If you go on vacation with a larger group

[ksr5377]

How do you split the payment? Per person? Per room? Something I haven't thought of yet?

We're planning to rent a beach house with all of my siblings and parents and are trying to find the most fair way to go about it. There are people with no children, some with one, and some with 4. We want to make sure that singles aren't paying more than their share, but also want it to be reasonable for this with children, as all the kids will be sharing a large bunk room so are only slightly increasing the total cost.

[happypamama]

I've not done this, but since all the kids are sharing one large room, could you just divide the total rental by the total number of people, and then each family pays for the number of units it uses?  For example, if the week costs $1300, and there are 17 people total, each person's cost would be $76 for the week.  So a single would pay $76, a couple with no children would pay $152, and a couple with four children would pay $456.

[KungFuPanda]

Divide by room. Divide the cost of the kids' room by the parents.

[JustEm]

Does everyone aside from the kids get their own room? If so, then you simply divide by room number and then the families split the cost of the kids room.

[Tap]

Lodging split by room (not person), Divide total housing costs by rooms being used.  If the kids are in one room, then either split it among the individual families or just ignore that room from the equation. A single person pays more per person, but they also have a private room.  Master suite goes to ether the person who is coordinating the event, or the family who could benefit from the room/private bath. 

 

Food split by person,  with kids under 12 being 1/2 each (unless it is a kid that eats like an adult). Alcohol is paid for by the person bringing it.  

 

 

if everything is being included in one bill, then split by person, with kids under 12, being a 1/2 credit.

[UnionJack]

Divide by room. Divide the cost of the kids' room by the parents.

This is what we've done when we've travelled/rented a house with my parents-in-law (2 people); my BIL/SIL + kids (5 people); and our family (6 people). Seems fair!

[slackermom]

I would probably split the rental cost by rooms, with the bunk room cost split by the parents, maybe adjusting room rates if there is a big disparity in rooms.  Or maybe something like $100 per single, $150 per couple, $25 per kid.  Multiply as needed to meet base cost. 

I would have a per person food charge to defray some of the grocery costs, maybe with a sliding rate for little people. Or if some people cannot eat what others eat, let them opt out of the meal plan if they plan to get their own food. Or rotate responsibility for providing meals, accepting that some may cook, some may order takeout.

If you plan to have a vacation house bar, I would have someone coordinate that, with contributions for a liquor store run.

 

[Junie]

Divide by room. Divide the cost of the kids' room by the parents.

 

I would do this, except I would divide the kids' room by number of kids and have the parents pay their own share.  So, if for instance: my cousin and I are sharing a beach house.  I have 6 kids; she has 2.  I would pay 6/8 of the cost of the kids' room and she would pay 2/8.

[ksr5377]

Yes, every couple will get their own room.  

 

Thanks for chiming in.  We were having a bit of a debate with the childless members of the family.  They feel it's fair to split the cost per person.  I understand where they're coming from, because when I was younger and traveling with friends, this is what we always did.  However, in this case, that would make it work out to $1800 for the 7 kids sharing a room and like $700 for the rooms with a couple in them.  Which I feel is ridiculous. However, those of us with children wanted to make sure we weren't overreacting.  If it cost even close to that to add the additional room, it might be different, but houses with the extra bedroom are averaging only about $700 more.  

[Laurie4b]

Yes, every couple will get their own room.  

 

Thanks for chiming in.  We were having a bit of a debate with the childless members of the family.  They feel it's fair to split the cost per person.  I understand where they're coming from, because when I was younger and traveling with friends, this is what we always did.  However, in this case, that would make it work out to $1800 for the 7 kids sharing a room and like $700 for the rooms with a couple in them.  Which I feel is ridiculous. However, those of us with children wanted to make sure we weren't overreacting.  If it cost even close to that to add the additional room, it might be different, but houses with the extra bedroom are averaging only about $700 more.  

