LoveItaly

Best wishes for a lovely time in Italy with your group, AP6380.

janisj

That sounds <u>much</u> better -- but >><i>But also stated that the couples would get the larger & better appointed rooms just for the simple fact that there are two people in the rooms and that they are paying more,</i><<

It only makes sense for the couples to have larger rooms -- not because that are paying more (they aren't) but because there are two of them. Just don't get bogged down w/ the whole topic of whose is paying more/less -- everyone is paying the same. Two people sleeping together, whether SO's or just two individuals get the bigger rooms . . .

You'll have a wonderful trip!

One suggestion to pass by your friend "organizer" - about groceries. If you plan on preparing meals -- I usually have everyone put the same amount into a kitty maybe $20-$30 each to get started. This is for groceries and even table wine, but not anyone's special/specific alcohol/drinks. Anyone who wants can do the grocery shopping and use money from the kitty and a basic shopping list. No need for all 8 of you to descend on the butcher's shop together

We usually work out menus as we go along so don't stock up on everything all at once. It just seems more easy going to just have a 'grocery kitty' and then top it up during the week if needed. And no, folks don't get a refund of grocery $$ if they decide to skip a group meal and eat out on their own.

socaltraveler

Thanks for the update, it sounds much better - have a great vacation.

And listen to janisj, her advice is excellent.

Christina

That sounds better. I'm not sure this issue was raised, but you are sharing a lot of thigns of the house and property equally, not just the bedrooms. That isn't the entire sum of a house. There is the living area, kitchen, any outdoor area, possibly bathrooms, etc. I think it would be weird to only think it should be divided by the bedrooms, that wouldn't have even occurred to me. I'm surprised so many people are just focusing on the bedrooms arrangements. So equal makes sense with the larger rooms for the couples, but otherwise, I think you'd have to prorate part of the fee towards all the common areas that are used by everyone.

janisj

"<i>I think it would be weird to only think it should be divided by the bedrooms, that wouldn't have even occurred to me. I'm surprised so many people are just focusing on the bedrooms arrangements. So equal makes sense with the larger rooms for the couples, but otherwise, I think you'd have to prorate part of the fee towards all the common areas that are used by everyone.</i>"

I don't understand that at all. Maybe I'm just confused

Mrs_Wilde

janisj - Great advice about a food kitty - we made the mistake of volunteering to grocery shop and pay for it ourselves with the (not unspoken) understanding that on return the others in the group would split the cost. Instead, they volunteered to grocery shop at our next location. Okay, we went along with that assuming they would make similar purchases - well, wrong thinking! They did purchase food but it was not nearly enough for the week and we ended up having to shop again mid-week for everyone at our own expense.

LoveItaly

I assume that the amount of rent for the house will be divided amongst the number of people renting the house and thus each person is paying for use of the common areas also.

jamikins

I agree LoveItaly - 10 people = rent divided by 10 (couples pay for two people). I dont understand splitting the common areas - as they are common (i.e. everyone uses them). It shouldnt be complicated!

AP6380

That was the logic my planning friend used.... that we are using all of the space, and what a space it is! A huge villa with an infinity pool and a hot tub, etc. And at the end of the day it is still way cheaper than a hotel!!!!!

PatrickLondon

Another couple of options:

Whoever does the accounting gets the best room(or first dibs on choice of room).

Grocery shopping: When I was flat-sharing, we kept a running account on the kitchen noticeboard of what we had spent on common/shared items, and just totted it up at the end of the month, divided the total equally and arranged the consequent equalising payments then and there. That still allowed for people to buy Marmite (or whatever) without those who hated it having to pay for it, and without everyone trailing round the supermarket shopping by committee (it can be quite amusing to spot the people who've just moved into a flatshare doing just that - I never see them do it more than once).

janisj

PatrickLondon: I've done it that way as well--and for flat sharing over an extended period/semi-permanent makes sense. especially as everyone settles into a sort of 'normal practice'/routine.

For just a one-week's holiday rental though - I think the grocery kitty is just neater.

Mimar

For dividing the grocery money and any other common expenses, we write our name on the receipt and stick it in an envelope. Then, at the end of the trip, my husband makes a big Excel spreadsheet, lists all these expenses, and divides them up. People who didn't do any grocery shopping have to pay up. Fortunately we can trust them to do so.

And we have everybody pay up front for the whole cost of the villa and any rental cars. We put that money in a separate villa account. If anybody backs out, they/we either find a replacement or they lose their money. We've all committed and it's not fair to have to pay more than we committed to.