Boarding House

Shopping on line can be easy, simple and save you lots of money. It can also take a lot of your time, frustrate you, and result in unwanted purchases. Now the same can be said for regular high street shopping, but with the vast opportunity presented by the Internet it will pay you to spend a few minutes reading this and understanding how to better optimize your Boarding House shopping experience:

1. Compare - without doubt the biggest advantage that the Boarding House offers shoppers today is the ability to compare thousands of Boarding House at a time. This is a great thing, but not necessarily all the time! Too much can be daunting at times so take advantage of the great comparison sites and where possible let them do the hard work for you.

2. Research - if it has been said it will be on the internet. Ignorance is no longer a justifiable reason for buying the wrong thing. Take the time to research in detail everything that you could possible want to know about

3. Testimonials - don't know anybody that has bought a Boarding House? Wrong! If the Boarding House is good the internet will let you know. Use the Internet as a friend and get testimonials before you buy.

4. Questions - Got a question about Boarding House then search the Forums, FAQ's, Blogs etc. Don't be afraid to ask .....

5. Reputation - Never heard of the company selling Boarding House? Don't worry, no reason why you should know every company in the world, but you know someone that does! Use the internet to find out what people are saying about Boarding House and build up a picture of their reputation for sales, returns, customer service, delivery etc.

6. Returns - still worried that even after all of the above your Boarding House wont be what you want? Check out the returns policy. There is so much competition now that someone, somewhere is bound to offer the terms that you are comfortable with.

7. Feedback - happy with your Boarding House then let people know, after all you are depending on others people input in your buying decision, so why not give a little back.

8. Security - check for the yellow padlock on the Boarding House site before you buy, and the s after http:/ /i.e. https:// = a secure site

9. Contact - got a question about Boarding House, or want to leave a comment then check out the sites contact page. Reputable companies have them and respond.

10. Payment - ready to pay for your Boarding House, then use your credit card or PayPal! Be aware of companies that don't accept them, there may be genuine reasons but given the huge amount of choice you have when buying online there is no reason at all not to buy via credit card or PayPal.

For the short story see The Boarding House.

A boarding house can also be called a "rooming house" (mainly in the United States) or a "lodging house". It is a house (often a family home) in which people on vacation or lodging renting one or more rooms for one or more nights, and sometimes for extended periods of weeks, months and years. Years ago the boarders would typically share washing, breakfast and dining facilities; in recent years it has become common for each room to have its own washing and toilet facilities. Such boarding houses were often found in English seaside towns (for Holiday) and college towns (for students).

In the United Kingdom, the boarding houses were typically run by landladies, and the practice was that boarders would arrange to stay bed-and-breakfast (bed and breakfast only), half-board (bed, breakfast and dinner only) or full-board (bed, breakfast, lunch and dinner). Especially for families on holiday with children, boarding (particularly on a full-board basis) was an inexpensive alternative and certainly much cheaper than staying in any but the cheapest hotels.

Bed and breakfast accommodation (B&B), which exists in many countries in the world (e.g. the UK, the United States, Canada, and Australia), is a specialised form of boarding house in which the guests or boarders normally stay only on a bed-and-breakfast or half-board basis, and where long-stay residence is rare.

Apart from the worldwide spread of the concept of the B&B, there are equivalents of the British boarding houses elsewhere in the world. For example, in Japan, minshuku are an almost exact equivalent although the normal arrangement would be the equivalent of the English half-board. In Hawaii, where the cost of living is high and incomes barely keep pace, it is common to take in lodgers (who are boarders in English terminology) that share the burden of the overall rent or mortgage loan payable.

In fiction

Our Boarding House - American newspaper comic strip that ran from 1921 to 1981, starring Major Hoople.
Hey Arnold! - Cartoon in which the main character lived in a boarding house.
Maison Ikkoku, from the manga/anime Maison Ikkoku, is a boarding house.
The Birthday Party (play) and The Room - Two Harold Pinter plays that take place in boarding houses.
"Joe Turner's Come and Gone" - Play by August Wilson that takes place in a boarding house