Go ahead, cue this song and put this classic on the TV. It’s time for the family to bond! If you feel like you can just pack up a backpack of clothes and a few PB&J’s, fill your car with a quarter tank of gas, and hit the road, than you probably haven’t gone on a family holiday before.
The expenses can soar beyond the roof if you are not careful with your planning. Everyone in the family is excited to have a getaway, and it’s on you to fulfill their expectations. No pressure, though. We can help you with the best six tips and solutions possible to save money on a family holiday. Take a quick scan over what they are before you hit the road.
1. Choose wisely
First, decide what type of vacation you are thinking of. There’s city life and sightseeing, beach vacations, snowy mountain destinations, and so much more. Once you have that part narrowed down, the actual destination is pretty flexible, except some destinations are much cheaper than others with a similar vacation experience. It’s possible to pick a more affordable option from a few similar options once you’ve narrowed down what exactly you want to do on your trip. Always keep that in mind! The same goes for travel mediums, whether that be airplane, boat, train, or car. A little research in this field to compare prices and times will hopefully help you save more.
2. Do some digging
When you first type in “hotels to stay at in [insert city here]”, the first places that come up have paid for their place to be there on Google. An extra thirty minutes of searching could save hundreds of dollars. Go to more local user-recommendation websites for the insider scoop on what actually is the best place to stay at in the destination spot. By now, most people have AirBNB— that is for a reason. The wide range of unique places is phenomenal, and you will be able to find places that fit in your personal price range with the amenities you want.
3. Activities, activities
After transportation and accommodation, activities are where the bulk of expenses come from. Again, with a little extra time spent researching on user forums such as Reddit or Yelp, you might find some better options than what first pops up on your Google search screen. Decide on a few restaurants you might want to visit, the types of activities you would like to do (for example, scuba diving, ziplining, hiking, shopping, etc), and what tours you might want to explore. Usually, with these types of things, locals are running them. Find the locals that want to give you the best experience for half the cost on these forums.
4. Need to phone home?
Roaming costs are insane these days. Your local carrier does not care what comes out of your wallet, irrespective of whether it is a major charge for using their service overseas. In order to avoid unnecessarily inflated costs, use a cost-friendly and roaming-focused alternative such as a BNESIM Card. Your whole family will be able to experience the vacation stress-free: communicating with each other while abroad, staying safe and being able to keep in contact while having fun. Not to mention, any of the family members will be able to phone back home at little cost with a BNESIM Card. No doubt, it is the optimal solution for travelling and communicating internationally.
5. Pack wisely
Clothes are clothes! The people you see overseas will never see you again (unless you make some great friends). Buying new clothes for a short vacation is only going to burn a hole in your pocket. Sure, you might need a new bathing suit to add into the week-long rotation, but buying new clothes for every family member for every day? That is just going to add up pretty soon to an overall large and unnecessary expense! Save that, and spend some of it for buying uniquely designed clothes from your trip. It adds something fun and different to your wardrobe, plus brings back happy memories whenever you see it in your closet. Plus it’ll most likely be less expensive than clothes back home, so you’re still saving money. Isn’t that a better deal?
6. Be a smart traveler
Most hot-spot destinations have money traps set up alongside the street. The locals who set these little stores up target and reel in the same type of customers every time. They know who is going to spend money in their shops – do not be one of them! The bright lights, the cool t-shirts, maybe even the sidewalk artists who will offer to paint a picture of you: be careful. It is absolutely the easiest way to lose out on hundreds of your dollars, especially when they go after getting your kids to buy things.
No matter the location or trip, there is always a way to save or spend money. Hopefully, with the right mindset, a bit of self-control, and some research, you will be in the former category. Use cost-benefit analysis, and weigh worthwhile activities over tourist money traps. It just takes a little bit of discipline to have a lot more fun! Now, play that song we cued in the first sentence. It’s time to party!