Ennis Center For Children Blog

Wanting to travel with your family but also needing to save money? Sticking to a budget is a smart way to keep family vacations from stressing out your finances. Planning activities and fun around a budget, however, can be a source of stress as well. That’s why you need some travel tips and tricks, such as the ones below, to keep your family trips budget-friendly, low-stress, and full of fun for parents, kids, and everyone involved. Start Looking for Travel Deals Early If you want to get the best prices on accommodations, airfare, and other bookings, you need to start searching online as early as possible. You can make that search easier by checking out Groupon codes to maximize your savings on everything from car rentals to hotels to travel fun for your family. Sites like Groupon make it easy to save on accommodations and travel so you won’t have to put a lot of time and effort into keeping costs under budget. Some deals even give you cash back on your bookings! You can browse through hotel listings first so you can secure accommodations that work for your family, and then search for discounts on restaurants and activities so you can work on the next step: planning a low-cost travel itinerary. Stick to a Budget-Friendly Itinerary When it comes to cutting costs — and stress — on travel for your family, planning can be a real lifesaver. Once you have your family-friendly destination picked out, you can start your planning by building an itinerary for your trip. You can have kids help you pick activities, but look for low-cost travel ideas online first so you can offer them some budget-friendly choices. Also, think about planning a date night to hike, canoe, or visit a romantic restaurant to give you and your partner some time to relax and reconnect. This can be especially refreshing for couples who have recently had a baby or have a busy schedule. You can even search Groupon for discounts on massages and other date-night expenses. Pack Smart to Avoid Extra Purchases We’ve all gotten to the hotel room only to realize we forgot to pack one or two travel essentials. Picking those items up at your destination can lead to unnecessary expenses, so be sure to use a handy list when packing bags for you and your family. What you include on that list will be determined by your destination and planned activities. So, if you plan on visiting the beach, you can snag low-priced sunscreen before you go, rather than buying it at local surf shops. Making a list can also help you remember to bring chargers for tablets and cell phones in case you need to use those gadgets to keep kids busy on planes and in cars. Bringing along toddler- and kid-friendly activities can prevent meltdowns and eliminate extra stress for parents. Buy or Make Budget-Friendly Travel Snacks Food can be a major expense for families on vacation, but there are easy ways to keep meals and snacks from eating into your travel budget. One way is to look for hotels or accommodations with kitchens, and then bring your own food to prepare healthy meals. For example, you can find Disney-area accommodation s that include kitchenettes so you won’t have to splurge on park fare for every single meal. It’s also wise to bring snacks on road trips , like fruits and yogurt packs, to minimize gas station stops and keep your family from getting hungry and frustrated. In addition to being budget-friendly, these snacks are also so much healthier for your family than fast food and gas station fare, so you won’t have to stress out about eating too much junk food. Whether you’re heading to the beach or an amusement park, family vacations are a great way to make memories with your kids. If you’re not careful with planning, your vacation can also be a serious source of stress. So, if you are planning a road trip or any other travel adventures with your little ones, be sure to use the tips above to save on all your essentials and activities.