By
Trent Hamm, Guest blogger / 04.16.10
This summer, my wife and I and our three children – a four year old,
a two year old, and a baby – are going on at least three different
family trips. One will be to downstate Illinois, another will be to
northeast Iowa and southwest Wisconsin, and the third will be to
northern Minnesota. That doesn’t include multiple graduations we’re
going to attend in May, either.
How are we going to do this while
simultaneously keeping our sanity (yes, you try traveling for several
hours in a vehicle with a four year old, a two year old, and an infant)
and keeping our wallets in good shape? Here are seven methods we’re
using to provide great experiences for our family while also keeping
our finances in mind.
Keep in mind why we’re doing this
Why
would we want to travel with a car full of small children? For some
people, there may be no rational answer to this question at all. For
us, though, there are several reasons.
First and foremost, we
want the children to see different places and people. The geography
where we live is very flat; this summer, they’re going to visit some
very hilly areas. There are no large lakes here, but this summer we’re
going to visit Lake Superior. We’re also going to go to areas with at
least some cultural differences from home. On top of that, we also want
to spend a lot of time outside, as fresh air is one of the best things
you can give a child or give yourself.
Those are the reasons
we’re traveling. Those reasons have nothing to do with seeing some
mind-blowing sites or going to spectacular events. We know why we’re
doing this and we let those reasons lead the whole vacation. As long as
we follow that lead, we don’t need to pour money on other activities or
sojourns.
Stay with family and friends
On each of
these trips, either in the middle of a travel leg or near our
destination, we’ll be staying with family or with friends.
This
provides both a social purpose (seeing people we care about) and a
financial purpose (free lodging for a night or two). Usually, in
exchange for this, we often will buy dinner when we’re there (or
prepare it). We also allow any family and friends who are in our area
to stay at our home for free.
This is an exchange that does nothing but build relationships and help out everyone involved.
Camp out
At
least once this summer (perhaps twice), we will be camping out for
multiple days. Yes, with a baby. We did it with just one baby and we
did it with both a toddler and a baby, so I don’t think it’ll be a
problem doing it again with two young children and a baby.
In
fact, there’s one big advantage to camping: unless there’s a storm,
when everyone falls asleep, everyone sleeps really deeply. I actually
tend to sleep better when we’re camping because there are no night-time
interruptions or other such things.
On top of that, camping can
be incredibly inexpensive. We often request camping gear for
gift-giving occasions, which makes camping nearly free. Usually, all we
pay for is the spot to camp on – $10 to $20 a night unless we find a
free option. Our supplies are usually inexpensive, too, especially if
we collect or make our own while we’re there. It provides exercise,
tons of fresh air, and some wonderful time in the great outdoors with
the people I care about most.
Plan for the road trips
Road
trips can be a very expensive part of traveling (as can flying, but I’m
just simply not going to attempt that with three children under five).
Between the gas, the maintenance costs, and the expensive food and
beverages along the way, it can really add up.
That’s why I do some advance planning. The goal is to prevent stops, because stops are expensive.
First,
I make sure there are plenty of beverages and snacks packed, probably
more than we need. I usually pack sandwiches and vegetables and fruits
so that we can have a full picnic meal on the road. I also prepare a
big bag full of things to do for the children on the trip.
Second,
we stop mostly at rest stops and everyone is required to go to the
restroom when we stop. This reduces the temptation to spend money on
overpriced stuff when we stop and it also reduces the overall number of
stops. Another advantage is that many rest stops (particularly in Iowa)
have areas for running around in the grass and picnicking, both of
which happen on trips.
Use alternative housing
Hostels.
College dorms. YMCA lodging. Housesitting. These are all great options
for saving money on lodging when you arrive if you’d prefer not to
camp. We are actually going to do some housesitting this summer for one
of our trips.
Find out what types of alternative housing are
available at your destination. This can be done with just a bit of
effective internet searching. Reviews of the housing (available on many
travel websites) can help you avoid unexpected problems.
Utilize free activities when we’re there
Vacation
doesn’t have to be about jumping from high-priced activity to
high-priced activity. Most of the best memories from the vacations I’ve
taken in my life come from the free things we did: climbing a hillside
in Edinburgh, putting my feet in the ocean northwest of Seattle,
seeking out petroglyphs on foot in rural Arizona.
Yes, if there’s
something your heart is set on that you really want to see that costs
money, do it. However, use travel guides that help you identify the
free things in the area and use those to fill up your activity
schedule. Spend some time doing simple things, like walking in the
woods or resting on the beach or building a great campfire.
Be resourceful
Before
you go, tell your social network where you’re intending to go and ask
if they have any tips or suggestions about traveling there. You might
just be shocked at what your receive in return.
Be resourceful
when you’re there as well. Don’t buy firewood if you can find it
yourself. Don’t buy campfire roasting sticks – use a knife and make
them from branches. Don’t buy beverages – carry an empty container and
fill up at water fountains. Just by taking a few little steps to avoid
buying things, you can save money left and right on your trip without
reducing your enjoyment of it one iota.
Good luck!
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