Vacation in Europe - Stay for Peanuts
The cost for some European Hotels is exorbitant. It will no doubt be one the largest parts of your European Vacation budget. But what if you could cut that cost to next to nothing and stay in the style to which you are accustomed at home with all the amenities such as multiple rooms, full kitchen, and even laundry facilities. The key is Home Exchange.Home Exchange has been gaining in popularity for some time, if for no other reason than to reduce the cost of traveling. By exchanging your home for someone else's home at your vacation destination, you will have the advantage of living just like the locals. There probably is no better way to really get to know the country than to experience the total local immersion of living amongst the locals. Of course, if you are wanting to stay downtown next to all of the night life, you might be set a bit apart from it. You probably won't beat the accommodations though.
This concept was dramatized in the 2006 feature movie called "The Holiday", starring Cameron Diaz, Kate Winslet, and Jude Law, where a jilted London journalist exchanges her home in the English countryside with a Hollywood film trailer producer. This humorous, and heart warming movie demonstrates quite well the advantages of home exchange.
How It Works
Once you register with Home Exchange.com, you pay an fee of $99.95 which is good for one year. After that you pay nothing for your lodging - there are no other fees. Your Membership is then renewable after one year and every year after that should you so desire.
After your fee is paid, you list your home and you can begin your search. You pick the country, state or even City in which you are interested, select an interesting listing and send them a private email inquiry. Of course, once your home is listed, you too will get inquiries from all over the world. It is then up to you to pick.
In 14 years and tens of thousands of exchanges with Home Exchange.com, they have never had a report of a theft, malicious vandalism, or a case of someone getting to their exchange home and finding a vacant lot.
Don't be worried about "Having a Stranger in Your House". Think of home exchange as Internet Dating for your home. Before you would actually go on a date with someone you met on the internet, you would exchange some emails, talk on the phone a few times, and swap recent photos. By the time you agree to meet, it won't be with a "stranger". You wouldn't go on a date if you didn't feel a connection, and the same goes for a home exchange.
The typical length of stay is about one to two weeks, so this might not work for those 2-3 day business trips. But if you are planning to spend some time getting to know a new country, this could be a great way visit without being part of the tourist crowd. You can experience your vacation destination like never before - like someone who lives there.
Home Exchange is a great way to dramatically cut the high cost of your European Vacation lodging expense. If you are interested in substantial saving on your next vacation, click on the link below or go to HomeExchange.com.
