Saturday, we head to the beach! I can’t wait. My two older kids, ages 8 and 4, are super-excited. We decided to schedule our vacation a bit earlier than usual, due to the fact that our summer schedule is full of activities. I spent several hours, online, looking for a condominium to rent, and I think I found a gem. Built in 2005, the three bedroom, three bath unit looks to be a perfect fit for our family. Mommy and baby girl will share a room, big sister and big brother will share a room, and I’ll have a room of my own. The condominium is surrounded by several public golf courses, has three pools, and sits right next to the beach.
When looking for a condominium online, be aware that the price you see listed on many sites does not include several fees and taxes. Be prepared to pay about 25% more than the list price – You may have to pay cleaning fees, processing fees, usage fees, etc. Be careful and do a lot of research before giving anyone your credit card (or in our case, debit card) number. (Once we get back, I’ll let you know where we stayed and whether or not I would recommend using the Realtor I found.)
The condo we are staying in has free high-speed internet access – so I should be able to blog, even while we are on vacation. We really wanted a three bedroom unit that had direct access to the beach and a pool. In the end, due to the price of the units, we settled for a really nice unit, but it doesn’t face the beach. Instead, it overlooks one of the golf courses and a small lake. But, it is right next to one of the pools. By choosing a room on the inland side, we were able to save more than $600. Sure, it would have been nice to go with the beech front condo, but life is about making choices. And, $600 is $600!
Maybe you should simply enjoy your holiday and get guest posters in for your blog? 🙂
@debtdieter – Hey, if you have something, send it my way!
I just have to ask, because I am a Mother to four busy kids myself. Why do you get a room to yourself, while your wife sleeps with the little one? Please tell me you will be taking baby duty at least some of the time? Moms need a vacation, too, you know! 🙂
@Jill – Ummm… b/c I have sleep apnea and I sleep under a breathing machine at night. My wife, I can assure you, is the one who created the sleeping layout – and the baby is a much ‘sounder’ sleeper than I am. As for ‘baby duty’ – we have a very good system in place. The baby eats at 9 PM – and I stay up until her next feeding at 1 AM. Then, I go to bed and Mommy gets up at 5 AM for the next feeding.
You said: “Be careful and do a lot of research before giving anyone your credit card (or in our case, debt card)” I got a huge giggle out of your typo – if anybody has a DEBIT card instead of a DEBT card, it’s you!
Can’t wait to hear about the vacation. And I’m curious about the separate rooms too, if you don’t mind telling us!
You’ve been tagged.
It seems crazy to blog on vacation, but in truth, I’m more relaxed knowing that I have access to my emails and can do a little work (not too much) when I’m away. I’m more stressed wondering what’s happening and not knowing. And in truth, I spend less than half-an-hour per day dealing with this stuff.
Also, check out Tech CU’s blog post on how to save money planning your family vacation. (Tech CU is a credit union in the Bay Area.) We’ve also linked to some great sites, etc. Check it out, if you’d like: http://techcublog.com/?p=96
Thanks.
Tawnya