Budget Travel - 7 Tips on How to See the World With Your Family in Tow

Budget travel and family travel are usually considered as two polar opposites. And in some instances, this can be considered as the Bible truth. However, there are ways you can enjoy a family vacation on a shoestring budget. There are certain things you would need in order to pull this off: 1) your proposed budget, 2) a plan, and 3) each and every family member's utmost cooperation. If you have all three, you can budget travel to almost any part of the world with your family in tow, have a grand time and still save some money on the side. Here are some tips on how you can pull this off.

1. Set aside a certain amount of money for your travels. This is necessary especially if you are planning to fly into your proposed destination spot. Aside from transportation costs, you would also need money for food, incidental expenses and of course, emergency money. The key here is to actually work within your budget, so setting up your budget proposal for the entire trip should really be first and foremost on your list. Once you have a proposed budget, it is easier to narrow down your choices of destination spots to go to, what kind of lodging establishments you can afford, the length of time you will be on this trip and modes of transportation you will use.

2. Even on a shoestring budget, you can take your family out of the country. You just need to research extensively the places where you can take them that you know for certain will not break the bank. More importantly, you will find things to do within that particular place that you know everyone can enjoy. Airplane fares are usually cheaper during the off tourist seasons, but there are some airlines that do offer discounted rates for group travelers. Book your airline seats several weeks in advance, if possible. The same goes when it comes to lodgings. Lodging establishments in various countries usually offer more than affordable rates when it comes to family or group packages after the tourist seasons end. Again, the key here is to book or reserve rooms early. Fortunately, many global airlines and lodging establishments can be accessed to from the web.

3. One of the best ways of getting family friendly travel and vacation discounts is to ask a travel agent to help you with your getaway plans. Although you can probably do most of the online research on your own, there are just some budget travel deals that only professional travel agents have access to. If you can find someone you can trust, tell him or her your proposed budget, and the location where you intend to take your family to. You can compare notes later on when it comes to budget constraints and destinations. However, it is important that you should have the last say in the matter. Try not to feel obligated to reserve or book seats or lodgings, especially when you do not like the area, price or locations that the travel agent is recommending.

4. You might also want to include the rest of your family when it comes to budget allocation. You might propose a vacation savings plan where you ask every member of the family to regularly contribute a little something to the pot. Or, you can ask your older kids to save up on their own incidental expenses (to buy souvenirs, trinkets or what-nots) during the entirety of the trip. Older members of the family (sister, uncle, grandparent, etc.) can pitch in by paying for food for at least one meal (or more!) or pay for entrance tickets to some of the locations you all want to go to. Allocate a small amount of money for your younger kids and tell them what their spending budget is. This is a good way of teaching them the value of money while keeping the purse strings tightly knotted.

5. Try to find lodgings that will allow you to store, prepare and cook your family's own food. We all know how overpriced hotel meals are and dining out may not always be better or cheaper. Fortunately, there are some family resorts and inns that let their clients prepare their own meals. Make sure the rooms you will get have a refrigerator, a stove and a microwave that you can use. Once you have everyone settled in, go shopping for groceries. Not only is this a far healthier option, but you can also save a lot of money by closely monitoring your food expenses too.

6. Plan where you will take your family once you have chosen your destination. You do not have to set up a strict schedule as to where you should go and how many minutes you should stay in one venue. However, for the sake of shaving off a few dollars from your traveling expenses, you may want to know beforehand just how much you are bound to spend in one place, and stick to that budget. Some of the things you need to consider are traveling expenses; rates of entrance tickets; incidental expenses like money for snacks, sweets or water; and even shopping money for trinkets and souvenirs. You would need additional spending money if you are taking your kids on carnival rides or similar forms of entertainment. Naturally enough, there are various tourist spots that you can take your family in for free, but some of them may not exactly be that appealing to the kids or the grown ups, for that matter.

