family travel tips Archives - Page 3 of 3

How to Save on Vacations: We Have 20 Tips

October 28, 2016 by Rhonda Gales Leave a Comment

While travel is not a household’s biggest expense, family vacations are expenditures that many families care about. So, today we’re sharing travel tips to show you how to save on family vacations. Furthermore, getaways can be expensive. Particularly when traveling with kids. Even so, here are 20 ways to push through your vacation expenses and save at the same time.

money saving tips on vacatins

1. Be Flexile on Flights

Save big money on travel by flying during less popular times, such as early in the morning, late at night, or midweek. When booking online, use the flexible-travel-date feature that lets you compare fares for days on either side of your target date.

2. Book early

Book trips between 27 to 114 days in advance saves a significant amount of money. The prices of airfares, according to CheapAir.com, fluctuate until about 14 days out, when they reach their maximum.

3. Carry-ons

Avoid paying huge checked-bag charges by making sure that several of your suitcase adheres to the standard carry-on size (9 inches x 14 inches x 22 inches). You can carry these bags on the plane and place them in the overhead bins. Pack several large or a large suitcase for family clothing and toiletries. Be sure to pack light.

4. Hotel rooms

Call potential hotel rooms in your vacation destination and ask about discounted rooms. AAA rates and any other specials can help cut cost. Do this before booking your hotel room. Reservations can be made on-line. Be sure to get a confirmation number and ensure your discount has been applied.

5. Vacation homes/condo

Consider booking a vacation home or condo rather than at a hotel. It will usually cost less and is more comfortable for the kids. They also full or partial kitchens which can be used to cook some of the meals or house snacks.

6. All-inclusive resort

When traveling outside the U.S., consider an all-inclusive resort, which includes meals, drinks, and entertainment. All-inclusive resorts offer maximum value while making budgeting for vacation easier.

vacation tips

7. Special promotions

Find online promotions related to your vacation. Attraction tickets are often less expensive when bought online, especially during certain days of the week. If you don’t know where to start online, consider hiring a travel agent. These agents work on commission and won’t charge you.

8. Coupons

Search the Internet for coupons you can use once you reach your destination. There are many sites that will show you how to save on vacations. Family deals are often offered when purchasing multiple tickets. Special Internet offers are also available when buying tickets online.

9. Deals

Find discounts and deals for your destination by using Groupon or Living Social. Also, check your destination’s local newspaper for specials and discount coupons. You can find special deals on How to Save on Vacations in local newspapers or the hotel you will be staying in.

10. Transportation

Check to see if your hotel or resort offers shuttle service. You can eliminate car rental fees. Use taxis or Uber, which can take you to outlying locations at a cost lower than a rental car.

11. Car rental

If you need to rent a car, go with a local car rental company instead of renting one at an airport location. Local car rentals help you to avoid high airport rates and fees. Check to see if they offer service to and from the off-site location.

vacations savings ideas

12. Car seats for kids

If you are using a rental car you may need a car seat. Renting a car seat can set you back more than $5 a day. Save on car seat fees by bringing your own car seat for your kid.

13. Supplies

If you are driving, pack plenty of drinking water, bread, cold cuts, healthy snacks and other supplies. This helps avoid stopping and buying on impulse. Once you reach your destination, shop at the local grocery store for supplies.

14. Vacation essentials

Bring basic vacation items such as sunscreen and water bottles. Bringing your own essentials is far cheaper than buying them in hotels and amusement parks.

15. Packed lunches

If possible and when you can, prepare bag lunches each day for adults and for kids, This can help avoid spending more, particularly on fast food chains.

16. Travel needs

Buy water, snacks and everything you need for a trip at a grocery store instead of purchasing them at the hotel, which usually sell overcharged items.

17. Eating locally

Eating at local restaurants is not only less expensive but also makes the trip more of an adventure. Ask for suggestions from your hotel’s front desk or from your vacation home’s contact.

