6 Reasons To Choose a Vacation Rental

As a timeshare owner, I've gotten used to having a larger space to crash in when I vacation. Unfortunately, I can't always get into a timeshare property, or there aren't any where I'm going. Usually, I check out Airbnb {<--use that link for $40 off!}. There's a time and a place to opt for a hotel, but as a budget traveler, being able to save money on food and saving my sanity by not being in everyone's pocket 24/7 is very important. Here are my 6 reasons to choose a vacation rental.

You get a kitchen

This means you can cook your own meals! Now, keep in mind, I don't go on vacation to cook, especially since cool new foods are the best part of traveling to me. I do, however, hate getting up super early, so I tend to load up on breakfast foods. This allows me to spend a little more time in bed, plus I save money on morning dining. We usually spend at least one dinner in, either making something easy or eating leftovers, which we were able to bring back, because we have a fridge and an oven.

In many rentals we've stayed in, they've also included grills, so we could BBQ if we wanted. This is great if you are traveling in the warmer months. If you travel with kids, having a place to prepare and store foods can be imperative for your sanity and saving money.

You (generally) have a separate bedroom

Listen, I don't need to have a different room with a bed, but it's nice. I'll settle for separate, defined spaces, just so I can get away from my travelmate(s) for a minute. I adore my husband, but we don't always want to be in each other's faces. A hotel room normally has a bed and one chair. If you're lucky, you get a tiny table or a desk. Even if you bring back leftovers, you can't really sit anywhere comfortable. If you have to do work or just want to play on your laptop, there's not a good place to do that either. 

I don't always go to bed at the same time as people I travel with. It's nice to have a table where I can type away, a couch to relax on, a bed for sleeping purposes that doesn't also double as a terrible chair, or a room where I can just hang out alone in that isn't the bathroom. 

You can choose your amenities

I have a small list of must-haves when I travel: WiFi, TV, a shower (if I'm traveling to Europe where not all places have one), and laundry facilities. I get these things in a timeshare property, but I can also choose these things specifically when searching for a vacation rental. For example, we're going to Edinburgh and London in the fall and I want to pack light. Because of this, it's especially helpful to have access to a washer and dryer. I've had to go to the laundromat in the past and while it wasn't the most annoying thing, it cost quite a bit in London. 

You can choose your price range

Sure, you can do this with hotels, but for the same price, you can search for a vacation rental that is in a location desirable to you, plus includes all the amenities you hope to get in a place to stay. If you can get all this for the same price or a little more, you're still saving money on baggage fees, food, laundry, and possibly entertainment, because you have room to spread out and play games and/or watch movies.

You can feel at home

This is the number one reason I enjoy a vacation rental over a hotel. Feeling weirdly displaced when you travel is hard. I like to feel like my space has a home. I don't need a maid to come in and clean up after me every day. I want my space to feel cozy and comfy and lived in. I can make a rental feel like my home until I leave. I can spread out my stuff, not worry about anyone coming in to clean (where I have to clear up things before I leave each morning). 

Having what equates to a small home or apartment makes me feel like I'm a traveler instead of a tourist. Like I'm living like a local. Some come with free parking, some are in buildings with extra security, some have pools or gyms. The best part is that if you don't want these things, you rent a different place and don't pay for them, unlike when you stay in a hotel that offers them for everyone.

You have a true local on-call

One thing you usually don't think about is having someone you can contact for an inside look at your destination. Yes, there's the front desk or concierge at a hotel, but when you rent from a local, it's easy to pick their brain to find out where they like to go and what they'd recommend seeing to an out-of-towner. They probably aren't rich and they certainly don't get kick-backs for pointing you in the direction of an activity or restaurant. Some live steps away or welcome calls/texts or leave detailed folders with all the cool stuff for you to peruse. I always get awesome suggestions this way. 

What are your favorite reasons to choose a rental over a hotel?

How I'm Packing for Vegas

The Travel Goods Show is coming up next month and I'm already packed. Yes, it's four weeks away, but you know by now that I never wait until the last minute to do such things. I have packing down to a science now, so here's how I packed for four days in Vegas:

The bag

I often come back home with a whole bag full of freebies and/or review items, and sometimes a brand new suitcase, so bringing a rolly bag when I might end up with a second one is out. Bringing a shoulder bag is nice, but if I don't end up with a rolly bag, then I have two shoulder bags to figure out how to juggle, so this time I opted for a slim backpack from Timbuk2.

With a small backpack, it's easy to navigate everywhere, I still have my hands free if I have to drag a rolling bag or carry my spare tote and I can shove my small purse in my tote as well, so I'm still only carrying two bags on the plane, one of which fits under the seat. My goal is to not pay baggage fees unless I absolutely have to.

This new backpack is meant for a laptop, so it's padded and has different compartments. It gives me less width in the main compartment though, so I can't over pack.

