3 Ways Renting a Vacation Home Will Save My Family $1,000 This Summer

Talk about a nice amount of savings.

The first time I booked lodging at a private vacation home instead of a hotel, I was admittedly a little nervous. After all, with a vacation rental, there's always the chance that the property won't look the way you expect it to or be in the condition you're hoping for. Granted, the same thing could happen with a hotel. But usually, if you book with a major chain, it's less likely. 

But these days, staying at a hotel is something my family does rarely. Rather, we use vacation rentals for the bulk of our travels. In fact, we've already rented a beach house for a week-long getaway this summer. And by skipping the hotel, it's looking like we might save ourselves a good $1,000 in the process, if not more. Here's how.

1. We don't have to pay for a pet sitter

Pet care can be expensive -- especially when you need it on a full-time basis. That's why we typically try to rent vacation properties that allow pets. Often, that means paying a modest pet fee. But that fee pales in comparison to what a pet sitter might cost us. For example, I believe we're paying an extra $150 this time around. But a pet sitter could cost over $100 per day.

Plus, I don't really love the idea of having to leave my dog behind when I go on vacation. Since my family tends to do a lot of outdoor activities, all we really need is a dog-friendly home to incorporate him into our plans.

2. We can cook a lot of our own meals

When you stay at a hotel, you're often crammed into a tiny room that comes with a mini fridge if you're lucky. But for a week-long trip, that would mean having to eat almost every meal at a restaurant. And the costs there could really add up.

By booking a private vacation home, my family gets access to a full kitchen equipped with pots, pans, and all of the utensils and tools we need to do our own cooking and meal prep. Now this isn't to say we won't go out to dinner once or twice. After all, it is a vacation. But now, we're not forced to pay up for every single meal.

3. We won't have to pay for beach parking

Because we were able to find a vacation home within walking distance to the beach, we won't have to shell out extra money for beach parking. In the area we're visiting, many hotels aren't on the beach, so that would've been an added expense. 

It feels good to save

My husband and I work hard during the year and enjoy escaping the daily grind with our kids. But since this isn't our first family trip this year, we aren't looking to rack up a huge credit card tab in the process. Thankfully, by staying in a private home, we're looking at shaving a cool $1,000 off of the cost of our trip. And that makes me feel a lot better about getting away.