'We've been on 32 holidays and spent just £519 in total on accommodation'
A couple have saved tens of thousands of pounds and explored parts of the world they could otherwise never afford by welcoming strangers into their home.
Cian and his partner Katie have been members of HomeExchange for three years and have been on 32 home swaps during that time. Some of the places they've been to are real bucket list destinations including Hawaii, Australia and Fiji.
A friend of theirs recommended the website in 2021 when Cian was looking at how his family could make extra cash out of his parents' seaside summer home. The scheme works by giving users points each time they let someone stay in their home, in addition to an introductory points gift. Those points can then be used to secure a stay in someone else's home.
"We spend a lot of money going away anyway. Initially we thought we could use our house to build up points, but I didn't expect to use it as much as I have," Cian told the Mirror.
The couple have been to locations they would've otherwise never been able to afford (Supplied)
They've managed to tick off some bucket list destinations (Supplied)"The website has an algorithm based on the location and size of your house, as well as amenities. We have 155 points on our house. To stay at a 4/5 bedroom house in the city centre, that could be 300 points. You get 200 free points first when you join, and then the website encourages you to finish your profile with extra points. We ended up with 1,250 points without doing anything."
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HomeExchange users pay a £173 yearly fee for the service, so the couple have only paid £519 so far. However they reckon they've more than made up for the initial spend in savings; Cian estimates he has saved more than £10,000 on accommodation in three years.
The couple's first trip away through HomeExchange was a weekend in Wicklowe after which they welcomed in four groups to their home, earning 2,000 points in the process. This allowed Katie and Cian to plot a big trip.
"The first really big one was California and Hawaii back in September, 2022. I started looking quite early. If you give six to nine months to look for a swap you're more likely to get something good. I was looking anywhere that was far away. I messaged 10 people, two got back saying 'yeah'," Cian explained.
He managed to secure a stay in Kaho‘olawe, a destination he described as "stunning". Their flat had balcony views over "Jurassic Park looking mountains" and was theirs for eight nights for 2,000 points. Had they paid in cash, it'd would've cost close to £3,000. As the flights were considerably cheap if a stop-off in LA was included, Cian and Katie arranged a direct swap with a couple in Long Beach, California.,
"It was in a really nice area. These houses are worth millions. We stayed there for free. We rented a convertible mustang as well and were cruising down the Pacific Coast Highway," Cian said. In total, he estimates they saved around £4,000 on accommodation on that trip alone.
The website has changed the way that Cian and Katie travel. Rather than going away once a year, they have been able to afford more regular trips to more exotic locations. "In 2023 we went to Australia and Fiji, would never have got there either. It would have been crazy money," Cian added. The couple also sent Katie's parents away on a holiday to Portugal.
Part of the reason for their success on the platform is that Cian and Katie's home is quite desirable, particularly to American tourists. They live in Cork city centre in a two bedroom townhouse which was built in the 1870s and is part of a designated architectural conservation area.
"It is really easy to build up the points for us. I get tons of messages. I could lease out my houses probably every week of the year. I get so many messages. Our house is small but it is cute, the location is a huge plus," Cian said. "We haven't had any issues. My wife maybe was a bit more apprehensive (about people staying in their home) at the start. She was getting a bit upset. I said 'let's try it, once or twice'. Now she loves it. She is so used to it. I recommend just buying separate bed clothes, locking up valuables if you have any. It is fine."
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