7. Encourage everyone to pack lightly. Traveling light has many advantages. First, this gives your family more mobility. This is great especially if the lodging accommodations are not exactly what you signed up for and you would rather find someplace else nicer or cheaper to stay. The same goes when it comes to finding a tourist spot to visit. Secondly, you do not have to worry about excess baggage if your family is indeed flying in or flying out of the country. Lastly, traveling light means you and the rest of your family members can take public modes of transportation, aside from taking the cab, or hiring a car. Cab fares may not seem much per ride, but expenses can pile up in a hurry especially if you are visiting several spots in one a day. Also, you need to contend with gasoline prices when it comes to hiring a car.

Today's Budget Travel Insider Secrets

Budget travel is the buzz phrase when it comes to planning a vacation today. There are so many ways to actually fit your budget rather than the other way around, and yet some people still have no idea where to begin. What is needed is a frame of reference and this quick guide to budget travel should help you to plan the trip of your dreams for as low a cost as possible.

The purpose behind budget travel is to have the best possible experience and saving money at the same time. This must be done without sacrificing the quality of your travel experience. Many travellers make a game of this and set targets for spending as little as possible for maximum fun and adventure.

The first thing to consider for budget travel is your choice of transportation. Often, the way you travel can account for up to 70% of your total vacation cost. Budget travel forces one to examine the options carefully.

Travelling by car can save you money if the journey is relatively short, but a cross-country jag can really get expensive when one considers the ever fluctuating cost of gas. RV travel can be very enjoyable, especially for families, but cheap it's not when one figures in gas, campground fees, sewage hook-ups etc.
RV travel does bring the many of comforts of home, but at a price. Train Travel is a tremendous bargain and a good choice for those interested in budget travel. Train ticket prices have been greatly discounted to attract more customers. Bus travel can also be a good choice for the budget minded.

An extended stay in one location is another good strategy for budget travel. Using one spot as a home base and traveling to points of interest as day trips can be a lot of fun, offer diverse though related experiences and you can actually save a lot of money by renting an apartment or extended stay accommodation. All this and a central spot that feels like home and is familiar place to rest your head after the day's adventure.

If you have reached senior citizen status, there are numerous discounts available, so be sure to ask. The internet is loaded with discount coupons for entertainment, meals, and more. Many individuals overlook this sort of travel tip and rely on haggling and that's fine too, but coupons can often gain you an equivalent discount without the need to open your mouth. Let's not forget the various travel websites like Travelocity, Priceline, etc. they too can be excellent sources for budget travel opportunities. Some budget minded folks build their entire vacation around the cheap airfare and accommodations they find on those websites.

As you can see there are a number of methods to achieve substantial discounts and great rates for budget travel. So go on out and have a wonderful travel adventure and have fun saving money at the same time!

Budget Travel - How To Get The Best Deals On Your Vacation Travel

Are you looking to travel on a budget? Do you want to find ways you can get great deals on airfare, car rentals, hotels, gasoline, sightseeing, etc?

There are many ways you can score big discounts on your vacation travel. The world of budget traveling is one of the most exciting and interesting, and in today's world keeping travel costs low is becoming more and more of a necessity. Traveling on a budget is important, whether you are a solo traveler or a family.

When it comes to traveling on a budget, the first step should be to decide what is important to you and where you can cut back a bit. For instance, some budget minded travelers are comfortable spending a bit more for a better class of hotel, while others prefer to save money by using cheap accommodations and spend the money they saved on sightseeing or a special meal for the family.

Before you start shopping for the best deals, it is a good idea to come up with a travel budget. Create a budget for the various aspects of your travel, such as airfare, rental cars, hotel, gasoline, sightseeing, etc. Once you have a good idea of what each element of the travel should cost, it is time to start checking out what special deals are being offered.

So, as with other aspects of finance, you need to determine what is most important to you. Then shop around for the best deals.

If you're going on a vacation and are interested in sightseeing, you can score big discounts on area attractions. Often, admission daels on area attractions are the easiest to get, since many theme parks, museums and other destinations run specials to attract out of town guests.

