How should this cost be split?

[Mom-to-2-Princesses]

I would split by how many bedrooms each family uses. If everyone is using just one, same price. If most families use one bedroom and the other family uses two bedrooms then they should be charged more.

Exactly!

 

[dislaney]

I would split it per family but I guess that is just me.

 

[sparklynails23]

Grandma and grandpa should pay. If not, it should be split per family.

 

[luvmy3]

When we did this, we split it by the bedroom because the number of bedrooms determines the price. If we have a to get a larger, more expensive house simply because you brought your kids, why shouldn't you pay the difference? Why should we subsidize your vacation? Now, if all the kids sleep in their parents' rooms, it wouldn't affect the cost so we would split it by family. But if your kids need their own room, it's kind of cheap and petty to expect not to pay extra for that extra room.

When we vacation we look for a house that accomodates the amount of people, so its not necessarily a bedroom thing especially since the kids of each family tend to share rooms with eachother. I have a girl and boys, and there is no way my dd would room with her little brothers, so if we had to determine who pays what based on how many bedrooms we would need it would just make more sense to rent a house by ourselves, and one other family in our collective family would have the same issue. We would all rather be together so we do it by family, and like others have said we all contribute to other things like grocery, drinks, junky souveniers so it all works out for us in the end and nobody is subsidizing any one elses vacation.

 

[KellyWasHere]

I've tried to figure out situations like this before. I think the fair way is by person, but kids count as half a person and infants under 2 don't count at all. I think it all depends on the situation, though. Adult kids may have older parents and could and would gladly pay the same amount as bigger families with kids. Other families, as in our case, the parent doesn't have much money, nor does some of the adult siblings. So I think most families will decide to do it however it benefits the ones who are shortest of money.

 

[sbell111]

By person.

Imagine if it was just you and a family of five splitting a two bedroom house. Just because the family of five shares that one bedroom doesn't mean that you should pay half. After all, you are going to be effected by them much more than if you were sharing the house with just one other person.

 

[krcit]

If I was planning a trip with another family and they wanted to pay per person instead of per family, I wouldn't go on the trip We have traveled with other families a few times and we are all on the same page as far as money otherwise it would be a disaster. Not knocking those who do things the other way but that is just not for us.

 

[mjkacmom]

By bedrooms, because if the kids get a room, the house will be more expensive. However, usually the kids get the crappy bedroom (the one with bunk beds), and the adults get master baths, so maybe let them pay a little less for that bedroom.

 

[wvjules]

By bedrooms, because if the kids get a room, the house will be more expensive. However, usually the kids get the crappy bedroom (the one with bunk beds), and the adults get master baths, so maybe let them pay a little less for that bedroom.

Does it matter if they would have gotten the house with that many bedrooms regardless of whether the kids went or not?

 

[robinb]

Does it matter if they would have gotten the house with that many bedrooms regardless of whether the kids went or not?

Sure it does. If they are paying for a more expensive house because they need 5 bedrooms (4 couples plus 2 kids) than a house with only 4 bedrooms (one per family) then the kids in the 5th room are costing more to house. If they would have rented the 5 bedroom house anyway (due to cost or location or whatever) then the kids in the 5th room are not costing any more to house.

 

[wvjules]

Sure it does. If they are paying for a more expensive house because they need 5 bedrooms (4 couples plus 2 kids) than a house with only 4 bedrooms (one per family) then the kids in the 5th room are costing more to house. If they would have rented the 5 bedroom house anyway (due to cost or location or whatever) then the kids in the 5th room are not costing any more to house.

So if they are getting that house, kids or not, they shouldn't have to pay more? If they are getting that house BECAUSE of the kids then they should have to pay more? Yes? That is my thinking. Atleast not a substantial amount more.

 

[Hannathy]

Sure it does. If they are paying for a more expensive house because they need 5 bedrooms (4 couples plus 2 kids) than a house with only 4 bedrooms (one per family) then the kids are costing more to house.

Plus more people using the available bathrooms, living areas,hot tubs, etc. they also said these are teens not toddlers so they will be taking up more living area because they are the size of or close to the size of adults.

If the kids weren't on the pull out couches then possibley one of the couples would have chosen that to save money and not had to get a house with more bedrooms.

I don't get why others should have to pay for that one couples kids? You should pay for your own kids not make everyone else pay.

