How to save money but still have THAT family holiday
Family holidays are a great way for the whole clan to relax, unwind, and just enjoy each other's company - especially when everyone is so busy these days.
However, if the thought of paying for a week away in the sun is making you break into a cold sweat, fear not! Because there are lots of little things you can do to help save a bit of dosh.
When we went to California the hidden costs made the trip more expensive than we had banked on.
From tipping 20% to buying bottles of water every five minutes, we had to come up with ways of avoiding overpriced snacks!
Here are our top six tips for a money-savvy family trip.
1) Avoid peak times
Obviously, if your little ones aren't at school yet then book your holiday during term time. Flights and accommodation are much cheaper during quiet periods and you'll beat the crowds too. And even if you are constrained to school holiday periods, play around with departing mid-week and be prepared to arrive earlier or later in the day.
2) Book big days out in advance
If you're planning on going to any big theme parks or water parks during your family trip it's usually cheaper to book these tickets in advance online. Most places will offer discounted family tickets and they might even have a sale before you go so keep your eyes peeled for deals.
3) Travel light
If you decide to go abroad, be ruthless with your packing. We know it's easier said than done when you've smallies, but do the kids really need three different hoodies? Do they definitely require multiple changes of shoes? If you're only going for a few days try to just take hand luggage. It means you won't have to wait around at the baggage carousel too.
4) Pack snacks
Airports are seriously expensive, especially when you have a few hungry mouths to feed. Avoid forking out extortionate prices and bring a packed lunch to the airport instead. Don't forget some nibbles for the plane too. We love our own sambos
5) Book a home away from home
Instead of booking a hotel room, book a small apartment or Airbnb. Having your own washing machine (see No3 above!) and kitchen can be very handy and are a great way to save some cash. Search in advance and simply hit the supermarket for basics and supplies once you arrive.
6) Shop around for insurance
Doing your research can really pay off when it comes to travel insurance. Thankfully, there are lots of great comparison sites online. Annual policies often work out cheaper, we’ve found.
Insurance means peace of mind. I’ll never forget when our little ones got really sick in Turkey, we think it was some kind of tummy bug but we ended up in hospital.
Honestly if it weren’t for the insurance that payed for all the issues, we would have been screwed!! Our little girls would have been sick in a foreign country with no provisions made.
Honestly the company TUI was incredible and so lovely and helped us reschedule our flight because the girls were too sick to travel!
But without the insurance, we would have had big hospital bills!! So if you’re travelling with your family make sure you get the all important travel insurance.