If there was a dam that kept people from traveling, it has officially cracked and people are vacationing in full force. Along with this exponential surge in travel, the need for the perfect vacation house is on the rise, too.  

No matter where you go or who you travel with, you need a place to kick back, relax, and get out of dodge. 

But it’s not always relaxing collecting vacation house money from friends and family. On the contrary, it’s usually hard discussing money, let alone making sure everyone contributes their fair share.

It’s also hard to keep track of everyone’s payments and stay on top of the bookkeeping.

Don’t let money sour your vacation house before, during, or after your stay. Use Braid.

Braid Money Pools are where you collect, manage, and spend vacation house money with your family or friends. 

Keep reading to discover: 

  • 7 popular reasons to book a vacation house right now
  • How to collect money and split vacation house payments with Braid Money Pools

As the global pandemic recedes in the rearview mirror, people are stepping forward with a “Carpe diem” attitude. 

Adobe Analytics reports that travel spending is exponentially surpassing pre-pandemic levels. Are you jumping on the bandwagon, too? 

If you are, your plans might include a vacation house. Here are seven popular reasons why people like you are securing a home for their getaway. 

Start a free Braid Money Pool for your vacation house here!

1. Multi-generational family trips 

After two years of missed birthdays, graduations, weddings, anniversaries, and vacations, people refuse to miss another opportunity to spend time with loved ones.  

Just consider this 2022 Vrbo Trend Report which shows a 68% increase in 21-30-day stays and 43% of parents letting their kids skip school for vacation. 

When you consider some of the perks of a vacation house, it’s no wonder people are booking one: 

  • A vacation house is a neutral spot where everyone shares responsibilities and no one bears the brunt of it all
  • A vacation house can be the perfect halfway point where people experience something new together
  • A chalet or cabin is an idyllic backdrop to disconnect from work and reconnect with loved ones
  • A vacation house lets people stay near amusements parks for the kids’ entertainment and rewards parents with a much-needed soak in the jacuzzi

2. Try an area before you relocate

Remote work makes relocation an attractive prospect for many folks. And if you’re thinking about relocating, too, your vacation can double as a reconnaissance mission. 

Whether you’re thinking about moving to a new neighborhood, city, or state, book your vacation house there and try it on for size. 

  • How do you like the local community?
  • How do you like the overall infrastructure?
  • Does it have what you and your family need? 
  • Could you live here? 

With this approach, you don’t have to rely on city guides or travel blogs; you get to see what a place is like first hand - all from the comfort of your vacation house.

3. Work remotely with friends

Maybe you’re not interested in relocating, but you sure do want to get out of dodge - especially if you’ve been working from home for years. 

You don’t have to go alone. Book a vacation house. Together with your work-from-home friends, you can balance work with a little rest and relaxation.

After a long day on your laptops, you can unwind with homemade cocktails, a dip in the pool, or a walk into town to try the local cuisine.

Ready to set up your free Braid Pool? Click here to start collecting funds for your vacation house

4. Try impact travel 

Impact travel is a growing trend. It describes travelers who want their tourist dollars to make a positive impact on both the environment and the local community.  

A recent report from American Express shows that 81% of people agree that when they travel, they want their money to go back to the local community. 

And what better way to do that than by staying in a vacation house? Your tourist dollars certainly have a positive impact on individual homeowners. Plus, it feels more personal. 

5. See the world as a local

The American Express report also found that the same percentage of travelers want to immerse themselves in local culture. With a vacation house, you certainly can feel more like a local and less like a tourist. 

Staying in someone’s home is a far more intimate way to steep yourself into local culture and it also gives you a chance to glean lots of insider tips on the:

  • Best restaurants, bars, and coffee shops in town
  • Best hiking trails and excursion guides
  • Best driving routes
  • Best times to visit must-see locations

6. Rejuvenate with wellness retreats 

Vacation goals differ. Some people like to do challenging, adventurous feats, like 3-day hikes in Hawai’i. But other people travel to participate in wellness or yoga retreats.

