We love traveling, but it’s not always in our budget. Becoming smarter with our money has been a major saving grace to our marriage and our family plans. With that I’ve learned that there are great money saving tips and tricks for family vacation!
Yes there are ways to create fun travel experiences without killing the bank. I remember as a kid when my mom would pack our lunches for day trips or bring snacks for long road adventures. As an adult I realize she was really planning to maximize where our money was best spent.
With intentional planning our family has been able to travel not just locally, but also further away from home. This has always been a family goal of ours to allow the kids to experience life, not just hear about it.
A Family Vacation can be money saving!
Is anyone else guilty of traveling outside of their means? I know we’ve done it and paid the credit card bills later… ugh. Sometimes we can get swept away with the beauty of traveling abroad and miss local opportunities. It’s also important to think of your child’s needs (any sensory needs or disabilities) as you prepare for your trip.
So as you plan your next trip keep these money saving tips and tricks in mind!
- Schedule Off Season Trips: All locations have what they call “off seasons.” This is where it’s less busy, usually. Off seasons happen for a number of reasons: weather, schools in session, or vacation isn’t on the global calendar. This is a great opportunity to save usually since vacation spots are looking to fill their vacancies. Planning a family vacation around an off season can easily be money saving all around.
- Think Local: Most times when we think of vacation it’s in a far off distant place that travel alone is costly. Some of our best family vacations have been local or within our state. Putting on your tourist hat may be all you need to see your local attractions and even hotel stays as wonderful options. Do you have a local Great Wolf Lodge? Or an amusement park? See what fun accommodations are available.
- Plan ahead, even meals: Seriously this is a BIG money saving tip that too many people take for granted or wait until last minute. Planning is everything and that includes: all the baby gear you need, when you’ll cook or eat out, best items to pack, any potential memorabilia that you specifically will look for. Plan and WRITE it down!
The best tip of all…
Know something may and usually will go wrong. I say this often, because even the best planners encounters bumps along the way. The goal of your family vacation is to stay budget conscious! Money saving tips like these are truly meant to maximize your memories and time together. So when you plan don’t extend all of your finances into one particular experience unless that’s the intent.
We learned that after one trip to Disney. Our kids had an incredible time, but we almost missed out by focusing on one location. Because we planned our budget well we got to enjoy the beach, checking out crocodiles, and overall exploring. Our family vacation not only was memorable, but it certainly helped us save money.
Oh and I will throw in one more tip! Consider lodging at a timeshare location. OKAY, hear me out! If you can deal with the hour presentation and slide out with a strong “no” you can get some extra attraction perks worth your time. We have had two great timeshare experiences in Florida. Both allowed attraction tickets and the accommodations were amazing. It’s something to consider for sure!
Whatever you’re thinking of next as a family start planning now! Look at dates, write out lists, and make your next adventure something memorable!