Family Travel Budget: Having Fun Without Going Broke

Traveling can be expensive but that doesn't mean you should cancel this year's family vacation. While some expenses, such as gasoline prices, are difficult to overcome, you can still find some great ways to save money. Here are some tips for stretching your family travel budget:

For a road trip, pack a lunchbox for each child (mom and dad, too!). Fill it with nutritious snacks (and some fun treats). Stop at parks or rest area picnic spots for light meals. Saves the expense of restaurant meals and is easier on little tummies while traveling.

Find out if your hotel has a refrigerator or microwave in the room. Many hotels have at least one, if not both, in their rooms. Pack along your own snack foods and drinks. Hotel vending machines, room service and mini-bars are certain budget-breakers.

Save money at restaurants by asking for a glass of water. Your family will stay better hydrated while you save a few dollars at each meal.

If you have a AAA card, don't forget to use it for discounts! Many hotels offer a special AAA rate (though sometimes you will find this isn't the lowest rate available). Some activities also offer an AAA discount; it is always worth asking! Even if you already have a coupon to use at an attraction, you might be able to use your AAA card for an additional discount.

Don't be afraid to ask for a discount while booking your hotel reservations. We have received some terrific room rates at very pricey hotels just by asking. This works best when the hotels are at a low occupancy time of year.

Check the websites for any activities you plan to go to. Some offer a special rate for tickets purchased online. Others have a printable coupon on their website.

Set a souvenir budget and stick to it. We have done this two different ways. On some trips we have given the children their entire budget at the beginning of the trip; they decided how to spend it and didn't receive any more if they ran out before the end of the trip. On other trips we have distributed the souvenir money day by day; the kids could spend it each day as they got it or save it up to use later. I have heard of some families who decide on the type of souvenir allowed and purchase their child only that (such as a t-shirt from each location or mouse ears at Disneyland). Whatever you decide, stay consistent. It's easy to give in and overspend on souvenirs that the kids will forget about quickly upon arriving home.

If you are taking a road trip, one of your biggest expenses might be the gasoline. There is not much you can do to avoid paying for gasoline unfortunately, but you can try to save on it as much as possible. We have found it worth driving a mile or two away from the highway while putting in gasoline. Even a block or two can make a difference; the stations near the highway are almost always more expensive. We have saved about 10 - 15 cents per gallon just by going away from the highway a bit.

No matter what your travel budget is or how much you trim from it, your family travel memories are sure to be priceless.