Money-Saving Tips to Help Make the Most of Your Family Vacation

Are you looking for some great tricks from skilled vacationers on how to save as much money as possible and truly get the most out of your family trip? Vacations can be incredibly expensive – especially if you’ve got multiple kids or you’re saving up all of those vacation days at work for one big annual retreat. Here are 5 great tips, tricks and things to watch out for when planning your family vacation that may help you save money in the process and allow you to really get the most out of your holiday.

Know When to Buy Plane Tickets

Look all over the Internet for the best prices – the safest way to go here is to really shop around. Try signing up with a few different airlines and ask to receive email updates for pricing changes.

Pro-tip: weekends are a less expensive time to fly. Business customers fly during the week, so it’s common to see much higher prices on plane tickets during those days.

Bring Your Own Food

Though it’s probable you’ll want to go out to dinner occasionally while you’re on vacation, try bringing your own snacks and lunch foods. When you’re searching for hotels initially, check to see if they offer any kind of complimentary breakfast or brunch. If you stock up at the grocery store before your vacation really gets started, you can agree with your family to keep breakfast and lunch picnic-style, and then have something more to look forward to for dinner.

Rent a Car if You’re Doing A Lot of Driving

Though you’ll still be paying for gas ultimately, you’ll save your own vehicle from more wear and tear as well as mileage. It’s also a good idea to look at weekly rates on rental cars as opposed to daily. A lot of times, if you’re planning on renting a car for 5 or 6 days, it can be more cost effective to book it for a full week instead.

West Virginia car accident lawyers, Mani Ellis & Layne mention that car accidents are one of the most common places from where injuries can arise. When you’ve got a car full of family members, be careful not to drive distractedly. Any kind of car accident, whether there are injuries or not, is definitely not a wallet-friendly way to make the most of your vacation.

Pay Attention to Where You’re Filling the Gas Tank

Typically, gas prices will be a little higher at stations directly off of the highway. If you have a Smartphone or a GPS, utilize it by finding the next closest gas station.

Make Space for Some Downtime

Try not to plan an activity for every hour of the day. You and your family will be completely worn out by the end of it. You’ll save money and energy by making a little room for downtime. Vacations are supposed to be relaxing – don’t let yourself feel rushed or overwhelmed.

Be sure to make the most out of your next family vacation by keeping these 5 tips in mind. Relax, save money and have a great time!