During holiday vacation season, many families start their road-trip vacation. Trust me, family road-trip vacation escape needs planning. A poorly planned family road-trip vacation might result in great frustration. Usually families start seeing those symptoms halfway into the vacation. At this point there is nothing much you can do to remedy it. Considering the fact, good amount of planning is needed before starting your road-trip vacation. You will be proud to avoid question like "Are we there yet?"

It is disappointing that family members try to get on each others' throats during the trip when the whole purpose of the vacation is family "togetherness". But.. But... a little effort from parents towards planning will lead the trip on fun ride. You will be able to enjoy the trip to make it memorable.

As part of the planning spend some time plotting out a trip rest stops. At the same time make sure to get a cooler for refreshment. You can save some money with pre-grocery shopping to avoid rest stop high prices on drinks and fast food. Regarding journey fun consider to carry books on tape, music, travel games to keep the kids busy in the back. Buy some family travel games which involve more than two people. Try to keep family members busy with activities such as Ghost, Punch Buggy & License Plate Bingo, scavenger hunt, Penny Ante and 20 Questions. Games & group activities will spread laughter and togetherness among family.

Start your trip early or late evening if you are comfortable driving at night. You will be able to put bickering kids to sleep easily. So it's better to avoid early morning or mid-afternoon time for departure time. Regarding entertainment you can use airlines idea of movie. Yup, these days family vans got in-built DVD player. If you don't have one then you might want to rent one to play movie in your vehicle to keep your kids busy. Usually, portable DVD players are cheap which can be useful for all long trips. You can get best deals through out the year and especially in black-Friday blowout sale. Also, you can keep your kids busy with goodie bags during the journey. You can use lunch box, shopping bag or old book bag for goodie bag purpose. Have separate bag for each kid that will help you avoid arguments. Best way is to label the bags with their names. Most importantly, if you have same age kids than fill all goodie bags with same items. You know how curious kids are!

Consider including these items in your packing: spiral notebook, colored pencils, washable markers, story books, activity books, magnetic games, card games, travel-size board games, kazoo, hand held electronic games, sticker books, non-melting crayons, coloring books, Mad-Libs, magnifying glass, paper dolls, magic slates, invisible ink books, small cars, finger puppets, small dolls/ action figures, felt books with stick-ons, blunt scissors, sewing cards, puzzles, pipe cleaners, slinky, origami paper, books on tape, and a tape player or CD player and headphones.

Involve your kids to help you pack stuff by asking them to think whether what he or she wants on the vacation trip. Let them choose and carry their favorite toys along with them along with their items such as blanket or stuffed animal. Trust me, sometimes lacking of those things might spell great trouble. Consider to tide up your kids with snacks between meals. While choosing snacks you need to be careful to avoid messy part and health issue such as stomach ache. Sticky snacks such as sticky fruits or drinks, it's a big NO! I would say travel safe snacks are animal crackers, fruit rolls, apple, carrot sticks, raisins and cookies.

Well, once you are all set with your packing and ready to run on the road to reach your vacation destination, you will have to think about a place to stay.  Isn't it? Yup... in next post I will give you detail on getting the right hotel or lodging place. 


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Family can arrive at vacation destination through many possible ways. There used to be a time when "car" was the only affordable vacation travel option. I have heard stories from my elders where they used to load up the car and enjoy the road trip vacation journey. How many of you remember these long vacation trips? In today's hi-tech world, we do not necessarily have to drive to the destination spot. We got many affordable and enjoyable options for vacation travel.

Driving
Driving a car for vacation needs gas price consideration as well. Currently at the time of writing this post, gas price in Chicago is somewhat $2.67 per gallon that means 500 miles of travel, depending on the vehicle mileage, will cost more than a flight. But not always! Let's say you are traveling with a family of 4 people then it will be cheaper. If you are concern about mileage on your car then you can check out cheap car rentals deals and discounts to rent a car.

There are other great advantages associated with driving as well. Driving vacation doesn't have to start on specific date or time. Just load up your stuff and start! Driving through the country will be amazing experience for adults as well as children. You might be able to turn your road trip into educational experience for your kids.

I see one biggest advantage for family and that is - Family time together! Yup, you can get into good long conversation with your family by sharing stories, thoughts, memories, good things, past holidays and what not! The next upcoming post explores specific ways to make car travel on vacation not only bearable, but enjoyable!

