Almost everyone I know that has kids barely travels. They say they can't afford it and only go on short trips close to home. Little do they know (until I tell them) that they can spend just a bit more - and in some cases less - and go on a "real" great vacation. I know kids are expensive and so is travel, but if you know where to cut your costs and alter your vacation strategies, then it can be very affordable and fun! I have tips for kids of any age, so your vacation can recharge you instead of making you worry the whole time that you are spending more than you have. It might even bring your family closer together, because it's so much easier to bond when you are doing things you all like. Check out some of these ways to save on all your family trips!
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Travel in the
off-season or during winter break. If
you have smaller children, you have the luxury of traveling all year long. With
this in mind, avoid traveling in the summer. Summer is easily the busiest and
most expensive time to plan a vacation. If a beach or other warm-weather
location is your destination of choice, plan a trip in the spring. Springtime
is always less crowded and one of the best times to find sales on both airfare
and hotel rates. If your children are in school, wait until Christmas break to
make your journey. If you fly on Christmas Day, you can get rock-bottom
airfare, since most travelers want to be at their destination by that day and
it’s one of the lightest travel days of the year.
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Trade in the ocean
for the lake. If you are longing
for a beach getaway, you can do many of the same activities at a lakeside
destination as you can oceanfront, but with the upside of vast savings off your
vacation total. You can still build sandcastles, go boating, snorkeling,
diving, fishing, parasailing and more, but at a lower cost.
Buy souvenirs ahead
of time. If an amusement park is your
final destination, chances are your kids are going to want shirts and toys and
anything else they see for sale. These items can add up quickly and bust your
budget. Many theme parks, like Disney, have a lot of surrounding stores with
discounted items. Local grocery stores, Target and special souvenir shops can
be a lifesaver. Purchase many items for the price of one and then either dole
them out before you head out to the parks or secretly pack them in your day bag
to give to children throughout the day when they start to get cranky or having
a case of the “I wants”.
Rent baby equipment
at your destination. This doesn’t sound
money-saving at all, but it can be. Dragging around a stroller and other
cumbersome products can be hard, cost you checked baggage fees and may even
damage your own items in the process. Sites like BabiesTravelLite have lists
for worldwide locations that rent baby equipment from strollers to baby baths.
These places often rent equipment for an entire week for less than you would
pay to rent them for a day at amusement parks and other places. You can pick
them up on your way to your hotel or vacation rental and then drop them off on
your way to the airport. You don’t have to juggle extra things at the airport
and you won’t have to worry about damage to any of your own gear.
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Rent an apartment,
condo or house. When you travel
with your whole family, even if it’s just four of you, a hotel room can feel
claustrophobic. Hotels rarely offer more than just one room and an attached
bathroom, so if you’re planning to be in your room for more than just sleeping
and changing clothes, nobody has any personal space. Check sites like HomeAway and FlipKey
to reserve a vacation rental for your stay. Not only will you have more room to
spread out, but you’ll also save money over a bigger hotel room and have a
kitchen, where you can make some of your own meals reduce your dining budget.
Avoid ordering off
the kids’ menu. When you go out to
eat, almost all restaurants have the dreaded kids’ menu that usually has the
same five food items to choose from. Sometimes your kids are just not going to
be happy with anything but chicken nuggets, but for the rest of the time you’re
out, you can be more frugal and get your children to try new foods (and eat
some vegetables!) by splitting an entree with them or between children. They
will have options that are more nutritious than pizza and hot dogs and if they
don’t finish what’s on their plate, you haven’t wasted money on a separate
dish.
Purchase a City
Pass. Many cities worldwide offer
what is called a city pass. You pay one price for a pass that includes many
different activities and attractions and it enables you to bypass the ticket
lines and go straight to the front gate. Not only does this cut your
entertainment costs, it is also very convenient and enables you to do more
things on the same budget.
Join me over on Facebook! I'm giving away
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button and fill out the short form by April 15.
Use your zoo
membership. Almost every
family I know has invested in a zoo membership, because for one price, they can
go to the zoo and aquarium all year long. This helps when money is tight and
they have to get out of the house, and I don’t know any kid that doesn’t love
fish and other animals. If you have a membership, you can use it to visit other
zoos and aquariums across the country and, in some cases, in other parts of the
world. It can be fun for kids to feel like the day is totally about them and
they can learn about new animals in different parts of the world that your zoo
might not have.
Traveling with kids can give
you a whole different view of your vacation destination and cause you to be
more creative in planning and traveling around each day. Children can be great
world travelers, if given a chance, and it’s a wonderful opportunity for them
to learn about new cultures, food and countries.
Pack light. I know that with kids it’s hard to do this, but
it’s not impossible. Each of your children can bring their own carry-on for the
plane and help spread around the weight. Whether it’s a small rolling bag that
can fit under the seat or a backpack they can wear, they can share the load.
While their clothes can be fairly lightweight, everything they want to take
from home may not be. Pack as much of their clothes as you can in your own
carry-on (Spacebags or Pack-It cubes may help) and then have them carry any
spillover and a few things from home in their own bag. This may be a few (or a
combination of) small toys, a coloring book and some snacks. Anything that will
make traveling less of a chore. If there is more than one adult in your party,
this may be done more easily, and you will have everything with you when you
land, saving you checked baggage fees and time waiting for your bags on the
carrousel.