To get good deals on area attractions, the best place to start is the website of the attraction itself. Visit the website and check out the discount offers and specials. Be sure to look for any specials, such as two for one deals, free admission for children, special reduced admission days, etc.

Budget Travel - Enjoy A Great Family Vacation Without Spending A Lot

Some of the most memorable activities your family can do together is to go on a family vacation. For most families finding the money to enjoy a yearly vacation can be difficult to achieve, one of the ways you and your family can enjoy a vacation together is to look into budget travel options.

There are two major strategies that can help families enjoy a yearly vacation together, one is to find budget travel deals that are significantly less than retail travel prices, the other strategy is to set up a travel budget in order to plan and save money through out the year for a vacation.

Regarding budget travel, it is easier than ever to find great deals for family travel. In the last decade, the internet has helped many families plan, compare prices, and ultimately save hundreds or even thousands of dollars on their travel expenses. If you are looking for a quality vacation at a low cost, you can usually find many attractive offers online.

Setting up a travel budget is another strategy. Budgeting is an easy and effective way to plan, organize and control your finances in order to save for the things that are most important to you and your family. For instance, you can set up a travel budget focusing on a yearly family vacation. Depending on your specific family needs, you can decide to put away as little as $20 each week or as much as several hundred dollars each month in order to save enough money at the end of the year to go on a quality family vacation.

Budget Travel - Cruising Can Save You Money

If your vision of a budget vacation is sandwiches and cheap hotels then it's high time you take a look at the cruise industry. From the glaciers of Alaska to the rainforests of Central America vacationing on a cruise ship can be a wonderful experience and it can easily be included in the realm of budget travel.

For most low budget travelers, including honeymooning couples, a cruise vacation offers the opportunity to travel in the luxury of an ocean liner and save money on that budget vacation too.

A cruise ship could be your best mode of travel since it includes in the price of the fare, a place to sleep, all the food you can possibly eat, room service at any time of the day or night and nonstop entertainment that should satisfy nearly any person's interests.

It would be impossible to find a hotel room that could offer you all those benefits at a price that would compare to the price of the fare on the cruise ship. Just about the only thing that is not included in the fare for most cruises are the cost of beverages and the cost of your shore excursions.

For those who like to work out, there is no need to worry about putting on weight while on a cruise. Most cruise ships offer their own gym where guests can work out and burn off some of those extra calories. Your travel agent can tell you whether there will be a charge for the use of the gym or if it will be included in the cost of the fare for your budget travel package on board a cruise liner.

Most cruises offer their guests entertainment in the form of movie shows, casinos, night clubs, discos and even spas. These are all geared to keeping the guest occupied and happy while traveling between ports of call. For those who are interested, there will be lectures on the history of the area as well as classes in such things as ballroom dancing, origami, and bridge and to your pleasant surprise you will find that such forms of entertainment are all included in your budget travel package.

For the more adventurous, some of the cruise ships offer shore excursions which include activities like scuba diving, snorkeling, deep sea fishing, and horse back riding.

Along with these excursions guest can be taken on sightseeing expeditions into nearby areas of interest. It is always possible to save a little more cash by booking these excursions on your own instead of through the ships facilities which may be a little higher.

Keeping in mind all these points it would be a good idea to consider vacationing on a cruise ship. Your budget cruise vacation could have you traveling on a luxury liner to exotic ports of call at an affordable price that would include nearly everything.

Budget Travel: How to Travel the Smart Way!

The key to budget travel is to plan ahead. When it comes to
family trips, globetrotting, well-deserved vacations and/or
going to see new places we have never been before, the
reality of cost and budgeting is always in the back of our
minds.

Planning and spending our travel dollar wisely is a priority
for most families. Curbing spending and costs, while still
enjoying your vacation to its fullest, is the key to
guaranteed success and fiscal responsibility. Your
pocketbook and family will thank you!