Flying
With airlines competing for business today, air travel is more affordable than it once was.  Booking early for airfare will save you a lot of money.  Booking ahead is important to getting a fair rate.

These days airlines are competing for the business and as a result with little research you can find affordable airfare easily. Rule of thumb; do not wait to book airline tickets up to last minute. Book your tickets in advance and you may find what you want - cheap discount airfare deals. Usually rates are totally dependent on the travel season of the destination. During peak season prices are high, so make sure to book your tickets in advance. Usually family vacation is planned around school holidays, considering the fact I suggest that you try to plan trips 8 to 10 months in advance to crack the best deal.

You'll probably find the cheap airfare discounts deals online at one of the sites I mentioned in previous post.  They're easily navigable and you can get instant availability reports along with alternative suggested routes. When booking airfare online look for the discount on airline sites as well as travel portals such as Orbitz, Expedia, Travelocity, Priceline and Hotwire. Be sure to compare rates for alternate / nearby airports.

Be flexible about your travel dates. For example, if you are going for one week vacation then try to start and end your travel somewhere middle of the week. Wednesdays are the best time to travel. Trust me you will be able save hundreds of dollars. Major travel portals have options to search for the cheapest flights within a range of dates. You might want to check at least three travel portals to get the best rate.

These days almost all of credit card companies are offering frequent flier miles program. Enroll for one of that frequent flier credit card program and start earning miles. Make sure to use your credit card instead of cash for almost every purchase you make. You could get a FREE airfare for you and your family with these miles. And yeah - do not increase your credit card bills just to get airline miles. Only use the credit card for your daily routine purchases rather than spending beyond your needs.

Do not under estimate junk mails. If you are lucky then sometimes you might find the discounts for air travel. Someone I know received $100 certificate off travel with a discount airline. That coupon was good for up to 5 tickets, so each family member flew roundtrip to Florida just for $54.

If you are not satisfied with online travel portals then at last you can go to travel agent to book your flight. Their knowledge will help you save some money based on your priority. Get airfare rate quote before you book to see if a flight is matching with your budget planning.

Here are some valuable tips to help you save on airfare when booking yourself:

• Airlines usually reload their computers at midnight, so as soon after that as possible is a good time to shop online for low cost seats that folks might have reserved but not paid for.
  
• When one airline announces a sale to a particular destination, chances are the others will soon follow suit, so be on the lookout and call or click around.
  
• Use the internet to search out last minute bargain weekend fares. Most airlines' websites have a place where drastically reduced weekend fares are available. Start checking on Wednesday for the weekend ahead.

Trains
Many, many songs have been written about the country's love for trains and the rail system.  Most of them, however, are about hopping a freight train bound for Georgia or some other unseemly way to travel.  Train travel isn't like that anymore.

Do you remember those songs written about the love for trains and the rail system. Most of them are about hopping a freight train. One of those songs is "Midnight Train to Georgia". But these days train travel is totally different. Train has become airlines' envy. You can get more space, dining cars, bar, sleeping birth and even personal room. These best amenities and facilities are offered at low cost. Amtrak is the major train service offering discount plans for budget savvy family travelers. Traveler under 15 years age can travel for half price ticket. AAA members, Senior Citizens, Student travelers and/or Military people can get special discount as well. Ask for discounts! While booking train ticket ask question like "Can you get that rate any lower?"

As a whole, Long car trips are long and storied in family vacation history.  The tales abound and grow larger with each telling as each family member recounts the horrendous story of the 18 hour drive to the Grand Canyon.  Is there any way to make the vacation drive easier?  You bet!

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Confused with a question, "How to Budget a Family Vacation?" - Friends, nothing to worry. I am going to talk about key areas of family vacation planning to help you answer your question - "how to budget a family vacation?” I am sure, at some point of time you must have heard your friends or neighbors bragging about family vacation. If your friends and neighbors can plan vacation then why can’t you? These step by step guideline series will help you learn planning family vacation of your dreams without breaking your bank.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Family Vacation Planning Introduction
2. Saving for Your Family Vacation
3. Tips for Beginning Your Family Vacation Planning
4. Getting There to Vacation Destination
5. Kids Road Trip Planning - Are We There Yet?
6. Tips on Choosing Right Lodging Option
7. All Inclusive - A Great Way to Save Money on Vacation
8. Transportation to Go Beyond Your Place of Lodging
9. Eating Well on a Travel Budget
10. General Travel Information
11. Disney World - Everyday Family Can Afford
12. Cruise the Open Seas
13. Let's Go To Vegas
14. History Tour - Make Your Vacation a Learning Tour
15. South Dakota
16. Dude Ranches - Perfect Vacation Spot for City Dwellers
17. Camping Vacation to Embrace the Amazing Relaxation
18. Three Well-Kept Secrets
19. Mexican Beaches
20. Cabin Vacation in Rocky Mountains
21. Europe on a Shoestring
22. General Family Vacation Tips
23. Travel Games & Sports for Family
24. The Internet is Your Best Friend
25. Conclusion