Europe in the Fall. I don’t think I know anyone who doesn’t want to
go to Europe and, despite what you may think, most European destinations are
really kid-friendly. There are so many things to do and see that even the most
fidgety child will be entertained. As long as you make time for resting and you
aren’t go-go-go the whole time, you will all get a lot out of a trip there. Fall
is by far the least expensive time to travel to Europe and is less crowded,
meaning you can get to a lot more things in less time. This is awesome, because
attractions and shops keep shorter hours, but that also means you can’t run
your kids off their feet if your day isn’t as long and you’re forced to sleep
or rest more than you would normally.
Visit developing
countries. I think this is one of the best
tips for everyone, not just those with families, because developing countries
have lower economies and come with super affordable price tags for your entire
vacation. You don’t have to cut costs if you don’t want to, because
accommodations, dining and entertainment are all so much cheaper than at home.
You’re also helping a country that depends on tourism to survive and finding an
entirely new vacation experience. Countries like Ecuador, Belize and Peru are
great examples, and if you want to go further, India or Morocco can be
budget-friendly destinations, too. These
trips can be a total immersion for you and your family. This is a nice option
if you have kids who like to try new things and meet people.
It might take a little extra
effort and planning to travel with children, but it can be very rewarding in
the end. It’s possible to save on many parts of your trip, making it just as
affordable as before having kids when you didn’t worry (as much) about your
budget. Your destinations are as open as ever and kids can only add to the fun
of a new place with their excitement over things you may have long forgotten
were exciting. Discovering the world with your
family doesn't have to mean discovering more debt. Your little travelers can
also fit into your small budget. So, pack your bags and have a great time!
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So, as I said above, Ebates is sponsoring “man week”. What does that mean for you? Besides fun topics on golf, couponing, gadgets and other things men like, they are offering double cash back on some of your favorite online retailers! One of my favorites,Backcountry.com, is on the list this week for 8% cash back. They sell a wide range of travel clothing and accessories for men, women and children! Got some outdoor things you want to do and need supplies? Backcountry is sure to have it. Man Week ends on Monday though, so make sure you order by then.
Come over to the Frugal Living Community and join in money-saving discussions with me and my other frugal friends. You can join other discussions, too, and learn how to save money on fashion, groceries, travel and more! Blog Frog is a fantastic site that is comprised of bloggers and blog readers who share the same interests. In addition to joining different communities (Frugal Living is NOT the only one, just the one where I am a community leader and share most of my money-saving ideas), you can find other blogs that interest you, interact with other bloggers/readers and make new friends.
– I love this thing! Granted, I don’t have
one yet, but it’s on my wish list and I’ll have it in my hands before my
next trip. People who do have one have given it rave reviews. No
guy wants to ask for directions (and some of us ladies have a terrible
sense of direction, too). With this awesome little device, you can add
your starting coordinates, like your hotel’s street entrance, and then
while you’re off enjoying the day you can forget all about where you
started and then use the Back Track to guide you back to that exact spot!
This is fantastic for places that have large parking lots (Disney,
anyone?) or if you’re meeting people back at a specific place or finding your
bus stop again. This doesn’t work indoors though, so if you get lost in
Mall of America or a parking garage, it can’t help you. 
– The PSP stands for
PlayStation Portable, but it does oh so much more than play games. With
the PSP you can store pictures, surf the web, listen to your MP3s, watch
movies and use it as a 
– I know you guys love your shiny new iPads. Well, it
can be hard to do actual work on those little things, given the weight and
the ability to only type as fast as the touch screen allows and the fact
that it auto corrects everything you don’t want it to and stuff you do it
doesn’t. While the Zagg case comes with a bit of a high price tag ($99),
it can solve all your keyboarding problems and keep your iPad safe. The
keyboard is WiFi enabled, so no wires are needed to connect your iPad,
plus, it props your iPad up like a monitor, so you don’t have to hold it
either. Voila! You’re ready to work and write emails! Also, it only add ¼”
to the bulk of your iPad, so shoving it into the outside pocket of your
carry-on should be just as easy as before!
– This will always
be on the top of my travel gadget must-have list. I have several of them
and the tips to go with all my devices, including the international mobile
phones I have from Mobal. It’s just SO handy. It takes up minimal space
(stuff it in a shoe to save even MORE space) and eliminates all your other
adapters for your electronics, except for your netbook/laptop. They have
iGos for those, too, but they are just as bulky as your regular adapter,
so why not save the money and take that one instead? I have an iGo wall
adapter, car adapter, splitter – so I can charge TWO items at once – and
the 
– These handy
e-readers are getting more and more affordable. With the money you save on
books (they are less expensive in ebook format), this pays for itself
pretty quickly. If you love to read, then the Kindle – or other e-reader –
is a must! I found that I was always taking at least two books with me
every time I traveled. If my husband was reading something, we would add
another to the pile. Well, now with the Kindle, we take just the Kindle
and a few magazines. Such a space saver! We can take (almost) all the
books we own, plus newspapers and blogs with us in that one small package.
If we both want to read at once, it’s not a big deal, because with the
free Kindle reading apps downloaded on both our iPod Touch and iPad, one
of us can read a book on the Kindle and the other can read on one of those
other devices. Not only is that cool, but it’s SUPER cool,
because the app syncs with your Kindle account and remembers your place.
So, if I start reading on the Kindle and then have to switch to reading on
the iPad, I won’t have to flip through to find my page. The only way this
works badly is if you both want to read the same book at the same time.
Luckily, we don’t have this problem.