A question for parents who travel?
Do you have any tips/tricks for finding cheap, but decent hotels? Also, do you have any other money saving ideas for vacationing with kids/ We have traveled before, but always with other family/friends and they have always made the arrangements for us and we split the costs. If it helps, we are driving to Black hills/Badlands, SD from St. Paul, MN with our 3 kids ages 10, 6, and 15 months. Thanks.
Parenting - 4 Answers
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1 :
Sometimes you can find good deals on websites like Expedia or Orbitz, but we have very rarely found good deals on those sites. If you want to save money, make sure they don't know you have kids. They will either charge extra or won't rent you a room at all. You can also save by getting a smaller room and then bringing an air mattress or playpens for little ones to sleep in, rather than paying for extra beds.
2 :
I have a AAA membership and use their website to find hotels. Have you ever thought about camping instead though? I did that last time I was in the Black Hills and it was a lot of fun! The campground we stayed at had miniature golf and a swimming pool. But my daughters favorite thing was playing in the creek that went right by our campsite. There was a family with children camping next to us and they had a lot of fun playing together. As far as money-saving. Pack as much food as you can. Anytime we travel we pack sandwiches to eat at least on the first day of the trip and bring a cooler full of drinks along and plenty of snacks as well. When we go camping we honestly don't eat out at all as we bring plenty of food with and cook sandwiches, hot dogs, and burgers over the campfire.
3 :
I usually find the best hotel deals on the hotel itself's website, but also go check things like Visa's website for all their discounts. When we traveled to different states, I also go to the states tourism website and order a vacation guide, and see if there are any coupon booklets availalbe - or at the big rest stop type places along the way. We saved alot on sit-down type meals this way. Also in touristy sites like that, grocery stores may have inflated prices, so you may want to shop first. And also if you spend a little more with a room or rental with some kind of kitchen, you may save more in the end on food. heres my other money saving tip, as I mentioned my Visa, I have a Target Visa - and Im sure you probably have a superTarget close given your travel plans. I put EVERYTHING on this card, and pay it off every month. I typically get a 10% off day everymonth, where I stock up on groceries, and also print off every coupon possible from their website.
4 :
Depending on how long you're staying in a hotel there are always some interesting options to consider. If staying in a hotel, call the hotel directly and negotiate a rate with the sales manager. They generally have authorization to give you a lower rate than the folks at either the 800 number, the website or the front desk. It helps to be polite. Always join the hotel chain's reward program. It's usually free, you can rack up points for free stays, can get no charge upgrades and amenities. Since you're traveling with kids consider a suite with a kitchen. Even better, find a rental for a condo. It helps you save a boatload on food since you can just make breakfast, take your own lunch, etc. Stop in a local grocery store and stock up on milk, cereal, snacks, etc. so you don't have yet another eating out bill. Bed and Breakfasts are another interesting way to go that are worth looking into. Look up the local Chamber of Commerce to find non-chain hotels and again, call them directly. On your way in stop at the welcome center closest to the hotel...even if you already have a reservation. Welcome centers often have brochures with discount rates attached to them and are often hoping to get last minute people walking in the door so the rates are often pretty discounted. If you want a cheaper price, ask. Don't accept the first rate they offer. Like everything, it's a negotiation. You can also play one sales person off another if you're willing to spend a little time on it. Look for current deals with hotel chains. For example, Choice hotels right now are running a 2 stays get 1 free. Ask when the hotel was last renovated or built. It gives you a good idea of how new the facility will be. If you're traveling over a weekend, look for a corporate hotel. They always discount their rooms Friday and Saturday night since their corporate guests have gone home. And never...EVER...put a hotel reservation on a debit card. Credit cards are fine. But the hotel will hold money on your debit card and it'll register that the money has been taken out of your account. Get a couple of absentminded front desk clerks, and that money will be pulled out multiple times. Have a great time.
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