Ways To Save Money While Traveling With Kids

Traveling can be expensive and throwing kids into the mix is a whole nother ball game. On our journey to do more with less, we have discovered ways to do the things we love without breaking the bank. Here are some ways we save money when traveling:

Flying

Getting food at the airport can be a real budget buster. Bringing your food can be a total game-changer, for saving money and keeping your kids busy while navigating the busy airport.

Most airports offer filtered water drink stations to eliminate the need to buy expensive bottles of water or drinks. We like this one for the kids( Affiliate link). As a bonus, If you are traveling with infants or toddlers there are exceptions to the liquid rule, that allow you to pack your drinks such as juice and milk.

Some credit cards include lounge access as one of their perks. With airport lounge access you can snag free snacks and meals, beverages, and even cocktails just by being a cardholder. With a little bit of planning ahead, you can scope out the perfect lounge to fuel up and relax before your flight. A few credit cards that include lounge access are the Amex Platinum personal and business card, the Amex Green card comes with a $100 lounge buddy credit. Our favorite the Capital One Venture X, as of now, gives lounge access for you and two guests with the option to add an authorized user that also receives lounge access plus two guests! Check your credit cards before flying to see if you can take advantage of some of these awesome perks!

Downloading movies and games to your phone, tablet, or laptop can help you avoid any in-flight wifi charges.

Baggage fees can add up quickly, so traveling light can be an easy way to keep money in your pocket. Not to mention you can get to where you are going a lot faster without dragging around a ton of heavy luggage. Pack clothes that you can mix and match, and that dry easily if you have to wash them in the sink. Use packing cubes https://amzn.to/4assY37 to condense your clothes and keep everything organized.

Traveling with strollers and car seats? You are allowed one stroller and one car seat to take on your travels, free of charge! We like to check our strollers at the gate, so we can use them to wheel the kids and our carry-ons through the airport with ease.

Packing light when traveling with kids may seem impossible, but you would be surprised by how little you can get by with. Be sure to check with your airline to know what luggage is included with your seat and what will require paying additional fees.

Your Stay

Search for a place to stay that has kid-friendly amenities like a pool, playground, guided activities for kids, and our favorite, the beach.

When looking to save some money, it can be a great option to choose an accommodation that includes free breakfast. Hotels and even short-term rentals and Airbnb sometimes offer hot meals or continental breakfast to fuel your family up for the adventures of the day. Choose a place that has a full or partial kitchen to prepare meals and store snacks for later in the day before dinner. If we get free breakfast, we like to make sandwiches and get fruit for lunch. That way we only have to figure out dinner, and we don’t feel guilty if we want to go somewhere nice.

Food

Cooking your meals instead of eating out when possible can provide some serious savings as eating out can add up quickly, especially for a family. Shopping at local grocery stores for meals or grabbing snacks if a kitchen is not available can help keep dining out to a minimum.

Packing a picnic to enjoy at local natural attractions like the beach or on hiking trails can be a fun and inexpensive way to enjoy the scene and get the most out of your vacation.

When you do have to dine out, it’s a good idea to do a little research to see if there are restaurants where kids eat free. When there is a specific place we want to try, my husband and I will split an appetizer, entree, and dessert to save money, and still get a great sample of the menu. If we need more we can order it, but we often find that we have plenty and don’t feel overly stuffed and miserable after.

Attractions

Location, location, location. While researching where to stay try picking a place that is close to the attractions you want to visit. Extra points if you can snag a spot within walking distance. This will cut down money spent on ride shares and driving costs.

Take advantage of free local attractions. We like to be out in nature while traveling and lucky for us we can usually do this for free or paying very little. 

Booking as much as possible in advance can help you budget for how much your trip will cost, and can be cheaper than waiting until you’re there, but it can also lessen the time you spend waiting to purchase tickets at the attraction. Time is money!

Bottom Line

Traveling can be expensive, but I hope you find some useful tips to help you save money while having the freedom to do more and spend on things you can’t live without.