A family that's been traveling the world for over 3 years shares their 7 best tips to find great, cheap places to stay

In May 2012, Erin and Josh Bender - and their two children, Mia, now 6, and Caius, 5 - packed up their lives in Perth, Australia and hit the road.

Today, nearly four years later, they are still traveling nonstop around the world. They document their journey (and how they can afford it) on their blog, "Travel With Bender."

After traveling to over 60 countries as a family, booking about 40 flights along the way, and staying in hundreds of hotels, resorts, apartments, and homes, they've learned the ins and outs of traveling on the cheap. In fact, "The first year of travel, we ended up saving $40,000," they tell Business Insider. They reduced their bills through a combination of staying in more affordable countries, not having to cover expenses such as utilities, gas, internet, and car insurance like they would at home, and mindful spending.

Here, we've rounded up some of their timeless tips for finding the perfect - and affordable - accommodation wherever you go, along with pictures of some of the places they've stayed around the world: