15 tips and tricks for traveling cheap

About Wells Family Travels
You don’t have to be wealthy to travel, big & small trips, budget, plan, save. He who would travel HAPPILY, would travel lightly. Travel is RECESS, and we need it. Budget travel will turn you into an adventurer.

Find Cheap Flights

Tip: Use the Google Flights to see available cheap flights all over the world. Also, Skyscanner is a wonderful tool. Simply input your departure city and leave the destination city blank. You can also search ‘whole month’ or cheapest month.

Pack Light

Consider saving time and money by packing a carry-on only. Many flights charge for luggage. Also, you’ll save time by not having to wait at baggage or chance loosing your luggage.  Make sure it has wheels.

Travel Off Season

You’ll get the most bang for your buck and enjoy less crowds if you can travel on the off-season. Just make sure the weather will still suit your desires.

Use Points for Hotels

If you must stay at a hotel, become a rewards member and accumulate points ahead of time, to stay for free. We make use of Hilton and Marriott point systems frequently. We stayed at the Ritz Carlton overlooking all of Rome, and did it for free with points.

Cook Your Own Food

For a large family, an airbnb or timeshare resort would be a good option. The kitchen allows you to save by buying groceries and cooking. Enjoying a few local restaurants, but not every meal will save your pocket book, time, and nerves with small children.

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Ask Locals

The locals know the best places for an authentic meal or experience. Use forums to ask for recommendations ahead of time or just make friends or ask around when you arrive.

Fly for Free

If you can manage credit cards WITHOUT accumulating debt, grabbing a few cards and using their rewards programs is the best way to save on flights or travel expenses. Put everything on your card, pay it off monthly, and enjoy the perks. You can often get a free flight just with the bonus sign-on points.

Splurge at Lunch

Money saver: If you must experience that top-rated restaurant, go for lunch instead of dinner. Shop at local markets or grab something on the go .

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Be Flexible

Flexibility is the key to cheap travel. Avoid the most popular destinations during peak season, and instead opt for a few weeks before or after peak season. Most schools will allow kids to miss school for an educational trip, which is every trip, in my book

Book Very Early or Last-Minute

If possible, plan and book at least one year out. This allows the best availability and pricing. Otherwise, there are deals to be had for last-minute bookings.

Read Blogs and Forums

I plan my a good part of my trips solely off of advice that I receive from bloggers and forums. You’ll read honest opinions and can ask detailed questions on the forums.

Get Off the Beaten Path

 The most expensive food will always be closest to the main attractions. Walk a few blocks away and see what you can find.

Stopovers

Extend your layover for an extra vacation! Stay an extra day or two either before or on the tail-end of your trip in your layover destination. It’s a great way to squeeze in a new city or county for very little extra cost. Also, consider booking multi-city if it suits your needs.

Be Independent

Large group tours and guided excursions are expensive and often take away from the spontaity and adventure of exploring a new destination. Research and plan, then give yourself permission to change it up when you get there.

City Passes

 A sightseeing card offers free or reduced admission to the top attractions in that city, and, often times, pays for itself if you visit more than three attractions in day.

Let’s Unpack THE FLYING TOPIC

Find Cheap Flights

Being flexible about when and where you go is one of the best ways to fly to an amazing destination for cheap. Last year, we flew our family of 6 from Kentucky to Las Vegas for a total of $800, by flying on a discount airline. The best way to find cheap flights is to head over to Skyscanner or Google Flights and input your departure city, leaving the destination blank. You’ll be able to see the cheapest flight prices for destinations all over the world. Another option is to pay $25/yr for a membership to NextVacay or similar program. They will send you cheap flights departing from your nearest airport or close by. The only caveat is that you have to grab the flights quickly, as they don’t last long.

Get to know the booking process and use it to your advantage. When searching for flights for a family, only search for two seats at a time. Airfares are often priced cheaper, depending on how many seats are left on the plane.

If booking your family with a discount airline, such as Allegiant or Frontier, avoid their extra costs by not choosing your seat assignments. They automatically assign families with children together. Also, Frontier has a program called ‘Kids Fly Free’ which would be worth you time to look into of flying within the US. With discount airlines, just make sure you bring snacks and tablets for your children, as there are no tv’s in the seats. 

Fly for FREE

Use frequent flyer points to get flights for FREE. Our very first trip oversees was a flight to Rome for a 7-day Western Caribbean Cruise. I planned the trip 2 years in advance, which gave me plenty of time to apply for a credit card for both Kyle and I. We were able to secure 2 free flights to Rome for less points than it would’ve taken us to get to Florida, and all with the introductory bonus points. The key to getting the best flights for the cheapest points is to book as early as possible. Each flight has a certain number of seats available for a certain number of points. When those seats are gone, they’re gone. 

Early on, our plan was to take an AMAZING trip every three years. As soon as we got back from one trip, I began planning for the next one. I chose the location early on, so I knew which credit card I needed to use. All airlines do not fly to all locations and you’ll want to choose your location and find a desirable flight, then see who manages that flight to know what credit card to sign up for. For example, we are planning a possilble trip to visit our friends in Guam. United Airlines is the only carrier that can take us from the US to Guam. Guess what card I’m about to apply for?

There are lots of credit cards out there with numerous rewards programs. Do a little research to find one that best fits your travel needs. Check out this article by The Points Guy to learn more about flying with points.

DESTINATIONS

Chichén Itzá & Cenote Ik Kil

Chichén Itzá & Cenote Ik Kil

by | Dec 30, 2020

A short drive from the beaches of Cancun and Tulum you will find Chichén Itzá, one of the New Seven Wonders of the World. This magnificent structure is part of the Mayan ruins and is truly an amazing wonder dating back to 600 A.D. But, that’s not the only beautiful sight to see in the area.  Only five miles away is Cenote Ik Kil, one of the most popular cenotes in the Yukatan Peninsula. Both of these are adventures not to be missed!

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2 Comments

  1. Jim & Dinah
    Jim & Dinah on August 27, 2020 at 10:46 pm

    I absolutely love what you’re doing here! We have enjoyed traveling together over the past 51 years, and are now more free than we’ve ever been to enjoy exciting trips to interesting destinations. We just returned from Mexico and are already planning a trip back. Orlando is coming up soon and Hawai’i before Christmas.
    We look forward to your ideas and tips!

    Reply
    • Christi
      Christi on September 10, 2020 at 10:24 pm

      Thank you for your encouragement!! What are your best tips from 51 years of travel?? … by the way, that’s amazing! We’d all love to learn from you.

      Reply

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