When you’re traveling as a family unit, there’s definitely a lot more costs and logistics to consider for a holiday. Not every family is able to afford to go on holiday that often, but there are ways to make it more affordable so that you can make the most of seeing the world without having to spend thousands of dollars to get there. Here are some tips for traveling affordably as a family unit.
Travel At Less Busier Times
When you’re going on holiday, the more popular times of the year are obviously going to be the most expensive and although that might have been what you’ve done previously or is just the norm, might be worth re-considering. It can be difficult nowadays to take children out of school, particularly when they’re in their school term, and it’s important for it to not disrupt their learning. And as a parent, you don’t want to do that either. So when picking a time of year, try to aim for a time where it’s not so busy. Avoid the summer holidays, for example, and go for a winter break in the lead up or after Christmas. There’s also vacation time in between the major school holidays where they’ll like to be less popular to fly or to stay in accommodation than other times will be. It’s always good to see what your options are before you book anything.
Have A Holiday Fund
A holiday fund is something you’ll want just as much as you’d put money into an emergency fund. It’s a way of motivating you to save money throughout the year and to make sure you have enough money in your possession by the time it comes to booking the holiday. As a family unit, this is really important because not every family is going to have the option to pay for an entire holiday in one go. Only a limited number of holiday providers will let you pay off the holiday in chunks too, so saving in advance is definitely a smart idea. Start by saving small amounts and then build up those amount whenever you can. The more you can save, the less you need to pay upfront when it comes to booking your holiday. It is a very satisfying feeling to know that you’ve not had to wince in pain at inputting or handing over your credit card when it comes to paying the bill. Start your holiday fund as early as possible and try to make cuts and changes to your current lifestyle in order to save for the holiday.
Use Flight Comparison Apps
There are lots of technology advancements that current generations can use to their advantage when it comes to booking a holiday. One of those things are flight comparison apps or websites, and these wouldn’t have been around a decade or so ago. They can provide you with all the relevant information you need on where and when you can save money on flights. They collect all the available flights that are scheduled, and then they’ll display the cheapest to the most expensive, the shortest travel time to the one with the most stops. That way you can choose a flight that’s right for you and saves you some money too. Make sure to download these flight apps and to also create alerts for your flights just in case they ever end up going up or down before booking.
Research The Accommodation
The accommodation is one area that also tends to catch families out, but this is an area where you can definitely save yourself some money. Try to go with hotels that do family rooms or have enough beds or fold out options to sleep the whole family. Trying to book multiple rooms is going to make things expensive, and you don’t want to go splitting up your family when you’re on holiday. Again shop around before booking because you might be able to find some discounted options on other sites or with other retailers who have discounts or offers on. You may want to stay at one of these hotels or take a look at comparison and review sites to find the best recommended out there.
Use Local Transport Or Walk
When you’re on holiday, splurging on luxury transport options may seem like the easier choice when you have a family, but these types of costs can be what makes a holiday more expensive. So try to cut down the amount of transport options, sticking to public transport and in some cases, walking. This is going to make everything a lot more affordable, especially if you’re going to places where it doesn’t require you to take a lot of transport either. You might want to plan some holidays around it being possible to simply walk everywhere. It’s a great way of getting to explore somewhere on foot and to see everything up close.
Try Booking Last Minute
It’s good to book everything in advance, but on the odd occasion where you may fancy a spontaneous holiday, it can be good to book last minute. When booking last-minute try to find a good deal, rather than something that’s just at a normal price. Normally, you’ll get a few holiday sites doing flash deals or some top offers each week or month. Be sure to look out for this where you can because you may just be able to snag yourself a good deal.
Traveling affordably as a family unit is possible, it just takes a little more digging and effort on your part to find the right price and holiday for you. Make sure you’re looking at the right flights and that you try to secure those discounts that will be available for accommodation and holiday packages in general. Just because you’re a family group, doesn’t mean you have to be priced out of getting a good quality. Get a holiday fund set up and start looking to book in advance where you can.