13 Nov 2014
UK retirees dreaming of living abroad are being forced to seek alternative ways of pursuing their travels dreams, due to rising living costs in traditional retirement destinations, such as France and Spain. This is why sites like HomeExchange.com are becoming an attractive proposition. Around 20% of its UK Members are retired and share a primary motive to save money while travelling.
Managing a budget over the longer term is a concern shared by many. Nevertheless, the appetite for travel and to live abroad remains high with up to a million retirees hoping to escape the UK permanently (source - MoneyWise).
After a life dedicated to work and raising children, retirement is the time to enjoy life: sport, culture, and travel. But with the average income of a retired person currently £15,800 according to Prudential, it's easy to see the challenge in realising the goal of living abroad on a fixed low income.
The HomeExchange.com community includes 5,500 active retired around the world. For the fastest growing segment, home swap is an alternative way to travel on a budget all year round and an attractive alternative to the rising costs of living abroad in a traditional retirement destination. 77% of members exchange their primary residence, 23% list a second home, which enables additional flexibility for non-simultaneous exchanges.
The travel opportunities for retirees are diverse: discover the world, explore one's own country, or visit children who live faraway while enjoying the comfort of a real home. Home exchange also offers a way of testing a retirement destination in order to live “as a local” before moving permanently, in the event that retirement funds do allow this option.
Take HomeExchange.com Members Sandra and Jaffar Ramini: "Our favourite exchange is with Peter and Jan in Perth, Western Australia. In fact, we liked it so much we have now exchanged three times. The reason is simple, we are around the same age, we both have grandchildren we want to keep up with, us in Perth, Jan and Peter in London. Our taste is similar, our sense of responsibility about each others' houses is the same and we have become friends."
As a result, what started as a smart way to save money on accommodation has become a lifestyle for some avid travellers, who have a chance to travel out of school holidays and take advantage of “off season” plane tickets. “Except for getting there, a home exchange does not cost any more than staying home,” reminds Ed Kushins, CEO of HomeExchange.com, a baby boomer himself and enthusiastic user of the site he founded 22 years ago. “HomeExchange.com allows seniors to search peers around the world who share the same values – exchange partners also sometimes become lifelong friends.”
Click here to browse HomeExchange.com's retiree destinations.
ENDS
About HomeExchange.com
HomeExchange.com was named one of the fastest growing private companies in America in 2013 on the Inc. 500 / 5000 list for a third consecutive year. Started in 1992 by Ed Kushins, HomeExchange.com has evolved into the largest and fastest growing online home exchange travel company in the world. This year their 55,000+ Members will make over 130,000 home swaps across more than 150 countries. HomeExchange.com makes it easy to plan and enjoy a home exchange vacation in almost any country, city or area of interest and offers travellers a memorable, authentic 'live like a local' experience. The site is now available in 16 different languages and offers 14 days free trial. For more information: HomeExchange.com.
Media contact:
Wendy Richmond
Tel: 07866 263242
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More stories and testimonials on the blog http://blog.homeexchange.com/
