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A great family holiday needn’t break the bank
Going on holiday with a friend or partner can be expensive enough but a family break can prove even more damaging to your wallet. But that doesn’t mean you should shelve your vacation plans for this year completely. With some careful planning your family can enjoy a summer break on a budget.
To help show you how to get the most for your money when travelling with children, holiday lettings agency Tots to Travel, which specialises in family-friendly breaks, shares some great family travel tips:
- Passports: Check your passport is valid and make sure you have ones for your children too. Last minute passport applications are stressful and expensive. Check your passports now and put a reminder in your calendar six months before they are due to expire.
- Parking: Parking for a week at an airport can cost just about as much as the holiday. So use the internet to find cheap airport car parking, ferries, flights and car hire. Try a parking website such as Parking4less.co.uk
- Packing: When packing, try to plan as carefully as you can. It may be cheaper to buy sun cream, hats and other provisions at home rather than at your resort. But also be aware of your luggage allowance and weigh your bags before you leave home. Children’s kit can easily weigh 38kgs on it’s own – much more than most allowances – so try to find accommodation that provides as much of it as possible for you.
- Picnics: Think ahead to what meals you are likely to need en-route to your destination and pack a picnic, snacks and drinks. Your children will love eating in an unusual place and it will save you a lot of expensive road stops or meals at airport cafes and restaurants.
- Foreign exchange: Don’t leave purchasing your foreign exchange until you get to the airport. It is worth hunting around for the best exchange rate. There can be a marked difference between the high street and the airports, so it is advisable to obtain currency from your local travel agent or high street vendor.
- Self catering: With self catering you are not dependent on expensive restaurants. Buy food from the local supermarkets or markets and plan picnics rather than eating out at expensive restaurants. This can also give you a better feel for local culture and you can find things your children will love to eat. If you are staying in a hotel, use the mini-bar fridge for your own drinks. But try not to eat or drink the contents if you want to save money, no matter how tempting they look!
- Free fun: You don’t need to pay lots for expensive excursions when plenty of fun can be had at your destination. Young children in particular prefer to spend time in one spot instead of going on lots of trips. Buy some good stories and colouring books or play games in the pool. Pack an inflatable beach ball or for smaller children just use some empty water bottles and different size containers for pouring activities. Remember that a beach, a bucket and a spade can make for hours of entertainment. As an alternative, you might also want to find out where the local playground is. If you are in London check out VisitLondon.com for free activities for children
Fuel for thought: If driving, remember that petrol is expensive so try to limit your journeys and look for fun that is closer to home. Try to combine your outings in order to make fewer journeys and perhaps plan to ... Read more
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