3 Affordable Family Vacation Ideas on a Budget

Taking a family vacation can be difficult. Once you’ve organized everyone’s schedules, figured out how much time you have, and how long the vacation will be, the rest of the planning can be overwhelming. This is especially challenging in this trying economic time, where everyone is trying to save as much money as possible and to find the best discounts and bargains out there. But vacations are notoriously expensive. The costs add up: Travel, lodging, food, entertainment and adventures in making your family vacation pile up. Many people have to open new credit cards and max them out in order to take their family on a vacation, adding to their debt and paying off a one week vacation for years.

So…what to do if you want to take your family on a vacation, but you’re operating on a shoestring budget? Here are 3 incredible ideas that will bring your family close and give your family lasting memories.

 

1) Go camping!

Camping is not nearly as popular as it used to be several decades ago. Getting away from civilization and spending several days in nature, sleeping outside, telling stories by the campfire, these are all idealistic images that once were very popular for families. However, with the rise of portable electronics and wireless internet, getting “away from it all” isn’t something that necessarily excites kids today. Campgrounds today are more affordable than ever, and many of the larger campgrounds actually offer WiFi. Camping remains a classic family vacation, one of the most affordable options, and campgrounds today offer very exciting recreational activities.


2) Unique vacation rentals!

In today’s day and age, with the power of the Internet and the worldwide financial difficulties that many are facing, a real and unique sharing economy has risen up. This even applies to vacation rentals! If one thing that is stopping your family vacation from happening is finding affordable lodging in your destination, try any number of home sharing and vacation rental websites. Places like AirBnB have made billions of dollars by allowing people from around the world to rent their homes and properties directly to other people online. Many of these kinds of shared vacation rentals are heavily discounted compared to hotels and other vacation rentals, making a vacation more easily manageable.


3) Have a “Staycation”.

This is easily one of the most affordable family vacation options that are out there. Having a staycation means taking the time away from your family schedule as if you really were traveling somewhere, and making a point to do things where you live that you’ve either never done before as a family, or something that your family just hasn’t had time to do. This can mean visiting local museums, parks. The key to having a successful staycation is isolating yourself as if you really were traveling somewhere. Don’t answer your emails, take calls, any of that. Find places where you live that you’ve never been, eat a restaurant you’ve never gone to. You’ll find yourself making great memories with your family and learning new things about where you live.

 

The following was a post by Sarah Jo Lorenz-Coryell