18. Rewards points

When booking your airfare, hotels, or rental car, use points you have earned from credit card purchases or loyalty programs. Also, use credit cards that offer extra bonus points when used at supermarkets.

19. Apps

Download money-saving apps that you can use for gas, sites along a route, local diners, and accommodations. Save them in your phone during the planning stages of your trip.

20. Off season

Consider traveling during off-peak times. It will be cheaper and is less crowded than traveling during popular dates. Many vacation destinations offer reduced rates during the off season.

We hope that you find our tips on How to Save on Vacations beneficial. You may not be able to or need to implement them all, so just implement the ones that will save you the most.

About the Author:

Stephanie is a freelance writer who resides in Gilbert, Arizona. She is co-owner of How Much Is it. Aside from spending time with her family, she also enjoys hiking, biking and scrapbooking

Kid’s Road Trip Games: Scavenger Hunt

August 12, 2015 by Rhonda Gales

Family road trips can be exciting, but they can also lead to a barrage of are we there yet. Or, if you’re traveling with children fights, screaming, whining and moaning. Kids will be kids, but it’s enough to drive you crazy at times. I don’t know about your children, but anything over an hour seems to be more than my grandchildren can bear. That is probably typical of most children to be honest. So, today I am sharing a few travel tips. To make things interesting, I created a series of kid’s road trip scavenger hunt games. My grandchildren play this game when there’s a road trip. Trust me, it keeps them busy for a few hours.

Playing games allows time to unplug and enjoy the beauty that God has surrounded us with. Additionally, road trips are a great way for children to observe the country side and what’s happenings on the interstate and highway. Observations can lead to questions and interesting conversations with the children. Kid’s road trip games can be a great way to bond. Most importantly, make the trip educational and also memorable for everyone.

For this particular road trip game, children will love looking out the window in search of items on the paper. We come across most of them during our trips. And, we have so much fun trying to find the items. If we find all of them all before we reach our destination we have other games to play. My grandson love doing word search puzzles, hidden objects or we do another Scavenger Hunt in the series. I don’t know who has the most fun me or the kids.

Here’s a few tips for the games:

Purchase a few clip boards and pencil or pens
Print out several copies of the games. I like to print the games on stock card. It’s heavier than regular copy paper and that makes it easier to use without tearing.
You can also have the games laminated for a few dollars at Office Max or Staples.

If you like our Scavenger Hunts please share and feel free to print for your use. Place an X on each item that you find. Good Luck!

Stay tuned for other printables in my Road Trip series. You can download the road trip scavenger hunt games here. You may also like: Kid’s Road Trip Games: Scavenger Hunt II .

Filed Under: Kid's Printables, Travel, Traveling With Children Tagged With: activities for kids, family travel tips, holiday travel

Tips On How To Pack For Vacation

June 10, 2015 by Rhonda Gales

Some people think Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. I agree, but so is packing for a vacation. In the past, I tried to pack everything that I owned. For some insane reason, I really thought I needed 2 – 3 outfits per day and 10 pair of shoes. I remember when I used to carry a garment bag. Seriously, I had bruises on my shoulders because the bag was so heavy. You think I would have learned, but no I didn’t pack less. I purchased new luggage and filled that to capacity too. Today I have travel tips on how to pack for vacation. Lets get started!

I had the nerve to look at people at the airport and wonder how they traveled with so little. Now I realize that they were probably looking at me and wondering why I was dragging around my closet. Want to know what turned me around? When I traveled for business. I usually drove myself to the airport for business trips. Additionally, I was on per diem when I traveled. As a result, my company would not pay for daily parking. So, I was forced to park in the satellite parking lot. When you park in satellite parking, you have to take a shuttle to the terminal to catch your flight. I soon realized that the world isn’t full of gentlemen who jump up to assist you. No sir, I was on my own getting everything in the car, out the car, on the shuttle, off the shuttle through the airport and back into my car.