The reasoning behind saving money while traveling is simple:
Even if your personal budget is extremely tight, you can
still take a break and enjoy life! Simply put, life is just
too short to never step out of the door or leaving the
homestead!

Also remembering that while traveling, whether on a budget
or not, even the smallest of things can all add op to a
large vacation or travel bill!

For example, all those hotel extra's, cab-fares, tips,
restaurants, car rentals, gas for your own vehicle if on a
road trip, tickets for special attractions or events,
beach-and-pool-side drinks (if not at an all-inclusive
resort or cruise) and more, adds on and piles up!

This brings us to the some of the rhyme and reason behind
budgeting for travel and planning well. This also applies
monetarily, to ensure your trip is a success, enjoyable and
memorable. Your outlook could be a balance between
replenishing your resources and not breaking the bank in the
process!

How to make "SMART" travel goals that are achievable.

(You may find yourself at the resort of your dreams if you follow
these steps) .

Like anything else in life, travel needs to be planned for
somewhat. It is almost like setting a short-time 'SMART'
goal for leisure and vacationing. Marketers of time-share
and destination vacations, often refer to this as an
argument to invest in a travel solution.

People often suggest that we treat travel or vacationing,
like any other planned financial decision in life. This is
all irrespective of whether this includes house, car,
tuition, health, insurance or other life-expense. Travel and
vacation is justified and 'sold', as just another important
item on the list to think about and budget for.

Setting goals is described and accepted as a powerful tool
to achieve success and keeps people motivated.

Out of the list of dream destinations you just made or have
in mind, you cannot possibly achieve reaching all of them,
and nor should you perhaps. One can but wish and dream ...
Going after these dreams in a planned fashion, will mean a
significant investment of time, money, energy, talent, and
opportunities. You will need to prioritize.

Prioritizing should include travel items, trips, goals and
destinations that you really desire to visit, see, conquer,
treasure, explore and would love to achieve in your
lifetime.

Realizing of course that these 'dreams' though, might not
all be achievable immediately, or at all. You need to view
this as a wish list, shortlist eventually becoming
checklist! Then, move on to making at least the first goal
or location visit on the list happen this year!
(Alternatively, as soon as funds allow and you are able to
make it happen).

Hands-on work, defining and planning for travel in such a
way that it will convey an actual goal or goals,
destinations, budgets and periods.

A goal, in order to be effective and drive people towards
it, should have the following characteristics. The goal
should be Specific, Measurable, Action-oriented, Realistic,
and Time-constrained. In other words, it must be a SMART
goal, (as referred to earlier).

SPECIFIC: The travel goal(s) should be specific. Detail is
what matters here. Avoid generalizations; get to the point
and crux of the matter. Specify your immediate travel needs
and means. Then plan to go after it pro-actively.

For example, take that tropical island, destination dream
vacation: "I have always wanted to ..." seems a little
general when compared to 'I will travel, with my family to
Hawaii for a vacation of two weeks within the next six
months.'

MEASURABLE: The SMART travel goal must be measurable. This
goes along with being specific. A goal defined specifically
might already be measurable. The abovementioned goal stated
intention, involved parties, location, purpose and a
timeframe - all measurable elements.

A measurable travel goal, like going to Hawaii, with a
family of four, including two children under the age of
five, within the next six months helps you identify, plan,
execute and track more efficiently and increase your odds of
actually making it there! Considering the logistics in this
fashion, makes it that more realistic to enable your family
to take the planned trip of a lifetime, as opposed to just
dreaming about it!

ACTION-ORIENTED: A SMART goal must also be action oriented.
It cannot merely be stated. You must relate the goal to
doing something, to indicate what needs to be done. An
action verb will indicate what needs to be accomplished. "I
will travel" is a good example of an action statement,
stated intent and implies preparation and planning, will and
persistence.

