If you are thinking about where to go for your upcoming Christmas vacation or holiday break, then you need to learn how to keep costs as low as possible without skimping on quality. Even though you want to give your kids a vacation that they are going to remember for the rest of their lives, you don’t want to break the bank in the process.
Avoid spending too much money on things like the hotel room, car rentals, flights, and travel expenses by learning how to make your trip more affordable.
Find cheap flights
The first tip that you can use when it comes to making your trip more affordable is to find cheap flights. You can usually use specific websites to compare flights on various days such as Skyscanner, Expedia, or Google flights. By comparing the prices of flights and seeing which days have higher flight prices, you can then make a smart decision about which day to leave.
If you’re not pressed to leave on a specific date, you can browse flight prices for a 3 or 5-day window – providing you with versatility and flexible options when it comes to your outbound and return flight. Try and save a few hundred dollars on the flight by using Skyscanner to find the cheapest flights between two locations within one month!
Affordable accommodation
The second way that you can learn the process of making your trip more affordable is by finding a cheap place to stay – no, this doesn’t mean skimping on your accommodation. This means that you can use travel websites to find deals on hotels, hostels, and AirBnBs. You will usually find that hotels have special dates that are cheaper than others, like if you are traveling during the weekdays or if you are going over a certain time. Also, look on Airbnb to see if you can find rates that are cheaper for week-long or monthly stays.
Save money beforehand
The third tip that you should use when it comes to making your trip more affordable is to save money before you go. This may mean making some extra cost-saving decisions in your life, such as eating out less frequently, not spending too much on unnecessary activities, and working more than usual. However since you will be taking days or weeks off of work during your family vacation, the extra work hours will help provide money to fund your trip!
Cheaper destinations
If you’re not set on a specific destination, you should look into cheap destinations. If you are traveling within the country – such as within the United States – you can look for flights to places that are less frequently visited than others! You can use a website like Skyscanner to try and find an affordable destination – all you have to do is choose the dates that you want to travel and click “Everywhere” when you put in the destination. It will then tell you the option you have from your departure airport and the prices of the round-trip flights!
Avoid tourist season
Instead of going to Disney World during the height of the tourist season, try to go during a different time – this way you can save money and still go to your ideal holiday destination. We recommend avoiding traveling to Disney World during the peak of the summer season and during winter break – this is when people in other colder states, like New York and Pennsylvania, take a trip down South to go to Disneyworld. Instead, go during the off-season so you can enjoy better weather and fewer crowds!
Choose affordable things to do
Even though you want to do everything yet you possibly can when it comes to vacation, try and choose an affordable activity. Even though skydiving is on your list of things to do, maybe wait and do that another time – instead, choose affordable activities that will be fun and memorable – but won’t break the bank. Consider finding things that everyone will enjoy, such as kids’ activities or family-friendly excursions.
Plan ahead of time
The last way that you can make sure that you save money on your trip is by planning details ahead of time. Instead of waiting until the last minute to buy flights, hotels, and book excursions, make sure you plan with a point of time in advance. Especially if you’re traveling with kids, you need to make sure you plan in advance so you can book rooms that are big enough for your family, you book flights for your children, and you plan family-daily activities for everyone.
Planning ahead time is one of the best ways that you can learn the process of making your trip more affordable – we recommend booking a flight and accommodation at least one month in advance.
If you are trying to find the best ways you can make your trip more affordable, consider doing everything in advance. Buy flights with plenty of time so you can avoid high price surges and choose the best seats. Not to mention, finding your accommodation ahead of time is key to being able to find a good price and the ideal location.
Finally, consider choosing somewhere to go that is cheaper or flying outside of the tourist season – this can save you thousands in the long run!
