Airbnb vs. Hotels

Another year has gone by and we are at another Fin Con (Financial Convention). My husband is not up for another award but we are here to enjoy the time off and to learn more. Last year the convention was in Texas, this year we are in Florida (Orlando). Leaving Wisconsin at 50 degrees and going to Florida will be a nice warm up. The weather here in Florida is in the 80’s and 90’s. So today I want to talk about saving money on airlines and hotels

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Airlines

Using credit cards that earn you miles is a great way to start. Saving up your points allows you to get your tickets cheaper or even free if you have enough points racked up. We decided to try a different airline this time to save some money. We went through Allegiant, but they tend to charge you for every little extra’s they can think of. If you can grab a snack before going on the plane this will save you a lot of money because this airline charges you for snacks and drinks. Allegiant also only goes to certain locations on certain dates and times. You have to plan accordingly. The flight was nice and the flight attendants were very friendly. Again you have to do your research to find the best deals and times available.

Hotels vs. Airbnb

We decided not to stay at the convention center because they were charging over $150 dollars a night. This year is our first time trying an Airbnb. We are about 1 mile from the convention center. We decided we are going to walk it each day to the convention center. If we get too tired we can always use an Uber. The Airbnb we are staying at is really nice and the people who are taking care of it are very friendly and helpful.

First, we are saving a bundle on going out to eat three meals a day. We walked to the nearest grocery store and bought some food to make at the Airbnb. We have access to a kitchen and a refrigerator. We spent $35 dollars on some groceries that will last us at least 3 days. One day going out to eat here would have cost us over $100 dollars, so I say this is a great advantage and a great way to save on food costs.

We have our own room with our own key and a shared bathroom with any other guests that come in. So far we are the only guest here. We share the living quarters and kitchen area. For the one week that we will be here, we are paying under$500 dollars. We are saving over $500 dollars by staying at this Airbnb vs. staying at the convention center.

I would recommend checking out an Airbnb next time you need a place to stay. So far we are very happy with this place and the people who run it. It has been a really different experience. We feel right at home and comfortable using the kitchen and sitting at their table for meals. Do your research before trying this and make sure everything is secure and safe from Suzie Homemaker.