Taking the Low Road

Join a home exchange program – or something similar.

I just happened to learn about a home exchange through a tiny little article in Scottish Life Magazine, way back in 1997. Turns out that two-paragraph article about a home exchange had been printed without the home exchange director’s permission. Oops. His is a “closed” home exchange, meaning the only way new members get in is through personal recommendation by existing members – not through media advertising or publicity. That’s how he controls the caliber of the membership. (Wondering how we got in? With a whole lot of impeccable references, lots of trans-Atlantic phone visits with the director, and a little shameless schmoozing.)

So. Don’t even ask. I can’t recommend you because I don’t know you. That’s the bad news. The good news is that you can do your own research. Since we joined our home exchange in 1998, this sort of vacation method has become far more common. With the Net, it’s possible to do a lot of checking to ensure the organization you work with is legitimate. And you will want to do that; doing your due diligence in this case is essential.

Almost always, members in our exchange program are willing to exchange vehicles, as well as homes. We’ve even had exchangers leave their NTS or Historic Scotland membership cards for us to borrow (though I think that may have been just a teensy bit verboten).

So think about it. You have a nominal home exchange membership fee (ours is $85 USD), some sort of fee per exchange home (ours is $150 USD), and that’s it for lodging. Check out B&B costs in Scotland, factor in the exchange rate, and you’ll see that our $235 USD might get us two nights in a tatty inn or bargain-rate hotel (okay, maybe three nights, since the pound has recently taken a nose dive) – rather than the two weeks we spend in a stone cottage with all the mod-cons. And because we usually have the use of our exchangers’ car, we have no car rental fees and very little public transportation costs (other than the flight over the pond).

We’ve taken five trips (ranging from two and a half weeks to five weeks) to Scotland and other countries – all through our home exchange fella and have never – repeat, never – been disappointed. For that reason, we’ve never even looked for another home exchange or an alternative method. But I’m quite sure there are plenty out there. LOOK.

If I haven’t convinced you and you’re still a little queasy about allowing someone you’ve never met to stay in your home, research self-catering properties. Though there’ll be no vehicle with the property, at least you’ll be able to prepare your own food which is still a considerable savings.