Made famous by Romcom, The Holiday, home swaps are a great way to explore a new place without spending your life’s savings. Not only do you get to see this new destination through the eyes of a local, but you also get to enjoy all the trappings of home, safe in the knowledge that your house is being looked after too.
If you’re considering a home swap for your next vacation, good for you! Here are all the little perks you can enjoy whilst temporarily moving into someone else’s house.
Save money
One of the most obvious advantages of house swapping is the amount you’re going to spend on accommodation. It’s one of the costliest things about going on holiday. By doing a home swap, you’ll only pay for the electricity, water and gas that you consume.
There are also no deposits or booking fees to pay as they are normally private agreements between two parties. You can cut the cost of your getaway by almost 90%!
Convenience
Who else hates having to pack half their house for every eventuality on holiday? Because you’re arriving at a fully furnished house, you don’t have to worry about eating out for every meal, buying cooking basics or cramming everyone into one bedroom.
Home swaps mean that you can use the owners’ equipment (with their permission), be that a bike, surfboard or even the swimming pool if you’re lucky. Just don’t forget your swimming pool chlorine tablets before you practice your cannonballs!
Live like a local
The downside of commercial accommodation is that it always sets you apart from the locals, placing you in a part of town that is only frequented by other holiday makers. Needless to say, they lack all local charm that make a place so special.
House swaps place you in the centre of local life where you’ll find farmer’s markets with produce from the surrounding areas, great restaurants and bars, all of which might force you to also speak the local language!
Peace of mind
We’ve all left the house and worried whether we left the back door unlocked or if the neighbours can get in to feed the cat. With a home swap, you can rest assured that your house (and all its furry and planted inhabitants) are being well taken care of.
This way, you won’t come home to a plant graveyard or have to bother with picking up the pets from the kennel. Everything is (almost) how you left it and you can pick up from where you left off.
Make connections
If you’ve had a good experience, you’re likely to keep in touch with your house swap partner, which means plenty more affordable, comfortable holidays on the horizon!
Images courtesy of unsplash.com and pexels.com
