Advice on charging for vacation (long)

[2BigKIdz]

We always take summer vacations with family and friends. We normally charge per adult, so kids go for free. Next summer 2 of the "kids" will be 21 years old. Should those 2 be included in the paying adults? This would make it rather expensive for the parents of those "kids", unless of course they make their sons pay their own way. One is my nephew, no easy way to say this but he is a bum, doesn't work, doesn't go to school-this year he wasn't allowed on vacation by his mother because of this so unless circumstances change I doubt he will be going next year either. The other is a friends son and he is a FT college student who also works during the summer. It's probably going to run in the neighborhood of $500-700 per person for a beach house for the week. I wouldn't feel right charging them $1500-1800 but I know some of the others in the party will object to him not being charged. I am the one who makes the reservations and does all the planning and I really don't know what to do.

Is there a better way to divide the expense that would be fair to all involved? It really is unbablanced but it is the way we have always done it. For example, my husband and I don't have any kids, but we pay the same price (2 adults) as his sister (2 adults plus 4 kids- 2 are her own and 2 are friends of the children). I am not bothered at all by paying the same price, just giving an example.

Thanks

 

[safetymom]

I don't consider the 21 year olds kids anymore. Anyone 21 or older would have to pay their own way.

 

[Big V]

I would charge per person, no matter what their age is.

 

[Michelemouse]

How about charging a full share for each adult and a half share for each child, including the 21 year olds? That way those with kids are paying more than those with no kids, but not a huge amount more.

For example...If you have one party with two adults and no children that would be 2 shares, one party with two adults and four kids they would pay 4 shares and one party with two adults and one child they would pay 2 1/2 shares. If you divide the total amount (Using $2500 for example) by 8 1/2 it would be approx. $600 for the first party, $1200 for the second party and $900 for the third party. Everyone is paying a fair amount for their party size and the children are represented.

Just and idea.

 

[robsmom]

Do the kids get rooms? does the per person charge include food that they eat.

i would look at it and say is having the 21 yr old college student adding to your costs. would you get a house with one less bedroom if he didn't come? Is he getting an equal share? For example, do you and your husband get your own bedroom. Does the 21yr old or does he share with other kids.

if you decide to charge for him, remember to give him full "privledges" as an adult.

I personally would not charge, he is still a dependent of his parents at this point.

 

[Kimberle]

I guess I'm a little unclear on how you vacation.

You are renting a beach house? If so, I would charge based on the room(s) received. Every room cannot be the same as far as space & ammenities. For example, a large master suite would be about double (in my eyes) to a small basic room with a shared bath. Many years ago, when I rented and had a roommate, the person with the larger/better bedroom always paid just a bit more than the person with the smaller bedroom.

As for groceries, do you share or does each family bring their own? If you are sharing, I'd probably "charge" each adult as a full unit and each child as 1/2 unit (because they eat less). When a child reaches 18, they should be charged as a full unit.

 

[Lewisc]

The 21 year old is probably going to eat more than than the older adults. I'd charge for the beach house based on sleeping arrangements. You and your husband share a bedroom and pay the same as others who are sharing a bedroom with their kids.

If the 21 year old is sleeping on the couch or the floor I'd certainly charge him less than someone who is getting half a bedroom.

 

[pirateofthecarolinas]

We rent beach houses often. We split the expenses per person except for babies. We don't charge the first year because they are usually in the parent's bedroom anyway. I have 3 kids and so does my sister so it is equal. My brother doesn't have any so he is charged for 2 people.

I can't believe you don't include children. You've been paying more than your fair share for many years (21). I would let everyone know before you book the rental. I don't see what they can complain about though. They've been given a generous discount for a long time.




Lori

 

[LMC]

I would get all of the parents together and ask their opinions. I think that at age 21, they should pay their own way but the one who is being responsible and working his way through college may have a hard time getting the $$. Ask all the other parents to get their opinion. Maybe you all could come up with a compromise if the group thinks that asking full price for the 21 yo's is too much. We had planned a trip w/ friends and since their budget was very tight, we planned the vacation home rental to be split per person (our 5 to their 3) that way they would save more $$$. We would have foot the majority of the bill but they could have never gone if we had just split it 1/2 down the middle. My husband and I planned on spending it anyway so it didn't make a difference to us if it was split in 1/2 or per person but it made a huge difference to them.

 

[Keli]

Originally posted by Michelemouse
How about charging a full share for each adult and a half share for each child, including the 21 year olds? That way those with kids are paying more than those with no kids, but not a huge amount more.

For example...If you have one party with two adults and no children that would be 2 shares, one party with two adults and four kids they would pay 4 shares and one party with two adults and one child they would pay 2 1/2 shares. If you divide the total amount (Using $2500 for example) by 8 1/2 it would be approx. $600 for the first party, $1200 for the second party and $900 for the third party. Everyone is paying a fair amount for their party size and the children are represented.

Just and idea.

I agree with this poster, this seems like a fair way to handle the situation and it's the option that I would choose.

 

[inaminute]

21 Year olds are adults. They pay the same as an adult anywhere else--why not on family vacations?

If the parents want to pick up their tab, that's their decision. They'll always be children to their parents. Does this mean they'll continue to go for free or at a discounted rate until they're 35 or so?

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I would charge per person except for babies. I certainly would have been charging "adult" after 13 at least.

 

[2BigKIdz]

Thanks for all the good advice. The "shares" option does sound good.

Just to clear things up a bit- we usually rent a house at the beach for 7 or 14 days. All of the adults have their own MBR with their own bath. The kids share rooms with multiple beds (bunks/twins, etc) and share the bathrooms. I do take the privilege of getting the BR I want since I do all of the planning and arrangements and collecting of money (this may not sound like a lot but trying to find a home each year that atleast 8 other people agree on is not an easy task, not to mention collecting money etc ).

This year we skipped the beach and went to Orlando for 8 nights and the couple with the 21 yr old son did not go, and my nephew stayed home as mentioned previously so this was not a concern. I am trying now to find a house for next summer, we all miss the beach, this is the first summer we did not get a house there since 1993.