Income and Investments 4 Ways for You and Your Family to Save on Summer Vacations This Year Read the Article Open Share Drawer Share this:Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to print (Opens in new window) Written by Elle Martinez Published Jun 11, 2013 - [Updated Jul 12, 2019] 2 min read Summer time is here and with the break comes family vacations. Whether you camp, visit family, travel to an amusement park, or splash around the beach, there are ways for you to save money this year without sacrificing the fun. Get the Hotel That is Right for Your Family I see too many families get nickled and dimed by extra fees or costs associated with not getting the right hotel. Sure, you may see a deal that is 25% off the regular room rates, but if that hotel doesn’t offer free breakfast and internet, are you really saving? We discovered that for ourselves a few years ago unfortunately when we got a cheap deal. It was a nice place, but not only was breakfast not covered, we also had no internet (unless we wanted to pay). The breakfast was easily covered, but the lack of free wi-fi was more annoying. Not planning ahead costs us money that we could’ve used for other parts of the trip. Plan Your Meals Most of us like to eat out and try new things during vacations, but nobody wants to go broke doing it. Besides taking advantage of breakfast at the hotels, having a strategy for your meals can also frugally expand your palate. Dinner is usually more expensive at restaurants even when they are serving the same menu items as lunch. If you and your family are willing to catch the very tail end of the lunch menu, you can grab a great dinner around 4pm for a discounted price. Grabbing dessert later at a different spot can be a fun way to explore a city. Think Twice about Travel and Rental Insurance Before you grab that travel insurance offer or take up the rental company’s insurance ‘deal’, go ahead and call your credit card and auto insurance company to see if you already have some protection. There’s no need to pay twice for protection you may already have. Souvenirs for Loved Ones If you’re like us and get a kick out of grabbing gifts for family during trips, finding deals on souvenirs can mean big savings. While we were in Orlando checking out all the parks, I noticed some cute gifts that we knew our friends would like at the local Wal-Mart. Not every place has that option, but you can also look outside the tourist zone for gifts. For many beach spots, simply going a few miles out can help you find a great gift at a much lower price. Thoughts on Family Vacation Savings I’d love to hear from you about your family trips and tips. How do you maximize your fun and keep your budget? What has been your favorite vacation spot? Previous Post Love and Marriage: How Much Are You Paying Uncle Sam… Next Post High Cost of Youth Sports [INFOGRAPHIC] Written by Elle Martinez Elle helps families at Couple Money achieve financial freedom by sharing tips for reducing debt, increase income, and building net worth. Learn how to live on one income and have fun with the second. More from Elle Martinez Visit the website of Elle Martinez. Follow Elle Martinez on Facebook. Follow Elle Martinez on Twitter. Leave a ReplyCancel reply Browse Related Articles Tax Deductions and Credits Happy Summer Solstice! 4 Ways to Save This Season Tax Planning How Amusement Parks Contribute to the Nation’s Ec… Tax Deductions and Credits Your Guide to Vacations and Taxes Income and Investments How to Save for a Vacation on a Tight Budget Income and Investments Ways to Save This Summer Before You Head to College Taxes 101 How Can You Find Cheap Summer Vacations Using Social Me… Income and Investments Money Saving Tips for Students Working Summer Jobs Income and Investments Ways College Students Can Make (and Save) Money This Su… Income and Investments 4 Summer Activity Ideas That Won’t Break the Bank Tax Deductions and Credits Your Summer Travel Can Save You at Tax Time