Want to keep your expenses down when traveling for a tournament? AirBnB

I didn't see a whole lot posted about this and a lot of people I've talked to about this knew nothing about it. AirBnB is a "Bed & Breakfast" service. Basically, people are allowed to rent their extra beds, bedrooms, apartments, summer homes OR dedicated rentals for travelers. On the whole, the available spaces can often be bigger, better and cheaper than staying in a hotel. We recently used AirBnB when visiting New Orleans and will be doing it again when we go to Montreal this week. In NOLA, we got a private cottage suitable for 1 or 2 people. In Montreal, we're getting a house suitable for 6 people. Both are considerably less than any decent hotel.

So, this got me thinking. When I go to tournaments for lengthy periods of time like Vegas or New England, I typically find myself going to a hotel. The expenses are only exacerbated by the fact that you're staying in a small hotel room with no kitchen (at best, a microwave and a sink). By renting a condo or house, I can go to the supermarket, pick-up groceries for the week, eat well and *normal* for my entire stay instead of paying top dollar for a meal that I'm not always happy with. That's not to mention that if I'm going with a crew of people, there's a good chance we can split the cost of a larger house and further cut-down on the per-person expenses.

I'm not saying this is *always* better but if you're looking to travel for a tournament and you're having a hard time finding an affordable hotel room, try looking at AirBnB.

Yeah, my wife and I got the idea when we traveled to Hawaii last year. Although it wasn't through AirBnB, we rented a condo instead of a hotel room. The place was over 1,000 square feet, had an outdoor patio, a full kitchen, washer/dryer and a private parking space. Now, we like to eat-out just as much as anyone but there's something really comfortable about having a home cooked meal. That's not to mention the washer/dryer cuts down on the amount of clothing you need to bring. Even the locals that saw our place were shocked by how beautiful it was and the price we got it for.

To sum it up, we had a better experience in a condo than a hotel. The only amenity a hotel can offer is daily maid service but if you're not a messy person, it just feels like a shitty trade.

Bella Don't Cry said:

There are many ways to cut the travel bill if players are prepared to listen...
Tip No. 1 - If you are playing in Vegas and want to save money, STAY OUTA CASINO'S :thumbup:

The list can go on... :thumbup:

Click to expand...

Of course but there's a world of players who devote a good chunk of their income to traveling. Saving $25 per night can actually be the difference between going and not going. This method could cut down boarding costs by as much as half, possibly more.

In a way, Vegas is the least of a players' worries. For most good players, the BCA Nationals is like a supermarket sweepstakes. You can't help but make money. That said, it allows you to keep more of your money and becomes even more applicable when the chances of making money are diminished like traveling to a regional Joss tournament.