Spending an extended trip staying in hotels is bound to have a big impact on your wallet. Instead, savvy travellers looking for a longer adventure can make the most of budget-friendly alternatives like house-swapping services and home stays to free up their funds and make the most of their journey.
Let’s explore how these inexpensive approaches to accommodation can help foster your dream adventure. From getting immersed in the local community to social opportunities and cost benefits, these are just some of the reasons to consider house-swapping and home stays.
House Swapping: What You Need to Know
The premise is quite simple: You and another party agree to stay in each other’s homes. House swapping allows both parties to experience a different part of the world in the comfort of a fitted-out home. Whether your new house is in the same state or on the other side of the globe, you get to experience a life that’s totally new.
While the same level of amenities at a hotel or short-term accommodation would quickly rack up costs, house-swapping can offer exceptional value, especially when you’re staying in a single place for an extended period. No matter how far you’re traveling, your accommodation usually costs nothing. Plus, you’ll likely have access to a full kitchen, ensuring you can save on dining-out expenses.
Beyond the financial considerations, this type of accommodation is also great for connecting with the destination on a different level. As you’re staying in a genuine residents’ home, you’ll likely be located in an authentic neighborhoods, not a tourist area. This sets the scene for plenty of local interactions, while the homeowner can also offer stellar travel advice.
How to Find House-Swapping Opportunities
How do you find someone to swap homes with? Like-minded travelers usually connect through online services, with some of the most reputable including HomeExchange, Love Home Swap, and Kindred. These member-only sites feature strong communities of trusted house-swappers ready to plan their next journey.
Home Stays: What You Need to Know
While house-swapping is often free, home stays differ because they can involve paying per day, week, or month. This might not sound too different from a hotel, but the difference is home stays are generally cheaper and you are staying in a home.
While booking a home stay often means enjoying the entire property to yourself throughout your visit, other times you’ll share with the owner who remains present. You also have the chance to negotiate with the owners when staying for more than a few weeks, with discounts for longer stays often available.
Homestays in rural areas often offer work-for-stay arrangements. For example, you might volunteer to house or pet-sit while the owner is out of town, or take part in a fully fledged cultural experience. Sometimes you might exchange gardening or farm work for accommodation.
Although every home stay is different, this can help travelers make a great local connection who can help you get to know your destination with an insider’s perspective. Naturally, this makes for a culturally immersive experience.
How to Find Home Stays
Airbnb is the most popular home stay service, it has plenty of paid opportunities available for people seeking longer-term stays in nearly any location. Alternatively, services like Couchsurfing, Workaway, and TrustedHousesitters might help you find accommodation that’s cheaper- or even free.
Tips for House-Swapping and Home Stays
Here are some handy tips to help first-timers discover the perfect opportunity when planning a long-term trip.
Communicate clearly: House-swapping and home stays are great ways to travel, but communicating clearly with the owner is essential to success. As these stays often involve conditions, like cleaning up before you leave, get to know your options and ask plenty of questions to find the ideal match.
Protect yourself: Finding ways to save money during your journey is wise, but don’t overlook the importance of travel insurance for an extended trip. A policy can provide cover for medical emergencies, travel disruptions, lost luggage, and more, so this protection could mean saving on huge expenses should the unexpected happen on an adventure.
Understand the expectations: House-swapping and home stays typically involve more expectations than your standard hotel. Before you book, make sure you understand what you’re expected to do during your stay, whether that means looking after the dog while the owner is away or helping with a vegetable harvest.
