Why Renting a Cottage is Better Than Owning One!

Why own when you can rent?

Owning a cottage is part of the Canadian dream.  There are plenty of reasons why - many of our fondest memories are from summers spent at the lake. Owning a cottage means you can head up for a last minute weekend away, have a place to house all your toys for the lake and invite friends and family up whenever you’d like.

On the flip side, however, there are plenty more reasons why renting is the way to go! 

The first, most obvious reason, is cost. Besides a mortgage payment, there are plenty of other costs to consider. Property taxes can be quite high in cottage country.  Docks, decks, and septic systems, among other things, need maintenance. Utilities and insurance are an additional cost.

Once you take all of these things into account, you’re looking at spending tens of thousands annually to own a cottage. Not to mention the initial hit of land transfer fees and the cost of furnishings and toys.

By renting, you can enjoy a week or two away at a fraction of the cost (and a fraction of the hassle and headache).

If your ideal cottage scenario includes a lot of relaxing, ownership puts a real damper on that.  It’s difficult to lounge around and sneak in a nap when there’s so much upkeep to be done.  Even if you pay someone to do the majority of the work, the little tasks have a way of interrupting your downtime.  With renting, your time at the cottage is truly a holiday!

Pressure to host too often/too much can be another downside of cottage ownership.  Friends and family are going to be awaiting their invitations to join you at your cottage. Hosting can be great and rewarding, but the constant flow of guests is exhausting. The question of who to invite up and when can be stressful as well.  When you rent, if you invite up friends or family, you are in it together.  

Considering that the cost of ownership is so high, you’d want to make it worthwhile by spending as much time as possible at your cottage.  Depending on what stage of life you’re in, it may not be possible to carve out more than two or three weeks through the summer to do so.  If that’s the case, renting would make more sense.

Finally, we live in a massive, beautiful nation. There is so much to see and do! There is certainly nothing wrong with wanting to go to the same location for all of your holidays, but if exploring other places is something that appeals to you, owning a cottage ties you down and keeps you from experiencing all that Canada (and the World!) has to offer!

There you have it. The reasons why, for most of us, renting cottages is the way to go!

Packing for a Cottage Getaway

Preparing for some time away at the cottage?
There are a lot of things to consider bringing above and beyond clothing and personal hygiene products.
Some essentials to pack for your time away include:

1. Paperwork

It's a good idea to bring print outs of things like directions and rental information so that if you have issues with your cell phone battery, signal, data or an app being down, you have this important information on hand.

2.  First Aid Kit

This is an essential item to pack. Don't forget key items such as your family's health cards, pain relievers, bandages, sunscreen, insect repellent, after-sun lotion, and Polysporin.
Also, make note of the nearest hospitals and health care clinics.

3. Entertainment for Kids

Though there are tons of fun activities to be enjoyed together as a family, it's a good idea to pack some items to busy the little ones while the adults are preparing meals, etc.
Some suggestions: bubbles; a special and/or new toy; a simple craft that they can do with minimal help; a sensory bin (coloured rice is a hit in our family).

4.  Food

It's helpful to make a meal plan for your time at the cottage so that you only bring up what you're actually going to eat. You don't want to waste valuable space in the car!
Remember to bring along items like oils, spices, tea/coffee and, if you're planning on baking, things you'll need like baking powder, baking soda, vanilla, etc.
Pack perishable items in a cooler with plenty of ice packs as the drive up north can be long and hot!

5.  For eating/cleaning up

While cookware, utensils and dishes are provided, make sure to bring along items such as napkins, paper towels, extra garbage bags,  and child-friendly dishes if you have little ones. It's a good idea to bring some food wrap along as well, i.e. aluminum foil, cling wrap, Ziploc bags, etc.

6. Leisure items


Rental cottages often come stocked with entertainment options, but if there are any special board games or yard games, be sure to bring them along! An easy-read book is always a good idea, too.



7.  Electronics

Remember your chargers! Whether for your phone, tablet, camera - these items aren't of much use if the battery dies.

8. Pet items

If you're bringing furry friends along you'll need to bring some essential items:
food, bowls, treats, toys, leashes, poop bags, and a tick remover.
Also, check out our last blog post about travelling safely with pets!