Related Family Vacation Post:

• Vacation Packages for Cheap

The first thing you must do is plan early.  Spontaneity works well for day trips, but is not as effective for longer jaunts. By planning early, you will find cheaper fares and more available accommodations. 

You can also have the opportunity to save any additional funds you might need, perhaps include extended invitations to other family members, and get together all the paperwork you might need if traveling abroad. 

While planning, it's a good idea to stay flexible in your desires.  Flexibility equals maximum pleasure for everyone.  This is especially true if you have special needs due to a disability or are taking along teens and children who will want to do different things.

Get your children involved too.  This will not only make them much more enthusiastic about the trip, but they can provide their input into what types of activities they want to do and what types of activities they'd like to do as a family.  They'll be much more excited when they are fully involved in deciding where the family will be vacationing, so be sure to get their opinions too.

You probably already have some kind of idea as to what you'll be able to afford when taking a vacation.  If you do have a specific number in mind, this makes it much easier to pick out a destination.  You can research what's available in your price range and choose the trip that will best fit your family.

If you don't have a specific number in mind, make a list of your dream vacations.  Include those places you've always wanted to go as well as places you think would fit the personalities of your family.  See what these types of vacations will cost, and then pick the one you think you can save for or afford to take right away.

The Internet is an indispensable tool to do this.  There are many travel websites that offer vacation packages for specific destinations.  Here are some highly suggested by the experts:

• www.expedia.com
• www.orbitz.com
• www.cheaptickets.com
• www.travelocity.com

When you use these sites, they can give you best prices for various destinations, but they can also provide valuable suggestions for where you can go as well as activities that are available and ratings from other travelers who have taken the same vacations.

You can also use:

• www.priceline.com

Price line often allows you to name a price you're willing to pay for flights, hotels, etc., but you have to take what they offer you if they accept your price.  For example, you may be willing to pay $100 for a $200 airline flight, but they may accept your price only if you're willing to take the redeye in the middle of the night.  If this is something you can live with, by all means, book it!  Just be flexible. 

Do you detect a theme here in the planning phase?  Flexibility is the key!

You'll need to decide if you will be flying to your destination or driving.  There are many airlines that have cut-rate prices when you fly during certain times.  Again, you'll need to be flexible on departure dates and times.

You'll also need to decide on a time frame for your vacation.  Again, if you are flexible on departure dates, you're more likely to get a better deal.  We realize, however, that work constraints might not allow you to change your vacation dates, but if possible, it's best to just have a general idea instead of a rock solid date. 

Try to travel on days other than Friday, Saturday or Sunday which are the busiest travel days of the week.  You can firm up plans later if needed.

Once you've got your destination in mind, you'll need to consider a couple of other things before booking your trip.

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• How to Budget a Family Vacation - Table of Content
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There are many effective ways to save for your family vacation.  When you spend 40 hours a week slaving at your job, you deserve to have some time to get away from the rat race, relax, and enjoy your family.

Unless you're independently wealthy, you'll need a plan for saving up the money you need.  While this may seem like a simple proposition, some people find it difficult to lay aside some money each pay period.  The key here is discipline.

Open up a separate savings account specifically meant for your vacation money.  If your employer offers direct deposit, you can usually specify a certain amount of money be put into this account.  Some banks will schedule an automatic direct transfer to your savings account if you don't have direct deposit or if you are not able to deposit money into two separate accounts.

Examine the amount of money your family spends weekly or monthly on family entertainment and fast food restaurants. Then reduce that amount, storing the remainder away for your trip. So that a pending vacation doesn't become a joy-buster, shop around for freebie and reduced-cost entertainment options to enjoy during the months before you depart.

Another good way to save up money is to save your change.  When you use cash, resolve to only use paper money.  Then take the change you receive and put it aside at the end of every day.  You'll be surprised at how quickly it can build up.

