A WOMAN has revealed how she's been on 84 holidays and stayed in locations like Spain, Italy, Germany and Indonesia with out spending a penny.
Lizzi Seear, 51, has been happening free journeys together with her companion Alun Westoll, 52, for the final six years after she learnt about home swapping.
Lizzi advised the Solar On-line Journey: "I used to work for IHG Lodges and Resorts and get discounted resort charges, which I used to go to cities like Amsterdam."
When Lizzi moved jobs and will not ebook discounted resort rooms, she was eager to return to self-catering lodging.
Whereas she did not wish to put her flat on Airbnb, she shortly learnt in regards to the Dwelling Trade web site.
She believes there may be extra "belief" between travellers who selected to swap their properties as a result of everyone seems to be within the "identical scenario".
Within the final six years, Lizzi has hosted 48 visitors in her residence in Ealing, West London.
She stated: "I keep in mind that first time somebody stayed in my flat, it felt just like the weirdest factor to consider them in my flat - despite the fact that they have been pretty folks."
However she shortly tailored to having holidaymakers keep in her residence.
On the time, Lizzi typically labored away in Dublin and was in a position to have visitors keep in her flat in change for "factors" on the web site.
She then put the factors in the direction of different holidays that she needed to take in a while within the yr.
Lizzi added: "I've stayed in some superb locations together with a two-week keep in Bali.
"I obtained to remain in a personal two-bed villa in Bali that had its personal non-public pool and a housekeeper who got here with breakfast each morning.
"It was an actual pinch-me second as a result of the entire journey solely price us £400 for the flights."
Lizzi has additionally bagged free lodging in Italy, Spain, Germany, Hungary and Finland.
She stated: "I am pale and ginger so through the heatwave I obtained myself a keep in Helsinki in Finland. It was 20 levels, which was good for me."
"Barcelona is my favorite place so I am going again there not less than every year too."
However Lizzi has additionally used the free lodging to go to locations in Europe that sometimes appeal to fewer vacationers.
"I began taking a look at Baden-Baden in Germany and thought that the black forest appeared actually lovely.
"We stayed in a extremely lovely residence, which was a 10-minute stroll from the centre and proper within the black forest."
For the remainder of the yr, Lizzi has only one change confirmed in Barcelona however she plans to have lots extra below her belt.
Lizzi, who at the moment works within the advertising and marketing workforce at Vodafone, had some recommendation for anybody pondering of dipping their toe into the house-swapping waters.
She stated: "Folks get actually slowed down of their residence, however it's not in regards to the measurement, or the situation, so long as you've gotten a snug mattress and clear some house within the wardrobe that is all of the issues."
"I went to a flat in Bologna which appeared prefer it hadn't been dusted for a month.
"We saved our stuff inside our suitcases, however we have been solely 10 minutes outdoors central Bologna."
"Folks must profit from what they've. Your own home would not have to be giant or spacious or in London since you by no means know the place folks wish to keep."
And Lizzi is not the one one who has used Dwelling Trade to snap up free lodging throughout the UK and Europe.
Anna Bundock, 46, and her husband Pete, have used the home swapping web site to go on 12 free holidays with their youngsters in tow.
Keith Barker has additionally used home sitting programmes to journey for the world totally free.
Within the final 15 years, he is lived in Mexico, Hawaii, Panama and Portugal with out spending a penny on lodges and different lodging choices.
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