Is there really such a thing as family travel on a budget? Surprisingly enough, it is absolutely possible. With attention to money-saving opportunities in every aspect of travel including flights, lodging, attractions, and more, your family can enjoy all the perks of travel, without breaking the bank along the way!
As we all know, sticking to a budget isn’t easy in everyday life, let alone when traveling. As frazzled travelers, we are often tempted to spend impulsively out of convenience. How many times have we overpaid for a bottle of water in a hotel minibar or an overpriced snack at the airport? We can avoid expensive spending mishaps by simply being prepared.
Follow these “priceless” tips for flights, accommodations, and activities. Keep more money in your pocket while exploring the world with your family!
1. Book Travel In Advance
Some of the best deals can be had by booking travel early. If you know you have a family wedding to attend in 3 months, why not lock down the flight now? The closer you get to your travel date, the more inflated airline prices become as seats fill up. Airlines use a system of supply and demand. The fewer seats available, the higher the demand, resulting in price increases. According to a study compiled by Smarter Travel, a website that helps with family travel on a budget, the sweet spot for getting the best deal on your flight is 54 days prior to your trip.
2. Use Airline Reward Programs
If you are a frequent flier or have a credit card that is affiliated with an airline, take advantage of these perks when flying with family. The bigger your family, the more airline seats you have to purchase. This digs into your budget before you’ve even arrived at your destination. Not only can these reward points be used to partially or completely cover the cost of your ticket, but you are also often eligible for added perks. Upgraded or complimentary companion tickets to use for other family members are definitely a bonus.
3. Travel When Kids are Young
At first glance, this might not appear to make a lot of sense. We all know that traveling with young kids isn’t always a walk in the park. However, most airlines allow children under the age of 2 to fly for free. To clarify, the child doesn’t actually get their own seat for free. They can travel on an adult’s lap, which in reality is where they would likely be even if they did have a paid seat! Plus…BabyQuip can help by providing a car seat (or practically any baby item you can think of) so that you don’t have to worry about lugging all of that gear with you!
4. Travel at Off-Peak Times
Although it is tempting to book travel during a national holiday, this is almost always the most expensive time to travel. Many people already have these days off from work, so from a logistical standpoint, it makes sense, however, from a money-saving one, not so much. Flight prices typically surge around holidays, so if possible travel at off-peak times if you are a family traveling on a budget.
5. Set Price Alerts
If you start searching early enough, you can set price alerts through Google Flights for the travel days which appeal most to you. Google will email you when the price of your flight has changed. To activate this feature, toggle the “Track Prices” switch above your search results. Look at nearby airports as well. If you are flying into or out of a large city with multiple airports, look at flights from all the airports. This is done two ways:
1) When you type in “Los Angeles”, select the top option which says, “All Airports”.
2) There is also a “Nearby Airports” button above your search results.
Using an alternate airport to your preferred one is often less convenient (i.e. longer travel days) but can provide significant discounts on flights for your family. You’ll need to assess whether the savings are worth the extra effort. If the flights to the alternate airport are $75 cheaper per person and you are a family of 5, that may be well worth the extra cost of a taxi or Uber to your destination.
Kayak has a search tool that allows you to select multiple departure and return dates. This lets you compare hundreds of flights/airlines at once and easily see how much you could save by shifting your travel dates by a day or two on either end of your trip.
6. Stay at an All-Inclusive Resort
These resorts are typically geared toward families and include everything including meals. This will save you from having to eat at a pricey hotel restaurant for every single meal and snack since it’s already included in the price. These resorts also often provide free onsite activities for kids, such as water parks, movies under the stars, campfires, s’more nights, and more.
These built-in activities help you avoid spending money on costly tourist trap attractions. Some resorts even offer kids clubs that will watch your children for free or for a small fee. This definitely beats paying big bucks for a hotel babysitter if you are looking for an adults-only evening out, or even a child-free lounge or drink by the pool.
7. Expand Your Search Area
You can expect to pay more for your lodging the closer you are to the top tourist attractions. Try expanding your search to include areas outside of the tourist centers if you are struggling to find an affordable place to stay. Begin with focusing on locations that are well connected by public transit. This strategy is particularly effective to avoid high prices during the high seasons.
8. Book a Vacation Rental
If you prefer to live like a local and an all-inclusive resort isn’t quite your cup of tea, consider booking a vacation rental as opposed to a hotel. Check popular rental sites such as HomeAway or Airbnb for cost-effective accommodations. Try booking a vacation rental with a washer and dryer. Laundry facilities allow you to pack fewer clothes, which can help reduce baggage fees.
Going on a two-week trip? Pack enough clothes for one week and plan to do laundry halfway through. Going on an even longer trip? You still only need to pack for a week! You can also save money by cooking meals at the rental home, and stocking the refrigerator with beverages and kid-friendly snacks. You can even pack a picnic lunch straight from the pantry to up the savings ante when out and about. Consider bunking with extended family or perhaps family friends so that you can split the cost of the rental.
Related articles:
- Best Discount Travel Sites: Tips for Getting the Best Prices When Traveling
- Staycation Ideas for Babies and Toddlers
- BabyQuip Baby Gear Rentals: How to Get Started
9. Go Camping
A great way to cut down on lodging costs when you are looking to do some family travel on a budget is to pitch a tent! The National Park Service has a great tool that allows you to find campgrounds all over the country. Kampgrounds of America (KOA) can also link you up with over 500 places to camp. Prices for a basic site start at $35/night and up depending on your location.
