A Frugal, Fun Family Vacation in Rehoboth Beach

My daughter just finished PreKindergarten. Throughout the school year, I pencilled in dance classes, library events, playdates and doctor appointments into my calendar, but until very recently, I never did get around to scheduling a vacation.

Before having kids, my husband and I would fly to Cancun or Punta Cana. With just the two of us, costs seemed manageable, but, now, with airfare to most beach destinations averaging around $400 per person (we are a family of 4), we are renting and staying closer to home.

Here's a quick rundown on why I believe rentals offer the best mix of comfort and value for families:

• More space! Renting a house or condo affords way more space than a standard hotel room. The kids get their own room, which also provides some peace and privacy for mom and dad.
• Lower bottom line. With some units priced at under $1,000 per week during the peak summer weeks, Mann & Sons can help you find a spacious Rehoboth Beach house rental. For a family of 4 that comes to just $142/night for a 7 night stay. Compare this to my Expedia hotel comparison, where the average price of a hotel room (just a standard hotel room) is $242 per night. That's a weekly savings of $700.
• A full kitchen, with the ability to bring your own groceries and save money by not eating out. Consider the cost of 4 people's restaurant bill each day: even a modest $8 for breakfast, $15 for lunch and $20 for dinner per person (plus, consider beverage, tax and tip) comes to $43 per day. Multipled by 4 people the food bill comes to $172 per day, or a whopping $1,204 per week! At home to feed two kids and two adults, I spend $175 per week  (thanks in part to couponing and meal planning)- my bill includes pet food, paper and health products, fresh produce, meat and dry goods like cereal, bread and snacks. That's a savings of $1,029, if I pack my grocery bags and bring them with me.
• The joy of summer barbecues and eating outdoors! Many rentals offer grills and outdoor dining. There is nothing that says vacation to me more than a leisurely dinner of freshly grilled food outside on a warm summer night.
• No need to pay $35-$50 a night boarding the dog. By choosing a pet-friendly rental, I stand to save upwards of $350 per week.

We expect to spend somewhere around $1,500 on our total vacation, by staying in a vacation rental in Rehoboth Beach. The best price my husband and I could find for a Caribbean trip to Punta Cana was $2,800. By my numbers, renting a hotel room in Rehoboth Beach would bring my vacation expenses to $3,000+, due to the added costs of dog boarding and dining.

There are a variety of options to suit any taste or budget. Mann & Sons, Inc. REALTORS® provides an easy-to-use site, Rehoboth Beach Vacation Rentals, where you can see all available inventory, or limit your findings to address, number of bedrooms and/or baths, maximum price, as well as whether you can bring the family dog along with you.

This guest post was written by a people mom of two and a dog mom of 1 from NJ (also, an MBA and personal finance wiz) who is looking forward to her August vacation rental. For more information contact us.