How Living Full Time in Airbnbs Saves Me Money
Ready to save money yet also experience an unparalleled level of freedom and flexibility?
So, how does the idea of living in Airbnbs sound to you?
….wait, what… Is that even a thing?
Yes, it is — it’s been gaining more and more traction in correlation with the recent rise of nomads.
This way of living means there’s no need for 1-year leases, organising and paying bills on top of your monthly rent or sourcing out any new utility providers each time you move house.
Whilst this way of living may not be for everyone; for me, it’s a no brainer!
I’m able to save money each month whilst travelling the world.
I’ve been living out of Airbnbs since early 2018. During that time, I’ve called over 35 places, my home. The first year I moved around a LOT but now I’ve adapted to the lifestyle of slow travel. I tend to move to a new base every 2–3 months, allowing me to fully embrace the culture, people, food and lifestyle of the place I am visiting.
So how does it work?
Airbnb considers a long stay, a booking that is more than 28 days. When looking at booking accommodation for longer than 28 days, you’ll find that the property hosts are willing to offer discounts.
Hosts can afford to offer discounts on long stays because they know it’s a month of guaranteed income. I’ve often found that when looking at even longer stays, say 2 to 3 months, hosts are more than happy to negotiate an even better monthly rate. Many apartments now have an automatic discount on long stays but it doesn’t hurt to message your host directly to see what can be done.
I also subscribe to Remotebase.co who do the hard work for me (for free!). They find and share the best Airbnb discounts for digital nomads and travelling remote workers. Just recently they shared a lovely 2-bed apartment in Sri Lanka which had a 60% discount if you book for +28 days.
Some of the deals that RemoteBase find are just are mind-blowing.
Key benefits of living in an Airbnb
Airbnbs come fully furnished so there's no need to fork out cash for a new sofa on top of a mortgage payment because everything is included. There are no commitments, no need for a 12-month contract and zero moving fees — Living in Airbnbs really is a win-win situation.
Of course, you have to be aware of fluctuating prices in high seasons vs low seasons but the benefit of living nomadically allows you to pack up and choose where you want to be; benefitting from low season prices all year round.
Only paying one bill each month makes life a lot easier when trying to track spending and budget for the following months. It’s even better knowing there are no additional costs for utilities.
Airbnb offers 24-hour support in case something goes wrong. Through the Airbnb platform, you’re able to message your host directly and if there’s no answer, the Airbnb support team are there as backup.
Unparalleled levels of freedom and flexibility.
You can quite literally call anywhere your home! With no commitment to a 12-month lease, you can move around as often as you like.
New month, new city or even new country — This can be wherever you want.
That being said, you also don't have to move around, you could book somewhere for 6 months if this is more of what you’re into.
How to choose the best apartment?
Plan Ahead: Before you book, ask the host to confirm the Wi-Fi speed — so important to make sure this is a good enough speed for your day job.
Filters: Be sure to select all the needed filters so you don’t get to the apartment hoping for a washing machine and wonder where it is (I’ve definitely learnt from that mistake over the years).
Desk Space: Look to have a separate space to work from, whilst on the move, you still need to support your work-life balance; keeping your work outside of the living room or bedroom will help you separate the two when trying to disconnect from work.
Reviews: Thoroughly check the reviews and pictures so you know what to expect.
With these filters, preferences and essential needs all in mind, you still need to remember that you’ll be calling that place your home for the next 1–3 months (or however long you want) so make sure it’s somewhere you feel you could live and not just an ideal stay for a quick weekend visit.
Where are you calling home next?
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