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Fasten your seat belt, and let us go for a "thrifty" ride.
Plan And Spend
When on a vacation, shelling out a lot of money for unnecessary items is something we are very good at. And there is no denying that this can actually increase many times when you travel with your family. To avoid such unwelcome scenarios decide upfront how much will you be spending on your vacation.
Make a list of all the possible places where you will have to go, along with your travel and accommodation charges. And once you have a rough figure, decide on whether you are spending a little too much, or do you still have room in your budget for some more dollars.
Your Credit Card Can Do Wonders
You have probably acquired those loyal points/rewards from the usage of our credit cards in either restaurants or grocery stores. Well, it is time to pull out the same cards again, and it is quite simple as well.
All you have to do is sign up for those rewards which would require you to meet some minimum spending requirements and pay your entire bill by the end of the month. Trust me, these rewards or points from the credit cards can help you save quite a bit of money when booking airfare or accommodation.
Technology - Your best friend for the vacation
What better way to get suggestions than from the technology itself? Whether you want to stop to grab a bite when you are on a road trip, or you need to know where a gas station is on the way, there are hundreds of apps out there which suggest various deals that are on offer for your requirements. And then there is Google Maps which you can use to store all these key locations so that you don't have to break your head later trying to find them.
Reuse, Reduce, Recycle
I know most of you might disagree with me on this, but think of it again, the "use and throw" goods may be cheaper and more convenient but you have to buy the same goods repeatedly. When you are out with your family, you will end up buying so much stuff that you will start wondering, have I come out for a vacation or shopping?
Instead of spending your cash on these items, purchase reusable goods for your vacation. It might be a pack of washable clothes instead of a paper roll, or substitute water bottles for all the plastic water bottles you buy. Make sure each time you buy something, you stop and think whether a reusable replacement is available for the same. You will also be contributing to the environment by keeping it cleaner with less plastic and other non-reusable waste.
Hotels? Think Again
One of the biggest expenses when traveling with your family is the accommodation. With innumerable options out there, you might be tempted to opt for the best hotel, or a famous hotel to live in, for a week or two? But with all of you cramped up in just one room, do you think you are going to end up with a pleasant experience. And if you are on a vacation with other family relatives as well, you can just imagine the resulting turmoil.
"Thank you for all the facilities you have, but no I prefer a vacation rental instead." This is what I tell most hotel owners or their associates who ask me if I need a hotel room. Just think of it, you have a whole house to yourself, where you can cook your own food, your kids have a lot of space to run around and have some fun of their own, and you will be entitled to your own free space as well. And the best part is: all this comes for a very affordable price.
