More MoneySaving Family Travel Tips

1) Rent a condo or a house instead of a hotel room. In addition to more space, you will have a kitchen. This allows you to bring food or do a quick shop and make food. Even if you just made cereal for breakfast each day instead of eating out, you could save hundreds of dollars over the course of a week.

2) Look for unusual kid discounts. Whether it’s at your hotel, restaurants, or events, many places offer discounts for kids on certain days or at certain times. Do an internet search for kid discounts + (location) and see what you find. You can find everything from kids eat free days to discounted or free tickets for good grades. Just be sure to call to confirm with the business and bring anything you need (like a report card.)

3) Bring the pricey stuff. When you travel with kids, you’re bound to need some essentials like sunscreen or swim diapers. Tourist areas often offer these items, but at a much higher price than you would get at home. Bring things like sunscreen, bug spray, sunglasses, swim diapers, and beach towels to prevent expensive emergency purchases.

4) Consider different types of trips. Not every vacation needs to involve boarding a plane for a tourist destination. Considering different types of trips can have big savings. Great options for families include camping/glamping, farm stays, multi-stop road trips, volun teer travel, and train trips.

5) Check for dining packages. While a dining package may sound like an expensive option, it can save you money. A dining plan at a theme park, for example, can allow you to get a meal and drink every hour or two. You can purchase one or two dining plans and share the food throughout the day with the whole family, saving you from pur chasing meals and snacks for everyone individually.

6) Make a souvenir and snack policy before heading to parks or destinations. Decide ahead of time if you will purchase souvenirs or snacks and how much you are willing to spend on each. It can save money to let every one pick one snack while you’re out and then make a meal back at your rental. Or you can purchase themed souvenirs on line for theme park trips ahead of time. Buying favorite character T-shirts from a discount store offers big savings from purchasing on-site.

July 4th

Independence Day

July 7th

Father Daughter

Take a Walk Day

July 13th

French Fries Day

July 17th

Ice Cream Day

Rebecca Hastings is a former elementary teacher who traded the classroom for writing when she stayed home with her three children. Passionate about authenticity, faith, and family, you can find her at RebeccaHastings.net and on Amazon. In real life, she can often be found typing words, driving her kids places, or wherever there is chocolate.

July 25th

Carousel/ Merry-Go-Round Day

July 28th

Waterpark Day