an additional $75 if they become Airbnb host one day. There’s nothing more to do about it, it’s just an automatic credit that drops in like a little gift from travel hacking gods!
Market that shiz on your listings!
If you are already and Airbnb host, a bonus way to earn credit, is by placing it in your ad! I put it at the very top of my listing description on each and every listing. With Airbnb, people are allowed to use the search options without an account/logging in, but they need to create one to book it. If they see the referral link in your ad, even if they don’t book your home, you better believe that they will use that credit. Boom baby! Making money off randoms and loving it.
Pimp that House Manual!
If you are a frequent reader or follower of mine, you know I am a big proponent and supporter of the sharing economy. In my Electronic House Manual (on Airbnb > Manage Listings > Basics section): in the From/To Airport section, along with the suggests for public transportation options, I share my links for Turo - Car Sharing Website (where I also list my car for rent), Uber and LYFT. All of them offer start up credits for new clients and give me a credit in exchange. It’s a beautiful thing.
The Sky is the limit!
I have heard of hosts making relationships with restaurants and local vendors to give their guests discounts in exchange for sending them their way. Years ago, when I lived in Hawaii, I spent a few months working for an Activities Concierge desk. The companies gave us a free spot on their tours or events so that we had a first hand experience to sell more tours. These relationships are possible to create in your local area as well. The only thing like this that I currently do is market a local massage therapist in my manuals for credit towards my own massages. =)
The possibilities are endless. What creative ways are you pimping credits? Share your tricks in the comments.
TAKE ACTION:
Create your Airbnb listing today (We earn a referral bonus for up to 5 new listings per profile)
Track your Net Worth (get $sign up, it’s free!)”20 when you