If you are lucky enough to have a large family, you will know how much fun a getaway together can be. Traveling with a large family group is an exciting adventure filled with laughter and great experiences, but it can also be challenging, particularly when it comes to sticking to a budget!
However, taking your whole family with you on vacation shouldn’t have to be prohibitively expensive. With a little careful planning, it is possible to book amazing experiences and incredible adventures for the whole family without breaking the bank. So whether you want to book a cruise to the Mexican Riviera or jet off on an exotic Caribbean beach vacation, here are a few tips on how to keep things affordable.
Plan in Advance
The key to any successful vacation, advance planning is particularly important when it comes to traveling with a big group. Not only is it important for practical and logistical issues, but it can help enormously when it comes to saving money. By planning and booking well in advance, you can find the best deals and take advantage of discounts, promotions, and the lower dynamic prices that most travel and tourism companies offer, making your family vacation far more affordable.
Flexibility is Key
Being flexible and adaptable is enormously important when it comes to finding suitable and affordable options for the whole family. If you are prepared to vacation at unfashionable times of the year, when the popular destinations are less busy, or travel at inconvenient times of the day or days of the week, you will find far more affordable options are available to you. Flexibility with your travel plans lets you design a trip around what is affordable, rather than the other way around.
Look for Family-Friendly Accommodations
When you are looking for somewhere to stay with a large family, it is important to find accommodations that a suited to large families. This often means avoiding small boutique hotels or luxury resorts, and choosing self-catering options with large rooms, kitchenettes, and pools, or all-inclusive resorts that are full of family-friendly amenities, kids’ clubs, and free breakfasts! Vacation rentals are a great choice as they tend to offer more space and more flexibility while being more affordable.
Take Advantage of Group Discounts
Loads of tours, tourist activities, and popular attractions will offer discounts for groups and families, meaning that you can often save quite a bit of money if you buy in bulk! By booking group tours or family packages you can usually find significant savings while still experiencing the best tourist attractions.
Pack Smart and Bring Your Own Essentials
When traveling with a large family the little incidental costs that you might not even notice when traveling as a couple add up extremely quickly. As a result, it is a great idea to bring as many essentials as you can with you, to avoid spending unnecessarily. Pack as light as you can to avoid having to splash out on too much excess baggage and perhaps just designate one checked bag for everyone to put a certain amount of stuff in. Bring snacks and drinks from home, as well as reusable water bottles and travel toiletries. With a strategic attitude to packing you can make significant savings and prevent costs from spiraling.
Traveling as a large family doesn’t have to be a strain on your finances. With the tips above and some careful planning a family vacation can be enjoyable and affordable, allowing you to take advantage of the fun and excitement that exploring the world with your whole family provides!#