How we've saved thousands on our holidays by swapping homes with strangers
Or would the idea of someone sleeping in your bed and using your kitchen while you were away put you off?Henry Vanderpump, 42, his wife Elliw, 39, and their two young children have had two home exchange holidays in the past two years and have another planned this summer.In each case, they have stayed in another family's home, while that family stays in theirs, a five-bedroom house in Tarporley, rural Cheshire.Neither side pays anything for their accommodation, although they do pay an annual membership fee to Home Link, the listings site they use to book the trips.Image source, Henry VanderpumpImage caption, The Vanderpumps' Danish hosts let them use their electric bikes So far, the Vanderpumps have stayed in similarly sized properties in Hamburg and Copenhagen, and Henry says they have saved around £2,500 on accommodation per trip, plus a further £700 on transport, as they also swapped cars."We used to have one holiday a summer, now we have two [because of the savings we make from home exchanges]. And the kids love the idea of living in someone else's house while that person is living in theirs."Home exchanges have been around since at least the 1950s, but an increasing number of people seem to be embracing them because of the rising cost of living, or simply to experience a new type of travel, commentators say.'We lived like a German family'Henry says the best thing about swapping homes isn't the savings but getting to visit places off the tourist trail and have a "really authentic experience".When the family visited Hamburg in 2024, they stayed in a suburb and lived "like a German family" for a week, exploring lakes on the edge of the city recommended by their hosts.Last year, they stayed in "a very Scandinavian house" in suburban Copenhagen, which was "all on one level and had no clutter"."They also left us several electric bikes to use," Henry says. "We cycled to the beach, swam in the Baltic and tried restaurants they recommended."Image caption, May Burrough went on a home exchange trip to the Swiss AlpsSome people are not comfortable with the idea of strangers staying in their home, and for those who are, there's a lot of preparation and tidying to do before their guests arrive.Home swappers may also have to be more flexible about when they travel - Home Link says members typically send 10-15 messages before getting an offer."Last minute bookings won't always work," says May Burrough, 38, a chief operating officer from London who has done 34 home swaps over the last three years using HomeExchange.
Discussion (0)