STL Mommy

Now that the weather is warming up, families want nothing more than to spend time outdoors enjoying the sun. Summertime also calls for travel, adventures and trips; a chance for your kids to see the country or the world and get away from home. As fun as travelling is, it is also pretty expensive. Between flights, fuel, food and entertainment, fun for your family can cost a tidy sum. It calls for wise spending and good decision-making ahead of time so that your trip doesn’t completely undo all your financial progress. So here are some tips, items and ideas that can help you save money on your upcoming summer family trip!

Hotels with Kitchens
When you’re traveling as a group, food is one of the biggest costs, and if you and your family had to eat at a restaurant for every single meal, you would leave your vacation with no money. When you choose your accommodation, look for places that come with self-catering options. The food you make on your own, will cost a lot less than pricey restaurant meals. It also allows you to bring tastes of home along with you which is always great for the kids.

Buy Souvenirs For Kids Ahead of Time
At resorts, the souvenirs that are sold in gift shops are extremely expensive and buying them for your family can really start to add up. One clever trick you can employ is to buy these items ahead of time, whether it’s online or at cheaper markets so that you don’t pay the premium of hotels. Things like water bottles, hats, t-shirts and sunglasses work very well for that.

Vouchers
No-one’s ever too cool for a voucher, especially when you’re travelling. Costs can really add up, and all the spending can make you return home completely broke. One of the tactics you can employ are vouchers. Nowadays, you can gain access to an app that comes with different specials, including two-for-one meal discounts, two nights for the price of one and ticket discounts. These discounts allow you spread the dollars you have, and when you have a family to feed, that goes a long way.

Visit Family
If you have any family members that live in a great city, why not cut costs by just going to visit them instead of going to a completely new city where you don’t know anyone? You would save tons on hotel stays and actually allow your kids to create memories with their cousins. You would really only have to worry about transport and chipping in on meals and upkeep. It’s also great because your family members will know the city a lot better and can show you all the hidden spots that aren’t crowded by tourists.

Get Coverage
If you’re taking a road trip instead of flying to your holiday destination, it’s important to remember that anything can happen to your vehicle. If for example, you’re taking an RV, the last thing you want is to end up incurring a huge bill in the event of an accident or breakdown. One of the things you should have sorted out before you go on your trip is your insurance and possibly a warranty, like this RV Warranty from Good Sam ESP which also applies to mechanical breakdowns.

Entertainment
Holiday entertainment doesn’t always come cheap, so you have to be really creative. Make sure you pack your mobile devices with games and entertainment, and don’t be afraid of even taking some tech-free entertainment with you. There are so many great ways to make sure your kids have fun without going to an expensive park every single day. One idea is to make your kids work on a short, fun video documentary about their holiday adventures. It will encourage creativity, and make for great stories.

Going on a family trip requires a lot of planning and budgeting. If we get carried away with spending while we’re travelling, we’ll have to deal with the consequences when we get back home. Luckily, there are so many smart ways to trim your spending while you’re travelling, from discounts, to choosing the right accommodation and being really smart about the places you visit. It’s all about coming up with a good amount of money to spend, and sticking with that as strictly as possible. The best trips aren’t about spending the most money, they are about having fun, bonding and spending time together and making memories. You can do this without credit card debt or struggling to make ends meet when you get home. It’s all about having great experiences as a family.

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