One family reported that they kept a “vacation jar” in a convenient place and each family member would deposit change and the occasional dollar bill into it.  When they emptied the jar and had it counted, they had managed to save $5,000 – enough for them to enjoy a tropical getaway to Grand Cayman Island!

While you may not have that much in your change jar, emptying it at vacation time can mean extra spending money or that little boost you need to go on your dream vacation.

Be sure and involve your kids in the saving venture.  This is a great time to teach the valuable lessons of saving and budgeting money. 

Look for other ways to add extra cash to the vacation coffer.  One family we know would save aluminum cans and take them into the recycling plant periodically for cash.  Throughout the course of a year, they managed to accumulate an extra $1,000 for their vacation.

You could have a rummage sale to earn extra vacation cash as well.  There are plenty of opportunities out there to add to your vacation savings.  You just need to think outside of the box and resolve that any extra cash you get will go toward your family vacation.

You need to budget realistically. Vacations need not be expensive. Budget an amount and stick to it. If you're driving, set a fixed spending amount ($150 per day, for example). Include all of your expenses, gas, meals, admissions, special activities, etc.

Involve your children in the process. Share with them that conserving money on one day allows them to go to a water park on another day. Be creative.

To save money, you can eat only one meal in a restaurant per day. For the other two, prepare your own food and either eat in the hotel room or have a picnic. Take turns letting the kids choose the type of food—and, if you are really adventurous, the restaurant—each day. This way, the children feel important and it minimizes arguments.

A good point to also keep in mind when determining how much you can afford to spend on a vacation is to be sure that you consider other periodic expenses that may be waiting for you when you return, such as back-to-school costs, holiday expenses and next year's taxes.

That's why we highly recommend a separate account for your vacation savings.  That way you have your vacation money separate from your everyday money and won't have to stress about “robbing Peter to pay Paul” when you get home from your trip!

The next key to a successful getaway on a budget is to plan family vacation.

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The family vacation has been portrayed in many ways.  From National Lampoon's "Vacation" showing the trials and tribulations of the Griswold family trying to get to "Wally World" to "The Great Outdoors" with John Candy and his family renting out a cabin in the woods only to encounter a meddling bear.  Family vacations in the media seem to be one thing going wrong after another.

But in real life, the family vacation is a time to bond together as a family unit and enjoy newfound times of closeness while exploring new adventures and locales.  The memories you can make on these vacations will stay with you for years and give your children special moments they'll treasure forever.

You can choose to drive cross country and see the quirky roadside attractions such as the largest ball of yarn or the corn museum.  Some don't look at this as a true vacation.  After all, being stuck in a car for the majority of the trip can breed some real family strife!

You could also book a family cruise or fly to Mexico to spend time at a resort, but this can get pricey, and with all the activities they have for children, some parents fear the bonding they were looking forward to won't happen.

For the family on a budget, the notion of a memorable and fun-filled vacation may seem out of reach.  That's simply not true, however.  There are many, many ways you can have a terrific family vacation while on a budget.  You don't have to sacrifice fun because of lack of money.  There are all kinds of vacations that can be had within almost every budget.

While traveling is good for the economy and for your soul, it can be hard on your wallet. In fact, AAA estimates that a family of four should budget at least $244 per day for meals, lodging and automobile travel costs. And that figure doesn't include the staple of family vacations—entertainment. As usual, the best way to keep the costs down is to plan ahead and make informed decisions.

But how do you start?  You start with family input, a survey of your resources, and a well-thought out plan.  We'll not only show you how to do that easily, but we'll also give you all kinds of ideas for family vacations and ways that you can make them affordable and fun!

Always dreamed of going to Disney World?  You can!  Think the Caribbean is out of reach?  It's not!  We've compiled the advice and suggestions from many vacation experts and added some of our own experiences as well to give you this comprehensive guide to taking a family vacation on a budget!

We'll show you different ways to save money on airfare, hotels, transportation, and eating.  We'll also give you some great specific ideas for family vacations that won't break the bank along with some suggestions to help you save money and time in general while on your family getaway.

Whether it's a summer trip, spring break jaunt, or wintering in the tropics, you'll be able to plan your dream vacation without breaking the bank.  You'll get maximum fun without sacrificing every penny of your hard earned dollars – and you may even come back with a little extra to save for that next vacation!

What are you waiting for?  Read on! Keep reading all articles series under "Family Vacation Planning" to get the best scoop of family vacation planning tips.

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• How to Budget a Family Vacation - Table of Content
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