Money Saving Travel Hacks for Families: How to Plan a Budget-Friendly Vacation

Budget-Friendly Vacation

Perry Smith August 5, 2022

0 46 8 minutes read

Introduction

A family vacation is an excellent opportunity to reconnect with your loved ones, but it can also be a stressful experience. If you’re planning a trip that involves multiple stops and long hours in the car, there’s no doubt that money is going to be tight. Thankfully, there are plenty of ways to save money on family vacations–and some even help keep everyone happy!

Go off the grid.

Go off the grid.
Experience a new culture, city, country or state.
Experience a new continent or planet.

Take advantage of frequent flier miles, gift cards, and other rewards.

You can take advantage of frequent flier miles, gift cards, and other rewards to save money on your vacation.

Frequent flier miles are a great way to save money on flights. For example, United Airlines offers one mile per dollar spent on its flights (up to 10K). That’s enough for a round-trip flight from New York City to San Francisco! The catch: it only applies to first class tickets. If you want more than one seat in first class but don’t have any miles saved up for that specific flight yet—or if you’d like some flexibility in booking seats—then consider using gift cards instead.

Gift cards make great gifts because they’re easy for anyone interested in traveling abroad: friends or family members who aren’t regular travelers might not know what they need until they see photos posted online by travelers showing off their favorite spots around the world; others may already have plans but still want something special when visiting somewhere new; even those with no idea where they’ll go next year could use some inspiration from someone else who has done it before (but without spending too much).

Stay in a hotel with a pool.

If you have a family, staying in a hotel with a pool is one of the best ways to save money while on vacation. Hotels with pools often cost more than those without pools, but they’re also usually nicer and more luxurious. You can relax by the pool after a long day of traveling or go swimming yourself if you don’t want to leave your room (or if it rains). Plus, kids love being around water!

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If you choose one of these hotels with pools, be sure that it has all-inclusive admission rates so that there are no additional fees for food or drinks at the bar/restaurant inside the facility (this will ensure that there aren’t any surprises when checking out).

Rent a car or rent a tour van (or even a camper).

Renting a car or renting a tour van (or even renting a camper) is usually cheaper than renting a car. This is because you’ll be paying for only one vehicle, instead of two – and there are fewer expenses associated with it. Also, many people like to travel in groups, so if you’re traveling with friends or family members who want to split hotel rooms and rent their own cars, then this can save money as well!

If you do decide to rent something other than an SUV/van/campervan combination though: keep in mind that these vehicles tend to be more expensive than sedans or other smaller models because they have larger engines under the hoods which require more maintenance costs per mile driven over time.”

Pack light.

Pack light. You want to make sure you pack only what you need in your luggage, and it’s important that you pack clothes for all seasons so everyone can stay comfortable throughout their trip.
Bring snacks with you. Kids love the variety of food and drinks they’ll find on their vacations (and adults too!). This will help ensure everyone stays full during long hours in the car or plane ride, which will also prevent any fight breaks over who gets to eat what first.
Pack a water bottle instead of buying one at airport kiosks—this helps save money because bottles like these tend not to cost much more than generic brands from other stores like Target or Walmart’s own brand options which often come with filters included.”

Find free events at parks and museums.

Museums and parks are free! If you don’t have kids, this is a great place to start saving money on vacation.

Here are some ways museums and parks can help you save:

They often have special events that cost nothing to attend, such as art appreciation workshops or lectures.
They often offer free food at the museum or park entrance (and sometimes even inside). You can also bring your own snacks if you want something more substantial than chips and soda!
Many museums also offer childcare services so parents can enjoy these activities without worrying about their kids while they’re away from them (or vice versa). This way both parties get what they want out of an outing together—a fun family activity experience like no other!

Make friends with the airport staff.

You’re at the airport, looking for a Delta SkyClub. It’s late and you’re tired, so you ask a stranger for directions. The man looks at your travel itinerary and says that he can help—he knows the best way to get there from here. He points out the steps: through security, then immigration clearance (for each person), then customs clearance (again).

This is one of those moments when it pays to know someone in authority who has access to their own system or networks within the airport itself. If someone comes up to you and asks if they can assist with something at any point during your trip—whether it’s getting through security without having anything confiscated or finding out what time they close while waiting on line—it may not seem like much now but could save hours later when all those details are important!

