In fact, maybe the inspired traveler has botched it, inspiring him or herself into a truly high anxiety situation. Take the last bus to the edge of town and camp in a pasture. Crash in a thicket in a city park, garden, or vacant lot. Don't forget cemeteries, school yards, sports fields, floodplains, and rail yards. Don't forget that lots of towns and cities have campgrounds that can usually squeeze one more walker in.
Campgrounds are often the match of hostels when it comes to meeting fellow travelers.
Nothing that you have to pay for is cheaper. If you have a bedroll on your back, you can always find a spot to unroll it. Consider where there are public places open all night, indoors and out. Big hotel lobbies, stations, depots, airports, town squares, all-night cafes, truck stops, hospital emergency rooms, shelters, etc. You can wander, sit, watch, nap, and wander again, throughout the night.