The thought of spending an entire week on the beach makes me so happy. I love having a house to make our own for the week and the comfort of home while on vacation. For most people it seems like an out of reach dream but I am here to tell you with some planning and tricks I can show you how to afford a beach house vacation even if you are on a tight budget.
What’s Inside: Easy tips that you can make to help afford a beach house vacation for your family.
I love spending enjoying a beach house vacation with my family. It is nice to have all the comforts of home while on vacation. Our first beach house vacation with the family was at Myrtle Beach and we loved it so much that we try to make it a yearly event. This can be difficult to stay in a budget but over the years we have used these tips to afford a beach house vacation year after year.
First…Why I May Never Stay in a Condo…Again!
We like to visit Myrtle Beach every year and we have always stayed in a house. In the summer of 2016 we decided to give a condo a try. It was a terrible experience. The place was dirty, the doors were broken, there were cigarettes on the patio. It was pretty bad. I know this is not how every experience is and there are beautiful condos in other places but I will never make that mistake again!
Luckily we ended up getting a full refund(I’ll admit Mama Bear came out!) and found a rental house across from the ocean. There and then I decided that a house is the only way I will go on a week long beach vacation. (Please know I am not knocking all condos! If you love them I would love to hear about it in the comments.)
With that I had to figure out how I could afford a beach house! I knew I would have to do some research and plan ahead to make a beach house vacation affordable and realistic for my family. Here are my 5 tips to help your family enjoy the comforts of a beach vacation too!
5 Ways to Afford a Beach House
#1 Go with Family & Friends
We always go with other people when we rent a house. We have visited with both sets of grandparents. It is great to have time with family and also have the space to do your own thing. I love that my kids have had so much time with my parents and in-laws. We have created awesome memories.
Going with friends is also a great way to get in a beach house. Some houses fit 20+ people and they would never be affordable on our own. If we divide it between 4-6 families the price is much more manageable. This is also great for the kids. It’s a week-long playdate
#2 Eat In
Plan on eating most of your meals at the house. Maybe plan one special evening out and the rest eat at home. Yes, you have to cook and clean up BUT you save a lot of money on going out to eat that could be put into affording your beach house. If you travel with a large group each pick a night to plan the menu. Get the kids involved too! Last time we went we did a big pot of Gumbo and the kids made ice cream sundaes for dessert. The kids loved it!
#3 Free Entertainment
The beach is seriously the best free entertainment. Waves, sand, shells!! It’s amazing. We like to take walks in the morning and end up spending the afternoons in the pool. That is another perk of your own house- Private Pool!!! My kids love to swim. Our last trip was spent mostly in the pool, enjoying all the “free fun”. It was especially nice this year because all my kids could swim without help!! It was the first year my husband and I could sit and relax! I seriously didn’t think this day would ever come!!
#4 Vacation at Off Peak Times
If you have kids that are not in school, September and October are great months for prices that will help you afford a beach house vacation. They are typically low and the weather is still warm. (Be aware that hurricane season is during this time.) On one of our trips we had to leave a day early because of a hurricane.
My kids are in school and leaving during those times are near impossible. I like to go the last week of August. Crowds are low, prices are low, and it is a great “Goodbye to Summer”! We enjoy some family time before getting ready for the new school year.
#5 Be Flexible with Where You Go and Location of the House
If you are flexible with where you go, you can save lots of money! We always pick Myrtle Beach because it is affordable for our family. There are lots of East Coast beaches that are much closer to us but we really love the area and the price is right. Over the summer, we made a fun road trip out of it. You can read about it at Road Trip: Rochester to Myrtle Beach.
When planning look at a map of where the houses are. You can be a short walk away from the beach and save thousands. One of my favorite houses was two streets back from the ocean but I could still hear the waves crashing and the walk was 5 minutes. To us saving hundreds of dollars was worth it.
Most prices have been released for the new year so start looking and start planning. If you start planning now you can afford a beach house vacation of your dreams.
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Leah has been traveling with her family of 5 since 2012 and sharing her expertise on planning family vacations and visiting theme parks since 2016. Leah has been featured in Visit Rochester, Undercover Tourist, and Home Publications. She has worked with brands like Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, Hersheypark, Toyota, and various Tourism boards and destinations. Leah creates family travel itineraries based on real trip experiences with her family. Her guides and tips help others plan great family vacations. Learn more about Leah and Five for the Road.
Thanks for the suggestions about how dividing the vacation house rental expenses among the group that can help you save up more money. I’m really anxious about how our weekend trip will go because it’s the first time my husband’s family will tag along, and I want to make the trip as enjoyable as possible. I’ll take note of your tips and make sure that the vacation home that I’m going to rent will have first aid cabinets.
You got me when you said that there are beach houses that can fit more than 20 people, so it’s best to go with friends to afford them. This is something that I will consider. Since last month, my sister and I have been talking about going on a vacation to help us forget about our stress at work. We don’t want to end up getting broke after our vacation. Since we’re both minimum wage earner, we’ll do all your tips.
Thanks so much for reading! It really does help to share a rental space. You usually get more space and can save money. Good luck and have a great vacation!
I also prefer a house where you can feel home abroad!
Yes! it’s nice to be on vacation but have the comforts of home.
I love this post! When my son was 5 months a large group of friend did an OBX house! And a year later, va beach.
Thank you so much! It is the best especially with young kids. Our first visit was when my daughter was 2.5 months old. We usually do Myrtle Beach. I have done OBX and Virginia Beach…but not in a while. All are great beaches!
Thanks! It really is best to go during off-peak. Low crowds and low cost! Start planning for the off season!
Thanks!! Good luck!
Love the tip about going with family… we look forward to a week at the beach with my parents every summer. And the week rental is definitely much cheaper that way!
Thank you! You can save so much money and have an amazing vacation!
It was amazing! We got so lucky it was available that day!! It’s raining and dark here…I could totally use a beach!
Yay!! It really is a nice way to connect as a family. I motivated myself too!
I realized halfway through reading this that I was already planning a beach house vacation in my head, haha! I guess I’ll have to clue my husband in. These are great tips and you make it sound so relaxing and doable! My husband’s extended family has done this a couple times as a big group and they love it! We will have to try harder to join them.
Ha! I love that!! It really is doable! Yes there can be cons to traveling with a big group but there is usually enough space for everyone. Hope your husband is on board!!