Advice on splitting costs?
Question:
We (4 families including a 4 and 5 year old) are heading to beach this year for the first time,and we are terribly excited! Does anyone have any advice concerning sharing costs while we are there? Someone mentioned having each couple assigned one dinner during the week and they would be responsible for buying and preparing the food. The other 3 nights I was thinking we’d go out or steam some crabs and all pay our share. I am hung up on how to split the costs for the rest of the food, paper products, etc. Some of us like “special” food that no one else wants and therefore, should not pitch in on. Some of us drink alcohol and some do not and so on and so on. I am not a cheapskate, I have no problem splitting everything evenly between all parties but I don’t think everyone else feels that way. Does anyone have any advice?
RE: Advice on splitting costs
We all just go to the grocery store buy what we think we’ll need and split per person. we always eat real good and it does not cost that much. booze and special stuff each gets their own. we’ll have 13 of us this year and we are all family or good friends that might make a difference. last year we had a great time and ate like kings no one worried if they spent more or ate less we just had a great time.
RE: Advice on splitting costs
Yeah this can be a problem. Here is what we generally do….
A). do not plan group events. No matter how much you like each other someone will be put out. If my wife and I decide to do something we just speak up, if anyone wants to join that’s fine if not so be it. Works very well.
B). A group goes to the store with a list of essentials and things everyone will participate in, bread, milk, etc… When they arive back the cost is split on a per head basis and everyone contributes based on this. Generally if things run out during the week someone will replenish the stock out of pocket. Not a big deal.
C). We follow the each couple cooks one night thing with that couple providing all the supplies and clean up detail, this will allow you three nights as you say, I would suggest perhaps a group hamburger and hot dog night, left over night, and a night out separate or, and BE CAREFUL WITH THIS, a group affair.
D). As for special food or beverages, this becomes a if you want it buy it individually item. Our drinking family members normally bring or buy several cases a variety of which are iced down in a cooler on the porch each morning so they are cold all day! I must confess I generally am the one buying the ice each day as I go to the store to get a paper early each morning and pick the ice up then. As for common drinks, water, soda, etc these normally are purchased when the initial grocery run is made and replenished on an as needed basis.
Lastly, don’t get to hung up on this relax, low stress, your on vacation, understand someone will get their underwear in a twist about something… It all falls under the you can’t please everyone all the time!
RE: Advice on splitting costs
I think whoever makes most of the travel arrangements and finds and books the house should get the pick of the bedrooms. (Tho I always do this and have always stepped aside to save bad feelings) 🙁 As for groceries, the women of the group would all go together to make sure our families got what we wanted. We split the grocery bill evenly no matter what and that has always worked for us. I do like the idea of putting money in a pot too. That sounds like a good idea. There is always someone though who is going to get their back up about something cause they have to have everything their way. Just got to go with the flow.
RE: Advice on splitting costs
We go down as a group of 6 – all adults, so it makes the way we do groceries a little easier..I’m not sure how well it would work with kids – When we get there, everyone puts$100 cash into a “pot”. We go grocery shopping with it, buy beer with it, order pizza…anything that would be split evenly. At the end of the week, whatever’s left is split back up amongst everyone. We tried letting one person pay for groceries and such on their credit card and then reimbursing, but it seemed like it got confusing and started arguments. As far as the bedrooms go, my husband and I always get the best one because I make the arrangements every year, and beyond that everyone just works it out amongst themselves – nobody ever cares about their room too much because it’s probably the place they spend the least amount of time all week!
RE: Advice on splitting costs
Each year every family brings a dish with them – food that travels easily or freezes and reheats well such as lasagna, stuffed shells, potato salad, macaroni salad etc… It’s great to be able to run up from the beach for lunch and throw some leftover lasagna in the microwave for 2 minutes and get back to the beach.
Hope this helps!
RE: Advice on splitting costs
Here’s what we do. We do the “each family does one night of dinner” thing. My wife usually packs toilet paper, kleenex, cleaning supplies, etc. When we get there usually one person will buy milk, one person will buy bread, one person will buy eggs, etc… the essentials that everyone will use. Then we usually just buy what we think we are going to use and everyone basically shares. We have it really good because all of the families in our group are very generous and we all share. Like another person said, just try and relax. If you end up spending a few more dollars than someone else it’s no big deal. We probably end up contributing more just because my wife is the ultimate planner and she thinks of everything. Doesn’t bother us, though, since we’re on vacation. 🙂
RE: Advice on splitting costs
Here’s what we did last year. Our group had a get together a few weeks before going down. Everyone brought a list of foods they liked. Most had similar/common items for breakfast & lunch. For dinner we just asked each other what they liked & made up dinner menus for the nights we cooked. We bought accordingly & split it four ways. One couple was to cook dinner for one night. It worked out well because if a couple has to buy it & then prepare it is a little unfair if they are springing for steak night verses pasta night. Did the same with paper products, 24 roll bulk pack of toilet paper, four packs of Dixie paper plates (100 count ea.), two 12 roll packs of paper towels. Sodas, beer, wine & spirits were purchased seperately. If we ran short of shared items & had to go back out we kept a running list & everyone put in their share. Nights out we ordered with separate checks & tipped individually. Breakfast & lunch was pretty much fix your own as not every got up at the same time & not everyone had a set time for lunch but, you did have to clean up after yourself. Even if it was your assigned night to cook there was another couple pitching in out of friendship not because they had to but, because they wanted to. Its never 50/50 sometimes it can 60/40 or…., have fun, be safe & enjoy your friends.
