Top Vacations for the Newly Unemployed

Swap Your Life for Someone Else’s

So long as you still have a home, you can trade it.

Where: Home swapping allows you to exchange your house or apartment (and while you’re at it, your car and friends too) for someone else’s, anywhere in the world. Whether you trade for a 400-year-old stone house in medieval Padua or a ski condo in Aspen, you won’t pay a penny beyond the small registration fee. Meanwhile, your swap partners will take in your mail, water your plants, and feed your cat. They’ll be highly motivated to do a good job too, because you’re holding their home hostage.

Price: Use a reputable home-exchange service like HomeLink (800/638-3841 or 954/566-2687); registration fee is $20.