Top 5 Tips for Finding a Family Vacation that Fits Your Budget

Other posts by MudslideMama

Home prices falling, gigantic bailout on Wall Street, the stock market’s a mess – we can almost feel the anxiety in the air. In uncertain economic times like these, a lot of us cut back on extras. Family travel certainly seems, on the face of it, like just such an “extra” to put off until the market improves. But is that really the case? Many people don’t think so: The travel and tourism industry is responding to the recession worldwide by offering some great travel deals and hotel packages, the likes of which make family vacations a viable choice again. In fact, digging up the best travel deals and packages is an important way to stretch the family travel budget. We can still have great, memorable trips with our children, and those experiences really help bring the family together. Enjoying family time away from home is invaluable, after all. Here are our top 5 tips for finding a family vacation that fits your travel budget.

1. Do some online research at travel websites like Kayak and Orbitz. There are always vacation deals and travel packages on those sites, although the best discounts may not be where you plan to travel. TravelZoo is another great site to find travel bargains you won’t see anywhere else – although these are often last minute and not on holidays.

2. Check the websites of your planned destination’s hotels. Many offer online-only discounts and vacation packages that you won’t find elsewhere.

3. Consider vacation condos and house rentals, instead of hotel rooms. A vacation rental condo is more convenient for families anyway, with more room to spread out, a kitchen, and other homey amenities. Be sure to research the rental condo or home before booking it, though. No one wants a leaky roof.

4. Take a look at HomeExchange.com – If your home is in a desirable destination, this reputable site allows for free home swaps for vacation. This works out very well for people who are comfortable with the concept.

5. Research general information travel sites. These are great for ferreting out deals and vacation packages you may otherwise have missed. An example is one of the Traveling Mama’s favorites, Conde Nast Traveler’s The Perrin Post. A recent post of hers describes the amazing deals to be had on luxurious Hawaiian vacation homes, along with (relatively) cheaper air fare than might be expected. And another travel site to peruse for tips and suggestions for budgeting a family vacation? Why, the Traveling Mamas, of course! You had to ask?

These top 5 tips for budgeting a family vacation all entail using the web to seek out discounts. It is true that the most up-to-date travel deals will be found online before making it to “hard copy.” It’s easier than ever to research an entire family trip online, from making hotel reservations, to printing out boarding passes, all the way to checking ourselves out of hotels at the end of our vacations. As more and more people plan their vacations online, this online travel deal trend will only become more pronounced.

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October 31, 2008 | Filed Under Adventure Travel, Budget Travel, Family Travel, Travel News 

Comments

18 Responses to “Top 5 Tips for Finding a Family Vacation that Fits Your Budget”

  1. Ric Garrido says:
    October 31, 2008 at

    A good site for finding condo apartment rentals is SkyAuction.com. There are frequently one week rental properties, usually timeshares, selling with no bid or just a small bid. Winning a 7-day condo auction in a resort location can often be done with a bid of under $10 and after all the fees may end up being only $325 or so for a one-week timeshare.

    The best deals are for last-minute travel.

  2. Frank says:
    November 3, 2008 at

    A vacation rental condo is more convenient for families anyway, with more room to spread out, a kitchen, and other homey amenities. Be sure to research the rental condo or home before booking it, though.

  3. Jane says:
    November 4, 2008 at

    Thank you. I love the HomeExchange.com idea.

  4. Kim Turner says:
    November 7, 2008 at

    It is a good idea to think about vacation rentals – especially if you are vacationing in Florida, North Carolina or Alabama. Take a look at http://www.GetMoreVacations.com and you will see some of the nicest vacation rentals in those areas (ResortQuest, Seaside, etc) AND they give you things like golf rounds, water park tickets, fishing trips, dolphin cruises, mini golf and a lot more included in the cost of your stay. These are the things you want to do most when you vacation in these areas and not having to pay for them can save you a lot.

  5. Liz says:
    November 15, 2008 at

    Glad to see you included home exchange in your list. I used a London agency when I exchanged to England as they had a great choice of offers there and their membership fee is very reasonable, http://www.homebase-hols.com

    There is also a blog on the site with much information about home swapping.

  6. Finding More Fun, 11/15/08 | Travels with Children says:
    November 15, 2008 at

    [...] Top 5 Tips for Finding a Family Vacation that Fits Your Budget at Traveling Mamas. [...]

  7. Davo says:
    November 20, 2008 at

    The problem with homeexchange.com is that its annual fee is now very overpriced compared to many other quality reputatable home exchange websites. With a bit of hunting it is still possible to find some great free (or low cost) sites – a few that spring to mind are http://www.christianhomeswap.com , http://www.profvac.com/ , and http://www.placetoplace.com.au

  8. Tony says:
    November 23, 2008 at

    Thought your visitors may be interested in learning about our home exchange site, http://www.1sthomeexchange.com

    1stHomeExchange.com is one of the larger sites with listings in 130 countries. We offer both a free membership (list your home) and a paid membership (list, contact, and much more). Full details on our two membership plans are available at http:/www.1sthomeexchange.com/fees.php

    People new to home exchanging will also find articles and videos that provide details on how this travel alternative work.

    A home exchange is a great way to save thousands, especially in these tough economic times. For families who may be thinking of skipping a holiday this year, a home exchange allows for a holiday that costs no more than staying at home (plus airline tickets).

  9. Tony says:
    November 23, 2008 at

    Oops!

    That second link should have been.

    http://www.1sthomeexchange.com/fees.php

  10. MudslideMama says:
    November 23, 2008 at

    Thanks for the information, Tony. The more we know about budgeting vacations, the better.

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    December 9, 2008 at

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  12. Jason from Money Theory says:
    December 15, 2008 at

    Great tips!

    Many times you can find great deals by renting a timeshare suite. You can visit rci.com or intervalworld.com to find timeshare properties in the area you want to travel to.

    You can then call them up and ask if they have any special rental offers for your travel dates.

    We’ve found gorgeous 3 bedroom suites with kitchen and private hot tub this way for $125 a night.

    And we’ve never been bothered to take a timeshare tour either.

    Thanks,

    Jason

  13. Guam-Hotel.Net » Blog Archive » Visit Las Vegas Travel Contest says:
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  15. hotels says:
    April 13, 2009 at

    Great ideas. Thanks.

  16. Jim "The Cruise Guy" King says:
    June 17, 2009 at

    I like your article on planning a quick getaway vacation. Here is a nice blog that I found.

  17. Timeshare says:
    August 19, 2009 at

    My family was considering a staycation this summer and, using your tips above, we were able to swap homes and enjoy a nice trip to the west coast – thanks for sharing.

  18. Mischa says:
    October 21, 2009 at

    Thanks for these useful tips, here’s another one you might like to use. Consider using this Travel Packing Checklist before you travel abroad so you don’t leave home missing those needed items.

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