I have spent hours on travel blogs for families trying to find family vacations on a budget. We are a travel family and love to check off destinations from our bucket list. In the process, we have no desire to break our bank while planning our family travels by finding cheap travels. In this post, I will share with you on ways to plan family travel on a budget.
Is there such a thing as an affordable vacation for families?
Planning family travel on a budget is tedious work and it also requires a lot of planning well in advance. The reason I say this is because you will typically find better airfare and hotel deals when you book in advance by taking advantage of ‘early bird deals’. If you plan to travel on budget, the first step is to make sure you first set a budget for your trip.
We often hear others say that we must be rich to travel the world with our kids. Some have even accused me of using my husband’s money to fund our travels.
Although that is nowhere close to the truth, the question is, how do we fund our travels?
My husband and I, both work full times jobs (yes, I do too!). He is a mechanical engineer and works as a Project Manager. I am a Registered Nurse and work as a Public Health Nurse. We both earn a decent living, but our trips are funded by our day-to-day cost saving efforts and low cost of travelling. Meaning, we spend very minimal money on dining out, gifts for each other, or our other personal expenses in general. When we travel, we travel light, and we travel smart. I am always hunting for good deals, and we have yet to book a trip by paying full price on anything on our trip.
So, let’s jump right into planning your family travel on a budget!
How to plan your family travel on a budget
The most important thing to plan your family travel on a budget is to decide your budget. Major components of your budget will include:
- The destination you plan to go to
- Type of accommodations you choose to stay at
- Activities your family wants to do
- Airfare you choose for your family
- Car rental fees and car insurance
- Time of the year you plan to travel
Depending on these, your budget will vastly vary. More flexibility with destinations means finding a cheaper deal. I will be honest with you; I am NOT flexible when it comes to destinations. I know exactly where I want to go and I try to find cheap flights to those places. Keep reading this article to understand why I am not flexible with the destinations we visit. What I AM flexible with are our dates although I have already picked my month of travel.
Destinations
Our bucket list comprises of countries from every continent. When I pick a destination, I am trying to pick a different experience each time. This means that no two back-to-back trips would feel like a repeat. When we chose to go to Alberta in 2021, we picked Panama as our second vacation of the year. When we chose to go to Dubai and Maldives in 2022, we picked Ireland as our second vacation of the year. In 2023, we are visiting New Zealand, Fiji, and Thailand – all very different from one another.
Family travel on a budget works for us because I try to mix the countries, we visit from our bucket list based on cultural experiences, food, and the general vibe of the place. E.g., If we visit a country is South America, I try to mix it up by then visiting a country from Asia or another continent. This gives us an opportunity to experience different cultures and food in the same year.
This may be something you want to think about. I remember those university days when we used to only visit Caribbean Islands back-to-back. We got so tired of the repeat that we decided to wait quite some time to go back to the Caribbean. Similarly, mixing destinations up will help you get in a mix of different experiences, cultures, lifestyle, food, environments, and sights.
Accommodation
The type of hotels you choose to stay at, the star rating of the hotel, unique stays or room types can all affect your budget. For e.g., a city view would be cheaper than a beach view or a beach villa would be cheaper than a beach villa with a private pool. A 4-star hotel would be cheaper than a 5-star hotel and a hotel that is centrally located may be cheaper than one located amid a jungle.
Although this can be a place you can compromise and save, I often say that pick your star rating based on your destination. A 3-star hotel in North America will likely have higher standards than a 3-star hotel in Asia. Do your homework depending on the destination and pick accordingly. If you have any questions regarding picking family friendly rooms, we are just an email away.
If you are planning a trip to the Maldives and debating which kind of room or villa to pick, click here to read our verdict on which room we preferred and how they are different from one another.
I can’t talk about accommodations without talking about hotels or Airbnb’s.
This is a very personal choice and one that completely depends on your preference. Airbnb’s used to be reasonably priced once upon a time but with extra fees that they charge now, these prices are often way more than hotels which is not ideal when planning your family travel on a budget.
I do love Airbnb’s and prefer them when we are staying in a city for more than 2 nights. I love the flexibility of having a kitchen and quickly cooking some of our meals. You also have the option to do laundry which helps us travel lighter and in carry-on bags only. This eliminates paying for checked in bags and the hassle of waiting around at the baggage claim. Yes, you can travel with kids by packing carry-ons only. Click here to read how we pack our carry-on bags with kids.
I prefer to stay in hotels when we are staying in a city for one night. It comes with lesser fees and often times kids stay for free, and breakfast is included. All these factors make it ideal for a shorter stay when we plan our family travel on a budget.
Activities
What activities you want to do at a destination will also decide your family travel on a budget. Do you want to take advantage of free sight seeing’s that each country has to offer? Is there an activity on your bucket list that you want to do? Once you decide your activities, does it keep you within your larger family travel budget or does it break the bank? If it does, which activities can you give up on?