You can also upgrade to a cabin for about twice that price if you aren’t quite ready for the challenge of being under the stars with your little ones. Break out the marshmallows and get ready for some ghost stories!
10. Try a Home Exchange
The internet has made it so that the various possibilities of a house swap situation are endless! The most popular website for this is homeexchange.com. For $150/year, users can create profiles describing their own home and family and then explore what other users have to offer in practically any corner of the globe. Members can message each other to set up travel plans and then use each other’s homes cost-free.
According to smartertravel.com, “Some folks love to swap and do it several times a year because it allows them to experience new places without paying for hotels, restaurants, or, in many cases, transportation (the use of the family car is included in many home exchanges).” It’s not for everyone, but if you are willing to let another family experience your digs while you take over theirs, it could be a win-win for everyone!
11. Visit Family or Friends
Nothing beats a free place to stay, so why not travel to a place where a loved one is waiting and willing to open up their doors to you and your family? There may not be an indoor pool or room service, but some of the best family travel memories are often made in less-than-ideal conditions. Most toddlers and young children would rather sleep in a sleeping bag on their cousin’s floor than in a fancy hotel!
Staying in another’s home also means more home-cooked (that is, less expensive!) meals, insights on deals at local attractions, and a good dose of quality time to catch up with some long-distance friends or relatives. How’s that for family travel on a budget?!
12. Use Coupon Sites Such as Groupon
Groupon.com is ideal for family travel on a budget! This website has an entire category of deals called “Things to Do” for many cities across the country. Research the attractions in your destination and cross-check for great deals! You can often find huge discounts on entries to theme parks, kid zones, sports events, and much more. Grabbing a Go City pass or New York Pass is also a great way to save money on tickets if you’re planning to visit multiple attractions!
13. Use Group Discounts
If you are a large family or traveling with extended family members, inquire about group discounts. Many attractions and excursions offer discounts to groups of over 8-10 or more. This can equal big budget savings and big fun for all for family travel on a budget!
14. Take Advantage of Free Activities
Many cities offer free entry to museums and walking tours. In other cases, they offer family discount pricing for tickets, and sometimes kids enter free with a paying adult. This is the kind of thing for family travel on a budget you want to keep a lookout for.
If you have a membership or a season pass to a local museum, check out museum reciprocity or NARM where you can get into art museums and galleries, historical museums and societies, botanical gardens, children’s museums, zoos, and more with a paid membership.
Check the local community calendar for listings. Be on the lookout for events such as outdoor concerts, parades, and public library offerings. Check out options for beaches, playgrounds, historical sites, and beautiful spots to picnic.
These types of attractions will save you money while encouraging you to explore new horizons. Consider renting a stroller or baby carrier for these excursions. The reasonable fees associated with renting these items from a reputable company like BabyQuip are actually priceless! It will make these outings more enjoyable for all!
15. Use Cost-Effective Transportation
Although it might be tempting to hail a cab or summon an Uber, it is typically one of the more expensive ways to get travel and may not be the best for family travel on a budget. Why not explore your destination like a pro and take the local form of transportation?
From the subway system in NYC to the Bart in San Francisco you will experience a new family adventure en route to your destination, along with great savings! Feeling active? Seeing a destination by bicycle or on foot will not only save you money, but it will also allow you to slow down and really take in the new surroundings. Young children will appreciate a leisurely ride in a carrier or stroller as well!
16. Choose a Walkable Destination
If you can avoid renting a car, that is a huge way to save money for family travel on a budget. Choose a destination that allows you to walk to the places you want to go. If you are traveling in the U.S. this often means visiting cities. But most other places in the world outside of North America fall into this category of being walkable. Europe is amazing with kids because of the ability to walk almost everywhere. You’ll be able to take a bus or subway from the airport to the town center. From there you’ll be able to walk everywhere.
17. Reduce Your Phone Bill While Traveling
This is something that people often forget to plan for. It’s not until you actually get to your destination that you become aware of roaming fees or lack of service. If you are traveling internationally, beware of roaming charges from your cell phone provider.
Check with your provider ahead of time to see if you can purchase a travel plan while you’re away. T-mobile has a fantastic international plan with no roaming fees that works well for family travel on a budget.
If you have an unlocked phone, pick up a local SIM card as soon as you can after landing. Almost every destination has a prepaid phone plan designed for tourists. These plans are usually for 7-31 days and include local calling minutes and data. If you’d prefer not to bother with getting a SIM card while on vacation, you can buy a multi-country international SIM card on Amazon before you go.
What are some of your favorite tips for family travel on a budget? Please let us know in the comments below!
Jennifer O’Neill is an Independent Quality Provider with BabyQuip, helping families travel lighter and happier. She is a mother of two boys and enjoys working out, spending time with family and friends and of course, traveling.
Great info. thx
Hi, I stumbled on your blog and I like this post a whole lot. You make some interesting points.
Looking for free and cheap activites surprisingly results in fun family vacations. Good reminder about checking on Groupon, I’ve been wanting to try it out.
Nice suggestions. I appreciate this especially now as I’m trying to plan our next family vacation but my husband and I both have had to take pay cuts. :(
Pack a lunch in a Bentgo box for the airport or drive. Kids love to open a lunchbox and find a variety of things to eat and it saves money vs. buying expensive airport food or unhealthy drive through food! Things like crackers, cheese, salami, pretzels, dried fruit and nuts make for great travel food in the lunchbox.