More Tips For Saving Money

One of the largest challenges associated with family vacations has to do with money.  Unfortunately, many people take unappealing vacations or no vacation at all due to a tight budget, but the good news is that you and your family can take a wonderful vacation without breaking the bank and we will show you how.

This section focuses on real ways to save money so you can take the perfect vacation to create wonderful lifetime memories.  You are about to learn great ways of stretching the almighty dollar so you can plan your next adventure without the stress of money.  These family tips involve a variety of travel destinations and will not take an incredible amount of time.

FLEXIBILITY

One of the best tips for saving money on a family vacation is flexibility.  For instance, making flight arrangements far in advance can save hundreds of dollars.  If you can pay for tickets several months out, you might pay $260 a person whereas if you wait until a week or two in advance, the price could be $400 or more.  Another option is to make sure you travel so you stay overnight at least on Saturday, which will also save tremendous money.

In addition, see if you can extend your vacation stay by one day.  For instance, many resorts will offer one or two free nights if you stay five nights or more.  Therefore, if you were planning a short, four-night stay somewhere due to a tight budget, you could stay an additional night and end up with a weeklong vacation for the price of five days.  You also want to ask the resort about special discounts and seasonal promotions.

Traveling in certain times of the year is also an excellent way to cut back on cost.  In this case, you might think about taking a cruise in April or May when traveling is considered “off-season”.  With this, the savings are enormous.  Cruises also offer upgrades when you pay the full amount due within a specified time.  For this, you might be bumped to a suite instead of a small cabin simply by paying the full amount immediately.  Therefore, always work with a good vacation planner or ask questions to determine ways of saving.

You should also consider using many of the online resources now available for travel to scout for the best airfare, best car rental prices, best hotel accommodations, and more.  For instance, Orbitz, Travelocity, Expedia, and others allow you to comparison shop for prices and options on your time or, you could work with the customer service for assistance.

BE INFORMED

The more informed you are about travel and savings the better.  This means keeping an open mind when selecting your destination and learning ways of saving.  As mentioned, consider off-season pricing.  Even if you wanted to travel down to the lake to stay in a cabin, if you go late in the springtime or at the beginning of fall, you will find huge savings.

With these times of year being the slow periods, resort owners want to encourage and entice you to come.  Therefore, they offer massive discounts for you and the family to enjoy.  By being informed, you know what to look for, the questions to ask, and how to negotiate, and many ways for saving money while still being able to go where you want to go.

HOMEWORK TIME

By doing a little bit of homework, you can put yourself in the driver’s seat when it comes time to planning the perfect family vacation.  For starters, do some homework to determine the lowest possible price for the destination of choice.  Once you know that price, you can then determine if you want to add, delete, or change something to make the vacation work for your budget.  Again, use the online resources available to you.  Two other great resources include Sidestep and TripAdvisor.

SOURCE

Because airlines, hotels, car rental companies, and cruise lines realize that huge savings are being offered online through companies such as Expedia and Orbitz, they too are now offering incredible savings directly.  Therefore, you might contact the airline company of choice and ask them what savings or special promotions they have to save you money.  The same is true with hotels or car rental companies.  Many times, all you have to do is ask.  Remember, you can negotiate and sometimes, come out the winner.

MORE ONLINE SAVINGS

The possibilities for saving money online are absolutely, amazing.  However, to find all the saving, sometimes you need to dig a little to find other online resources not as obvious.  For starters, check out all the incredible deals through the Family Travel Network, Frommers, and TravelZoo, all exceptional places to see what bargains are offered.

AUCTIONS

Another consideration is to look at auction sites online, which have become big business.  With this, you are bidding on various aspects of a family vacation.  Now, we have provided some great places for travel auctions but you should be aware of a few things first so you make the best possible decision.

For example, some online auctions are what we call “blind auctions”, which means that while you know you are bidding on a hotel room in Florida, you do not know which hotel or al of the amenities.  For some people, this can be scary but keep in mind that most of these auctions work with responsible and known organizations.  However, you have to be able to take a chance to some degree.

In addition, when you book hotel rooms through online auctions, keep in mind that a “standard room” refers to double occupancy so if you have a large family, the great value may end up being nothing that you need.  Therefore, your best bet is to understand more how these online auctions work, making yourself an educated buyer.

That way, you will get exactly what you need so you and your family have a memorable time regardless of where you go.  Just remember, determine your maximum price first.  Once you have your budget established, stick with it.  Otherwise, you could become caught up in the bidding frenzy and not get a good bargain.

• Priceline 
• Hotwire 
• BiddingforTravel 
• SkyAuction 

PLAY WISELY

You might consider joining memberships, getting frequent flyer numbers, hotel programs, rental car programs, and so on.  With all of these, you get benefits and discounts throughout the year, which only add to your savings.  For example, if you were to join Starwood’s preferred guest program, you could stay at your choice of 135 hotels and resorts around the world while saving as much as 35% off the price. 

Even memberships with AAA, Hilton Honors, and others will either provide you with immediately savings or accumulate points that can be used for your next year’s family vacation.

QUALIFIED AGENT

In addition to finding bargains and discounts on your own, you can always use the services of a qualified agent, someone to do the scouting for you.  Now, while you will usually end up paying for these services, if the bargain found is good enough, it would pay for the agent’s services while still allowing you to take your family on a great vacation for an affordable price.

ALTERNATIVES

Most often, people will call the main airlines or rental car companies when looking for savings.  While this option is always there and many times good, you want to remember the alternative airlines, airports, rental car companies, hotels, and so on. 

In other words, flying into O’Hare in Chicago could cost you more than flying into Midway.  Although you might need to drive a little further to reach your ultimate destination, it might be worth it.  Therefore, always keep alternative options in your mind and do your homework.

BED & BREAKFAST

It used to be that staying at a bed and breakfast was a luxury, an expensive accommodation where you went only for special occasions.  However, the owner of these inns has discovered that to stay competitive, they need to appeal to families and make the stay affordable.  For this reason, you will find many wonderful bed and breakfast inns that cater to families, offering better prices and more amenities.  To find some of these great inns, check out BedandBreakfast.

RENTING

Another great way to enjoy the best of the best but without paying a fortune is to rent directly from the owner.  In many towns, you will find private homes, condominiums, villas, and more, available to rent.  Many times, you could save as much as 50% as what you would pay for a comparable hotel.  Some options to check include GreatRentals, Vacation Rentals by Owner, and CyberRentals, which offer more than 40,000 rentals around the country.

EXCHANGE RATES

Finally, when looking at your options for overseas family vacation, remember that exchange rates can help or hurt you.  For instance, Canada is a great place in that U.S. money is worth more there than it is here due to the exchange rate.  That means you can buy more, stay in nicer hotels, and have a more luxurious trip but at a rate you can afford.

PACKING FOOD

A great way to save money is to pack your own food.  Stopping by roadside diners can be expensive.  Instead, pack sandwiches, chips, fruit, soft drinks, and whatever foods you like for the car ride.  You can also plan meals in the hotel, at least for a few meals.  For instance, instead of eating out every night, which can be expensive, order pizza in.

The next page provides you with a few basic Transportation Tips. These will help you explore other ways to get where you wish to be.