How much do you pay for kennels?  Have a  HomeLink Member  look after your pet.  Many Members are happy to do this.  Costs you nothing and your pet will be very happy to stay home.  READ MORE

This will a free holiday for a HomeLink Member.  They will look after your home, pet & plants while you are away.

If you have a Motor Home list it free of charge as an extra home.  We are often asked for them. You would be surprised how many Members have Motor homes

This is very popular in Europe.  What an opportunity for your teenager to experience another country with a local teenager as a  companion.

If you have a holiday home  add this free of charge as an extra listing. It makes it so easy for you to do a non simultaneous exchange which is a great advantage when exchanging with the Northern Hemisphere

Introduce a friend and you will be rewarded by 3 months added to your Membership when your friend joins as a registered Member

A months Free Trial is very useful.  You can add your listing and search for a holiday.  You can even send a message to a Member. 

Have a try.
its the best way to find out
Free for the first 30 days.  HomeLink’s free trial is completely without obligation. We won’t ask for payment details up front and as a  result we won’t take payment automatically at the end of the trial period.

We joined HomeLink as Members in 1993 way before we took over as directors.  We love to tell people about some of our favourite exchanges and you can share them as well.  MEMORIES

We’ve been around a long time.  Since 1980 and well before the internet.  I can remember delivering  books of listings to our Auckland Members who used to write to their prospective exchange partners.  Read More

Convenience Comfort Comparisons

I would like  to report comparisons between a home exchange and a B&B so that you can understand not just the savings but the comfort and convenience.  I have to confess that we spent 2 weeks in a B&B in France but that is exactly what we did and for the following reason.  Our trip was rather hurriedly arranged to coincide with the HomeLink Meeting in Paris.  As it was very early in the season and still rather chilly in Europe we wanted to head for the South of France.  Sadly there were no exchanges available at that time in that area but a German HomeLinker had a B&B just in the right place and for Mates rates via HomeLink.  Right area and a pretty mediaeval village.  As we parked our car outside Maison des Fleurs  we thought how perfect it looked and indeed in many ways it was.  We looked forward eagerly to 2 weeks of R&R and driving around the lovely Langudoc-Rousillon area. We have got so used to relying entirely on Home exchanging during the 20 odd years we have traveled to Europe and the UK and had quite forgotten the inconveniences that can occur when you do not have the luxury of being in a fully equipped home.

1.  Breakfast was extra.  15 euros per person per day.  Not a problem as I had seen the little kitchenette in the pictures.  2 hotplates and fully equipped with plates, cutlery etc.  No toaster, but we are in France and croissants from the local bakery sounded good.
2. Yes, I know that you don’t usually have cooking facilities in a B&B but there was a kitchenette.  No pots to be seen. When I asked I was told that cooking was not permitted.  O.K. so we can have salads every day I thought.  Eating out every day for 14 days in France was going to be very expensive.  We were offered dinner by our hosts for 35 euros per person.
3. I purchased a small pot from the local super market and did some creative ‘boiling’
4. No herbs, spices salad dressings of course.
5. No garden chairs to take on our outings
6. No washing facilities
7. No extra room if you have a partner who snores
8. Very small rooms apart from the bathroom which was enormous
9. No pick up or drop off at the airport.
10. No possibility of a car exchange.
11. This was a tiny apartment.  The spacious house next door was kept for home exchanging but sadly they did not want to come to NZ.
12. On the plus side we did get our room cleaned and tidied daily.

Cost for 2 weeks…..$NZ1713

Fast forward to England where we had a Home Exchange in a small village in the Cotswolds. Our nearest airport in France was Nimes and the nearest airport to our destination was Bedford  which is a 2 hour drive from our home in the Cotswold.  We knew we were going to like our exchange partners when they said “not a problem we will come and pick you up”  We talked a lot during the 2 hours and got to know each other well. We were invited to a meal at the local pub that evening which was most welcome.  Our exchange partners have 2 homes one of which is kept mainly for their dedication to Home Exchanging. This time our accommodation was……………

1.  A spacious fully equipped 3 bedroom, 3 bathroom home with a lovely garden.
2. A laundry with clothes dryer
3. A huge kitchen
4. A yummy meal in the fridge
5. “Help yourselves to anything in the pantry”  We did and duly replaced what we had used.
6. Use of a computer, maps, games, music, videos and suggestions of places to visit, use of car.

Cost for 2 weeks …………Nothing

Our next stop was probably even a better deal.  2 weeks in Central London in a spacious 2 bedroom apartment.  No car, but who wants a car in London. The Tube was a 5 minute walk away and whats more two Oyster cards were provided for our use.  Our host was obviously a gourmet cook and the spectacular kitchen and huge array of herbs and spices was so welcoming.  This was a very special exchange and we were able to do some serious London study.  This is the high rent area but……………………

Cost for 2 weeks…………Nothing

If you are contemplating travelling why wouldn’t you choose the ‘comfortable way’ after all it’s FREE usually saving us up to $20,000 for our 2 months plus stay.

I am a teacher and suggest you should click the link to read more.

HomeLink is a home Exchange organisation perfect for teachers.  it all began in 1953 with two teachers who had a good idea and swapped their homes during the school holidays.    READ MORE