As your family grows, you will soon realise that extra mouths, clothes, and school trips impact your bank balance.
Having time away as a family is one of life’s simple joys. Perfect moments found at the beach, marketplace or in a mountain are memories that will stay with you all forever.
For some of us, the idea of travelling with our families sounds stressful and expensive. But what if there was a way to save you time and money all while travelling the globe? Here are our 8 family travelling hacks to get you started:
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1. Don’t accept all the cookies
Before the internet became such a vibrant marketplace, cookies were my go-to snack. Now anywhere you go online becomes a target place for your hard-earned cash. Analytical cookies track your browsing behaviour. So if you are checking out a range of airline prices when looking for flights, and then come back at a later date, you are more likely to be greeted with a higher price than before!
So, keep your cache clean and get rid of all those cookies.
2. Points & prizes
Anyone who has ever accepted a credit card will know that they come with a heap of benefits and rewards. Not because your bank likes you, but because it encourages you to use it more often! Using your credit card for some of your travel expenses may earn you points for your next holiday too.
Airlines like to make partnerships with loyalty card schemes and credit card providers, so keep your eyes peeled for any offers.
3. Take advantage of carry-on luggage
Most, if not all airlines allow carry-on luggage for everyone on that flight. So whether you’re a newborn babe or an enabler or carer, you are entitled to the same amount of luggage as everyone else.
With that in mind, cargo luggage is a bit different. Some airlines allow one per flying customer up to a certain weight. In contrast, others will charge you for any anything other than your carry-on. So check out your weight allowances first, and then utilise whatever packing space you have wisely.
4. Make use of the facilities
No-one likes aeroplane toilets. It’s not even all down to the cubicle size! It’s more to do with the awkward queuing, continual glances at the vacant/occupied signs, and the lack of soundproofing.
Bear in mind that needing the toilet is more likely to cost you time and money when you step off the plane. So make use of the facilities when you are in-flight. Keep an eye on your flight time, and plan wisely.
If you need to freshen up, change your baby’s nappy, brush your baby’s teeth and face – do it all before you have to go on to the next leg of your journey. There’s nothing worse than a dripping nappy!
5. Find time to sleep
From takeoff to landing, there is a lot of time to spare in the air, so sit back and relax if you can. If you start spotting signs of your child getting sleepy or irritable, try a kids weighted blanket to help them ease into sleep. Famous for feeling like a warm hug, a weighted blanket might give you some time for yourself too!
Even if your babe has a non-chargeable seat, you may want to consider buying an extra seat for additional comfort. As lovely as cuddles are with your little one, when you are in a confined space with a hundred other people, you will value the extra room. Most airlines offer significantly discounted rates for child seats.
6. Make reservations in advance
Less to do with expense and more to do with budgeting, making your reservations in advance will save you time and energy in the long run. Armed with a grizzly babe or a sassy tween may make the spontaneous approach less enjoyable. Think about it! What can possibly go wrong?
So if you have your heart set on the beach restaurant or want to sail around the bay, make sure you book it before you even land.
While you are at home planning your flights, take a look at some of the local events, entertainment and things of interest. You may find discounted prices online or find enough activities that are entirely free to keep everyone happy.
7. Travel off-season
This may spark a debate amongst the education practitioners amongst us, but travelling off-season is always cheaper. If your children are school age, you may want to consider the consequences of taking them out of the education setting for a holiday. But for everyone else, it’s a no brainer.
Some schools will take into account exceptional circumstances. So if you can justify your child’s travelling experience as culturally rich and educational, you might see yourself without a fine!
Destinations are less busy with worldwide tourists and are more likely to be a local’s haven off-peak. A more unique experience, don’t you think?
8. Check your mobile network
When you’re abroad, your mobile network will want to exploit your distance away from home. Don’t take it personally – you are out of your given data allowance area. So, make sure you turn off roaming on your phone to avoid being charged, or accept the special travel rate if they have one.
If you want to take it a step further, you can pick up a local sim card that will keep costs down as you travel.
Are you up for a family globetrotting experience? Keeping costs down and taking advantage of all the perks will help you plan your adventure. Where will your next holiday be?