I realized that it was unnecessary for me to take so much. I realized that I had to learn how to pack for vacation and business trips like a pro. Have you noticed that we’re the cause of the majority of our own problems? The light bulb finally came on and I accepted that I didn’t need half of what I packed. I don’t know what took me so long, but I’m glad I arrived.

Here’s a few of my packing tips and tricks on how to pack for vacation:

1. Make a list with 4 columns – One column is for what I have to take like medicines, phone charger, tickets, address for the hotel/resort and confirmation numbers. Another column is for things that I would like to take like my laptop, Kindle, camera, additional batteries etc. The third column is for activities that I have planned and the fourth column is for clothing, shoes and accessories based on what I have planned. If I’m on vacation, I check out sights that I would like to see prior to my trip so I can plan accordingly.

2. Assess your luggage – Most airlines will allow 2 bags on the plane. So, I will have my tote with my laptop and another carry on. The tip here is to place your small purse into your tote. I use a cross body bag. It holds the essentials: money, hairbrush, keys, lipstick, a credit card, drivers licence and money. I pack a larger bag in my suitcase if needed. If you’re checking your bag, remember the weight limit so you don’t incur additional expense.

3. Decide on a color theme – I lay everything that I want to take based on the activities on my list. I cut everything down to half and place the excess back into my closet and drawers. Mixing and matching pieces has become second nature for me. Using the same shoes, but different accessories will give you the change you need with your outfits. For example, I take a black skirt that I can wear with 2 different blouses. I just use different accessories.

I also pack sundresses that I can wear casually or dress up with a necklace, scarf, and cute sandals or pumps. They’re light and don’t take up much space. Leggings are great too. You can wear them under a casual dress or skirt from the above group, pair with a shirt or wear with a tee to lounge around in for the day. Throw in a few pair of shorts and tees. You can pair these with sandals.

4. Pack toiletries in zip lock bags – Pack body wash, hand wipes, toothbrushes, shampoo, toothpaste, sunscreen, tanning lotion etc. in gallon zip lock bags. Take extra bags with you too. I always have one handy for my wet loofah after showering the morning on my return trip. It’s never dry enough to just toss in the luggage. Additionally, zip lock bags are great for your lotions and wipes on the beach or by the pool.

5. Shoes – I take a pair of black pumps to wear if I want to dress up, a pair of walking shoes for sight seeing, and a few pair of sandals or two that will go with my final selection of clothing.

6. Neutral hat – When I’m heading to the beach or a tropical location, I always take a neutral hat that’s made specifically for travel. I can pack it and not worry about it losing its shape or getting damaged. Make sure that it will give you UV protection that you will need as well.

7. Pack neutral custom jewelry – Learning how to pack for vacation includes zip lock bags. Using zip lock bags to pack my custom jewelry allows me to see what I have. I place the zip lock bag in a cosmetic bag for extra protection. With the exception of my rings, I do not take my gold jewelry with me. I also don’t remove my rings when I’m traveling.

8. Take 2 swimsuits and a plastic tote – How to pack for vacation includes a tote, which I place the tote on the bottom of my suitcase. I use the plastic tote as my beach bag. I’ve been carrying the same plastic tote for years. It can withstand the sand and I can wash it off to repack on the return trip.

9. Pack a wrap or blanket – I always pack a wrap or light weight blanket in my carry on. I don’t like to be cold on my flights, so I just fold it and place it back in the bag after I land.

10. Roll your clothes – Roll your clothes instead of folding them. It give you more room and less wrinkles. Rolling your items in tissue paper keeps down the wrinkles too. If you don’t want to deal with tissue paper. Get a travel spray bottle, and fill it with Downy Wrinkle Releaser. This stuff is great.

11. Buy sturdy luggage – Purchase or use luggage that can endure your flight. Make sure your address and cell phone number are on your luggage tag. I also tie a piece of red ribbon on the handle of my luggage. The ribbon helps me to identify it on the carousal.

I hope these tips on how to pack for vacation will help you pack more efficiently too. They certainly have helped me to keep it simple when I travel now.

You may also like: Traveling Solo As A Female