Gutsy Gen Z traveler swaps homes with stranger in another country to save money: ‘I was nervous the months leading up to it'

New York Post

5 hours ago

This woman is living a real-life version of the beloved Nancy Meyers flick, 'The Holiday.'
With the wildly high prices of travel accommodations these days, 27-year-old Sara Holt came up with a clever way to avoid paying a hefty hotel bill on a recent foreign trip, according to Jam Press.
'Traveling is expensive but a lot of the time, it is the accommodation that really breaks the bank,' she told Luxury Travel Daily.
Holt lives in Copenhagen and wanted to exchange homes with someone in Paris for the summer. 'Since watching 'The Holiday' for the first time, I've always wanted to try it.'
3 Holt was determined to visit Paris while on a budget.
Jam Press/@sarabholt
'With home swapping, you really only have to pay for the transportation, which is a big perk when trying to save some money,' she added.
She posted a video asking for inquiries — and went with a girl in Paris whom she had been following on social media for some time.
'I was a bit nervous the months leading up to it, that one of us would have to cancel after the other person had already booked flights,' she said.
'There's no refund policy when you just swap with someone outside of the platforms.'
Thankfully, everything went according to plan — the 27-year-old flew out in mid-July and stayed for a week in the city of lights.
'It was a bit strange to live in someone else's space but it quickly felt very homey,' she told the outlet.
3 This Gen Zer was living out the plot of the beloved Nancy Meyers' film, 'The Holiday.
Jam Press/@sarabholt
'…she had cleaned and laid out a list with local recommendations as well as a welcome gift of wine, soaps and chocolate.'
Holt said she and her home exchange pal communicated the entire week, 'asking questions and sending each other recommendations.'
'It was like having a guide ready in your pocket the whole time.'
The Gen Zer loved how she was able to have a kitchen and live a 'local' lifestyle — rather than being confined to a stuffy hotel room.
'It was more like trying 'everyday life' in Paris instead of a holiday,' Holt said.
3 The 27-year-old said she loved living like a local for the week.
Jam Press/@sarabholt
Holt managed to spend only a little over $600 on flights, food, drinks and shopping while on her trip — a steal considering one night in a hotel can set someone back a couple of hundred dollars.
'The money saved was definitely a bonus but the real win was feeling like a local and having that insider experience.'