Travelling with your family is one of the best ways to
unwind. Most of us think that one must spend a lot of money to go on vacations and
enjoy some quality time with your loved ones, but it’s not always the case.
With strategic planning you can pull off an amazing time even on a tight
budget. I used the following tips when I planned our recently concluded Baguio,
Vigan and Ilocos Norte trip for our big family where we stayed in different family-friendly accommodations.
In this article I will teach you how you can go on a weekend
trip on a budget.
Extensive Budgeting
The first thing you need to know is how much are you willing
to spend and how many people will be involved in the trip. Depending on the
number of people the transportation, accommodation and activities may vary.
Select a destination.
Before anything else, you need to know where you want to go.
This involves the sites you wanted to see and things you wanted to do as a
family. For example if you want to go to
the beach or go on a sightseeing trip, these vary greatly. You also need to
consider the needs of the attendees. If you have an elderly companion on the
trip you need to research if the place you are going to visit would be
accessible for them. Being on a budget does come with some restrictions though.
You need to remember the entrance fees, food expenses, souvenirs etc.
Transportation
A getaway should be a fun experience for the family. And
most of the time choosing the right mode of transportation does have its ups
and downs. The cost will definitely be a big factor since you pay by the head
if you go via public transportation or if you have your own car then you need
to cover the gas plus labor driving towards the destination. Choosing the
perfect mode of travel depends on the destination and the number of people
during the trip. Imagine going on a bus with an elderly person and kids, it
might not be a problem going and returning, but when you are at the destination
and want to go touring the city via local transportation this will definitely
pose a challenge.
Accommodations
Choosing the right accommodation greatly influences the trip.
I tend to choose rooms that are very affordable and that are the center of
action and near food establishments. Having the whole family in one room poses
a challenge on who sleeps where. Researching online helps a lot nowadays, it’s
common that you can add an extra bed for minimal cost, and depending on the
policies they can typically accommodate kids up to a certain age free of charge
as long as you use the provided bedding.
Food
Walking around local spots will obviously trigger hunger.
The cost of food inside the place you’re visiting will definitely cost more
than bringing your own food and drinks.
When someone gets hungry during the trip most likely the
whole pack will end up in a local fast food chain. There is nothing wrong
patronizing your favorite chain, but being on a trip it can get tiresome and
you don’t really get full. Not only that, it does cost a lot of money compared to
a local eatery. We just recently had a family trip consisting of 7 adults and
the food bill in the restaurant was three times the price compared to a local
eatery. So consider bringing your own food and avoiding popular restaurants
unless you have money to spare or you included that in your total budget.
Plan your itinerary
In planning your itinerary, you need to consider a few things. The top sites you want to see, how long you plan on staying at a site, the distance from one site to another and the total duration of the trip. Planning makes the most out of your limited time on a trip. Going to the top sites first and then the lesser ones in the afternoon will make the trip satisfying even if you retire to the hotel earlier than expected. Also you can plan via the distance and go to the furthest site in the morning and then do stops going back to your hotel. And most important of all, do not over plan the day. Some tend to make unrealistic and tightly packed schedules and so they end up not enjoying the place at all.
Here are just some of my tips when planning a family trip
for a week end. Remember to make the most out of your trip by enjoying and
spending time with loved ones. Where do you plan on spending your week end?
Comment down below!
Xoxo,
Therese
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