We aren’t big travelers in that we haven’t traveled to any international destinations (yet) as a family. However, we love to explore different areas in Virginia over the course of a long weekend trip. These shorter, closer in proximity trips are easier for packing/unpacking, not to mention the financial savings. For those of you with young children and a tight budget, I urge you to try visiting different destinations in Virginia. Don’t discount family travel because you can’t afford it, just align your definition of vacation with your family’s means.
Here are a few tips to help you save even more money:
Use Playgrounds as a Pit Stop
When we plan a trip I research playgrounds and public parks along the way. Often, there are unique parks to visit that not only help break up the drive, but also are a free way to add fun to your trip. For example, over spring break we spent 3 days in Roanoke. On our way home we stopped at Addy Grace Playground to let the kids get their wiggles out, and to add some excitement to our trip.
My preference is to use free parks and playgrounds as a break versus stopping at a restaurant and spending money.
Pack Food
It requires planning and effort, but packing food will save your family lots of money in the long run. For our trips, I pack food with the intention to eat at least one of our meals each day from what we brought. To jazz it up I might plan a picnic at a nearby park, or even let the kids have an indoor picnic at our hotel. Be sure to check in advance if your lodging has a refrigerator, microwave, etc. The intentional planning and effort is worth it when I’m able to use what we saved to purchase tickets to a museum or another activity during the trip.
Teach Your Children Delayed Gratification
This is a hard one, because for some kids it’s natural and for others it doesn’t come as easy, but if you start when your children are young they will grow to understand. When you go to a gift shop and your children ask for trinkets, explain (in an age appropriate way) why you’re not buying that. I tell my kids things like, “If I buy that today, we can’t go for ice cream later.” They’re older now and grasping this is easier than when they were toddlers. At that age, someone suggested to me letting the kids ask for things, take a photo of the items with your phone, and telling them to ask for those things for their birthday. I did this a few times and the kids forgot all about the things they desperately wanted by the time their birthdays rolled around. This suggestion is great for letting children feel heard, without giving into their whims.
Check Your Memberships
A simple way to save money is to use your reciprocal memberships. For example, my family has a Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden membership, and we used it to visit the Norfolk Botanical Garden for free.
Paying for tickets to NBG would’ve been over $60 for our family of 4, so this is a great savings. Before I purchase memberships I research their reciprocal membership benefits to see other ways our family can save.
Avoid Comparisons
Lastly, don’t get caught up in the comparison trap. There are families who travel abroad during school breaks and take vacations many could only dream of. But don’t let yourself get bogged down in what your family can’t afford. Maybe your kids won’t go to the top of the Eiffel Tower this summer, but you can hike to the top of some cool mountains, or experience hands on history.
Focus on what you can do and take a positive approach in planning and executing a family trip. Your kids will benefit from the time with you, regardless of where you go.