Typically, when we are stuck in this situation, we eliminate experiences that we can do in another country. Continue with experiences that are unique to that specific country and eliminate the ones that you can do in another one.
We usually take advantage of free sights while planning our family travel on a budget. We then add in one big bucket list activity we want to do as a family. This balance has always kept us within our budget and made sure we can have the best family holiday on a budget. My favourite website to find reasonably priced activities is Get Your Guide. They have deals from time to time and booking in advance can ensure you get one of their deals.
Airfare
Airfare takes up a big chunk of your budget. When planning your family travel on a budget, you cannot rule out the current high prices of airfare. Think about what kind of class you want to fly in and if you have specific times and dates you want to fly out on. We typically pick economy class and choose the cheapest option for dates and times. Google flights can help you determine the cheapest dates you can fly out on, and this tool has been my go-to since we decided to travel on a budget.
Something to consider: are you looking for non-stop flights or do you want one with a halt. We prefer non-stop but if we can only find good deals on flights with a halt, we stay there for a few days to break up our trip and also get to see a new country. Typically, I have found that non-stop flights are more expensive BUT if you book them well in advance, we have scored non-stop flights at the same price as ones with halts.
I know you must be thinking, how early is early to book flights?
It’s never too early if you want to plan your family travel on a budget. We have booked flights 11 months in advance when booking calendars have opened. We have booked flights 4 months in advance. Prices jump higher closer to the date of flying out unless you find a really good deal. Airfare is usually on sale around Boxing Day, New Years, Black Friday, etc. We try to take advantage of these sales and book during this time.
Car rental
Again, depending on the destination, you may or may not want to rent a car and drive around by yourself. If you are planning a road trip around Ireland, or drive through the Garden Route in South Africa or even drive through the South Island in New Zealand, one of the highlights would be to drive through the country. Renting a car would thus be the best way to travel. You should factor in car rental fees when planning your family travel on a budget.
Some countries, like Ireland or Iceland charge a higher fee for car rentals while other countries are cheaper no matter when you visit. It depends on if you are travelling during peak season, off season or shoulder season as well.
If you plan to visit Asia, local transportation would be the most suitable. Due to traffic and slow commute times, you can choose to take trains or other local transportations offered in the country. If you still want to drive, you can rent a car with a driver for a reasonable price.
One thing to note is your car rental insurance. Check with your credit card and/or local car insurance company prior to travel to understand what they cover. A few years ago, we upgraded our insurance policy under the international umbrella they offered. Although we pay an additional 14$ per month on our car insurance, it saves us a ton of money from buying car insurance every time we choose to rent a car. Car insurance in a foreign country is quite expensive and it would be nice to eliminate this cost completely if you are planning towards family travel on a budget.
Time of the year you plan to travel
This makes such a big difference when talking about budget friendly family vacations and family travel on a budget. There are high seasons and low seasons to travel to each country. But then, there are shoulder months. Airfare, accommodations, car rentals, food, activities, etc. is not only cheaper but the crowds are fewer during the shoulder months.
You want to avoid visiting a country during low season because this might likely be their monsoon season or peak winter months, or the weather may just not be as favourable (unless this does not bother you). Peak season is one of the best times to visit a country but keep in mind that everything will be more expensive, and the destination will be crowded. You can score better deals during the shoulder seasons, and this is the time we prefer to travel.
Our girls are still young – one is in daycare, and one is in Senior Kindergarten, so we have no trouble taking them out of school to travel. I am sure this will continue for us as they get older because they learn so much outside of a classroom and I am all in favour of this kind of education and learning for the girls.
If you are planning family travel on a budget, look into visiting countries during the shoulder season. Price one specific trip during the peak season and shoulder season to see the price difference. Save money based on this search by booking at the most appropriate time that works within your budget.
General travel tips on your family vacation on a budget:
By now you know that we promote and love family travel and we strongly believe in family travel on a budget. Travelling with kids means you are now paying more on airfare and accommodations. Although family travel comes with a higher price tag, every minute of it is worth it. The things kids learn through their travels will leave you in awe.
Here are some additional travel tips we have used in the past to help us stay within our budget while we travel through some luxurious destinations.
- Buy your own snacks (including fruits) – kids get hungry very often and having your own snacks will cut down on eating out every time they get hungry.
- Pick a hotel room that comes with free breakfast – When my kids wake up, they need breakfast right away. Having free breakfast has saved us so much money on otherwise expensive meals.
- Pack a lunch – if you have free breakfast at your hotel, often times you will need a lighter lunch and we love to pack sandwiches and other meals for lunch. We spend money on dinners and save quite a bit by doing this. This will also vary for each destination considering that some countries have cheaper food.
- Save on drinks – we always stock up at groceries stores at the start of any trip. Not only do we buy fruits, snacks and some quick lunch meals, we also buy drinks from the store and enjoy a drink or two every night!
- Pick an all-inclusive option when possible – again, kids get hungry very often and depending on the destination you are travelling to pick an all-inclusive option if you have the choice (e.g. Maldives – you have options of half board or full board)
- Factor in visa fees (if applicable), travel insurance, exchange rate, buying a local SIM card, etc.
