Cottage getaways you can afford

Can't afford to buy a cottage? Don't lose heart. All it takes is some research, advance planning, even a bit of off-the-grid and outside-the-box thinking and you can afford to get away -- yes, regularly -- to cottage country. Here are some cost-effective ways to budget that classic Canadian R&R retreat into your summer downtime.

Rentals
Find a cottage from the comfort of your desk through websites like cottagelink.com, or in Ontario, cottageportal.com, which has a Last-Minute Availability search if you're late out of the gate (the smart money starts booking in January or February). You can search by region or price and check out photos of cottage interiors and exteriors before you contact the owners. Modest cottages can go for as little as $300 per week (off the electrical-power grid and outhouse-equipped, for a rustic experience) or $4,000 (or more) per week for a lakefront McMansion (doable if you rent it with a large group of friends or family).

Fractional ownership
Fractional ownerships are similar to old-fashioned timeshares in that you share ownership of a vacation property with others, and in return for your investment, you get a portion of high- and low-season vacation weeks for your private use. But they differ in some ways as well. For one thing, you have a deeded ownership interest that you can resell. Also, fractional ownerships tend to be in luxury resort settings where the amenities may include concierge service (want your fave groceries prestocked in your fridge? No problem!), fitness centres, house cleaning and so on.

Shares are commonly sold as eights or quarters, with a property management company handling maintenance, scheduling your vacation time and so on. With cottage prices all over the map, prices will vary (many with additional maintenance fees), and for the most part, you're looking at investing in the five figures to $125,000 or more, unlike timeshares, which can be had for mere thousands. Not "cheap" per se, but fractional ownership can get you into Ontario's Muskokas or the Prince Albert, Alta., area, even if you can't foot the $500,000+ prices many of these properties command.

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