Where do travel therapists hang their hats? As you travel from assignment to assignment, you’ll need to take care of one very important necessity, and that’s housing. You have many options for locating suitable — and affordable — lodging for your stay. Here’s a few money saving tips from experienced travelers.
Find your own housing
The option to secure your own lodging has several advantages. You’ll be able to live wherever you like and depending on your choice, you may also be able to save money during your assignment. Consider the following:
- Staying with friends or family. If there’s anyone you know who lives near your upcoming placement and has a spare room, this is a great option for housing. You’ll get to catch up with your friend or loved one during your stay. And you’ll have an automatic support network as you get your bearings in your new surroundings. Also, you may be able to save a lot of money this way.
- Motels, hotels and extended stays. If you don’t want to worry about furnishing your temporary residence, a motel, hotel or extended stay hotel could be the right choice for you. Yes, all of these places will have published rates. But if you know you’ll be staying for several months, you can always speak with the manager to negotiate a cheaper price. Another advantage is that these types of lodgings are usually close to restaurants, stores and other amenities, so you won’t need to travel far to eat, shop, do your laundry, etc.
- Vacation Rentals by Owner (VRBOTM). If you’re looking to stay in a more “homey” setting, you can check out the VRBO website for possibilities. You’ll be able to browse through personal residences, condos and B&Bs being rented by owner. This site has many beautiful possibilities, and gives you the option of speaking with owners about a discount for a 3 month stay or off season rentals.
- With this tried-and-true resource, you can browse open rental options or post your own request for housing. A headline of “Travel therapist seeks temporary housing for three months,” for example, could be all you need to hook up with locals and negotiate your stay.
- The local Chamber of Commerce. You can also contact the Chamber of Commerce for the city you’ll be traveling to, explain your situation, and ask for more information about lodging options. Chamber of Commerce websites are a great place to find smaller “family owned” lodging establishments and as well as sight seeing options.
- A local realtor. The key advantage to working with a local realtor is that they are very familiar with the area. Many realtors are also landlords and may be willing to consider a short-term rental. They’ll be able to help you find housing within your price range and can give you tips about which areas are the best, and which you may want to avoid.
What about furnishings?
Depending on the type of housing you choose, you may need to supply your own furnishings. A common choice is to use a furniture rental service, such as Brook Furniture Rental or Aaron Rents. You can also shop for inexpensive furniture at stores with reasonable prices, such as IKEA or Target, or you can even check out Craigslist. If you don’t want to deal with this extra work, stick to furnished housing options.
Ready for your next assignment?
PT Solutions can help! We’re an experienced healthcare staffing firm run by therapists, and we’ll work with you to find a placement that meets all your needs. If you have any questions or need more information about travel therapy, just visit our helpful FAQ page. And if you’re ready to speak to a recruiter about your next assignment, contact us today!
