How to take an affordable vacation-WFMW

We love family vacations.  With a big, active family it is hard to stay connected and make memories sometimes.  Vacations are good for our family.  With money tight, it can be very hard and seem almost impossible at times. Here are a few ideas that have helped us and may help you too.

1. Find friends or relatives to stay with or use their condo etc.  I know this isn't always an option, but look into it.  We stay at a friends condo in Hilton Head for a fraction of the cost most condos go for.

We have had so much fun staying with friends in Arizona, Texas and Florida.  It saves money and is a lot of fun.  Locals are great resources for sight seeing etc. too.  Don't be afraid to ask, most people are happy to have visitors, especially if they live far from family!

2. Use discount sites. We have had great luck using these sites(priceline, hotwire etc.) for hotels and airfare.  I have learned though to call a hotel and tell them the deal you are getting on a discount site and a lot of times they are able to match or exceed the deal and you can gain the travel points.  It is easier to change or cancel a reservation if it is through the company rather than a discount site too.

3. Plan ahead.  I start buying gift cards for meals etc. months in advance.  I save up all my credit card rewards, rebates and gifts to be used on vacation. That way it isn't such a shock to your budget when you do go on vacation.  This past trip we had $250 in meal cards and $250 in cash cards for gas saved up.  That helps a lot. Also, call ahead or research the area you are going to.  Often there are free events, but you have to sign up early.  The case in Washington DC for us was that we had to write our Senators to get tours of the White House, the Capitol building and the Bureau of Engraving 3 months in advance, otherwise we wouldn't have been able to go.

4. Take advantage of free stuff.  Parks and tours in popular areas are often free.  Hiking and looking at God's beauty is also usually free or low cost.  Our last trip to Washington DC was full of free tours.  With DC though, you have to plan ahead for tours.  See #3.  Our favorite thing in DC was a free walking tour recommended by my brother.  The guide was a retired teacher and he was awesome! He will only take tips! (Walk of the Town tour! btw)

5. Eat in.  I know it is vacation and I want a break too, but with a family of 6 any meal out is expensive!  We limited our meals out and ate in most nights.  We do, however go out for ice cream, Starbucks, pretzel from a street vendor etc. occasionally but this is a lot less expensive than a meal.  While on the road we are pretty much forced to eat out, so eating in isn't as big of deal during the week! 

6.  Enjoy the unexpected.  We don't have cable at home, so watching cable at the condo is a fun part of vacation.  Eating in isn't such a big deal when it saves time that we can watch "Storage Wars" after dinner! Enjoy walks on the beach(free), playing tennis, ping pong, or shuffleboard at the condo(free), runs or walks(free), and reading lots of books by the pool or beach (free)!


By doing these things you can relax and enjoy your vacation without breaking the bank or worrying how this is going to get paid for.  It also teaches your kids that these vacations are a privilege and to be grateful for the time away.  It also teaches them to live with less.  I know this is counter cultural, and can be hard for each of us.  Baby steps!

One of the kids favorite things about the Washington DC trip was riding on the metro!  It wasn't free but a means to get where we needed to efficiently and affordably!