My laptop

Usually I take my laptop on trips with me to work when I have downtime. It's a monster seventeen inches, because I like a big screen and a separate number pad. This makes it a little difficult to find a bag that it fits in. I do t always bring it on short trips with me, but last year I only took my iPad mini and a keyboard and I really couldn't get any good work done. 

I'll also be flying back through Seattle and taking the train home from there to save money, so that should be a good set up as a little office for those 3+ hours.

My electronics

We've already discussed my honkin' huge laptop. I also bring along my iPad mini, because it's good for games and videos and reading on the plane and in bed. I can also do quick photo editing.

Of course my phone is coming with me. It doubles as a camera, notebook, and distraction if I'm waiting for things. And I keep a large battery backup for long days.

I need to bring charging cables for all these things, plus I always travel with a small power strip, because I like to plug everything in in the same space in my room. That way I know where everything is and I don't forget anything when I leave. It has 3 USB ports and a regular outlet. It's perfect when I travel by myself. (It doesn't look like it's available anymore, but I've used the one above for travel and at home.)

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A post shared by Shereen Travels Cheap (@srayle) on Jan 16, 2019 at 10:36am PST

My clothes

I'll be going from cool weather to (hopefully) warmer weather on this trip, but the nights might be chilly. I'm a big believer in layering, so I'm wearing a pair of dark stretchy jeans that are also appropriate for everything else, meaning I can straight from the airport to breakfast to the convention center. On top I'm wearing a basic tee and a cardigan and then I'll have my coat if it's needed. I'll also be wearing walking shoes on the plane.

In my bag, I've packed 4 tops that all work with my cardigan and a pair of nice sandals. My color scheme this trip is blue, black and gray, so everything mixes and matches well.

I'm not doing socks, but I always get cold in my room, so I've packed a small pair of slippers. And , as always, I'm bringing my Happyluxe wrap just in case I need a spare layer or want a blanket for the plane or my room.

Of course I have pajamas: a t-shirt and a pair of joggers. I needed a backup pair of pants in case I needed to run and do some laundry out in public. And then undies and an extra bra.

All of my clothes are rolled up in two very small packing cubes and I've added a packing zipper bag (like a Space bag) in case I'm in need of a little extra space on my way home.

My toiletries

Since most of my time will be spent at the show or with friends (or on the plane/train), I don't really need much. I've packed sample sizes of my favorite makeup, will use my compact powder in my purse, and am only taking some sample size shampoo and conditioner packets. I've got a tiny pot of dry shampoo for days my hair needs a bit more help.

I've opted to save my biggest space for allegy meds and other necessities that cost a fortune if I need to buy them, like Emergen-C, and a bigger tube of sunscreen.

Because I've got TSA precheck, I don't have to separate my liquids and use yet another bag. This in itself is a small win.

Miscellaneous

I'm always hungry when I'm on the move, so I've packed enough snacks for travel days and an emergency ration or two in my purse for convention days.

Last, but not least, I have a small box of spare business cards and a puzzle book, because you never know and sometimes you don't want to stare at a screen.

For some of you, this will seem like way too little for 4 days, but I don't want to bring a bigger bag that I have to lug around. For others of you, this may seem like more than I need and I salute you. I'm not going to do laundry if I don't necessarily have to, which is why I brought two extra tops. If it's super warm, I want to be able to have a second shoe option that allow my feet to breathe. I know I probably don't need my laptop, iPad and phone, but the smaller two both fit in my small handbag, so I don't feel like I'm wasting space I need for other things that are important.

What are your favorite ways to pack light?


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It's Time to Plan Your Summer Vacation

I know, some of us have finally just gotten out of winter, and some of you are still getting snow. Summer is the most expensive time to travel, with 75% of travelers going somewhere away from home June, July and August. This isn't always conducive to being a budget-traveler, especially if it's the only time you have to travel with the kids. 

Well, you're in luck! With my Summer ebook, you can learn all the tricks to getting cheaper deals on flights, food, fun and lodgings. How can you get the best rates on airfare? When should you travel to save more? How do you get the most from your dollars on accommodations? Can you get theme park tickets for less? The answer to all of these and more are in my Secrets to Summer Savings ebook, so you can do more for less on your summer vacation and still have money in your pocket when you get home for bills, food and a winter road trip. 

If you want to travel more without spending a fortune, this is the place to start. Not only will you have a great summer trip that you won't be paying off for years, but you may still be able to sneak in another getaway another time of year. In fact, using my own tips, I take a week-long trip in the middle of summer then also take two weeks in the fall. If you need some help figuring out where to come up with the money in the first place, find some of my top tips here. You can get my ebook on Kindle, which you can read on the Kindle app on your phone, tablet, laptop or your Kindle. It's free to download, making it super easy. Start saving and learning how to save more now with just a few clicks. 

What are your favorite summer savings tips?