Beat the crunch 'with a house swap'

With headlines dominated by economic misery, many Aussies may be keen to jet off overseas for a bit of relaxation.

However, NineMSN notes that there is one little snag: the weak economy has sent the Aussie dollar plunging on currency markets, meaning that people could find their cash does not get them very far.

But while the shaky dollar may be a put off, the site does suggest a way around it, advising that getting involved in a house swap scheme can allow people to holiday on a budget.

“Rather than pay thousands of dollars on hotel accommodation, you can stay somewhere for free for little more than a registration fee with one of the home exchange operators in Australia,” points out MSN’s Gillian Bullock.

Other top money-saving tips offered by the site for those who do decide to head abroad include booking flights early and visiting countries out of season for cheaper deals.