{"id":346136,"date":"2026-02-19T22:44:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-19T22:44:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/346136\/"},"modified":"2026-02-19T22:44:10","modified_gmt":"2026-02-19T22:44:10","slug":"irish-family-used-to-take-1-holiday-a-year-now-they-take-5-and-have-saved-e8000","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/ie\/346136\/","title":{"rendered":"Irish family used to take 1 holiday a year, now they take 5 and have saved \u20ac8,000"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Cork family of six have gone from taking one holiday a year to five and saved around \u20ac8,000 by swapping homes worldwide.\"A<\/p>\n

A family of six have saved thousands and increased their annual holidays from one to five by completing ‘magical’ home-swaps across the world where they ‘don’t have to pay for the accommodation’.(Image: Family handout\/PA Real Life)<\/p>\n

A family of six have saved thousands of euros and increased their annual holidays<\/a> from one to five by completing \u201cmagical\u201d home-swaps across the world where they \u201cdon\u2019t have to pay for the accommodation\u201d.<\/p>\n

Catriona Lysaght, 44, a speech and language therapist who lives in Cork<\/a>, has travelled to dozens of places, including France, Amsterdam and London<\/a>, since joining the home-swapping platform HomeExchange in September 2023.<\/p>\n

The platform allows users to exchange their homes over dates of mutual choosing, or if a member lends their home without reciprocity their guest can offer GuestPoints to thank them for their hospitality.<\/p>\n

Catriona and her husband Donal, 49, a secondary school teacher<\/a>, have four children who they do not wish to name, and they have completed 15 exchanges since April 2024, with three more planned for this year.<\/p>\n

Along with a \u201cspecial\u201d stay in Paris, Catriona said the trip to London over New Year was particularly memorable, as fireworks are illegal other than for licensed professionals in Ireland and they could see \u201cthousands\u201d from the house.<\/p>\n

While it is difficult to specify an exact figure, Catriona estimates they have saved \u20ac7,000 to \u20ac8,000 on accommodation over the last couple of years, and they now go on more holidays than ever.<\/p>\n

\"Catriona<\/p>\n

Catriona said the family has created ‘such fond memories’ from home-swapping. (Image: Family handout\/PA Real Life)<\/p>\n

\u201cBefore HomeExchange, how many holidays would we have gone on a year? It would have been one,\u201d Catriona told PA Real Life. \u201cI\u2019d say we do four or five holidays a year now\u2026 and I reckon HomeExchange saves about a third of the price of each holiday for us.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou still have to pay for the flights and figure out your transport when you\u2019re there, and your food, but you don\u2019t have to pay for the accommodation and it makes it so much more achievable.\u201d<\/p>\n

Catriona explained that, prior to joining HomeExchange, which costs \u00a3190 (\u20ac217) for an annual membership, the family typically went on holiday once a year.<\/p>\n

With Donal working as a teacher and the children attending school, they often found themselves \u201climited\u201d to peak summer times, making it more expensive and competitive to find accommodation for a family of six.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe would have gone on one holiday a year, either within Ireland, or maybe to see my sister in the UK, or somewhere reasonably tame,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

The family of six are now able to go on multiple holidays a year with HomeExchange.(Image: Family handout\/PA Real Life)<\/p>\n

Catriona heard about HomeExchange for the first time at a dinner party with friends and, after some initial hesitation, thought: \u201cActually, that\u2019s something I could do.\u201d<\/p>\n

She said home-swapping \u201csounded exciting, different and achievable\u201d \u2013 she just needed some time to \u201cget the house in order\u201d first.<\/p>\n

After signing up in September 2023 and listing their \u201cauthentic\u201d five-bedroom house, which is in the \u201cwilds of the Irish countryside\u201d, Catriona said she has never looked back.<\/p>\n

While she initially found it \u201cbizarre\u201d sleeping in another person\u2019s bed while strangers stayed in their home, she said it soon becomes normal and you \u201cforget about it\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the reasons it appealed was because of the fact that you\u2019re often swapping with families who have similar interests to you,\u201d she said. \u201cYou\u2019re not trying to be a show home, you\u2019re just a family home.<\/p>\n

