It happened to everyone. After Covid cases fell and more attractions opened, we all got excited to start traveling again. We started hitting beaches, mountains and visiting friends and family after a year of being cooped up. The problem is, the cost of a vacation got much more expensive and now we are all looking for alternatives to hotels.

Here’s what’s going on:

• Airfare is going back to “normal.” Domestic U.S. fares are up 9% since April 1 while international fares are up 17%, according to research from Bernstein published this week. And fares are continuing to rise.

• Hotels are trying to make up for lost time. Hotels recognize people’s demands to travel. They are raising room rates for those that will do anything in order to get out, which makes it difficult for those that don’t want to spend exorbitant amounts of money on a single stay.

• Rental cars are getting outrageous, that is if you can even book one. Most rental car companies sold their fleets during the pandemic and there is chip shortage, making it difficult for them to get more cars. What that means is they have to charge more money for the cars they do have.

• Reward points are dying up. Many people book travel and accommodations through

Even the cost of a road trip is climbing as gasoline prices reach the highest levels since 2014!

Enter home swapping! Exchanging homes makes it a lot easier to save on travel costs that you can control. While we probably can’t change the cost of airfare or car rental, we can make decisions about where we want to stay. With home swapping on 48 dots, all you pay is $150 per swap. You never have to pay to stay in someone else’s home and this can bring down the overall cost of a trip.

Speaking of which…to check out all your accommodations, become a member of the 48 dots and start swapping!