Man's 'clever' hack has saved him £50k while allowing him to travel the world 'for free'
A 56-year-old flight attendant has revealed the travel hack he uses to travel the world that's a 'no-brainer'.
For the past 15 years or so, Andre Hellstrom has been travelling to destinations across the world using a hack that he discovered from a friend in San Francisco.
So far, he has been to about 20 cities, resorts and islands 'for free'.
The flight attendant lives in a one-bedroom apartment near Westbourne Park station in the British capital and uses a platform called HomeExchange to fulfil his travel desires.
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He revealed that he's completed 42 exchanges so far and that the platform is quite flexible when it comes to dates and availability.
There doesn't necessarily need to be a home-for-home exchange, either, as the homeowner can be paid in 'GuestPoints' as a thank you.
You can choose how long you want to be away from home, and Andre usually opts for longer exchanges, around three to five months.
Some of the countries he's been to already include the likes of Australia, France, Italy, Indonesia, Mexico and Spain.
With his job as a flight attendant, Andre even works during the exchanges, and is offered the opportunity to travel for cheap.
The home-swapped advocate called HomeExchange a 'clever way to travel' when speaking to PA Life, adding: “Since I fly cheaply, I have lots of flexibility with my schedule, so if I get an offer from Bucharest in Romania – somewhere that’s maybe not top of my list – I’ll think, ‘OK, why not?’”
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He added that his passion is travelling, suggesting that he might have been an explorer 'in a previous life'.
“My parents took me on a holiday to Madeira in Portugal and I just knew, then and there, that I wanted to travel,” Andre said.
When the dad-of-two learned of HomeExchange for the first time from a mate, he wrote it off as 'strange', recalling: “I met him in San Francisco and they checked into this home, and I just thought, ‘Oh my God, this is strange to live in someone else’s home’.
“But then I started thinking and it makes a lot of sense… it’s all built on trust.”
Having made 42 exchanges since 2010, some highlights include spending a month in Chamonix, France, skiing, and staying at The Westin Maui in Hawaii for two weeks.
Andre claims that he has saved about £50,000 so far, and added that it 'requires a lot of planning' and being a good host for everything to go swimmingly, but it wasn't hard as he 'basically travels for free', while exchanges are 'almost free'.
Adding that he's 'surprised' it isn't more popular, he said that one of his earlier exchanges in Barcelona was the 'best summer of his life'.
He picked the flat he stayed in while visiting Rio de Janeiro in Brazil as one of his favourite, saying: “You just wake up and you have amazing views of the Christ the Redeemer statue, and I love Rio.
“That flat, if it was on Airbnb, for a whole month it would probably cost £8,000.”
Andre has also made friends along the way, mentioning he has a friend in Bali, who helped him ship feather hats to his London residence.
So, what's next for Andre?
Well it looks like Madrid is next on the menu for a three month stay from August this year, as the father admitted he will probably keep using HomeExchange for the foreseeable future.
Andre has urged others to give the platform a try, especially if they like solo travelling, and advised them to get a decent cleaner for their own home.
He further explained: “You have someone sleeping in your bed, but think of the money that you’re saving and you’ll forget about that.
“I feel so lucky, it literally opens doors around the world and that’s why it’s a no-brainer.”
He highlighted that you need a 'passion for hosting' but called the arrangement 'perfect' for him.
Jessica Poillucci, the PR manager of HomeExchange, said to PA Real Life: “HomeExchange advises people considering home-swapping to check the legalities of working remotely from your intended destination.
“Some countries may require specific visas or permits if you’re planning to work, even if it’s just remotely for your home company.”
She added that working overseas can affect your taxes, and noted: "It’s important to bear in mind the length of your stay as this can have an impact on both of these areas.”
Joshua Nair