Money-Saving Strategies – Page 4

You probably know that Airbnb hosts can offer a discount if you book for a week. But did you know that booking for 28 days or longer will often bring you an even greater discount? Up to 30, 40, or even 50% off the nightly rate? It's like an Airbnb coupon, minus the coupon code! Here's how you can secure some serious savings on your next Airbnb booking! On the airbnb homepage, you'll begin your search like normal. But when it comes time to enter your dates, choose "I'm flexible" instead of using the default calendar view: This is an excellent search option for a trip of any length when you aren't locked into specific dates. But for our purposes, we're going to search for one-month availability. (NOTE: Airbnb considers a "month" to be 28 nights. A stay of 28 nights or longer will often make you eligible for a monthly discount. Anything less, and you're likely to fall into the oh-so-meager realm of the weekly discount!): The first result when I search for Interlaken, Switzerland is—appropriately—the exact airbnb we've booked for this May/June! The Airbnb search will yield any available properties for a month within the months you've selected. In this case, the "Three Little Birds" property is being shown as available from mid-September to mid-October: I'm not positive about this, but I think the dates shown for each property are the cheapest timeframe available within your search parameters. But this doesn't mean those are the only available dates! Click on the calendar for a particular listing and you will see that this property is available for an entire month (or more!) any time from mid-August to mid-October: But back to the purpose of this post: Airbnb discounts! For 28 nights, from September 19th to October 17th, this property is available for $1624—cleaning and service fees included. That's a nightly rate of $58—in Switzerland, in the Alps! And note the significance of the monthly price discount. We've always wanted to spend more time in Switzerland, but have shied away because it can be so expensive. But 39% discount? Well, if we have to! (What's the Airbnb cleaning fee? This covers the host's cost of cleaning the rental. It is usually a set price, whether you're staying for one night or a whole month. What is the Airbnb service fee? This amount goes directly to Airbnb and covers the costs of running the platform. This price varies depending on your particular stay.) Finding the sweet spot Here's where it gets fun though. Let's shorten our search by one night, ending on the 16th of October. And now look at the price. Nope, that's no typo! You'd be paying $2164 for 27 nights, over $500 more than the cost if you stay an extra night! But why does the fun have to stop there? How many fewer nights would you have to book before the total price goes below $1624 once again? Well, during my search, it took lowering the stay to 19 nights. Your eyes are not deceiving you! You really can book this property for 28 nights for the same amount of money you would spend for a 19 or 20-night stay. And that's with an 18% weekly discount included! Extra nights are better for your budget! What does Airbnb mean for us? It means staying somewhere longer for less money! I know that long stays aren't always practical. But with such substantial savings, it's hard to ignore. Beyond just the cost benefit, I love that this incentivizes lingering longer in a destination. Slowing down and staying longer promotes sustainability, and helps create truly authentic travel experiences. Have you ever booked for a month or longer on airbnb? What's the biggest discount you've seen? Let us know in the comments below! Learn how to get FREE accommodations by house and pet sitting or browse 70+ Ways We Save Money While Traveling