Author: Tom Curtis / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

If you are already planning your future summertime home exchange, you may have noticed our community has kept growing over the past few months, so the options have widened. There are HomeForHome users all over the globe and in the most varied locations.

There are homes in big cities, like London, Amsterdam, Rome, Paris, New York, Madrid, Barcelona, San Francisco, Melbourne, Sydney.

There are homes by the beach, homes near famous locations, homes near touristic hot-spots…

But today we wanted to point out a less known environment: farm homes.

There are various farm houses listed in HomeForHome, and there is probably one near your own location. Farms are a great idea for a family vacation. Most children will be very excited to explore the countryside and it may turn out to be an experience they will never forget.

The tranquility, the animals, the garden, the chance to take a long stroll into the natural wild or a nice picnic by a creek, maybe fishing. The options depend on what is available in and near the farm, but chances are you will relax no matter what. If there are animals in the farm, or a vegetable orchard, you may have to take care of them while you are in charge of the farm, your swap partner may provide you with some basic instructions on what needs to be done and you may have your children collecting eggs, feeding baby lambs, collecting fruits, etc., experiences that would make them more aware of our relationship with the natural environment.

If you are venturing with the family into a farm stay, you may want to bring along some board games, puzzles or card games for them to enjoy in the evenings as well.

Another advantage that would result attractive is that you will not have to buy tickets or souvenirs as you probably would if you get involved in a costly attraction-filled trip. When you are staying in a farm, you are staying in the attraction, with no extra cost!

Money by Danilo Rizzuti

Oh well… The economy seems to be struggling still, recovery seems to be taking a break in a distant location and we need to keep thinking about lowering our budgets and saving for rough times. As we have mentioned (maybe too many times now), home exchange is by far the best solution for a low cost accommodation during vacations and trips of any kind. With HomeForHome you can reduce this line of the vacation bill to a nice and round zero. Besides, it does not imply a cut in the quality of the place where you will be enjoying your time away from home, which would certainly happen if you opt for other inexpensive lodging deals.

Off season deals are also a good way to lower your vacation budget, for example, right now most European destinations should be uncrowded and probably prices are not as high as in the summertime. Another advantage of off season travelling is the reduction in the time spent waiting in lines at most attractions and tourist sites, which allows you to visit more places.

Adding to the savings, another option will also help you support your local economy: travel to a destination in your own country. By doing this, you will probably reduce the cost of transportation and also your money won’t leave borders. If you look around the web, you will find several resources that can help you find the right destination for you, but if you really want to get into domestic travelling we would like to recommend you Britain Express - UK travel and heritage guide.

Britain Express is one of the most complete online travel guides dedicated to the UK we have found so far (we are open to more suggestions, of course) and it covers anything from accommodation to specialized  travel services. Attractions, tourism guides, heritage information, events, photos, maps, trip planning tools, travel directory… You name it, it’s there.

So, take a moment to visit Britain Express and then come back to HomeForHome to find a swap match for your next trip to Britain’s best.

If you have joined the group of active environmentally aware travelers or if you are on the verge of doing so, HomeForHome has some basic ideas to help you get started. These tips are applicable everywhere so you may use your home exchange as an excuse to get used to them and then apply them year-round.

Food. Buying local food is an easy way to reduce CO2 emissions. There is no need to transport the goods from a distant location, so not only the CO2 release is cut, but there is also zero added cost due to transportation somehow lowering their price. There are farmers that are producing organic, fresh fruits and vegetables, reducing the impact of farming on the environment and promoting sustainability. Locate and support local farmers that are embarking on such projects to help them sustain their production. Buying seasonal food is another way to cut back on CO2 release, since there is no extra energy invested for either transporting or preserving of these products, and being fair, fresh goods taste better.

Shopping and entertainment. As in the case of farmers that are applying “greener” technologies, there are several businesses that are adopting sustainable practices. Ranging from restaurants to art exhibitions, there may be local entrepreneurs near you that want to help the environment too and by supporting their business you help us all.