Keep Everyone Comfortable

You’ll want to pack a blanket, pillows, and sleeping bag for everyone. The stroller can be used for the kids if necessary; just leave it at home if you plan on using public transportation.

You may also want to bring along an extra pair of shoes—you never know when you might need them!

If your family is prone to getting tired while traveling (and let’s face it: who isn’t?), then bring along some portable fans as well as portable battery packs so that everyone has access to fresh air throughout the day/night. An air mattress is another great way of ensuring comfort during long car rides or flights; just remember not to forget about packing any extra sheets or towels before departure!

Opt for a Multipurpose Backpack

If you’re trying to save money on travel, a multipurpose backpack is a great way to do it. These bags are lightweight and easy to carry around, making them ideal for traveling with kids or adults who have mobility issues. They also come in handy if you need something more portable than a suitcase—for example if you want to keep your belongings organized during the day but don’t want them taking up too much space in the car.

If there’s one thing we all love in life (besides books), it’s having an organized space! And with these backpacks, we’ve got just what we need: multiple compartments and pockets so that everything stays neat and tidy while traveling; plus ample storage space inside so no matter how full our bags get during their travels across America (or wherever else our family may go next), nothing gets lost along the way because there’ll always be someplace where everything can fit nicely into place without getting lost along its journey through time and space itself.”

Also Read: The Ultimate Guide to Money Saving Travel Hacks for Your Next Adventure

Pack Gums or Candy

For long flights, gum or candy can help kids stay occupied and out of trouble. They’re also great for passing the time on a long flight. If you’re traveling with your kids, it’s easy to forget how much they need to be entertained while away from home and this is a way of making sure they are!

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Gum is good because it’s chewy and sweet, which means that even if they don’t realize it at first (and most kids don’t), chewing gum helps keep their mouths busy so they don’t start staring at their phones or crying themselves sick from boredom. Plus there are all kinds of different flavors available nowadays as well: bubblegum; cola-flavored; strawberry; chocolate mint everything!

Pack Some Anti-bacterial Wipes or Sanitizer

When you’re traveling with kids, it’s easy to forget about the importance of cleanliness. But when you don’t wipe down your hands and face, bacteria can easily spread from one person to another. Wipes are a great way to keep kids clean and healthy at all times!

Wipes are also an excellent tool for keeping your family moving through airports, buses or trains (or even just in their own home) while they wait on luggage or ride the carpool line together.

Make a list of the family’s must-see attractions and focus on less expensive options.

When you’re planning a trip, it’s important to think about what your priorities are. If you have kids, they may be more interested in seeing something that makes them laugh than something that is more historically significant or educational. On the other hand, if you’re there with adult friends who like museums and history, then maybe they’ll want to go somewhere else instead (and if they do choose this kind of attraction anyway—congrats!).

Make sure that whatever route you choose includes plenty of free time for each person involved in order for everyone to enjoy themselves without feeling rushed or tired out from all the walking around! This will also help save money because many museums offer discounted admission tickets during certain times of the year–just check with your local tourism office beforehand so as not end up paying full price later on down road when things might get busy at peak season due just happenstance rather than planned ahead.”

Explore the city before you leave home.

Explore the city before you leave home.
See if a local tour company or show is available in your area. If so, book it and see how far you can push your budget before breaking the bank.

Rehearse your itinerary and make adjustments as needed during your trip.

If you’re like me, you probably have a lot of ideas in your head about what activities and attractions to see on vacation. But sometimes those plans change when travel becomes reality—the weather turns stormy instead of sunny, or there’s an earthquake or flood somewhere in the country while you’re there! The best thing to do is prepare accordingly so that no matter what happens during the trip, it won’t ruin things for everyone else (and especially not for yourself).

With some planning, you can save money for a family vacation without sacrificing quality

With some planning, you can save money for a family vacation without sacrificing quality. Start by figuring out how much cash you have available to spend on the trip. If this is your first time traveling with the kids in tow, it may be helpful to budget extra funds so that you don’t run out of cash before reaching your destination or running out of fun activities to do while there.

Next: make sure that everyone knows what they want from the trip—including themselves! Everyone should write down their top three reasons for going on vacation (ease of traveling through airports/hotels/etc., seeing new places and learning new things). Then look at these lists together as a team and find ways to accomplish each goal without spending any more than necessary—and if possible save money doing so!