In case it hasn’t been noticed I’ve gotten into the habit of writing frugal posts on Fridays. I think it’s fun topic to bring up. But this week I decided to write about a tip that can be frugal, but sometimes bites you in the behind.
A typical frugal tip is to stay with friends when you travel. Many people know about it and practice it. They love travelling to places where they have a friend because it can be more fun. BUT it can also be more expensive!
Yes staying in a hotel or even a hostel can be expensive. Using priceline or bidding for travel, can help in getting the best possible deal. But staying with a friend is usually free right? Wrong. Why?
Well when you stay with friends often you will feel obligated and expected to compensate them for using their hospitality. What that means is typically you’ll bring them a gift, maybe food or a bottle of wine. Then because you are staying with them, you’ll buy food for the duration you’re visiting as well as treating them to meals out. And these meals out might not be cheap to boot! People do have a tendency to order more if they aren’t paying. You may also find yourself chipping in for gas or paying for them to join you in activities.
Thus in the end it could costing you more to stay with friend than if you had just gotten your own place to stay in the beginning. I speak from experience. That it’s easy to pay a $100/dinner for 4 if you are a couple visiting another couple. And you decide that rather than having them cook and mess up their kitchen after a long day of work, you treat them to dinner. That’s $20/person before tax and tip, which is not much when you include a meal and a drink!
And for $100/night in most cities using priceline you can easily get a 4 star hotel. Most cities you can do it for $50/night! So it really is not cheaper to stay with friends necessarily when you are travelling. The exception would be staying in a really small, rural area without hotels or a super expensive metropolitan.
Because of this, my DH and I prefer to stay in hotel or motel rather than with friends when we travel. This way we know what we are spending as well beforehand, than just assuming we’ll be treating them for meals and buying groceries.
What has been your experience in staying with friends to save money?
7 responses so far ↓
1 Jenna // Oct 17, 2008 at 9:28 pm
Boy… do I need more friends like you! I’m already dreading an imminent visit from 2 sorta friends in the morning – they will rummage my fridge, expect to be entertained, crank up my heat (we’ve had to turn the furnace off in the basement as the last visit they cranked it to 88 because “they knew we wouldn’t mind.”), leave a mess, run through the bar, and expect my husband and I to run them around to keep them because they can’t afford the gas!
Ack. Double ack. We we go visit folks, we skip the taking them out – just offer to cook and wash up the dishes. Gifts come along, but most are made by my husband and myself. As long as you plan on being self-sufficient, it can be easier to stay with friends – just don’t be a pain.
I’m off to find the antacids, I have a feeling I’m going to need them before Sunday.
2 dogatemyfinances // Oct 17, 2008 at 11:53 pm
I always have a better time staying with friends, like an extended sleepover. But I only stay with dear friends. My favorite vacations have been dear friends living in other countries temporarily. It’s like a “local” guide and reconnecting with a friend at once.
3 LAL // Oct 18, 2008 at 12:39 pm
I guess I feel more obligated to be a good houseguest and I don’t think it’s cheap. It can be off putting expecting your host to cook, clean, and entertain you.
By the family is different. Sigh. Family you end up doing everything. Enough talking, more cleaning! Yikes! I have to go and clean.
5 Marcia // Oct 22, 2008 at 3:43 pm
We generally stay with friends and family, and it’s cheaper. Only really good friends though.
We also enjoy it when people stay with us, but 4 days is usually the max. We are unlikely to go out to eat more than once. Generally, our friends/family pitch in with the cooking and dishes too.
6 LAL // Oct 22, 2008 at 3:51 pm
I’ve never had friends stay with us who cook and clean. I’ve had family but even then they really don’t. I give family more leeway, but ask me after this weekend. Actually since it’s MY parents and not my In-laws I’ll be happier!
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