The secret to saving on housing while traveling: a story about exchanging houses (7 photos)

Many of us love to travel, but the cost of accommodation when we travel can be prohibitive. However, 53-year-old Lizzie Cyr, a freelance market researcher, has found a way to save big on accommodation thanks to her love of home swapping.





Lizzie uses HomeExchange, a platform that allows people to swap homes while traveling. The way the platform works is that guests earn points by hosting other travelers, and can use those points to spend on their own trips.



Lizzie with her husband in Stockholm, Sweden

"I'm always looking for new travel tips and ideas," explains Lizzie. "That's how I came across an article about house swapping. I read a few articles and then signed up with a few companies for a free trial."





In Annecy, France

Over the past few years, Lizzie has completed around 50 home exchange trips, from a quick weekend in Barcelona to a two-week stay in a luxury villa with a housekeeper in Bali. She has visited many interesting places, from Melbourne to Western Australia, and met some wonderful people along the way.



Lizzie in Stockholm

“Our very first home exchange trip was to Granville in France and the host couple were so nice but didn’t speak a word of English so my French at level O was very rusty but we managed to communicate using sign language and Google Translate,” Lizzie recalls.



Lizzie in Sardinia as part of her “free” trip around the world

Lizzie notes that not only does home swapping allow you to save money on accommodation, it also allows you to immerse yourself in the local atmosphere. “Why live in a boring and cramped hotel room where you get woken up at any time of the day or night, when you can live in a proper home and really explore the local area?” she says.



Lizzie in Normandy, northern France, visiting Mont St Michel

Lizzie estimates that she has saved between £28,000 and £50,000 by house swapping. “If you consider that the house would have been a minimum of £100 a night, then we have saved at least £28,000, and if you consider expensive places like Melbourne and Barcelona, ​​then it’s probably closer to £50,000!” she reckons.



Lizzie and her husband in Venice

Lizzie believes that home swapping is a great way to travel, especially for families who want to save money. “We’ve also been able to use this opportunity to invite friends and family along for the ride at no extra cost, which has made for some really fun holidays!” she shares.

Lizzie has no plans to stop there anytime soon. She recommends this way of traveling to anyone who wants to save money and have a unique experience.