 

[tink1969]

Thought I would post this scenario here to get some unbiased answers!

We have a group of friends/family that rent a vacation home together each year for about 4 or 5 days. We stay in the same resort area, but usually rent a different house each year. We are in the process of looking for this year's house and this question has come up.

We have 4 families going; 3 are families of 2 (husband and wife) except for one family that is a family of 4 (husband and wife and 2 kids). The house is a set cost and not based on how many people go. So, should the cost of the house be split by family or by person (with the family of 4 obviously paying more if it's split by person)?

The very first house we rented years ago was priced per person ($XXX for 10 people, $XXX for 12 people...) so that's how we split it. However, the recent houses have not been priced this way - it's a set amount for the 4 or 5 days.

So, do we split by family or by person?

I vote for splitting it by family.
(Children 12 and under 'stay and eat for free' LOL)

 

[tlbwriter]

So if they are getting that house, kids or not, they shouldn't have to pay more? If they are getting that house BECAUSE of the kids then they should have to pay more? Yes? That is my thinking. Atleast not a substantial amount more.

I agree with this. If I was planning a vacation, found a great house I was dying to rent, and noticed it had more bedrooms than I needed, I'd call someone and say "Hey, wanna split a vacation house with me?" And I'd expect to split it half and half. Because I wanted that house in the first place. But if it was the other way around, and I called someone and said "Want to find a place to share a vacation?" and they said "Sounds great, but I need three bedrooms," and I only needed two bedrooms... I'd expect them to pay more than half because a 2 BR is cheaper than a 3 BR.

 

[sbell111]

If I was planning a trip with another family and they wanted to pay per person instead of per family, I wouldn't go on the trip We have traveled with other families a few times and we are all on the same page as far as money otherwise it would be a disaster. Not knocking those who do things the other way but that is just not for us.

Ummm, if the other party wanted to pay 'by person' and you agreed, wouldn't you be on the same page?

Of course, many that believe that this is unfair are likely those who would save money by not doing it this way. It kind of reminds me of the person that wants to split a restaurant check 50/50 after they just ate a big steak and lobster tail and had three mixed drinks, while you ate soup and salad.

 

[design_mom]

Since it sounds like you would be considering the same house whether or not the kids were coming and the price is fixed, I think it would be nice to split it by family. It wouldn't cost you any more than if they left the kids at home. (I think you said you were renting a large house for its location/amenities, so space was not an issue. If you specifically had to get a bigger house to accommodate the kids, my opinion might change.) Also, if you all share the food and other "consumables," I think that the family with kids should plan to kick in more since those costs *do* change by how many people are there.

As a family with kids, I might balk at being asked to pay double what the other families were paying, especially if the kids were on the pull-out couch, etc. However, I would probably think that paying a little extra would be fair. I liked PPs ideas of 50% of the adult cost per child.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

Will the kids have their own bedroom? If so, then they should pay for them.

 

[luvmy3]

So if they are getting that house, kids or not, they shouldn't have to pay more? If they are getting that house BECAUSE of the kids then they should have to pay more? Yes? That is my thinking. Atleast not a substantial amount more.

See I see it as getting that house so the whole family can go and stay together, its understood that they would need a house to fit everyone, including the kids, not get one because of the kids, if that makes sense. Again I'm not knocking anyone who feels different but I just can't imagine asking someone to pay more because they take up more living space, what do I care as long as I have a place to sleep and get ready

OP, if your family has always been Ok with how it was done in the past, then thats the way you should figure it out this year.

 

[Darcy03231]

I would split by how many bedrooms each family uses. If everyone is using just one, same price. If most families use one bedroom and the other family uses two bedrooms then they should be charged more.

This is the way I'd do it.

 

[krcit]

Ummm, if the other party wanted to pay 'by person' and you agreed, wouldn't you be on the same page?

Of course, many that believe that this is unfair are likely those who would save money by not doing it this way. It kind of reminds me of the person that wants to split a restaurant check 50/50 after they just ate a big steak and lobster tail and had three mixed drinks, while you ate soup and salad.

I meant that if we discussed renting a house together and then they wanted to split the cost that way then I wouldn't do it. Then again, I don't think any of the families we'd go away with would split it like that. I didn't say anything about it being 'fair' or 'unfair' just that I wouldn't do it.