Alternative backpacking ideas(transportation,finances,room/board,locations,sites,etc)

[Sleeping Under Czars]

So it seems that actually getting to Europe and paying for room and board seem to be the most costly obstacles in backpacking. I wanted to start a discussion about cost effective ways of traveling, and even alternative ideas for backpacking in general (not just in terms of finances). So post your ideas and reactions, or relate stories you've heard. Taking the route less traveled often opens the possibility for travel experiences completely unique from everyone else lumbering down the eurails with their backpacks, and has a tendency, in my opinion, to enable much more intimate experiences with the nations traveled.

I'm not leaving till next summer, but I've been entertaining a lot of ideas, in regards to crossing the Atlantic, particularly with boats. For instance, asking an import/export boat captain about working on his boat in exchange for ferrying me across the ocean, and I might even be able to make a little extra travel money. Or perhaps offering to pay him a little to let me stow away (maybe even stowing away secretly?). I know it seems a little dangerous, but I think it would be a great adventure and maybe a lot cheaper. Another concern would be time, it would probably take several weeks to arrive at the destination, but I would consider traveling by boat to be a crucial part of the experience.

More realistically, I could try getting a job on a cruise ship and disembark once we hit land. But my fear would be that I'd have to sign a contract or join a union; basically the fear would be getting tied up in such away that I couldn't just get off where I wanted.

Another issue is hostels. For the amount of time I plan on staying in Europe, paying for hostels the whole way might not be possible. I feel as though there must exist an alternative. Everyone seems to be couch surfing these days and that is one thing to consider. Unfortunately, I don't think its a feasible alternative for people traveling in groups (as I will be doing next summer). So I was thinking we might offer to do a few chores at people's homes in exchange for a floor to sleep on, or taking out the trash and mopping floors for a cafe in exchange for sleeping in the office or the storage room (maybe some free food too?). But I think these would need to be arranged prior to departure, and I'm not really sure how to go about that.

I've also known people who had great experiences with squatting, i.e. making friends with locals and hopping around their couches, sleeping in parks or in abandoned buildings. Again, run-ins with the authorities and thieves would be the concern, but my understanding is that as if travelers are smart about it and move in groups, there should be no problem.

One more thing I've been wondering about: Train hopping and hitchhiking. Has anyone done either in Europe, or heard of people doing it? These are my preferred modes of travel within the united states until gas prices go down, but I don't know how feasible they are in Europe. Can anyone tell me how Europeans tend to regard hitchhiking or train hopping? My impression from spending some time in France and Italy is that they would be much more laid back in regard to jumping trains then American authorities. But I don't even know how extensive the cargo-rail systems are in Europe or where I could study their infrastructure. And I presume hitchhiking is much safer in western Europe then in the states, but I don't know if the average Euro-diver would pick up a hitchhiker, or if the idea in general is as foreign to them as jean-shorts.

I have more questions and ideas, but I'll post them later.

Anyway, I'm interested in your ideas and reactions (even though I assume many of them will be negative) and I hope this thread turns into a profitable resource for fellow travelers. I hope people exchange ideas, try new things, and discourage others from harmful or dangerous traveling.

Safe traveling,
Christopher