FlipKey

With $4 a gallon gas, airlines slashing service and raising prices, and the dollar weaker than George W. Bush's approval ratings, "staycations" are becoming all the rage this summer. I'm guessing numerous Bostonians will forgo international travel and cross-country road trips for something closer to home, so renting a vacation home in New England may be a way to still have a nice summer break without breaking the bank with travel costs.

If you're looking for a summer rental, you may want to search for a property on FlipKey, a newly launched web site. FlipKey lists over 50,000 vacation homes in all 50 states that are available for rent. What makes FlipKey unique is that it allows registered users to rate properties, so it's very similar to TripAdvisor, the popular hotel rating web site. Like TripAdvisor, FlipKey creates profiles of the properties, authenticating them for potential vacationers. And, like TripAdvisor, it enables users to rate the properties after stays. So if a "staycation" is in your future and you're not venturing far from Boston, check it out.