\u201cPlus, when exchanging with other families, you can find out in advance what equipment they have \u2013 whether they have a highchair, a cot \u2013 and you can even swap cars.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome have surfboards and wetsuits, so you don\u2019t need to think of everything or rent everything, which makes it so much more affordable and adventurous too.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Catriona<\/p>\n

Catriona with her husband Donal.(Image: Family handout\/PA Real Life)<\/p>\n

Since April 2024, Catriona and her family have completed 15 exchanges, all of which have been \u201cwonderful\u201d. Four of them were direct swaps to Bordeaux, London, Sligo <\/a>and Norfolk, and five were done using GuestPoints to travel to Belfast <\/a>and Portstewart in the North, Kinvara in Galway, plus Amsterdam <\/a>and Paris.<\/p>\n

One was a reciprocal exchange to Brittany but non-simultaneous, and for the other five, the family have hosted guests from France<\/a>, Spain <\/a>and Australia to increase their GuestPoints.<\/p>\n

If a home-swap is completed without reciprocity, Catriona said she and the family will often stay at her parents\u2019 home or with Donal\u2019s parents to make the house free for guests.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooking back through all the trips we have done is lovely actually, it has really brought home to me how much we have gained from it,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Catriona explained that their exchanges are usually five nights or more, with one of \u201cthe most special\u201d trips being a home-swap to Paris last year.<\/p>\n

She and her husband took their two eldest daughters to stay in a \u201ctiny one-bedroom apartment\u201d located above a cafe, and they visited popular tourist attractions, such as the Eiffel Tower<\/a> and Notre-Dame.<\/p>\n

\"Catriona<\/p>\n

Catriona and Donal’s eldest daughters in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris. (Image: Family handout\/PA Real Life)<\/p>\n

She described the trip as \u201cabsolutely magical\u201d and said staying in someone\u2019s apartment helped them save money and allowed for \u201creal family bonding time\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat they say about Paris in the spring is absolutely true,\u201d Catriona said. \u201cIt was just gorgeous, I loved it\u2026 and there\u2019s no way we would have done it without HomeExchange. Those French doors \u2013 they were wooden, the paint is peeling off \u2013 and you open them up and they have this solid, clunky sound.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou feel like you\u2019re a Parisian coming home, like you should have baguettes under your arms, all the stereotypes, and then you look around at the fashion, and you think, OK, I\u2019m definitely not a Parisian.\u201d<\/p>\n

Catriona said home-swapping has allowed her to make new friends and get inspiration for decor at her own home. One trip gave her children the opportunity to look after some animals and one of her daughters learned to swim in one of the pools.<\/p>\n

She said: \u201cAnother standout was a trip we took to Bordeaux last summer. The house was perfect for us, there were rabbits and gerbils for the kids to look after, a heated swimming pool, and full immersion in a French village. It was heaven.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis family had a whole cupboard full of board games\u2026 and there was one particular board game we\u2019d never come across before. We played it the whole holiday as a family and every time I think of that board game I just have such fond memories.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s such a small thing, but you wouldn\u2019t get that in a hotel, you wouldn\u2019t get that in a rental house. You only get that by staying in somebody\u2019s home.\u201d<\/p>\n

Catriona has three upcoming exchanges this year, including Sydney and Tasmania in March for GuestPoints, meaning there are \u201cno accommodation costs\u201d for the trip, and a reciprocal exchange in France.<\/p>\n

While home-swapping does require work to prepare and maintain your own home, she would encourage anyone to try it, particularly as other families often have recommendations that you would not find elsewhere.<\/p>\n

She loves being able to have a \u201cmore authentic holiday abroad\u201d with home-swapping and the \u201ccost effectiveness\u201d of it.<\/p>\n

\u201cMost homes or most families have some recommendations of things that they like to do in the locality,\u201d she said. \u201cYou get hidden little nuggets of places to visit, and little charming spots that you wouldn\u2019t hear of.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re not in the guidebooks, and they\u2019re even more special because they\u2019re not in the guidebooks. I find I always come home from a home exchange feeling energised and enthusiastic about my own life in some way.\u201d<\/p>\n

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