Planning a Family Vacation on a Budget - Affordable Family Vacations

You want an affordable family holiday but don't want to turn it into National Lampoon's Vacation? For a household on a budget, the idea of a great family vacation might seem out of reach. Read on for the best tips for planning a budget family vacation no matter how tight money seems to be.

The American Autoclub estimates that a family of four might look to spend at least $244 per day for meals, travel and lodging costs. And that figure doesn't include entertainment or shopping.

As usual the best way to plan a budget family holiday is to start with a look at your resources and how much money you have available. You need to budget realistically. If you're driving, set a fixed spending amount ($170 per day for example) and stick to it. Include all your expenses like gas, meals, admissions and an entertainment/special activity allowance.

Involve the whole family in the process. Tell your kids how much you have to spend and why. Most children will understand, and might even relish the challenge. It is also a great way to teach your kids the value of money and sensible budgeting.

Here are some family vacation planning tips including some you have probably never even thought about:

BEST WEBSITES FOR DISCOUNT HOLIDAYS

The internet is the best tool for finding the latest deals and vacation packages. Start with the bigger names such as expedia.com, orbitz.com, travelocity.com and lastminute.com. Holiday sites like priceline.com allow you to name a price you are willing to pay. For example, you can state that you are willing to pay $200 for an airline flight and priceline.com will find a suitable flight for you. It might mean flying redeye in the middle of the night, or arriving in an airport which isn't the closest available to the city you want, but being flexible is key to budget family travel.

PICK CHEAPER DAYS

Try to travel on days other than Friday, Saturday or Sunday which are the busiest and therefore the priciest days of the week.

CHECK YOUR LOYALTY SCHEMES AND FLIER POINTS

Don't forget to check your credit card points or airline frequent flier miles. If you are short of the required points, many companies allow you to top up points with cash.

And don't throw away your junk mail. There might be discounts or vouchers for family vacation packages in there.

CONSIDER TAKING THE TRAIN

Today's trains can be as comfortable as first class airplane seats. Taking the train can also be a romantic and less stressful for young children: you won't have to consult your map at every turning for directions and you can watch the world go by gently and smoothly. Train fares too have discounts, vouchers and package deals. Offer the train fare is much cheaper if you book well in advance.

THINK ABOUT A HOME EXCHANGE

Home exchanges, where you swap houses with someone else in another city and/or country isn't as risky as it sounds. There are reputable home swap companies who make the vetting and payment process much easier. One of the most famous home swap companies is exchangehomes.com. You could drastically cut your vacation cost and get to experience a city like a local.