Destination: NYC- Manhattan, to be precise. We traveled with two teenagers and a six year old and had an unforgettable time. Here are six ways we saved money on our vacation, and you can too!
Photo Credit: Christina Dickens, www.BoundBookings.com
1. Take a Vacation on the way to your Vacation:
Most of the time, just getting to a destination is the most expensive part of the trip. So, what better reason do you need to maximize your layover. Basically, turn several different locations into one amazing vacation. It totally makes sense, right? For this adventure, we started with a two day excursion to Washington D.C. and then moved on to NYC.
Flying in to D.C. actually turned out to be slightly cheaper, so we booked a one way flight into Reagan National. We used the difference to purchase train tickets from D.C. to Manhattan, so the price turned out to be about the same as flying directly in to NYC. Plus, the further in advance you buy your train tickets, the cheaper they are.
Photo Credit: Christina Dickens, www.BoundBookings.com
We explored D.C. for two days then hopped the train to the rest of our vacation. The train ride was an experience in itself. We traveled through Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey...check, check, check, and check off our states list!
This doesn't have to be done by booking separate tickets either. If you plan carefully, you can make the most out of a long layover. We've done 24 hours in Madrid on our way to Marrakech and 24 hours in London on our way to Athens. In our vocabulary, Layover means "a vacation on the way to our vacation!"
2. Go Where the Wind Takes You:
When planning a get-away, the most expensive thing is probably going to be your flight. I always start with my flight even before I know where I'm going! When I find a good price, I book it, and that's where we're going next; my bucket list doesn't have a particular order. So before you get your heart set on a Jamaican get-away, shop around. Who knows, you may be able to get a better flight to the beaches of Belize. Bound Bookings can help you find those elusive deals on random destinations! Remember the more flexible you are about where you're going, the more you will save.
And, here's something else to consider. A lot of destinations with high priced tickets are not your peak tourist hotspots. This usually means you'll spend a lot less for lodging and food. Higher tourist spots such as NYC usually have lower flight costs, but you'll spend more on your hotel and activities. I'm usually willing to spend a little more on a flight if I know I can even out my budget when we get there.
Prices, particularly airline prices, fluctuate and it does matter when you purchase them. A lot of times, Tuesdays and Sundays are less expensive to fly. I've noticed that buying on a Tuesday can sometimes drop the prices too.
This is where Bound Bookings can help! I check flight prices like a Wall Street tycoon; the key is to be familiar with average prices, so when you see a good one, you can jump on it. If you start planning early, we have time to watch the ticket market, research airlines, and catch you a great deal.
I always search surrounding airports too. For this adventure, we opted to drive 3 hours to fly out of Atlanta, which saved us about $200 per ticket. Multiply that by 5, and it's definitely worth the additional travel time. But, it's good to note that the major airports are not always the cheapest. We got tickets to Hawaii out of Birmingham via Dallas for much less than if we had gone all the way to Atlanta. You just have to scour for those deals, and that's where Bound Bookings can help!
3. Get The Most Out of Your Hotel:
When possible, book a hotel with free breakfast. Usually the more posh a hotel is, the more things you have to pay for such as parking, wifi, and of course meals. We like to stick to the mid-level brands, and we particularly love a Homewood Suites for their bedrooms and kitchenettes.
Photo Credit: Christina Dickens, www.BoundBookings.com
We stayed at Homewood Suites by Hilton New York/Midtown Manhattan Times Square-South, NY and loved it. We ate breakfast at our hotel and filled our backpacks with fruit and granola bars for snacks. And, of course, Bound Bookings can uncover amazing deals on hotel rates!
4. Make Meals Part of Your Experience
Ellen's Stardust Diner in Manhattan should be on every NYC bucket list. The food was good, but that's not why you're there. You're there to sing your heart out with your waitstaff who are all aspiring Broadway stars and extremely talented performers. It's definitely a tourist favorite as there's usually a line wrapped around the corner to get in, but it's totally worth the wait. Besides, what better place to people watch than a NYC sidewalk?
Photo Credits: Christina Dickens, www.BoundBookings.com
Little Italy is another gastronomical adventure. You just can't beat the authentic food and atmosphere. There is so much history here, so it was more about feeding our wondering spirits than just our bellies.
Photo Credits: Christina Dickens, www.BoundBookings.com
5. Do Lots of Free Stuff
There's enough free stuff in Washington D.C. to keep you entertained for days. All the Smithsonian Museums (did you know there were 17?!) are free, and so are all the monuments. My favorite museum was the American History Museum. We saw the actual Greensboro civil rights sit-in lunch counter, Dorothy's Ruby Slippers, and the original Star-Spangled Banner that inspired Francis Scott Key to write the national anthem.
Photo Credit: Christina Dickens, www.BoundBookings.com
We like to do this thing called a "museum perusal." The kids don't have it in them to spend hours and hours at a single museum, and to be honest, neither do I. So, we peruse. It's kind of like we're on a moving sidewalk. We get through one museum in about 30 minutes and move on to the next one. This way we're done and on to the next before anyone has time to get bored.
Photo Credits: Christina Dickens, www.BoundBookings.com
You will definitely get your exercise in D.C., so it's all about comfort over fashion. We averaged 25K steps each day, and we took the metro a lot! This Guide to DC is a great place to explore all the free things to do.
My kids loved walking around Manhattan too. We rode the subway all over just to see where we would emerge. Sometimes it was just to cross the street and go back down. Other times, we stumbled across parks and shops we never would have found sticking to the tourist areas. We Googled thrift stores and hopped all over the city looking for treasures.
Photo Credits: Christina Dickens, www.BoundBookings.com
We often forget that the places we vacation are actually places people live and work.One of our travel rituals is to explore grocery stores to compare similarities and differences to our own culture at the most basic level.
6. Immerse Yourself in Culture on Public Transportation
We love public transportation and will always opt for a metro or train over a private car or taxi. How can you really get to know a city if you don't spend time among its people? And what better way to spend time among people than joining them as they go about their daily lives?
Public transportation is more economical and, many times, more efficient especially if you choose a hotel close to a metro station. Our Homewood Suites was between the Penn Station and Times Square subway stops with about a 10 minute walk to either. We have trained our children to travel light. Everyone gets a large carry-on and a backpack. And, everyone is responsible for their own stuff, even the 6 year old.
There you have it, six ways to save money on your vacation. Planning a budget-friendly vacation doesn't mean sacrificing quality or missing out on unforgettable experiences. By bundling your vacations, prioritizing flight deals, maximizing hotel amenities, making meals part of your experience, exploring free activities, and utilizing public transportation, you can create a memorable trip without breaking the bank. So, pack your bags, grab your sense of humor, and get ready for the trip of a lifetime – all while keeping your wallet happy. Remember, it's not about how much you spend, but the memories you make along the way. Happy travels, fellow budget adventurers!
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