- Check accommodations that offer discounts for kids or even promotions where kids stay for free.
- When booking activities, book them in advance. Often, excursions cost more when you purchase tickets at the box office over booking them in advance online. You can even buy them a night before at cheaper prices.
I keep saying how planning your family travel on a budget in advance will help you save a ton of money. In this section, I will share ways on how you can plan your travels in advance:
Credit card travel points
I am a BIG believer in using my credit card to earn travel points. I wasn’t always a believer in this but decided to try it last year and there is no going back. If you live in Canada and are looking for a good credit card that earns you tons of travel points, check out this post as I explain how to make the most of this card. In 6 months, we collected over 130K travel points and still have a chunk from our welcome bonus left to come in. This has helped us travel more while staying on track while planning our family travel on a budget.
If you subscribed on the blog to our mailing list, you would have received a FREE guide that gives you a step-by-step breakdown on how we find cheaper airfare. These tips have been tried and tested for 5+ years and I am proud to say that I have really nailed this and can find the cheapest airfare that are available out there. Using our travel points to purchase these cheap flights has meant that we barely ever pay for air tickets out of our pocket.
Cashback apps
Another way I typically get cashback is through booking our travels through cashback apps. I use Rakuten to earn cashback from websites like Expedia and Booking.com. Going through these websites via Rakuten means you typically get 1-3% cashback (sometimes more depending on any ongoing deals) for car rentals, airfare, things to do, hotels, etc.
By the end of a trip, I earn cashback equivalent to at least one or more nights of a hotel room. I keep this cashback to use on our future trips thus further helping our family travel on a budget.
Keep monitoring for deals
I can’t stress enough on how important this is. There are deals every few months and you need to monitor to know when the best time to book is and find cheap flights. I often track airflights on desired dates and get a notification when flights drop. I also check every day to make sure I am not missing out on a deal they haven’t shared. This has helped me save hundreds if not thousands on airfare for the 4 of us.
You can get the best flights if you monitor and book in advance. For e.g., you can find cheaper non-stop flights, or you will have more flexibility with timings for flights. I have noticed that desired times are typically more expensive closer to travel dates but if you book in advance, you can get these flights for cheaper. YES! These little things help your family travel on a budget!
I also play around with dates and find deals using the multi-city option if we decide to layover at a halt. When you find round trip flights, check where most of the flights halts. Then conduct a multi-city search putting in the halt as a layover for a few days. Sometimes these tickets are cheaper than a roundtrip airfare.
Slow travel through your bucket list country
I wish we had more time to travel – I seriously do! Between our full-time jobs and the limited vacation time we get, we try to make the most of it. We spend 2-3 weeks in each country and make the most of our time there. The more time you spend in each country, the less money you will spend thus keeping you on track while you and your family travel on a budget.
When you are visiting a country for a short time and crave to see the highlights, you may end up booking a tour to get to these spots. The tours help you reach each of the spots from your wish list, but you will not get a chance to soak in the culture of the place – if this is something you love to do.
E.g., We chose to spend 2 weeks in New Zealand to drive through the South Island. If we had less time, we would have had to book a tour to take us to the highlights of the South Island. This also saves us a ton of money by booking our own trips rather than booking a tour. Because we are relatively limited on time, we avoid cramming in multiple countries to our itinerary and focus on the one we are visiting.
Understanding your family’s needs
Some of our best family vacations on a budget have stemmed from understanding our own family’s needs. The more you travel with your family, the more you will understand the groove. Your kids may or may not prefer things which you will learn on each trip you go on. Your family’s travel style or needs may be quite different from another family’s style and needs.
It is important to understand you and your kids needs even if you are planning family travel on a budget. For e.g., my kids love playgrounds (as most do!) and we make sure to spend some time on a playground every day during our trip because happy kids = happy trip. We cut back on activities if we must, to make time for the playground.
It is important to understand that being flexible is the single most important thing that will help you make your trip successful. If kids have a ton of snacks, time to do things they like and an iPad (no rules on a holiday), they are happier beings. These are some things that work for us, and I hope you can find things that work for YOU.
Final thoughts
We often hear other families say that they don’t travel with their kids because of the price tag it brings. It doesn’t have to be that way. You can plan family travel on a budget even with your kids. Family travel on a budget is VERY possible. We plan within a budget for every single trip we take. We have travelled to Austria, South Africa, Alberta, Panama, Dubai, Maldives, and Ireland on a budget with our girls. We are currently planning trips to Fiji, New Zealand, and Thailand amongst many other places on a budget.
We always share how we book our trips and the deals we find. We share how we find these deals. We share all about family travel on a budget and how you can achieve this for YOUR family. Keeping following us on Instagram if you are looking to book family travel on a budget. If you have any questions, we are a DM away!
I hope you found this blog helpful and I hope you will start planning your family vacation on a budget today!
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