Walk more or use public transportation. Walking is probably the best way to get around in a place we are eager to learn about. It will give you first hand contact with the locals and the reduced speed will certainly help you appreciate architectural and landscape beauties you may otherwise miss. If you want to visit several locations that are separated by a great distance, then instead of walking you may use public transportation to decrease your trip’s carbon footprint. Usually, local governments take good care in having the local landmarks in the way of public transport routes.

Electricity. Before you leave your house to your home exchange, unplug any appliances that are not going to be in use while you are gone. Another easy way to save on electricity is to turn off the lights when you are the last to leave a room. These small actions will not only save money in your electrical bill, but also will save on the precious resources used to generate electricity.

These are just a few of many good small ideas to help our big home (the one we cannot exchange), and we are sure your imagination and creativity can come up with many more to put in practice in your next green swap.

We say it over an over: home exchange has advantages for all. What about seniors and people just retiring? After a lifetime of tight schedules, retirement brings along a completely free agenda, will you miss this chance to take that long, long, long vacation you always dreamed about? Paris, Rome, Madrid, New York, Australia, South America… It does sound dreamy, but there’s also the budget to consider, specially when “crisis” is still around … The solution? Home exchange.

With HomeForHome’s free registration, the accommodation cost can drop to a stunning zero! Plus, the benefits of staying in a home, like access to a full kitchen where you can cook your own meals and keep your favourite fruits in the refrigerator, adding money to the savings list and keeping your eating habits in a “healthy” level. Car exchange would be another “extra” that could release you from car rental fees and additional insurance but that depends on your own preferences. But there’s another advantage yet: home exchangers often allow pets to stay in their home, so if you have a four-legged family member (or it has a beak) and you are not willing to leave him behind, home swap has the solution for you too.

If you are in this age group, use your flexible schedule to find your perfect home swap match, give it a try, maybe start with a nearby exchange and get to know your country’s own beauties before you embark on the worldwide home exchange experience.

Home exchange is suitable and has opportunities for all: retired people, families with children, couples and, of course, single people. Whether you are a single person planning to travel alone or with a group of friends, HomeForHome has tons of offers for you to find the right place (or places) to stay during your vacations.

Being single gives you the flexibility to adjust to several different situations that would not work for families with small children, or kids that already attend school, or couples that need to arrange their weeks off work to match.

Flexibility is an advantage when it comes to find a good exchange match. Why not? Maybe you can save some money on lodging and use it to add a couple of more destinations to your trip. Usually, travelling solo is not as affordable as travelling with a companion, but home exchange may set you free from “single supplements” so enjoy!

Check out HomeForHome and find your swap!

Continuing with the idea of reducing stress, which is probably the leitmotif behind almost every vacation, we present you another advantage of home exchange: the possibility to travel light. As you go to a home, used daily by another family, chances are you’ll find everything you need so there’s no need to bring that extra luggage we usually carry when other lodging options are used. Of course you have to check with your home swap partner what things are available for you to use, and you probably have your own “musts” you bring with you everywhere you go, but a lot of weight may be off your travelling shoulders if you decide to swap homes.

To make it more appealing to you, here we list some advantages of travelling light:

- It will save you some money now that airlines charge you for almost everything you bring.

- Eliminates CO2 emission from the extra weight travelling along with you, helping fight global warming.

- Makes your trip more flexible, any transportation is easy accessible with a small bag, so your choices are widened: plane, train, bus, and even walking! Sometimes you get faster from one terminal to another using your own feet.

- Reduces time spent on baggage checks.

- There are less chances your luggage will get lost or misplaced.

- It makes packing back and forth a lot easier, especially on the way back  when you don’t want to pack (of course you may have a few extra pounds from souvenirs, but that’s OK).

Travelling within your country has multiple advantages, specially during these times when “crisis” and “recession” seem to remain a latent menace.

- When you decide to travel within boundaries, flight fares are cut off the final budget: if you travel nearby to save some cash you may as well use your own vehicle! This will add up to the housing savings (bring out your calculator and start doing the math!).

- Travelling to a closer destination helps reduce CO2 emissions during your vacation, helping fight climate change. The closer the destination, the most you help the planet.

- No trouble to travel with your pet(s).

- By entering the wheel of what is technically called “re-distribution”, you help your own country’s economy, supporting thousands of jobs related to travel and tourism.

