A Place to Stay

Whether travelling by plane, train, automobile, or boat, a family will always need a place to stay.  The smaller your family, the easier it will be to successfully find a clean, safe place frugally.  No matter the size of your group, here are some tips on how to save.

1. Plug in your dates and details into a site like Expedia or Trip Advisor.  Look at the list, and don't miss the reviews.  You also might want to view the properties on a map to get a feel for where they are located.  Find a few places that look like they might work and take the time to visit the hotel's website.  Sometimes, they have the same, or even a better price on their own website.  The advantage to booking at the hotel's own website is that you can get a better feel for what they offer, as well as more lenient cancellation policies.

2.  If you need a place to hang your ONLY, by all means try to name your own price on priceline.  There are no guarantees of exactly what room you will get, but I have had success with getting rooms for much less doing this.

3.  If your family is larger, look for hotels that offer family suites.  A lot of times it is less expensive to book a two bedroom suite than it is to book two hotel rooms.  Another advantage is that the suite usually has a kitchen where you can cook your own food saving another bundle of cash.

4.  Sign up for any travel award programs the hotel offers.  You never know if it will add up to a discount you can use.  These are free to join so there is nothing to lose.

5.  If kids are with you, make sure the place you choose is safe.  I have ended up in places where I did not feel safe, and it's just not worth it!

Vacation Time!

Travel has always been my passion.  As an adult, my husband and I vowed to go on vacation every year, no matter what.  We have successfully done that.

Here's a list of where we've been since we married in 1994.

(two of us alone)
1. Honeymoon in Hawaii
2. Vegas
3. Disneyland/Southern California
4. Fairmont Hot Springs, Canada

(enter child 1)
5. Fairmont Hot Springs, Canada

(enter child 2)
6. Disneyland
7. Oregon Coast
8. Oregon Coast
9. Washington Coast/Seattle

(enter child 3)
10. Disney World
11. Disneyland/San Diego/California Coast
12. Disneyland
13. Hawaii
14. Disney World
15. Arizona/Mexico/Grand Canyon
16. Mexico (no kids)
17. Disneyland/San Diego/California Coast
18. Lewiston, Idaho
19. Southern, Idaho (daughter's gymnastics meet)
20. Southern, Idaho (daugther's gymnastics meet)

(enter child 4)
19. Southern Idaho
20. Coeur d'Alene, Idaho
21. Fairmont Hot Springs, Canada

In 18 years, I think we have done well.  We have taken at least one vacation every year.  Some big.  Some small.

The more children we have, the more important it is to spend some extra time planning in order to save thousands of dollars.  I hope the information can help your family make memories too!