5 Ways to Save on Your Next Family Vacation

Why should a family vacation cost a fortune? Here are five ways for you to save on the next family trip.

1. Focus on free activities

A free activity is not necessarily boring, just as an expensive one is not necessarily great fun. Many interesting activities cost you nothing and can be easily integrated into your holiday schedule – for example, a picnic (yeah picnic even in winter!), a walk in a forest, skating on a lake, a visit to the local swimming pool, sliding, or a day of reading at the city library.

2. Bring your own lunch

The greatest expense outside home is, of course, restaurants. To save on the meals, bring a cooler with your lunch and refreshments, such as juices or bottled water. You will be pleasantly surprised by the amount you can save by not eating out while on holidays.

3. Have some flexibility in dates

When vacationing abroad, be flexible with the dates you book for. A few days’ or a week’s wait means not having to pay the full price for a family vacation at Disneyland on Christmas Day, for example.

As national holidays and fixed times off (for example, Spring Break or Christmas Holidays) are the busiest, avoid travel during these times. You will see that you can save a hefty sum on your trip this way.

4. Benefit from promotions

Many leisure and tourism companies offer introductory and off-season discounts. Keep an eye open for special offers and take advantage of the available special offers. For example, there are family and monthly passes to some hotspots, while others offer free meals on some days of the week. Try to get the greatest benefit for what you invest in an activity.

5. Save on accommodations

Another large expenditure away from home is accommodation. Again, it is necessary to watch out for special offers and thus take advantage of promotional pricing for a place to stay at. For instance, you should rent a house instead of a hotel for family holidays, as you will not save on only the rent, but also have the opportunity to cook your own meals. You could also make use of such services as HomeAway and Airbnb to rent out your home while you are away, which will even allow you to make money during your vacation.