Today – The cheapest ways to travel with a family
I’ve met very few people who wouldn’t like to travel more. Seeing new places and experiencing new things not to mention just having a break from the boring 9-5 is great for us all and, I think, particularly valuable for kids (check out this post on The Benefits of Travelling for Kids). What holds us back is often the cost.
The additional costs associated with travelling with children along with the restrictions on term time holidays combine to put pressure on a family’s budget. I’ve pulled together my top tips to find the cheapest ways to travel as a family. Plus I’ve thrown in some thoughts from fellow bloggers.
The cheapest ways to travel as a family
1 Book via topcashback or by searching for discount codes. Massive savings can be made if you put some effort in and book online. Emma from Emma and 3.
2 Consider going outside of school holidays. Obviously, this isn’t something you can do all the time but if your kids have a good attendance record generally you might find it’s not quite as ‘off limits’ as you might have thought.
3 Research where you’re going so you know exactly what you want to do before you go. We’ve just been away and saved quite a lot by booking one attraction in advance rather than paying on the door and by discovering a free day at a museum while we were there which would have been $25 each. Cass from Frugal Family
4 Try to be flexible about your dates and destinations so you can take advantage of great deals when they come up. I love browsing Skyscanner with no particular trip in mind and just seeing where happens to be cheap at that particular time.
5 Search for free things to do in the area you are travelling to. These are often fabulous and don’t cost a penny. Becky from Simple Parenting. (Check out my Free Things to do in York post)
6 Use a family railcard and book train tickets via Trainline or similar through a cash back site. Liz from Me and my shadow
7 If travelling abroad make sure you plan your holiday a long time in advance. For a summer holiday hunt for offers in January as you’ll get the best prices for package holidays especially. Otilia from – Romanianmum.com
8 When choosing to visit expensive places – like we visited Venice this summer, take snacks, packed lunch and water bottles to cut down spending. Mari from Mari’s world
9 If you can, go for self catering accommodation, eating out adds a huge cost to the holiday bill. Maggy from Red Ted Art
10 Investigate the various tourist passes and entrance deals normally available from the tourist office of wherever you’re visiting. They normally offer cheaper or free access to the main tourist attractions and many will also be valid for public transport and even in restaurants. Check out the York Pass or Oslo Pass for example.
Finally, think about how you’re financing your travels. A separate savings account with a decent rate of interest (check out somewhere like MSE for the best current offers) can help you save regularly and stretch your money that bit further. I wouldn’t recommend borrowing to finance travel but, in an emergency, lenders like Cashlady can provide short term loans.
I hope that has given you some ideas on the cheapest ways to travel with a family. Do leave me a comment if you’ve got some other suggestions. Pin for later:
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