An enterprising couple has travelled the world with their family for 16 years by using this simple travel hack, and they believe that it has saved them a whopping £50k
For many people, travelling as much as possible is high up on their bucket lists, but there is one major factor that often holds people back from visiting as many countries as they may like to – the cost. Many of us are working with pretty tight budgets at the moment, with the ongoing cost of living crisis a major worry for many people across the UK, but one couple has revealed how they managed to achieve their travelling goals, with their four children in tow, all whilst avoiding breaking the bank.
The couple, Tim and Elizabeth Moynihan, are retired teachers, but they began using this travel hack back in 2008 when they were struggling to find ways to meet the travel costs that came with being forced to book holidays during the school holidays – always the most costly time to go away – and bring their four children, Matthew, 38, Hannah, 36, Helen, 34, and Rory, 31.
As reported by PA Real Life, in the Independent, the enterprising couple realised that hotels were simply out of their reach financially, and scoured the alternatives until they found an option that they believe has saved them about £50k over the course of their adventures: HomeExchange.
The website does what it says on the tin, allowing people to swap homes and visit other parts of the world, whilst their holiday hosts stay in their own homes – or alternatively if you don’t want to do a like-for-like swap, you can earn guest points instead for letting people stay in your home.
Tim swears by HomeExchange as a way to see the world, whilst keeping an eye on your bank balance, and has visited 35 countries in the last 16 years using the website to find accommodation – and sometimes even saving more money by getting use of the host’s vehicles too. They have played host to 40 families too, who have made the most of their Essex property, which features incredible views.
The family has done 84 home swaps so far, and stayed in Iceland, New Zealand, South Africa, and Thailand, amongst many other exciting destinations. “The benefits of it are that you get a place that you want to go to, you’ve got all the home comforts, you’ve got people that know the area and, very often, people will leave a house book with tips on what to see and do and to help with managing the house during the exchange,” Tim explained.
“Those sorts of things prove invaluable, really, so you get a fuller picture of what life is like in those countries when travelling abroad. You get a flavour of other people’s lives because you’re in their home and their personal possessions are there – their family photos, for example – and you can gauge their lifestyle.”
From spotting whales from their seafront apartment in South Africa and a “James Bond” style villa in Thailand to staying in an exclusive gated community in the US, the family has enjoyed a wealth of experiences using HomeExchange, which will cost you £180 annually in subscription fees – and there’s no limit to how many swaps you can enjoy each year.
Do you have a story to tell? Email: emma.mackenzie@reachplc.com
