Our vacation this year is a house swap. My family and my parents are swapping houses this week (we'll save the visiting with the grandparents for another time).
My parents and I live in very different communities, so we're each getting a needed change of scenery. In contrast to our mountain retreat vacation, my parents are on enjoying the pace of city life at our house, which is walking distance to museums, a Major League Baseball stadium and dozens of restaurants.
For those of us who work at home, a staycation looks an awful lot like any other day, except that for the self-employed there's often no income. Even for telecommuters with vacation pay, a staycation would be a bit like location-based workers who spend their vacation visiting the office every day.
So consider a house swap as an alternative to a staycation. For us, the savings go beyond just the lodging costs. We're also saving money on:
- Pet care - My parents are cat sitting, and we're bringing the dog.
- Food - We'll eat fewer dinners out because we can cook at my parents' house.
- Entertainment - The number of things to do where my parents live means we'll stay within their development taking advantage of the free fun for much of the time.
- Lost pay - My parents' place has an Internet connection and a space we can use as an office. So my husband (a work-at-home dad) and I intend to work limited schedules in the morning, but reserve the afternoons and evenings for fun.
I know not everyone has parents with a mountain resort condo, but you still may be able to arrange home exchange. Think of friends who live in different types of communities and areas of the country. What might your house offer them and vice versa? And if you can't coordinate one with friends, you can also arrange a house swap through companies dedicated to home exchanges.
More on House Swapping:
Tips for House Swaps | House Swaps in the U.K.
Thrifty Thursday Ideas:
My husband and I have been able to save money by getting into a larger house and sharing that with another couple. We made sure it was someone we were able to work well with and that the house was large enough for all of us.
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Hi Laureen
An interesting article which highlights the benefits of swapping homes for the purpose of a holiday. No accomodation costs to pay, a well funished home to enjoy a holiday in, and the knowledge that your home is being well cared for in your abscence – how fantastic is that!
Your readers may be interested to know that if you don’t have family who live in another part of the country – you can always join a house swapping agency and gain all the benefits mentioned above.
Why not check out Britain’s first UK only house swapping site that was launched in January 2009. It now has over 550 homes on the site to choose from.. ranging from a static caravan to a stately home!
http://www.ukholidayswapshop.co.uk
Annual membership is currently being offered at £14.95 – and you can arrange as many holiday swaps as you like.
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