REALISTIC: For any goal to be motivational and get you
committed to reaching it, it must be realistic. When a goal
is not realistic and the person does not really believe it
can be reached, then the commitment is lacking and the
effort will not be there to permit the goal to be realized.

Choosing realistic goals are based on your present status.
What jumps to mind right away in our example, is whether and
how you can afford it and make it happen! (Hopefully this
guide can also offer some tips to get your there).

TIME-CONSTRAINED: In order for a goal to move people towards
it, it must be time-constrained. A timeline needs to be
associated with it. It will entice people to move towards
the goal. The timeline set, will be based on the goal itself
and the present status. Six months is stated here as a
realistic timeline, leaving enough time to save for, plan,
book and take your well-deserved vacation to Hawaii (as in
our stated example),OR anywhere else YOU have chosen to go!

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Budget Travel - Travel For Cheap On Any Budget

Are you thinking about traveling this summer, but are afraid that the high gas prices will make it to expensive for you to take the trip you want to take? There are ways to travel for cheap and they are called budget travel. Here are some tips to help you travel without giving up what you want to see and do, but staying within your budget. First, do not bother driving this year because it is just too expensive. You can book a flight package for a cheaper price than the gas it will cost to get you to where you want to go. This is true unless you have a large family and a very good van that gets tremendous gas mileage. If flying is to expensive, then you can take the Greyhound to save money. If you purchase your bus ticket early enough you can get them for a very cheap price. This is a great way to travel on a budget, but if you do decide to take the bus plan ahead because buses tend to run late and they don't always stop when you want them to. Take things that will keep your children occupied and yourself occupied. Video games, magazines, coloring books, and other easy to pack childrens games are great for the kids and a couple of good books and a radio can keep you occupied. If you decide to travel by bus, then you might want to make multiple stops on your way to your final destination. Maybe plan out a 2 week trip and go 10 hours the first day to a good destination, then stay overnight a couple of nights and take the bus the rest of the way the next day. You can do this on the way back on a slightly different route and actually get to see 3 or 4 great places instead of just one. Second, you can book your entire package all in one. My friend and I recently went to Orlando for 4 nights and 5 days and we were able to package our hotel, rental car, and flight all together for about $350 each. That is a pretty good deal considering we stayed in a 4 star resort that had 3 pools, nice clean rooms, and a couple of restaurants right on the complex. Plus we were only a few minutes away from all the Disney parks. Last, be flexible with your trip. You can save quite a bit of money if you fly on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Check all the different dates and pick the best times to fly. You should check all the major online travel sites because it is hard to know which one will give you the best deal, but if you check them all you can find the best deal without any issues and make your trip a success on a budget. Budget travel is going to be the name of the game for many families this year and you should consider using these tips along with many other things like eating at buffets, cooking meals, and avoiding any unnecessary expenses along the way. If you are organized, plan well, and check out all of your options you will be able to take your vacation this year and get the relaxation you need.

How To Know if You are a Budget Traveler

10. You are a budget traveler if all your credit cards are at their limit BEFORE you leave on your vacation.

9. You are a budget traveler if the cost of travel insurance will hurt your travel budget.

8. You are a budget traveler if you dream of going around the world, but you purchase a round trip ticket to Hawaii.

7. You are a budget traveler when you purchase a double occupancy vacation instead of paying the single supplement and you sale the other half of the vacation to a friend of a friend.

6. You are a budget traveler when you order water with lemon and put sugar in the glass to make your own lemon aid.

5. You hate the motion of the ocean, yet you go on a cruise every year because your food, accommodations and entertainment are included in the price.

4. You are a budget traveler if you purchase a fifth of Bourbon, and try to hide it in your carry on luggage before boarding a cruise ship.

3. You are a budget traveler if while on vacation you eat a light breakfast, skip lunch and have a early dinner in order to save money.

2. If when you travel, the first thing you do after you check into your hotel room is look for the local grocery store, then you are a budget traveler.

1. You know you are a budget traveler when you don't have enough money to pay the departure tax when leaving a foreign country. (Don't laugh - it happens all the time!)