 

That's totally fair, then. Can't see why there should be a disagreement with that. 

 

Generally when you charge per person, everyone is a salary-earner AND gets the same benefits. So even going by that criteria, the kids in the bunkroom have to share their space with many more people than either the singles or the couples. That would be another reason to pay less. 

Edited June 12, 2016 by Laurie4b

[KungFuPanda]

Nope. It's unreasonable for the couples to expect to pay less because you've sandwiched ten kids in a room. Cost division by room is fair . . . it's how hotels and B&Bs do it. Offer to get a smaller house and fill the rooms with more than two people per room and see how fast they change their minds.

[hellen]

With family, we just split the cost of the house by the number of siblings. There is a room for the kids and even though it is mostly my kids in the room, I don't pay more. I normally take the smallest or worst bedroom since I don't have young kids rooming with me.

 

Sometimes adding a bedroom doesn't change the cost of the house much. It depends on the market.

 

I don't like per person pricing. I don't like per room pricing much either. If I had to pay per room, I would make my kids sleep on the floor.

[Tita Gidge]

How many siblings?

 

My family doesn't nickel and dime the money, we figure it all comes out in the wash. If the single siblings were paying more for rent, we'd cover their food more or something to sort of even it out. Trying to be fair is honorable, but hard. Someone will feel shorted. It's no fun way to start a vacation.  My family would just go. One person would pay and we'd all pay that person back; but we're all hyperaware of each other's finances and situations. I usually pay upfront and come up ahead.

 

My ex-husband's family would get two houses - a kid house and a single house. It'd probably cost more in the long run but they'd rather pay that and keep the peace than pay the same to stay in the same house with someone feeling shorted. My family would cover someone rather than have them feeling shorted; it's just money and the point of a family vacation is - family. His family rarely takes family vacations, but when they do they're more like overlapping trips where everyone shows up to a location at around the same time but stays on their own.

[zoobie]

Divide by room. The kidless people can bunk up with others to save money if they want.

[vonfirmath]

Divide by room. The kidless people can bunk up with others to save money if they want.

He one time we had a extended family vacation together, this is what we did. I was coming by myself with my two year old and I stayed with my single cousin in the same room. DS was in the grandparents room.

 

They split the cost of the rental by how many family units were going to be there though and I am not sure if my single cousin might have counted with her parents because she lives with them still. My sister and her husband had 3 kids, so 2 rooms, but still was only 1 family in the division. It all worked out in the wash

[Laurie4b]

Nope. It's unreasonable for the couples to expect to pay less because you've sandwiched ten kids in a room. Cost division by room is fair . . . it's how hotels and B&Bs do it. Offer to get a smaller house and fill the rooms with more than two people per room and see how fast they change their minds.

 

Excellent point. 

[LuvToRead]

I agree...pay per room.

[Scarlett]

We have always divided by person. But we wouldn't expect a single to bunk with a bunch of kids for that price.

 

If I was a single I wouldn't think it was fair for the kids to be charged less.

 

Or the couples pay $150 but I as a single pay $100......

 

I would probably need a specific example to know what I would think fair.

[Paula in MS]

I would just have the people with children split the extra room fairly.  If you have 2 adults and 4 children, you might end up with 2 hotel rooms in a normal situation.  They should expect to carry more of the load.  If that is too much, they can have their kids stay on the floor in their room and not split the cost.  As a family of two, we often have to carry more of the load in situations like this.  When other people think they are getting a bargain, it is out of our price range for just 2 people.  Small families also tend to carry more of the burden when it comes to food.  People will say, "Each day one family is responsible for food for everyone.  Isn't that fair?"  Seriously?  With our family of 2 girls, that completely blows our food budget because we may be feeding very large families.

 

I would probably do my best then check the local hotel market and make sure the small families who need just one room are getting a deal as well.  It is already a bargain for others because they can have a private room while their kids bunk elsewhere.

