A couple in the US has claimed that they cut their housing costs significantly by moving out of a rented home and into a hotel, saving around $12,000 (approximately ₹11 lakh) annually.
According to a report by The New York Post, Maranda Bowers, 47, and her husband, John, 40, earlier lived in a two-storey, three-bedroom house in Pensacola, Florida, where they paid $2,300 in monthly rent. Their financial situation changed in 2023 after John suffered a workplace accident that left his right hand crushed, making him unable to work.
With Maranda, who runs a cleaning company, becoming a solo earner, managing rent became difficult. So she lived with her family for two weeks before moving into a hotel in November 2023.
From $2,300 rent to $307 a week hotel
The couple now pay $307 a week for a one-bedroom hotel room. The amount includes electricity, water, internet, trash services and free parking. Maranda said that they save $12,000 a year on average.
“The biggest positive about hotel life is you don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on rent. You don’t need to put together a security deposit or pay a month’s rent in advance,” she said, per the outlet.
She said that the fixed weekly expense makes budgeting easier. “Getting $307 a week together is a lot easier than coming up with rent and utility bills every month. On average, over the last two years, we have saved around $1,000 a month,” she said.
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What’s it like living in a hotel?
The couple shared that their room comes with a kitchenette, including a two-burner stove and a full-size refrigerator, allowing them to cook meals. The hotel also offers optional cleaning and fresh linens. “I like the convenience of it, it is one bill a week. I don’t have to worry about running the water or turning on the air conditioning,” she said.
The couple shared that they hope to use the money they saved to purchase a plot of land and a tiny home for them to own. “We want to live simply, go on vacations and live our life rather than put all our money into a huge home,” Maranda said.
“Our kids are grown, we don’t have any little ones anymore, communal living doesn’t bother us. I would love a tiny home, we no longer want a big house — we like the simplicity of living simply,” she added.
The 47-year-old admitted that it isn’t a luxurious lifestyle, but said that their hotel room is like a mini apartment. She also said that she has created a small private workspace using dividers.
“It isn’t luxurious, but it is worth what we save. We don’t have to worry about covering rent every month. A lot of people also think living in a hotel room means we have to spend lots of money eating out, but that is not the case. I cook all the time. I cooked Thanksgiving and Christmas for half the hotel,” she added.
