8 Money-Saving Travel Tips for Family Getaways

Is it still possible for a family to spend a couple of weeks away together without spending a fortune? Are there any family breaks that don’t break the bank? There certainly are many ways you can enjoy a family getaway and get away without spending too much and here are 8 money-saving tips for your next holiday.

1. Think beyond the package
There are some great package deals out there but there are also plenty of easy to find flights and cheap accommodation available through the internet. If you think beyond the package you may gain more flexibility for a multi-stop holiday and save yourself money as well.

Flickr image
2. Flexible flying times
Granted we are all constrained by school holidays and getting time off work but if you can be flexible with your dates you stand a much better chance of securing cheaper flights. Just a day or two either side can see prices plummet thanks mainly to the laws of supply and demand. Have a play with some alternative dates, or even alternative departure or arrival airports, to hunt down the best deals.

3. Do your research
With your destination chosen and holiday booked you can start to plan your time. Make sure there is a mix of days at the holiday base with trips out and try and mix expensive activities like theme parks with museums and beaches. Use the internet to find fun free activities as well as those headline grabbing money spinners.

4. Think smart
Days out can quickly add up so look for inclusive activities that help you keep costs down. A free lunch at the water park or a two for one ticket to the cinema can help those notes last a little longer.


5. Avoid roaming charges

VoIP telephone service providers can help you avoid expensive roaming charges. The portable adapter that plugs into any phone near a broadband router will allow you to make low cost calls home from Switzerland or enjoy cheap calls to Sri Lanka from home. Other VoIP services like Skype offer free video calls if your family travels with a laptop.


6. Avoid dining charges
Those meals out soon add up so here is some food for thought. Consider trading in that hotel for an apartment with cooking facilities. Consider picnics rather than lunches out every day. Swap the evening meal for a slap-up lunch because midday meals are invariably cheaper than those at night. Take a walk just a few streets away from that tourist attraction to see dining prices drop.

7. Pack it all in
With most airline carriers charging for luggage packing carefully can help save money by reducing the number of bags you need. Be warned though that overweight luggage will be penalised heavily but you can still save yourself a ton by packing only what you all really need.

8. An exchange is good for a rest
With accommodation costs swallowing up a massive chunk of your family’s holiday budget you may be interested to hear of the growing popularity of holiday home swaps through sites such as LoveHomeSwap.com. What to you may be a rather dreary suburban semi may be just the quaint family home in historic England that a family in Florida has been aching to stay in.

There are loads of ways to reduce the costs of a holiday. From securing cheap flights and signing up to a VoIP provider like Vonage, you should be able to save a bit on your next family trip.

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter!


Sharing is Caring

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

1 comments:

  1. Great post! Skype has made such a difference for us in terms of staying in touch on the cheap when we travel! Thanks for the list!

    ReplyDelete