Bungalows - how do YOU do it?

Raisin

Mon, Jul 29 2019, 12:32 pm

Spinoff of the takonos thread. I just don't get how people can afford to rent a bungalow for 2 entire months plus (or own one, and pay the mortgage on it) and take off work for 2-3 months. I guess it makes sense if you are a teacher or academic or school based speech therapist or wtvr (or a sahm) married to a very wealthy guy but otherwise it makes no sense.

In Europe families who can afford it go away for a couple of weeks and no one feels deprived. Only very wealthy people own summer homes.

I am sure this is an amazing experience, I am just baffled how (non wealthy) people afford it. And how to justify spending that kind of money if you are not paying full tuition.

My kids have off 8 weeks in the summer. They go to day camp for a couple of weeks, we go away for a couple of weeks and the older kids might go to overnight camp for 2 or 3 weeks. And they survive being bored at home the rest of the time. We go on trips and shop for school and go to the library and play with friends.

amother

Babypink

Mon, Jul 29 2019, 12:36 pm

The reality is that many people cannot afford it but they anyways go. And many people in Brooklyn kive off programs (lying on the paperwork) thus can afford to go to the country. And some people truly can afford it. Many people have jobs in camps and countries and they get a bungalow.
You said you send your kids to overnight camp and go away for afew weeks. The cost of that can cover a bungalow for afew weeks. Everyone has different priorities.

OutATowner

Mon, Jul 29 2019, 12:38 pm

I am not familiar with bungalow colonies and I have wondered the same thing. However I have heard from one or two families that it ends up being cheaper for them. They rent a no frills bungalow, day camp is cheaper there than in the city, no need for Sunday activities, and she works from home and actually gets more hours in because her kids are busy playing with friends later. Her husband and is a Rebbe in a nearby bungalow. That is just one family, I have no idea what everyone else does.

chestnut

Mon, Jul 29 2019, 12:43 pm

What Babypink said. You already seem to spend the summer vacation with your kids, meaning, you have off in the summer. Same people go upstate. Many can't afford that.
You go away for a couple of weeks. Many can't afford that.
Your kidS go to sleepaway camps. Many can't afford it, either.
It's all about priorities. Being on gov't programs and/or making normal money off the books definitely helps.
Combine that with people who can legit afford it, grandparents helping, and probably other scenarios, and you have all different ways people afford it

Last edited by chestnut on Mon, Jul 29 2019, 12:44 pm; edited 1 time in total

Raisin

Mon, Jul 29 2019, 12:46 pm

amother [ Babypink ] wrote:

How much does a bungalow cost to rent anyway? Like a basic 3 bedroom one?

Honestly, I only send my kids to overnight camp because we live oot and they have no frum friends. Last year we chose to go on vacation altogether as a family and didn't send most of my kids to camp.

When I say 2 weeks - well, this year it is more like 10 days. Some of which we are staying with family, the rest we are renting a place. Last year we rented a place for 9 days. And yes, its a luxury. We go somewhere within driving distance and rent a house. I imagine what we rent is similar in price to a bungalow.

amother

Babypink

Mon, Jul 29 2019, 12:49 pm

Raisin, as I said, everyone has different priorities.
2 bedrooms and a kitchen is the average size bungalow. The price ranges from less then $1,000 we week and upwards, depends on the bungalow colony.
Working women do not go to the country unless they teach and have off in the summer or they work from home.

amother

Magenta

Mon, Jul 29 2019, 12:54 pm

Raisin wrote:

I’ve been in a colony were they were all 1 bedroom bungalows. Mother sleeps in living room / dining room / kitchen all week. Opens trundle bed for DH for Shabbos. Kids sleep in 1 bedroom in bunk beds.
It’s still not cheap.

amother

Magenta

Mon, Jul 29 2019, 12:54 pm

amother [ Vermilion ] wrote:

What is the cost difference of day camp? Im paying 100$ a week here in lkwd for my 2 yr old and 4 yr old and my friends are telling me they pay much less. Curious how much less ...

Day camp for older kids is way more in Lakewood.

amother

Babyblue

Mon, Jul 29 2019, 12:54 pm

Many people I know dedicate their tax return money for this. I live in a Brooklyn condominium complex where a majority of people own the apts.
Out of several hundred families living here, I’d say there’s maybe 25 families not going away. Some do have jobs so they get it for free, but a large chunk doesn’t. Some are wealthy and can afford it, but I find it hard to believe that all of them do.

flowerpower

Mon, Jul 29 2019, 12:57 pm

A lot of working women either work from their bungalow( take up their work), come in for 2-3 days a week, take off work ( they come up for a few weeks- not full summer), are teachers so have off in the summer anyways, are therapists so work upstate in the summer, or have a summer job upstate.
Many people don’t go all summer so it’s not so costly. A neighbor told me her run down bungalow and pays less there than what she would pay for her kids here in day camp.

amother

Azure

Mon, Jul 29 2019, 12:58 pm

Raisin wrote:

I also curious, for working women, what jobs you have that enable you to do this?

My brothers family goes. For them renting a bungalow and sending kids to the bungalow colony daycamp costs as much as daycamp does where they live. My brother goes up a few times a week and the weekends. He also is part of the Catskills Hatzolah .
My SIL has her own business. It’s her choice if she wants to go into the city and work a day here or there but she said she’d much rather take a break because she needs to be relaxed in order to continue her business successfully. Her business entails a lot of physical work as well and this gives her a break. She also goes to a place where there is a group that makes a round robin for dinners where one woman makes a simple dinner for five families , but only once a week. They each take turns. The rest of the week it’s all about vacation and enjoying the day at the pool, playing tennis and chilling while the kids play at daycamp and outdoors until it gets dark.
They go for about 4-5 weeks

amother

Magenta

Mon, Jul 29 2019, 1:19 pm

amother [ Vermilion ] wrote:

The friend who told me this has kids the same ages as me...

I have elementary age kids. it’s $700+ per kid per half in Lakewood.

Playgroup and backyard camps are $100 or less.

amother

Lilac

Mon, Jul 29 2019, 1:24 pm

Raisin wrote:

It sounds like you also spend a lot of their summer vacation home with them. The same way you can afford to do that, plus send them to various camps, others do it in a bungalow colony.

keym

Mon, Jul 29 2019, 1:25 pm

amother [ Magenta ] wrote:

I have elementary age kids. it’s $700+ per kid per half in Lakewood.

Playgroup and backyard camps are $100 or less.

To clarify, playgroup and backyard are $100 or a bit less PER WEEK. 8 weeks, total $750-$800 a summer.

Im paying $95 a week, total $780 each for a 2 year old and 5 yr old. 9:15-3.
How much are bungalow backyard camps and what hours are they?