How to Save Money When Traveling With a Toddler

How to Save Money When Traveling With a Toddler

Want to hear something scary? Traveling with young children. I know, spooky, right? 

All jokes aside, traveling with a toddler can be super stressful. We travel out of state at least four times each year to visit family. At this point, I’ve got my family’s travel prep down to a science. 

What took a bit longer for me to learn was how to not spend an arm and a leg each trip. Between gas station shopping sprees and all the adventures each time we traveled, we were spending way too much. 

I’ve figured out how to stretch our dollars so that we can stay on budget and still have fun. If you’re looking for ways to make your next trip a little more cost effective, keep reading. 

Before Leaving

There can be a lot to do before you leave your house for an extended period of time. Add on to that all of the things you need to take with you, and it’s a recipe for trouble. 

Give yourself ample time to accomplish everything you need to get done. Make lists. Double check what needs double checking. If you wait until the last minute, you’re more likely to be rushed and overspend. 

By grocery shopping in advance, you can check for discounts and coupons to save on car snacks. 

Plan Your Trip

Research the best rates for hotels or rentals. Check for deals if you stay on certain dates. Make sure you know the after-tax cost of your lodging. 

Be aware of the dates you’re traveling. If it is during a holiday or busier season, you may need to adjust your drive times. Check out this post for tips on keeping your kiddo entertained on long drives. 

Plan for activities, but also for down time. If your baby is napping twice per day, your schedule (and thus, how much you spend) will look way different than if your kiddos are 8 and 10. 

Preplan Activities

You are less likely to overspend if you have a game plan for activities and spending. Start by making a list of everything you think would be fun, and then categorize those activities as free/low cost, medium cost, and high cost. 

This will give you a better picture of what your expenses will be. You can also cross off activities that don’t seem worth the cost or that your family decided isn’t a must-do. 

If you know there is an activity you absolutely want to do that costs more, sandwich it between free or low cost events.

For example, if you want to take your kiddos on a costly deep sea fishing excursion, plan to visit a local park the day before and the beach the day after. Sprinkle in a (budgeted, set cost) for visiting a museum or other adventure. 

Shop for Deals

Sites like Groupon have excursions and activities at discounted prices to encourage tourism and general business in most areas. 

Whether it’s your lodgings or activities or even restaurants, there are a ton of ways to save money. You can also call places you’re interested in visiting and ask if they are currently running any specials. 

If possible, look for accommodations with kitchenettes. The more meals you can make ‘at home,’ the less you’ll spend on restaurants. 

While Traveling

Because the majority of our trips are going to see (and stay with) family, the bulk of our expenses are during our travel days. We have the choice of spending money on fast food, stopping to sit down and eat, or packing our own snacks. 

Sit-down restaurants are the most expensive, so we avoid those while traveling. Once at our destination, we might go out to eat. 

We usually budget for eating fast food once per travel day, and the rest of the day we eat the snacks we packed. I keep this cooler in the car and it’s a perfect size for between the seats. 

Pack Snacks

Try to pack inexpensive items to tide you over during the drive. Things like: 

• Apples
• Bananas
• Oranges
• Jerky
• Crackers
• Fruit bars
• Protein bars
• Pretzels
• Nuts

Easy to eat items that don’t take up a ton of room or require a fork or bowl. 

You can also pack sandwiches or wraps if you want larger portions. The cooler  is great for snacks like cheese, applesauce pouches, yogurt tubes, or berries. 

Bring Water Bottles

Your kiddo is less likely to ask for juice when there is a water bottle sitting in his cup holder. Water is the least expensive option (plus, it’s healthier than most beverages!). 

Pack Inexpensive Distractions

Over the last few years, I’ve been on the hunt for toys that can be used in the car and hold my son’s attention for more than five minutes. I’ve got a whole post on organizing your car with a toddler so you never have to figure out how to entertain them.

We avoid screens for the most part, but long trips are an exception. My father in law got my kid a child-friendly tablet similar to this one. It has educational games and an art feature. 

At Your Destination 

It’s easy after a long drive to be tired and tempted to just eat out. This is a great way to blow your budget on day one. 

Allow time in your schedule to accomplish a few tasks that will save you money while traveling with toddlers. 

Make a Trip to the Grocery Store

If your lodgings have a kitchen or kitchenette, you can save a lot of money by making food at your hotel.  Even frozen pizzas can go a long way in maintaining your budget.

If you have a regular hotel room with just a microwave and/or mini fridge, try some of the groceries below to save money.

• Bread, peanut butter, jelly 
• Bread, cheese, deli meat
• Microwaveable meals
• Fresh fruit 
• Hummus and pita chips
• Instant noodles
• Milk and cereal
• Tortillas, veggies, delis meat for wraps
• Chips and guacamole
• Rotisserie chicken
• Premade salads

Have Kids Share a Room

It never occurred to me that some people purchase Airbnb’s large enough for everyone to have their own room. Save yourself some cash and have the kiddos bunk together!

Especially if it is a multi-family situation, all of the kiddos will love having sleepovers. Many rentals are set up in this fashion, and it can really stretch your dollars. 

Eat Before Going Inside

If you’re visiting a theme park or other ‘closed door’ venue, chances are that the food on site is going to be grossly overpriced. If you can, eat before arriving to lessen the impact on your wallet. 

Some places allow you to bring in outside food. If possible, this can save you a ton of money over the course of your trip. 

Limit Souvenirs

Children are especially notorious for wanting some little trinket from everywhere they go. Manage your child’s expectations by letting them know your budget. If you’re not willing to buy anything, be upfront with them. 

If you want to purchase something with a spending limit, and your child is old enough to understand, give them the chance to make an informed decision. 

• “We aren’t buying any toys today. You can look, but remember that it won’t come home with us.”
• “That isn’t in our budget. We’ve chosen to spend our money on {insert activity here}”
• “Hey, you’ve got $20 to spend on souvenirs for this trip. Keep in mind that we have two other places to visit. If you spend your money today, you won’t have it tomorrow.”

By managing expectations, you can not only save money when traveling with toddlers, but you can teach them basic budgeting skills.

What are your favorite ways to save money when traveling with a toddler? Let me know in the comments below.