A lot of people love to travel every single year. I personally look forward to going on a vacation every single year and my hubby and I try our best to make it happen. Unfortunately, some people don’t go on a vacation as often as they’d like and the usual reason for this is financial constraints. Now, I’m not going to beat around the bush. Going on a vacation is extremely expensive and the more children you have, the more expensive the vacation is going to be. Typically, it will cost a family of four as much as $4,000 to go on a vacation. That’s a pretty scary figure, but I’m going to try and give you some tips that will help you save enough money to go on a vacation.
#1. Decide Between Driving and Flying
It can be very tempting to fly the whole family to your destination, but driving is typically a cheaper option. However, keep in mind this means that you’ll be putting more miles and wear on your vehicle. Also, the further you drive, the more stops you’ll be making, which means there are more opportunities to spend money. I would suggest packing lunches and coolers to take with you on the trip. That means you won’t have to stop at fast food restaurants and the kids have no reason to want any snacks at gas stations or rest areas.
#2. Complimentary Breakfasts Are Your Friend
If you’re going to be staying at a hotel or motel, you should try to pick one that offers complimentary breakfasts. A free meal is always more than welcome, in my book!
#3. Enjoy Free Activities
You don’t have to go to an amusement park every day or check out all kinds of attractions. Instead, you can enjoy the area by walking around and doing some sightseeing. I personally enjoy going for walks on the beach when I’m on vacation or going out to local parks. Also, you could spend a day at the hotel with the family. Take advantage of the free swimming pool and just walk around the surrounding area.
#4. Shorten Your Vacation
The less time you spend on vacation the more money you will save. Instead of going for a week, you could consider a 5-day vacation.
#5. Ditch Your Home Phone Service
Chances are, you have a cell phone, so why should you continue paying for a landline phone? Cut it out and you could save yourself a ton of cash.
#6. Ditch Your Cable Service
Cable is one of the most overpriced services that you pay for and it’s not a necessity. Ditch your cable in favor or streaming services like Netflix and Hulu Plus.
#7. Stop Eating Out So Much
Eating out is something that everyone enjoys, because it’s quick, convenient and easy. However, eating out can come with a huge price tag, especially if you have a large family. Even eating from fast food restaurants can be really expensive. If you like to order fast food or eat out with your family, you should consider cutting out one day a week of eating out. We did this and saved as much as $120 a month!
