Do you want to relax on a vacation with your family? I’m giving you my 10 Secrets to Travel on a Budget with your family as you explore the world with the cheapest ways to travel . Thank you to HomeAway for providing accommodations in exchange for our honest travel review. 
Traveling together as a family is on top of our list as fun and adventure. Although, lets face it, it can be a lot of work with toddlers and kids, right? Sometimes as we start packing…I think to myself…what were we thinking when we planned and booked this vacation. Once I get over that hurdle we end up having the BEST time while on vacation together as a family. Oh the memories we make together on vacation!
Last week we had a BLAST at this amazing HomeAway property. We stayed in Folsom, LA right outside of the New Orleans, LA area. We called it a real life tree house and we literally lived in the woods for three days! We went on nature walks, enjoyed the swings, played games, ate snacks anytime of the day we wanted to, threw rocks in the water, picked up nature and used it for STEAM Science activities and we even napped every single afternoon! That’s what I call a vacation!
Here are our best well kept secrets that we use for most any family vacation while traveling on a budget.
10 Secrets to Travel on a Budget
1 – Plan your Vacation. It goes without saying…time and time again…plan – plan – plan. It saves you money every single time and helps create a cheaper vacation when on a budget. Plan your stay, travel times, locations, attractions, rentals, meals, clothing, luggage etc.
2 – Pack snacks and lunches. Plan only eating out one meal a day and pack lunches for picnics and protein snacks to keep you and the family going while out and about sight-seeing. Smarter Travel even agrees with my #2 when it comes to packing a sandwich for lunch! 
3 – Search for the best travel deals. Yes, this can take time but if you are wanting to travel the cheapest way you can then it’s going to take a little work and time on your end. Search – dig – and benchmark prices.
4 – Rent a vacation home. We love renting a home with space, rooms, kitchen and sitting area. This gives us the sense of Home away from home – hence HomeAway was a perfect choice for our most recent adventure. HomeAway has more than 2 million unique properties in 190 countries. Talk about world wide travel at your finger tips! A Turtle’s Life gives some great HomeAway Vacation Rental Tips.
5 – Travel with extended family (or friends if you are brave!) You can split so much cost! Especially the bulk of the cost when it comes to #4! Know about the HomeAway property you book – ensure it has enough sleeping space for your larger group – they have a wide range of options and accommodations.
6 – Walk. If you are traveling to a city consider finding a HomeAway rental within walking distance and pack your walking shoes!
7 – Research free attractions or tours. Most locations have free museums, parks, attractions and tours, hit those up if they interest you.
8 – Travel off- peak season. Find a location that is off-peak in it’s season and go there! Enjoy the adventure for cheaper travel and less crowded places!
9 – Pack Light. If you are flying this saves you on baggage/luggage cost for flying as well as if you are renting a vehicle you can rent a smaller vehicle and not have to carry so much luggage. These tips may help you on this whole “pack light” tip. Travel Hacks Pack All You Need for Vacation in One Carry on.
10 – Be your own travel agent. In the end be your own travel agent and ditch that cost. Research…research…research. Read reviews, as each HomeAway location has, check out the google map that HomeAway provides.
What are ways you travel on a budget to save money?
Hi I’m Erin a Southern mama from South Mississippi, owner and chief editor of Sixth Bloom a blog helping mom-tographers capture their kiddos and life, talking all things home, parenting and how we navigate through life. You will find me living life to the fullest with my mister (aka husband) and our little one year old, Miss E, in our 500+ sq foot cottage as we build our dream house on our two acres! We are blessed beyond measure, love to travel, involved in ministry at our church and in between all of that I run three successful businesses! Follow me at: WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | PINTEREST
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