I have frequently talked/moaned about our struggle to find holidays to accommodate all five of us. Being a larger than average family makes budget holidaying tricky, but not impossible!
I like to consider myself to be quite savvy when it comes to shopping and getting bargains and planning holidays is no different. Here our top tips to make your holiday a bit more purse friendly.
If you’re not confined to school holidays, consider travelling when the kids are still in school. The prices rise dramatically when the kids are off so if you can it’s worth travelling out of season to get the most for your money. We travelled during term time when we went to experience Christmas at Disneyland Paris and not only was it cheaper, it was much quieter too.
When booking your hotel, consider what’s most important to your break. Consider your hotel’s location, particularly on a city break. City centre locations are great, but also pricey. Check whether it would be cheaper to stay just outside the city and use public transport to travel in. We did this when staying in Italy; we stayed at Fabulous Village Rome and just travelled into the city when we wanted to.
Everyone loves a luxury hotel but ask yourself, how long are you going to be spending in the hotel? If it’s just going to be somewhere to rest your head at night, is it worth splurging the cash on hotel with facilities you may never use?
If you’re planning a staycation in the UK then there are plenty comparison websites which will give you the cheapest price for available rooms.
If you’re venturing overseas, instead of heading for the bigger travel agents, it’s worth shopping around and doing your research. Websites such as Holiday Gems have fantastic deals on holidays in a variant of gorgeous locations – check their site!
I love a packing list! When you’re packing for five you have to at least attempt to be organised! If you’re going to somewhere where the weather is unpredictable, pack for each eventuality to avoid having to buy it when you are there. Same with packing items such as toiletries, and essentials for the kids. You don’t want to be spending your holiday traipsing around looking to buy something you have plenty of at home!
It’s great to be spontaneous but it’s often cheaper to book well in advance, Last minute flights can be expensive so keep an eye on flight comparison sites to get a great deal on your travel. If possible it may also be worth travelling midweek as flights departing on a Tuesday are usually cheaper than any other day. It’s also worth trying to get extra discounts on flights (and hotel bookings too) through deals websites.
Hopefully these tips have been useful! Have you any to add? Let me know in the comments!
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Some fantastic tips and a good read - I can only imagine how hard it is with a large family, I struggle enough as a single parent family! We had such a fab summer on a UK based staycation and was surprised at how little it cost, it really can be done if you are savvy, shop around and do you research. Sim x
These are some brilliant tips. It can be so incredibly expensive when attempting to travel with a whole family!
I always try and do as much as possible in advance to make things easier, like hotels and even some of the trips and things to do x
These are great tips! I do a lot of budget travel solo, and can imagine it's harder to do as a family sometimes!
I'm always trying to travel on a budget so this post is really helpful! Shopping around helps so much! xo
Being flexible on dates can save so much money can't it - especially when travelling with a family