Traveling
with your partner and children can be a wonderful way to connect, have fun, and
get away from the stresses of life for a little while. Hitting the road with
everyone, however, can be stressful in itself if you aren’t prepared. When
you’re on a budget, things can get especially sticky because you can rack up the costs when you’re traveling pretty
quickly. It’s important to keep in mind that this trip is for you and your loved
ones to make the most of your time together, but how do you stay focused on
having fun when you’re tired and in a strange place?
The
key is to prepare well. A good plan will allow you to channel your energy into
things that will improve your time away from home, so give yourself some time
to think about how the trip can benefit you. It will also help to think about
ways to save money from the very beginning, including when you’re booking a
place to stay. Not only will this allow you to find the best deals, but it will also help you continue to save
throughout the trip.
Read
on to find out how to reduce stress -- and your expenses -- when traveling with
your loved ones.
Look for affordable car insurance
You
want to make sure you and your family are financially taken care of if you get
into an accident during your travels, but you also don’t want to spend a lot of
money on your car insurance to get full coverage. The good news is you can get
sufficient coverage and save money; you just have to do your research. You can
start by gathering quotes from various insurance companies to
determine the best deal. Make sure that each quote includes full coverage and
that they all share the same deductible.
Use this time to reconnect
It’s
an unavoidable fact that when we get busy in our daily lives and are coping with
stress, it gets harder and harder to keep communication
open
with our loved ones. This breakdown can lead to bigger issues, so it’s
important to find time to slow down and reconnect. Use your travel time to
benefit your relationship, especially if you are new parents. According to Kindred Bravely, many moms worry about having sex
after giving birth, that there will be pain or that they will be too tired to
experience the same amount of intimacy they once did. While this is common for
many women, it’s crucial to talk to your partner and keep those lines of communication
open.
Go with a rental home
Gone
are the days when our only options for travel accommodations involved a hotel
or condo. Now, there are lots of different places to stay no matter where you go, and
many of them are extremely cost-efficient. One of the best ways to save money
is to rent a vacation home because it will provide you with
plenty of places to sleep as well as a full kitchen in which to cook your
meals. It will also help to reduce stress if you’re traveling with small
children because you’ll have more room to spread out and won’t have to worry
about the noise level the way you would in a hotel.
Plan carefully
From
a strictly monetary standpoint, it’s always preferable to plan out a trip
rather than wing it. Knowing what to expect will help you prepare for what
you’ll need to spend. Look online to find out more about the activities you
want to take part in, and read the fine print carefully when buying tickets to
events and theme parks, as they may be non-refundable or only be usable on
certain dates.
Stick to your routine
No
matter how laid-back your little ones are about traveling, there will almost
always be times when hunger, exhaustion, or the stress of being in an
unfamiliar place gets to them and causes meltdowns. This is one of the biggest
stressors parents face on a trip, but you can help to prevent it by sticking as
closely to your normal schedule as possible. Naps, bedtime, meals, and nighttime routines -- brushing teeth, reading a story
-- should be kept the same if possible, and you might keep inexpensive snacks on hand to help curb hunger on
outings. This will help your kiddos stay on track for the duration of the trip
so they can have fun.
Staying
stress-free while traveling isn’t always an easy task when you have young
children, but by planning ahead, you can make things much easier for the whole
family and save money during the planning process. Remember to keep
communication open with your partner for the duration so that you’re both on
the same page.