- You get to know more about your own country’s culture, history and beauties. This is offers another plus if you travel with the family, kids would love to see for themselves some of the places they have seen in their textbooks.

- You are probably not going to have any trouble arising from intercultural differences, since locals will have the same (or similar) cultural background. This also poses an extra-advantage for home swappers: communicating with your partner to arrange a home exchange may be much easier if your counterpart is a fellow countryman.

Why stay home? HomeForHome offers you hundreds of great opportunities to help you find the destination for your next domestic vacation!

Taking time off to enjoy a relaxing vacation is not the only opportunity to exchange homes, as we have mentioned in previous posts. This time we will highlight one of the many situations in which home exchange may simplify things, not only from an economic perspective, but also for its practical advantages.

There are thousands of short educational alternatives these days, from short seminars to congresses and continuos development courses. Many of them offer a great opportunity for people looking to build up their careers and are most likely to take place in a different city or even a different country. As in most trips, lodging may end up accounting for an important part of the cost.

Home exchange benefits potential students in a number of ways:

1. It eliminates lodging expenses.
2. It lowers extra expenses that arise when other alternatives are chosen, like buying meals/refreshments or even local transportation if car exchange is included in the swap agreement.
3. It opens the possibility for the family to tag along, and maybe even enjoy a relaxing weekend away after the course is completed. For those that need to travel with small children, contacting your exchange partner in advance may offer the possibility to get ideas about trusted day care facilities or babysitters that could be useful while you are attending the event.

HomeForHome offers thousands of worldwide exchange opportunities for you to match your needs.

You’ve long been waiting for your adventure across Europe and everything is planned out already. Everything is in its place but you suddenly stop to think of things: What if a snow storm comes and I get stuck at the airport in Prague? What if someone gets sick while you and your family are staying in your home swap in Barcelona? What if my travel bag gets lost in the baggage department in the airport in Copenhagen? Sounds crazy but possible, right? So what do you do for a better peace of mind? Get a travel insurance.

Travel insurances normally costs around 5 to 12 per cent of your total trip cost. But is it worth it? I say yes. There are many travel insurances available; you can browse the web for various companies and agencies offering travel insurance. Choose a company that is well-known or is recommended by most travelers. Remember to closely review the insurance policies they have too, as most of them have their perks and downsides. Choose what you think works for you and would suit your needs best. Most travel insurance packages covers trip cancellation or interruption, medical insurance, evacuation insurance, baggage insurance, flight insurance. It’s better to read closely and understand the mechanics of each aspect of the insurance package. Ask someone knowledgeable about the policies for any unclear issues you have.

Travel insurances doesn’t cost much, but will definitely be of big help in case any undesirable circumstance arises. It sure will cost you a price but you won’t regret it. Keep in mind that you are paying for your safety while traveling, and is not just something you are wasting your money on. It is better to be prepared for these undesirable situations than to regret you never considered thinking about safety.

Are you eyeing to spend your vacay outside Europe? Here is a suggestion: visit Australia. If you want to discover a diverse culture and beautiful sceneries, you won’t regret spending some time here. Australia is an English-speaking country, with a very competitive economy. Discovered and written about by Europeans since the 17^th century, Australia was always a place of different discoveries and stunning beauty.

Although the country is largely composed of vast deserts, Australia has its share of mountainous regions and tropical rainforests, meaning this country has a lot to offer in biodiversity. Some species unique to Australia include koalas, platypuses, wombats and different species of fresh and saltwater crocodiles. A visit to any zoo here will definitely be as entertaining and amusing. There are a lot of things to do and places to go in Australia even if you are traveling on a budget. Depending on what part you are in, you surely will still have your share of fun and the best out of Australia. If you are on the Gold Coast area, the beach is definitely a place to go. Swim, surf, jump waves or paddle swim your way to the best waves in the world. If you are in Sydney, a visit to museums and parks and the famous Sydney Opera House is a must. Don’t forget to take a picture of you with it on the background! And if you are on Melbourne, a free ride in the City Circle Tram will show you the best attractions in this side of Australia.

Although far from Europe, Australia is not excluded from a home exchange option. In fact, there are homes ready for a swap. You can check out Homeforhome.com for some options.  So if you want to have something different, then go for Australia!