With the new year, comes new year’s resolutions. These often include things like travel more, so here are 3 tips I use to scratch that travel itch while remaining financially conscious.
1. Keep it short.
Travelling doesn’t always have to mean an expensive week long tropical vacation down south. Never underestimate the power of a 1-3 night weekend getaway. Short, but always sweet – sometimes a mini vacation is all we really need to fulfill our desire to get away and unwind while staying on budget.
2. Travel by car.
This is a no brainer. Air travel is expensive. Travelling by car will cost you in gas but will be significantly less expensive than paying for flights. Keeping my first tip in mind, I would also suggest choosing a destination closer to home – it will save you in time and money.
That’s why we love taking the kids to Ottawa its less than a 2-hour drive, cost about a half a tank of gas and there are a plethora of family friendly activities and tourist attractions to enjoy. We can easily go for a 1 night (2 day) stay and still feel like we’ve accomplished a lot. There are plenty of great places, yet to be explored that are close enough to drive, in Canada and across the border.
3. Book with Priceline.
I love booking hotels with Priceline. They offer a lot of great ways to save money on our hotel. We usually go with the express deals, where we save up to 60% off our stay. The only catch is that you don’t know exactly what hotel you’re staying at until its booked. This may sound risky, but we select the location we want to stay in and the star rating we’re looking for and it gives a list of 4-5 hotels you’re guaranteed to get, so you know that no matter which one you book, you’ll be satisfied. The element of surprise is also always fun and it gives us the opportunity to try new places.
While you’re saving up for that big trip abroad, don’t forget that travel doesn’t always have to be so far away! It’s nice to get away sometimes, even if for just a day or two. We often forget that there are fun new things to try and places to visit all around us. No need to fly across the world to explore a different city – a variety of activities, museums, landmarks and food offerings are all around us.
We love taking these short family trips because we all just need to get away sometimes. A little change of scenery once in a while does us good, and our kids are always super appreciative of these opportunities to travel, even if only for a few days at a time. They’re always exciting, action packed and full of memories in the making.
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