Family Trip Deals

When traveling, what exactly do you need to pack into your suitcase and how? What goes into your suitcase is important. Shop for the items you need several days before your trip to avoid last minute convenience buying. Empty, cheap dollar-store equivalent plastic bottles filled with products like shampoo and liquid soap will go a long way to save you some money. Buyers beware of travel size items. Typically, you do not find these items economically priced. Consider them a luxury and specialized item. Soap dish and toothbrush cases are also handy items to store your wet bathroom utilities in and keep your clothes dry.

Invest in general drugstore basic items like aspirin, band-aids, antacids, and cold remedies. If you need to buy them while on vacation expect to pay more at the hotel convenience shop or local pharmacies. Their prices are often notoriously over-priced.

Back-to-the-basics: always have an extra pair of socks, pantyhose, and underwear somewhere. Be prepared for anything and everything, including delays. If there are delays on your return trip, for any reason, it is reassuring to know that you will at least have fresh undergarments to wear!

Pack wisely and include a couple of extra outfits. Hotel dry-cleaning is expensive and having a quick change of clothes for a spill or other inevitabilities is always a good idea. Keep in mind however that there’s a fine line between an extra outfit, and over packing. Consider also that some airlines now charge extra fees for checked baggage.

Liquid laundry soap can be a good investment for clothing that needs a little spot cleaning or laundering, hand washing it in the sink will also save you a dollar or two while en route.

A trusted toiletry bag, stocked with all you might need, ready to go is always a good idea. Having your toiletry and bathroom essentials ready at all, times will reduce the likelihood of forgetting something important like your toothbrush and having to buy one.

Check with the hotel to see if they have a frequent guest plan. Ask about package deals, hotel coupons or room savers. If attending a conference, ask for the delegate rate. Explore other options than hotels - homes, apartments, guest rooms and houses, B&B’s, sub-let or short-term ‘lease’-like agreements. For example: rent a Florida house for a month, staying with family or friends, relatives or business contacts, farmhouses, self-catering apartments, Monasteries and convents in Europe are also cheaper options.

Avoid big hotel bills, try AAA memberships, family-friendly hotels, ask for a first floor room. Continental breakfasts are a great money-saver for large families. Ask about any reduced fares at hotels, consider last-minute check-ins – hotels are rarely really fully booked. Eating in a supermarket deli-like counter proves to be much cheaper than fast-food locations or expensive restaurants. It pays to be on the look out for bargains.