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Vacation Sharing
The Reasons and Benefits of Vacationing with Other Families
By Sue Poremba
When Codella goes on vacation with his neighbor, the two families rent a beach house together. "With a total of seven children, all under the age of 9, a shared beach house is an economical way for the families to share the vacation's cost," he says.
Codella is not alone. One of the most popular reasons why families vacation together is to share the expenses. "Especially in resort towns, the cost of renting a house for two families is far cheaper than hotel rooms for the same length of stay," DeBroff says. "Plus, a shared house or condo offers the benefit of a full kitchen, more privacy and independence and a place for the adults to go after the kids have fallen asleep."
However, before deciding to live together for a week, DeBroff provides a few points to consider to make sure that the two families are compatible:
- How neat is the other family compared to yours?
- How flexible are they about changes in plans?
- Are they early risers? Night owls? Are the children's bedtimes similar?
To help keep the stress level at a minimum during the planning stages, particularly when looking for rental property, ResortQuest has the following tips:
- Bigger equals better: The more inventory a rental company offers will mean they have better capability to meet guests' needs.
- Sleeping Arrangements: Decide in advance who bunks with whom and where, particularly the master bedroom arrangements.
- Adequate Amenities: Make sure the home has all the amenities that both families need.
- Feeding the Troops: Are there places nearby for food deliveries? Decide in advance on how to share costs of food and beverages.