Staying in an exchange home can be far cheaper, and often more exciting, than staying in a hotel.

Taking vacations in other states and countries can be hard on the pocketbook, especially when one factors in the cost of lodging. With so many people wanting to travel, however, there may be somebody who lives in your preferred destination who's interested in visiting your home city or town. Finding these people and agreeing to swap houses is called home exchange, and it's a very popular way to see the great places of the world without spending thousands of dollars on hotel rooms.

Californian Ed Kushins spent three years traveling the world while serving on an attack submarine in the US Navy. After earning his MBA at the University of Southern California, Kushins worked as a Marketing Director for an international airline, and then started Trading Homes International, a company offering home exchanges for travelers, in 1992. In 2002, the company merged into HomeExchange.com, with Kushins as co-President. Here he offers a beginner's guide to home vacation exchanges:

• Trade for lodging.
  The most simplest kind of home exchange is a basic swap: you stay in someone's home at the same time they're vacationing in yours.
  
• Try the Internet for worldwide locations.
  The key, of course, is being able to find someone who lives in your destination city, and who wants to visit your area during the time you've chosen for your trip. This is where the Internet comes in. Visit sites that offer exchange listings for your preferred area, be it London, Paris, Rome, or wherever you want to travel.
  
• Communicate by email.
  When you find a listing that looks like it meets your requirements, you can click on it to get more details. Often, you can then email the homeowners to describe your own home and ask if they'd be interested in an exchange with you. You might also want to begin by listing your own home, and seeing who out there is interested in contacting you.
  
• Ask about using the car.
  Often a home exchange will include use of a car, which will save you the cost of renting one.
  
• Have fun, make friends.
  Living in a real home can also offer a more authentic and exciting experience than you might get by staying in a hotel or motel, and help you make new International friends.

For more information about home exchanges, check out the following organizations or websites:

HomeExchange.com
www.homeexchange.com

HomeLink International
www.homelink.org

International Home Exchange Network
www.homexchange.com

HomeInvite.com: Home Exchange Tips
www.homeinvite.com/exchange_tips

Holi-Swaps: Top ten Tips for Home Exchange Success
www.holi-swaps.com/topten

GTI Home Exchange: Advice and Recommendations on Taking a Home Exchange Holiday
www.gti-home-exchange.com/hints