‘I took holiday inspiration from Kate Winslet – and saved £10k’

In the cult 2006 film The Holiday, starring Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz, two women swap homes – and lives – finding love in the process. It gave home swapping its big break, but it’s actually been around since the 1950s. Teachers in New York and surrounding states, looking for economical ways to travel during their holidays, are credited with starting the trend. And it’s now on the rise as a growing number of people are opening their doors to like-minded individuals, allowing them to stay for weeks or months at a time for free, in exchange for the same. Home exchanges in the UK were up 62pc in 2023 compared to 2022, and 53pc globally, according to platform HomeExchange, which has over 150,000 members worldwide. Holiday accommodation can often be the most expensive part of a holiday or staycation. For example, the average nightly cost of a double hotel room in Edinburgh is £195 this summer, and £200 in Paris, according to hotel search site Trivago. But is home swapping the answer? A number of websites connect interested parties across the globe, such as HomeLink and Guardian Home Exchange, for an annual fee. Similar to online dating, homeowners set...

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