Economical and Enjoyable Budget Travel to Disney

Budget travel does not necessarily equate to second class. If you're a budget savvy traveler, you know that there is always a better alternative. So before you embark on or your next Disney travel, here are some tips that will surely help you save extra dollars on your vacation.

Airfares

If you are on a budget travel, you should know that airfares to Orlando are the cheapest from mid-January until February and September through October. While there are air flights recommended for those on a budget travel, an online research will prove useful if you want to find flights at the cheapest possible amount.

For your budget travel, you can also take advantage of the free roundtrip transportation from the airport that the Disney resorts offer. Guests on budget travel can make use of Disney buses, ferries and the monorail system when visit theme and water parks, and Downtown Disney.

Hotel Accommodations

There are also hotel accommodations that are suitable for your budget travel. There are available resort and campground facilities that can go as low as $41 a night. These facilities are capable of accommodating everything from RVs to tents. You can also take pleasure in resorts for your budget travel hotel accommodations. Your budget travel is also sure to be enjoyable during Disney's value season at these resorts. Value resorts are recommended for vacationers on a budget travel as these offer rooms for rates as cheap as $82 a night. Meanwhile, rooms at moderate resorts start at $145. If there's one advantage to budget travel here, it's getting to stay at Disney premises and being treated to extra hours with Disney wonders.

Those who are on a budget travel can also take advantage of certain packages. If you are a family of four planning to stay for seven days and six nights at a value resort, and you are on a budget travel, you can avail of a package that costs less than $1,600.

Downtown Disney

Parents on budget travel can bring their kids to Disney Marketplace in Downtown Disney for authentic Disney visual cuisine without incurring significant costs. The shopping mall is suggested for people on budget travel as it offers shopping, entertainment and hands-on activities for kids in one place. Your budget travel will take a more interesting turn as you stroll through Downtown Disney. You can listen to Disney movie tunes, watch resort boats, shop, look at sculptures and animation cells on display, and engage in many other enjoyable activities.

Who would ever have thought that budget travel could be this economical for the parents and enjoyable for the kids?

Where To Find Budget Travel Bargains

There is only one reliable place to find good budget travel and that is online. The internet has opened up a whole new universe of travel for those who are stuck on a pretty tight budget. Not everyone can afford to go on a month long vacation to the South of France but most of us can make good solid use of budget travel.

When you do your travel shopping online you will find that you can afford much more than you thought you could. It is easy to find some good budget travel on the internet these days. All of the travel companies are throwing out some good packages for people with not much money to spare and some of the budget travel packages even include some meals. That is my idea of full service travel plans!

When it comes to budget travel you do have to watch out for a few things. For example, what kind of trip do you want to take? When it comes to budget travel the airlines can vary drastically. Some of the budget travel airlines are great, they are friendly and they are clean and fantastic, others, well, not so much. You should take some time to research about the different companies you are considering for your budget travel before you actually book anything. This will make a huge difference in the kid of trip that you end up being able to take.

Online you will be able to find all kinds of consumer reviews about budget travel companies, airlines and even cruises. Read through these carefully to find some great budget travel ideas. With these useful tips you will learn the best places to go for budget travel and the places and companies to stay away from in your traveling. There is no better, more reliable source for info than from people who have been in your shoes. They have nothing to lose by telling the truth so they do, they will tell it just like it is and that is what you need to help you make the right budget travel decisions.

Chances are that if you do all of your planning and booking online your budget travel is gong to be even cheaper. This is simple to do as well. Most of the major travel companies have everything you need online and they walk you right through it all. And if you have any trouble just contact them and they will help you out. There is nothing simpler or faster than booking your budget travel online these days. That is why the business is booming the way it is.

Each and every year the budget travel industry online grows and grows and it is not showing any signs of slowing down in the near future, that is for sure. So the next time you want to take a trip check out budget travel online and see where that takes you.