There is no point in the PF flying VFR as the safety pilot cannot log any time. He/she can only log time if the PF is under the hood. That 100hrs is only cheap if you log half as safety pilot. If you want to log 100 hours as PF not under the hood then expect to pay twice as much for your time.
However the answer to your question is no, you don't need a safety pilot if you are flying and you ARE NOT under the hood. The only time you may require a safety pilot is for insurance reasons. some schools require you have a minimum of 50-100hours in twins before you can rent on your own. If you dont have this time, a safety pilot with sufficient hours could fly with you.
DB
