Hey y'all

Happy March! It's hard to believe that spring break is practically here with summer quick to follow. During this time, you may be dreaming of a fun filled vacation for two or a vacation for the whole family. I know I am already planning our next trip lol.

Going on vacation doesn't have to break the bank- you can actually vacation on a budget and still have a great time. 

But how? How do you vacation on a budget and still have a great time?

Well it's simple tbh... you plan for it.

Taking a vacation on a budget is something you should plan for for about 5-12 months depending on how tight your budget is, how many people are going and what you expect to do. Obviously the tighter the budget and the more people, the longer it may take to plan that vacation. 

Over the years, I have learned a few tips to make our family trips enjoyable and loaded with fun. So, obviously I had to share what I have learned with y'all. :)

So, just how do you plan a vacation on a budget?

#1 Pick a place- When picking a vacation spot you want to pick a place that has something for everyone. If you are wanting to go to a theme park you will want to be near a city that has exciting ones. Same with water parks or unique places you will want to visit. A lot of these cities know that and tend to charge more. So when planning your vacation, book a place a little ways out from the city and you will see that most of the rentals are cheaper.

#2. Ditch the Hotel- A lot of people tend to go straight to hotels when planning a vacation. Do yourself a favor and ditch the hotels. Find amazing rentals on sites like VRBO.com or Airbnb.com. You will more than triple your space, and save when it comes to groceries. Staying in a hotel you will eventually have to spend extra money at restaurants or try to stock a mini fridge less than ideal foods. When you book a house, you can cook full meals and cut your grocery bill significantly by having leftovers. If you are planning a one night trip I would definitely calculate the costs beforehand. If you are staying for one day and there is only 2-4 of you, a hotel might be better. 

#3. Negotiate- When booking a house, owners are usually willing to negotiate prices for extended stays. My most recent trip with friends forced us to have to relocate to a new house on our 2nd day. We found an amazing house but it was a little out of our budget. So, I sent a message to the property manager and explained the situation. I kindly asked them if they were willing to take our rental down from $275 a night to right around $200 a night for so many nights. They were more than kind and offered it to us at that price. Since we were staying for 8 nights, they were willing to knock off a few bucks to lock in a solid week.

#4. Split It- If you are planning a family vacation, couples vacation.. whatever, split the overall costs by pairing up with another family or couple. Having a big space and extra people to split it with will definitely make for more fun at a budget friendly cost. You can also vacation on a budget by splitting the cost of food, gas and more when splitting the costs.

#5. Do the FREE stuff- Every city has free attractions. Another way to have a budget friendly vacation is to find out about all the free things your area has to offer and pack them in your itinerary. Vacationing on the coast? Visit a different beach every day? Heading to the Midwest? Check out historical landmarks and hidden gems around town. Visiting a big city? Check out all the hot areas around town and take a stroll to take in the sights. You can always find something free to do no matter where you vacation.

#6. Shop for discount tickets- There are a lot of travel agents and places that offer tickets sales during the year. Some theme parks have huge end of summer sales. Grab some tickets for a later trip and save. Make sure you read the fine print for blackout dates and expiration dates. You can also stop by a travel center for special rates on tickets and attractions as well.

Are you planning a trip with your family any time soon? Where is your dream vacation? Favorite vacation place? Let me know in the comments below.

*Check out these two video tours from two of our most recent trips*