Mum reveals how she bagged 15 days’ accommodation in Canary Islands for free

A WOMAN has revealed how she secured her holiday accommodation in the Canary Islands for absolutely nothing.

The mum took to Mumsnet to share exactly how she has bagged her free stays across Spain.

2

Responding to a post on the website that asked for any house swapping tips, she wrote: “I’ve just arranged a 15 day holiday split between two Canary Islands and my accommodation is costing me nothing!”

In the post, the mum explained that she’d been using the house swapping website HomeExchange for a couple of years.

Holidaymakers looking for a free stay through the site can either directly swap their property with another member or use “Guest Points” in exchange for a free stay.

As well as her upcoming trip to the Canary Islands, the mum has had other house swapping success too.

She wrote: “Last year I did a points swap and stayed in an amazing place in Spain for a week.

“I’m about to do my third swap in Lanzarote too.”

In another comment, the mum had several tips for any holidaymakers who planned on dipping their toes into the home exchange waters.

She recommended thoroughly reading reviews, scrutinising any photos and contacting a potential host with any questions.

The mum added: “Be open to the unexpected, I had a wonderful week in Spain last year in a place I wouldn’t have thought possible.”

“Be flexible, because you might be really lucky and get a swap for your ideal time and place, but you also might not.

“So it helps not to have too rigid an idea of what you’re looking for.”

Anyone looking to swap their home will need to pay an annual membership fee of $175 (£141.85) to join the scheme.

This isn’t the first time someone has saved money on accommodation by house swapping or sitting.

Keith Barker has also used house sitting programmes to travel for the world for free.

In the last 15 years, he’s lived in Mexico, Hawaii, Panama and Portugal without spending a penny on hotels and other accommodation options.

Another couple, who are professional house and pet sitters, in the UK save themselves £1,000 each month by living in other people’s homes for free.

Claire Goodall and Michael Ashfield ditched the traditional nine-to-five to travel the world before returning to the UK and making the most of the free stays.

2