Consider a holiday house swap

How can you save on your summer holiday next year? Ruth Jackson opts for house swapping, and suggests four other money-saving tips.

Boxing Day is when travel agents start trying to entice you to holiday in far-flung places. But with signs of Christmas excess still littering the house and Santa's main gift being a recession, how can you save money on your summer holiday next year? Try house swapping. "Using your home for house swapping is a great way to enjoy cheaper holidays," says Which? Money. You get free accommodation in someone else's house/apartment/villa in return for letting them use your home. Agencies will help you arrange the swap in return for an annual charge of between £30-£115. That fee is all you pay for your accommodation, making a big difference to your holiday budget. Visit HomeLink International (www.homelink.org.uk), Home Base Holidays (www.homebase-hols.com) or Intervac (www.intervac.com) to see who you could swap with.

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Ruth Jackson-Kirby

Ruth Jackson-Kirby is a freelance personal finance journalist with 17 years’ experience, writing about everything from savings accounts and credit cards to pensions, property and pet insurance.

Ruth started her career at MoneyWeek after graduating with an MA from the University of St Andrews, and she continues to contribute regular articles to our personal finance section. After leaving MoneyWeek she went on to become deputy editor of Moneywise before becoming a freelance journalist.

Ruth writes regularly for national publications including The Sunday Times, The Times, The Mail on Sunday and Good Housekeeping, among many other titles both online and offline.