One of the most inexpensive ways to take a vacation is to form a group and rental a home. Many families do this over the summer, but some also rent for the holiday season and invite the whole family to celebrate with them. Either way, a vacation rental could be the answer to the vacation you want at a price you can afford.

If you are trying to locate a rental online, be sure to book through a reputable site. Be sure your site provides pictures, contact information and insights from past renters. You want to know how others enjoyed this property.

Vacation rentals can often come with hidden fees so you should be aware that there could be charges for additional guests, pets, house cleaning, web access or air conditioning. Confirm move-in and move-out dates and payments schedules before signing a contract You might also want to consider vacation insurance if there is any possibility that you will need to cancel. Most renters will not accept any form of cancellation within 30 days of your stay and will not issue any sort of refund.

Group housing is very cost-effective but does have the potential to drive you crazy. The best way to avoid problems is to have everything put in writing. Spell out all details such as scheduling to sleeping arrangements to how costs will be shared. If you are planning on having different groups of parents and children, please remind everyone to refrain from offering parenting advice. Each group should handle only their own children.