[Scarlett]

I would just have the people with children split the extra room fairly. If you have 2 adults and 4 children, you might end up with 2 hotel rooms in a normal situation. They should expect to carry more of the load. If that is too much, they can have their kids stay on the floor in their room and not split the cost. As a family of two, we often have to carry more of the load in situations like this. When other people think they are getting a bargain, it is out of our price range for just 2 people. Small families also tend to carry more of the burden when it comes to food. People will say, "Each day one family is responsible for food for everyone. Isn't that fair?" Seriously? With our family of 2 girls, that completely blows our food budget because we may be feeding very large families.

 

I would probably do my best then check the local hotel market and make sure the small families who need just one room are getting a deal as well. It is already a bargain for others because they can have a private room while their kids bunk elsewhere.

When we had a vacation with 7 adults.....we split it 7 ways...including the food we bought.

[KungFuPanda]

It wouldn't be comparable to check hotels.  You'd have to check condo prices because access to a kitchen and common living areas is likely the reason the whole group isn't in a hotel.  The OP, never mentioned food, so in this scenario it's not really a factor. 10 kids to a room should absolutely be cheaper per-person than 2 adults with a room to themselves.  I'd say if the childless couples were really annoyed by the split, they might also be really annoyed with the chaos of sharing living space with families.  It might work better for everyone if the couples got their own hotel room and commuted to the main house.  This way the families could split the cost of a smaller house and nobody would feel they were paying more than their share.  I think that, as an organizer, you have to be okay with the fact that someone in a large group is going to think something wasn't properly organized.  As a group member, you have to realize that not every single person is going to get the very best deal for them. It all goes with planning large group functions.  Not everyone is capable of seeing past their own best interest.

 

For what it's worth, I've been organizing a condo for 8-10 women for 5 years.  Having a strict "No Divas" policy has really helped it run smoothly.  You can't exactly get away with that with family :-/  

 

 

[LuvToRead]

I've not done this, but since all the kids are sharing one large room, could you just divide the total rental by the total number of people, and then each family pays for the number of units it uses?  For example, if the week costs $1300, and there are 17 people total, each person's cost would be $76 for the week.  So a single would pay $76, a couple with no children would pay $152, and a couple with four children would pay $456.

 

I think this would be fair if everyone had equal accomodations.  A couple with their own room is not equal to 10 kids sharing a bunk room.  In order for it to be fair, then the 10 kids need to be split between 5 bedrooms.  The extra 5 bedrooms would probably make it unaffordable for everyone because of the price increase.  I have paid extra because of my kids, and I am OK with it.  I understand that renting a cabin with a game room that has bunk beds does add to the price, but not enough for us to be charged twice as much as others without kids.  Everyone still has access to the game room during the day.

[Excelsior! Academy]

I would do this, except I would divide the kids' room by number of kids and have the parents pay their own share.  So, if for instance: my cousin and I are sharing a beach house.  I have 6 kids; she has 2.  I would pay 6/8 of the cost of the kids' room and she would pay 2/8.

 

This^

[Starr]

My family without children never counted the children in room costs. They always just split it up amongst the adults.  Other families I know get more than one house. ;) 

[Sara in AZ]

When my family has shared a vacation home we have divided it up per person but counted children as 1/2 a person.

[katilac]

Yes, I think it's fair to consider equality of accommodations - a kid sharing a room with a dozen others shouldn't necesaarily be charged the same as someone in a full room for two. 

 

That could get complicated, though, unless you know all the other rooms are roughly of a size. I went on a vacation once, three bedrooms, we split 3 ways, but the master bedroom was quite easily 4 times the size of our room! As a matter of fact, they put a full sized bed in the walk-in closet, lol. 

 

So, if you charge less for kids in a bunk room, you will need to make sure that you don't have a master bedroom/tiny bedroom situation going on with the other rooms. 

 

And if you want babysitting help, you should definitely cave and pay quietly!