We’re a Retired Couple: Here’s the Easy Way We Saved $5K on a California Vacation
Written by
Gabrielle Olya
Edited by
Amen Oyiboke
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Retired coupled Dave and Jan have always loved to travel. “We had been very active travelers during our marriage and wanted to continue to experience other places during retirement,” they told GOBankingRates.
To help stay within their budget, the couple joined HomeExchange, a home exchange community. Annual membership to HomeExchange costs $220, which allows for unlimited exchanges within the network of 270,000-plus homes in 145 countries.
“We have found that frequently combining, during a year, an extensive tour to various parts of the world and then complementing that experience by participating in a HomeExchange opportunity has been rich, beneficial, varied and very stimulating in retirement,” they said. “Taking structured tours gives us an exciting adventure to different parts of the world. HomeExchange provides a much more intimate, personal and insightful experience.”
Dave and Jan have now been participating in HomeExchange for over a decade.
“When planning retirement we decided to join HomeExchange,” they said. “Living in a home is so much better than living in a hotel. Also, HomeExchangers offer great recommendations for restaurants, activities, points of interest, etc. Not to mention how economical the experience is.”
Here’s a look at how Dave and Jan used HomeExchange to save thousands of dollars on a recent trip to San Diego.
Visiting California for Less
After three weeks of exploring Central Asia — including Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan — Dave and Jan wanted to conclude their summer travels with a stateside destination.
“We had earlier arranged a HomeExchange for San Diego, one of our most beloved places,” Dave said. “Jan and I had met and married in San Diego 48 years ago and I had finished my schooling there as well. By utilizing our points, we were able to reserve a beautiful two-bedroom condominium in Point Loma, one of San Diego’s better neighborhoods and one of our favorites.”
Spending a night in that condominium during peak summer months typically costs between $300 to $500 per night on other rental sites.
“We stayed 10 days without cost and saved between $3,000 to $5,000,” Dave said.
In addition to saving on lodging, the couple took other measures to cut costs.
“We cooked most of our meals at the condo and saved between $1,000 to $3,000,” Dave said. “We had no other expenses other than attending various activities. The entire trip with gas was less than $1,000 for 10 days in one of America’s most beautiful cities and in one of its best neighborhoods. What more could you ask for?”