Booking a vacation house facilitates the ultimate unwind.

With vacation houses offering saunas, hot tubs, and spaces for meditation sessions and yoga practices, you can experience a true break and come back feeling refreshed and recharged. 

Additionally, you can book larger suites in hotels that offer spa and wellness services so your vacation is replete with lots of much-needed pampering. 

7. Save money and help others save, too

Renting a vacation house with others is a smart way to get away without breaking the bank. And you’re not the only one saving money. 

Every time you choose to book a vacation house, you’re also helping someone increase their income. 

After the pandemic, you know how great it feels to make it to the end of the month with sufficient - or extra- funds. A vacation house is a win-win for you and your host. 

Plus, it puts you in the backyard of some of the world’s most beautiful places, like national parks, ski lodges, beaches, and more. 

Pay for your vacation house with a Braid Money Pool. Start here!

How to collect money and split vacation house payments with Braid Money Pools

You know who you’re traveling with. You know where you want to go. You even picked out the vacation house of dreams or the perfect apartment at a resort hotel. 

Now you need to secure everyone’s contributions and book it before someone else does. 

Make it happen with Braid. 

What is Braid?

Braid is a smart new tool that lets you collect, manage, and spend money with other people. 

It’s a Money Pool where everyone can pitch in and keep vacation house money safe and separate from personal accounts. 

Adding money to the pool is easy. Everyone can contribute with debit or credit cards. (More on that below!)

Spending pool money is easy, too. Every pool comes with a free digital debit card so you can spend funds everywhere Mastercard is accepted. You can order a physical card at any time, too. 

Here’s how to set up your Money Pool, start collecting everyone’s contributions, and make vacation happen. 

Set up your Braid Pool in a jiffy

Your Braid Pool is free to set up and free to use. There’s no catch. 

Braid doesn’t check your credit and never reports anything back to credit bureaus. It is required by law, however, to verify your identity to collect and spend money on Braid. 

Once you start your pool, personalize it. Give it a fun name, add a photo, and write a brief description so everyone knows exactly what it’s for. 

You also get to personalize your Pool Link. The Pool Link is what you share with traveling pals so they can pitch in. 

Now that you have your Braid Money Pool and Pool Link, share them! It’s easy. 

Your Pool Link can go virtually anywhere: in text messages, WhatsApp group chats, social media posts, emails, etc. 

Once people have your Pool Link, they can contribute with their debit or credit cards. 

Contributions from bank transfers or debit cards are free. Braid does, however, charge a 3% fee for contributions made with credit cards. The contributors pay this fee.

The great thing about Braid is that people don’t need a Braid account to add vacation house money to the pool. They just need your Pool Link. 

But if you want people to join the pool, they can. Just send them a special invitation link. Once they create a Braid account, they can join the pool. 

As pool admin, set permissions so they can view pool transactions, share the Pool Link, spend with the Braid card, and more. 

Keep vacation house money separate from your bank account

When it comes to group travel, one person usually has to foot the bill and get reimbursed later. If you’ve ever done this, you know how stressful it is to keep track of everyone’s money.

With Braid, however, contributions stay separate from your bank account. They gather in your money pool instead. Together with other pool members, you can keep track of funds and keep personal finances out of the picture. 

Spend pooled funds with your Braid card 

Whether your vacation house is on Airbnb or Vrbo or you’re booking a special stay in a hotel, you can pay for it from your Braid Money Pool. 

Every pool comes with a virtual debit card that allows you to spend funds wherever Mastercard is accepted. There are no transaction fees, maintenance fees, or overdraft fees. 

You and other pool members can spend 100% of your funds together. 

From your pool, you can track spending, adjust spending permissions and limits, or freeze the card. You never have to call a customer service center and wait on hold to make these changes. You can do it all from the app. 

Collect money and pay for your vacation house with Braid. With this convenient and collaborative tool, vacation house money can feel as relaxed as you do in the hot tub.

Start your Braid Pool today and have fun at your vacation house!