The clever way you can get a holiday abroad for free – but there’s a catch | The Sun

GETTING away for next to nothing sounds like a dream come true, especially with household budgets squeezed by the cost of living crisis.

More holidaymakers than ever are looking into the idea of homeswapping to get a break without breaking the bank.


There are lots of ways it makes for a great way to make holidays affordable.

One big bonus to homeswapping instead of renting a traditional holiday villa or apartment is that you've got kids' toys on hand and a well-stocked kitchen filled with all the little bits and pieces you take for granted at home.

We've all been away to a rental and found a cutlery drawer with two bent forks and not a lot else, but when you're staying in a place that's set up for someone else's everyday life, that's unlikely to be the case. 

It can also be a great way to experience a different cuisine without having to fork out loads for spices and flavourings that might get used once and then shoved in a cupboard.

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Even the pans and cooking utensils can be different from what we use at home, so it really gives you a flavour of how the locals cook.

But while swapping houses could be the perfect way to get a cheap holiday, it doesn't come without its downsides.

The idea of letting strangers stay at your place while you live in theirs is a bit of a weird one to get your head around.

Privacy and security are just two of the concerns that might put people off.

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We've done a couple of petsits for friends, just to see for ourselves the pros and cons of staying in someone else's home.

Taking responsibility for someone else's beloved fur babies isn't for everyone and if you don't have animals of your own, it can be quite an eye-opener just how much care they require.

If you want a break that's about total relaxation, looking after pets probably isn't the way forward.

Now I'm a mum myself, we've been dogsitting for relatives in Spain and it's surprising just how much hair gets everywhere!

Not ideal if you've got babies and toddlers crawling on the floor, but it can be a good way of giving older kids a bit of responsibility, helping with dog walks and putting out bowls of food and water.

We've also let family members stay at ours when we've been away for long stints.

As well as feeling that the house is more secure with someone living there, it's quite nice coming home to a place that has been looked after and finding the fridge restocked on your return.

But it can also be a bit weird discovering kitchen cupboards rearranged, cutlery in the wrong drawer and the odd thing left behind that doesn't belong to you.

I've not done a direct swap with strangers yet and was keen to give it a go, but our first attempt in 2020 was cancelled due to Covid lockdowns.

We were all set to make 2023 the year we gave it a try, but I'm concerned that the hike in energy bills makes homeswapping more stressful at the moment.

If whoever you swap with uses loads of electricity or gas, you'll be left footing the bill when you get home.

I've even heard horror stories about visitors using WiFi to download illegal content, leaving the unsuspecting homeowner liable for the consequences.

That's why when I finally get around to doing a full home swap, I'll be signing up to one of the swapping websites, so that I can read reviews and have some level of protection if things go wrong.

Experienced home swappers also recommend video calling and getting to know the other family prior to the exchange and setting out expectations in writing for both parties to sign and keep a copy.

For some people, homeswapping becomes a way of life and they wouldn't go back to holidaying any other way while for others, just the idea of it would leave them running for the hills.

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Why not sound out family and friends to see if anyone you already know is up for it?

It's the perfect halfway house to homeswapping with strangers all around the world.


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