24 Ways to Cut Costs at Your Vacation Rental: Part 2| HomeAway Community

Trim the Fat

Reduce the number of premium movie channels that you pay for. Paying for more than one family of premium movie channels is likely unnecessary and an easy expense to eliminate from your budget.

Cut back on your landscaping and maintenance. If you currently have your lawn tended to every week, try going every other week.

Move your personal website to a more cost-effective host. If you've had your personal website for more than a few years, you're likely paying a much higher rate for hosting than is necessary. Check out low-cost hosts like GoDaddy.com or HostMonster.com for deals on hosting and domains.

Swap out your regular checking account for a free online one. If you have a separate checking account for your rental and currently pay steep monthly fees, look into the array of free online checking websites that have popped up in recent years.

Buy generic brands of household products like dishwashing detergent and glass cleaner. They tend to work just as well and your guests won't be able to tell the difference.

Join In the Green Movement

Decrease your heating and cooling costs by checking your insulation and all of the seals on your windows and doors.

Replace iridescent light bulbs with the compact fluorescent kind. A quick and easy fix to save a little bit on your electricity bill each month.

Unplug your appliances if your home is not in use. If your home is sitting unoccupied for more than a few days, have your housekeeper unplug all of your appliances and electronics. Just be sure that your fridge is empty or your next guests might have an unwelcome smell greeting them!

Empty your hot tub when not in use or at least turn it way down. If you don't have guests in your home for a while, consider dramatically lowering the temperature of your hot tub or even draining it. If you do decide to drain the tub completely, be sure to give your housekeeper plenty of notice to refill it because it tends to take longer than you think.

Lower your thermostats (HVAC and water heating) when you don't have guests. During the winter months, heating your home can be dearly expensive. Save a few dollars by having your guests turn down the heat before they checkout and have your housekeeper double-check it before locking your place up. You may even want to invest in a tamper-proof thermostat that you can program to save energy. Also, consider having your housekeeper lower the temperature of your water heater before he or she leaves.

Part 1: Put on Your Bargaining Hat

Part 3: Embrace Your Inner DIYer