Before settling down, getting married and being a mom, I loved to see the world and traveled a lot. My husband loves to travel also and it’s something we used to really enjoy doing when we first met and even after we got married. Then, we had kids and things changed a lot – our disposable income grew thin, we started saving for a house, we needed a new car – and so on, and so on. Sound familiar? After speaking with some friends of mine, I realized that we aren’t the only ones. So many of my good friends loved to travel the globe but when they had kids they found it increasingly difficult and also felt somewhat guilty as they didn’t know if they should be saving money instead of spending it on a 1 to 2-week vacation. We want to stay on track but we also want to share a trip with our kids.
So, after a couple of years of going nowhere, my husband and I have decided to bite the bullet and dedicate some money for a trip for us as a family. It’s been so long and now that our kids are slightly older, we think it’s about time we expose them to something we love. So, we’re in the process of planning since we are still trying to put money aside for other expenses and we still have a major desire to stay on top of our finances.
As we’ve been planning, we started to talk about some of our favourite holiday memories. What we realized was that what we remember and loved the most were parts of our trip that didn’t cost anything or very little. So, on that note, we decided that this would be the theme of our upcoming vacation and a bit of a challenge for us both – to come up with a number of ways we could save while still having a memorable vacation for us all.
So, I thought I’d share with you 6 ways we’re planning on saving on our upcoming trip so you can take advantage of some of our ideas. To develop this list we spoke to a few friends and family members – so it was a joint effort.
Without further delay, here are 6 Tips to Save When Travelling –
Tip #1 – Make travel arrangements early & consider going in the off-season
For our trip, we’re flying as a family and since our kids are over two years old, that means four full fare tickets. In the past, we’ve always booked within a month before we wanted to go anywhere. We are planning six months in advance and I was shocked at how much cheaper it was to do that. We’re also going to our destination, San Diego, California, slightly in the off-season. However, from what we’ve read it’s a great time as it’s less busy but still sunny. Every destination has a different off-season so it’s important to research when that is. Also, try to avoid off-seasons that include hurricanes, bad weather or anything that will hurt the fun of your vacation. You’re still going on vacation so you want to ensure that you enjoy it.
Tip #2 – Travel on weekdays
Booking your flights during Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays typically costs more, so if you schedule your flight during the weekdays you can get discounts on plane tickets and we’ve even found hotels were a lot cheaper.
Tip #3 – Develop & follow a budget
As you know, my family and I have been working hard at getting our budget together and sticking to it. At first, I was really nervous about how a vacation for four would throw this off. However, I realized that it’s just another adjustment that I need to make – like an unexpected repair to the car or something similar. We can’t have it happening every month but once in a while it can be filtered into the budget.
Also, if you can’t seem to find enough money to travel now, then you could start saving and add a “for travel” section in your monthly budget. This way money can slowly go towards your next big trip without getting into debt by not taking out a loan or borrowing from others.
While you’re actually on your trip, you should also keep in touch with where you are in your budget. Following a budget plan during your trips can lessen the expenses that you could make while you enjoy the places that you’ll be going to. It can also decrease your chances of making an impulse purchase that may ruin your travel budget plan. Also a tip – if you’re well below your budget in your last few days, don’t go on a blowout spending spree – think of how great it could be to come back with some extra unexpected cash.
Tip #4 – Book online
As much as I love going into travel agent and having them arrange things for me, you can’t beat the prices online. Also, as I got used to doing this more, I realized that I enjoy having that control. here are some amazing hotel booking sites that even have exclusive sales you can register for if you visit at the right time. There are so many resources online to compare airlines, hotels and even excursions. You can now see and compare different hotels and their rates online without exerting much effort thanks to the Internet and the number of travel websites all over the web. If you book accommodation before you get your trip started, it can help you save money because you can get a discount for reserving early.
Tip #5 – Ask for recommendations & make that known to hotels & restaurants
First of all, asking for your friends and family is always a good way to ensure you are staying or visiting a place that’s suitable for you. If someone you know has already been to the place that you want to go, then asking him or her for some tips and advice about the place, and the people there, can make things easier for you. If you get referred to a hotel or restaurant, ask if you can have a discount or an upgrade. Since you’ve been referred, this is considered repeat business by the supplier – they’ve saved money on promoting their service to you, so why not see if you can benefit from that?
Tip #6 – Make sure to pack everything that you’ll need
One of the common reasons why people overspend during their travel is because they forget something at home that they’ll need. To be honest, almost every vacation I had before settling down, I forgot something – it could have been as small as something from the drugstore – but I always ended up paying more, especially if I was in a remote country. That’s why it’s very important for you to make sure that you have everything you need and that you bring it with you. As part of this list should include a credit card as if there is an emergency – that your budget doesn’t cover – at least you can still cover the expenses of it if it’s urgent.
Most importantly, don’t skimp on the essentials like travel insurance or anything you need to stay safe. Well, we’re all excited for our trip – can’t wait now. We hope you found our 6 tips useful & enjoy your very own thrifty vacation.
If you have any other tips to share, share away….
