Swap to Save: £6,000 Off Holidays with Home Exchanges

Sun Sep 06 2026 10:31:55 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Discover how families are cutting travel costs by swapping homes and living like locals.

The Vanderpump family famously swapped their Cheshire home for a spare house in Denmark, saving £2,500 on accommodation per trip. Across Hamburg, Copenhagen, and other European cities, they’ve netted over £6,000 in travel savings in two years. Home‑exchange platforms like Home Link and HomeExchange are growing as people dodge pricey hotels and crave authentic experiences. The article provides tips for arranging safe swaps, building trust with strangers, and keeping insurance up to date.

Swap to Save: £6,000 Off Holidays with Home Exchanges

Imagine swapping your own living room for a cosy apartment in a foreign city, and gaining real‑life experience instead of a hotel stay. The Vanderpump family—Henry, Ellie and their kids—have done this thrice in two years and saved more than £6,000, according to their own calculations.

How the Swap Works

Instead of booking a hotel, each family trades homes via a website (like Home Link). When the Vanderpumps head to Stockholm, a Danish family stays in their Cheshire house, and the swap is reciprocal.

Both sides keep their homes open for the swap and pay a standard subscription fee.
Guests receive the same rules you would follow: keep it tidy, label valuables, and follow the guide.
Travelers can also swap cars or bikes for extra savings.

The Real‑Life Perks

Henry says the biggest benefit isn’t money but living like locals. In Hamburg, they camped by lakes they’d never seen on tourist routes. In Copenhagen, they rode electric bikes, checked out halal markets, and tasted the city’s culinary hidden gems.

Safety & Trust Tips

Checklist for hosts:

Use clear, high‑quality photos and detailed descriptions.
Keep the home decluttered—only what you’ll want guests to use.
Provide a guide covering appliances, garbage pickup, and emergency contacts.
Share local dining and transit recommendations.
Make sure your housing insurance covers guests; check travel insurance for accidental damage.

Checklist for travelers:

Read host reviews and verify profiles.
Ask questions before booking—good communication builds trust.
Check their local guide for hidden spots.

Personal Stories

May Burrough, a London‑based COO, has done 34 swaps in three years. She saved about £5,000–8,000 travelling to Barcelona and the Swiss Alps, and loves the community vibe. Petra Novak from London used a partner site, Kindred, and saved £18,000–20,000 over her career, saying she now feels “completely safe” after learning to vet guest profiles.

Source: BBC News, Home Link, HomeExchange, Association of British Insurers.