Have you ever dreamt of sampling local wines in Tuscany in September? Will it be a wonderful time to visit Paris in the spring? Enjoy the English countryside in the summer? You may think this is just a dream and cannot reach. It doesn’t have to be.
You can travel to some of the world’s most interesting and beautiful locations and you will only pay for airfare, dining out and tourist attractions!
Now, you may have questions whether how this can be? The concept is so easy you just use a housing exchange service. You may not know that this service is widely used in Europe, Asia and Australia.
It is so simple like this. You just choose a country you want to visit, duration, and the exact time you want to go. Arrangements are made, and you exchange homes with someone else.
This is how it works and you can cut your costs up to 75 percent. By staying in a home, you’re not paying the high cost of hotels (which can run upwards of $125 a night) or dining in restaurants, saving you hundreds, if not thousands of dollars!
In addition, this is a big chance for you to live like the locals do. You can also enjoy total immersion into the culture, and rather than being treated like a tourist, you have the opportunity to make new friends and participate in your surroundings as a member of the community.
Many of you may be worry while being away from your home. With this service, you have the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your home is being carefully looked after, your plants are being watered, and your pets are taken care of.
What you have to do is start searching through the Internet and find a company that you’re comfortable with. Sign up and join the housing exchange list. (Some companies have over 10,000 members!) Then, with a click of your mouse, you can find information of other, like-minded travelers, who want to visit your area.
Most of companies provide you pictures of the houses and the description about the houses as well. You can directly contact the owners to reach an agreement.
Here are some of the things you’ll want to agree on:
Total number of adults and children staying in the home
Use of the vehicle and it’s maintenance
What linen will be provided in house, and how will it be cleaned?
Care of pets
Long distance phone calls
Don’t worry though. Your housing exchange company can help you put together a list, and give you ideas for preparing for your guests.
Instead of going to a cold, impersonal hotel room, you go “home” and are welcomed by your next door neighbor, who gives you the house keys and invites you to dinner the next evening, telling you to call them if you have any questions.
You can have the vacation you’ve always dreamed about, and save thousands of dollars at the same time! Bon voyage!
