17 Ways to Save Money When Planning a Family Vacation
Even the best trip to Disneyland has to come to an end and when that time comes, parents will be left with one big souvenir that they can't return: the bill. Sadly those great memory-making trips to visit family in Texas, going skiing in the mountains, or take in the sights at the Grand Canyon often make a huge dent in our wallets. It's a challenge that many parents grapple with, how to make memories without breaking the bank. Don't feel pressure to put the entire trip on credit cards and deal with consequences later -- the perfect family trip is something that every parent can plan for and pay for, no matter what their budget is. All it really takes are some tips and tricks that can help parents budget the right way.
Our first tip: Start months ahead of the trip, putting money away and carefully comparing prices. Are there lower prices for booking early? Are there more savings to be had by booking last-minute? Is it possible to leave in the middle of the week? These are all important questions to think about when booking a trip, but there are even more ways to save when arriving at the destination. Luckily we have plenty of expertise when it comes to planning trips and have compiled some of our best tricks into one list that we're going to pass along to our readers.
Be Flexible With Dates
Sure, things become trickier when adhering to a school schedule, but if at all possible there are two words that are getting a good deal on travel: wiggle room. Is it possible to leave a few days before vacation starts and come back after it ends? Or go away on off-peak dates, if possible.
Or Book Really Late
Again, flight prices are fickle. It seems the exact right time to book can be a day or two before the trip. It's a risky move -- one could end up with no flight after all or it could end up costing a fortune, but airlines will often slash prices close to flights to fill seats.
Research & Book In Incognito Mode
Travel websites often use cookies to track consumers who are browsing flights and hotel rooms, so make sure the incognito mode is turned on in the web browser when shopping around. This will make sure these sites can't jack up the prices when it's time to buy.