Thanks to rising gas prices and shrinking disposable income, millions of Americans are shortening vacations or foregoing them altogether. There is an alternative that could save travelers hundreds of dollars on their next vacation.

Hostels, hugely popular in Europe, can be found throughout the world. There are an estimated 10,000 hostels across the continents, with approximately 350 in the United States.

Formerly a staple of college travelers, hostels are quickly becoming a mainstay for any thrifty trekker. While the majority of hostels are designed like college dormitories, with two or more beds in a room, shared bathrooms and shared common areas, more and more hostels are sporting individual rooms. There is also a wide array of amenities available from free breakfasts and wireless Internet access to pools, bars and saunas. Diligence can provide the perfect getaway for even the most modest budget.

Hostels International (www.hiayh.org) has worked with and monitored hostels around the world since 1934. HI regulates 80 of the 350 U.S. hostels keeping track of such things as cleanliness, atmosphere, security and privacy. A price check shows that a hostel room in New York City for the week of July 1st, 2007 through July 8th, 2007, with fees will cost about $34 a night (www.hinewyork.org – 212/923-2300). The cheapest hotel on www.hotels.com for a single room for the same week is $67 a night before fees and taxes. Members of certain clubs, such as AARP, AAA, AMA or APA, can save even more by receiving additional member discounts.

If you plan on keeping your travels in the states you may want to check www.greyhound.com or www.amtrak.com to check on travel deals. Other websites where U.S. hostel reservations can be made include www.hiusa.org, www.norcalhostels.org or www.hiaustin.org – 512/444-2294.

International travelers will need to be sure they have their passports ready. Visit http://travel.state.gov for instructions on obtaining a passport and locations of U.S. embassies in foreign countries. Any significant problems encountered outside of the U.S. should be taken to a U.S. embassy delegate. Be sure to leave plenty of time to have the passport paperwork processed. For citizens under 16 years old the fee is $82 and $97 for those over 16 years of age.

Hostels around the world can be booked through www.hostelz.com, www.hostels.com, www.hiayh.org or www.hostelworld.com. These sites list room rates in U.S. dollars to decrease confusion.

Since most people do not monitor monetary exchange rates, visit www.x-rates.com to see how many Thai Bhats or Venezuelan Bolivars you get for your buck. Most banks can make the exchanges, but calling to confirm in advance is always best.

Shopping around for cheap airfare is easy to do using the Internet. Before enlisting a travel agent start with these websites: www.expedia.com, www.orbitz.com, www.travelocity.com or www.cheaptickets.com. Taking flights with connections or even red eye flights can whittle down the price of tickets.

When looking to add an exotic adventure to your vacation check www.bootnall.com or www.hostelworld.com. The opportunities for excitement include everything from heart racing cliff diving tours and tandem skydiving to more easy going museums and walking tours. These sites also sell travel insurance and train and bus tickets. Most of Europe is connected with a mass transit system of trains and/or buses.

For anyone interested in the hostel experience check out www.hostelhandbook.com. It provides tips on mingling with other cultures and making the most of any trip.

Hostels mean seeing the world does not mean you have to see your savings evaporate.