How To Plan A Cheap Family Holiday

If the thought of travelling with your children isn’t daunting enough, the cost of it may deter you altogether. Creating memories with your kids doesn’t need to break the bank.

Here are my top tips for planning affordable holidays, exploring the world without breaking the bank and trips the whole family will enjoy…

Be flexible with flights and airports

Opt for a DIY (do it yourself) holiday rather than an expensive package holiday, and that starts with flights.

Flexibility is the biggest thing when it comes to getting the cheapest prices. Some people will only look to fly from their nearest airport, but it’s definitely worth looking around, Flight rates can vary quite a bit depending on which airport the flight is departing from.

Utilize comparison websites

Checking comparison sites is always my first source for bagging great deals on flights and holiday accommodation. Skyscanner is unbeatable for comparison pricing.

Pack light

Adding extra luggage onto a flight can make travel eye-wateringly expensive, so packing light can be a massive money saver.

A lot of people don’t realize that if you add absolutely zero luggage onto your flight you can still take a backpack that goes under the seat in front of you. That goes for kids as well, so for a family of four you’ve got four backpacks for no added cost.

You can fit an awful lot of clothes in a small backpack, especially when the kids’ clothes are tiny. Rolling your clothes rather than folding them also fits more into a backpack, as does using travel cubes. Just make sure that everybody wears their biggest, bulkiest things on the plane.

Use car seats as extra luggage allowance

Parents should take full advantage of the fact that most airlines usually allow families to check a car seat in for free, in addition to normal baggage allowance.

Put the car seat in a car seat bag and then within that bag put in another small backpack with extra things in it, so it’s almost like a free check-in item.

Book self-catering accommodation

Having your own kitchen means you can save an absolute fortune on eating out. Have breakfast and dinner self-catered, and then go out for lunch, because lunch menus tend to be much cheaper than dinner menus. Also look for lunch places that offer promotions and kid-sized meals. Some eateries even offer kids eat for FREE.

Prioritize free activities over paid attractions

Don't get too roped into too many paid attractions because you can end up spending a fortune. There’s so many free things you can do as a family, such as going to the beach, museums, pool days, playgrounds, having picnics and going to local markets. Many attractions also offer for FREE ADMISSION days (like museums and national parks) so take advantage of them!

Collect reward points

Be smart with where you book and spend your money in everyday life, because you can do a lot with reward points.

You can use reward points to upgrade on flights, book accommodations at discounted rates using your points, get free night stays with motel/hotel rewards programs points.

The first thing I do when booking anything is to see what my reward points will get me at that establishment.

Check specials website pages

Before booking anything, I'll always check the Special Offers pages of the business' website.

I've saved a lot of money this way. Most places also usually list what discounts they normally give, such as to senior citizens, AAA or AARP members, military, etc.

Pay in installments

Work out how much you need to save and put aside each month for a holiday. A lot of package providers will let you pay in instalments which makes it easier to budget.

Even many attraction providers are now doing this on their tours they offer.

Take toys and games with you on days out

There are so many little things that your kids will see and ask for, so be prepared. For example, the cost of a kids' bubble wand at Disney World typically ranges from $25 to $32! Additionally, the bubble solution refill costs around $2. The same bubbles at Walmart will cost you around $4. So make sure you take a cheap bubble wand with you and say you’ve already got one, because kids will just want everything they see.

For 'tweens and teens what we've done is give our pre-teen a preloaded debit/'credit' card with X amount of dollars on it. Anything she wants as far as souvenirs, etc. she has to use that card to purchase. It's taught her to budget her money!

By following these strategies you too can afford a family vacay that won't break the bank.