The Talking Suitcase

Cruise & Curated Travel Specialist

Travel Budget Tips

Tips to Get a Cheap Flight to France

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Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

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Going to France may just be a dream for some, but finding a cheap flight to France can easily make that dream come true. As far as other costs, you have to pay to live somewhere during that time and it may as well be France. Watch your budget when it comes to entertainment and food. Other than that, your only added expense will be the bills you already pay at home, a hotel, and your transportation to and from France.

How to Get a Cheap Flight to France:

Last Minute Deals

Last minute deals are always a great way to save money as long as you can be prepared to leave for France on very short notice. Airlines don’t like to have empty seats because they have to pay the expense of the flight whether the seats are full or not. Obviously they make more money if the seats are full. By selling you last minute tickets for a low rate that can at least recover some of their money. The downside is that you may not get the seat you want. You might also have to travel in a section that you don’t want to, like economy class instead of first class.

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Tips for a Travel Food Budget

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Food costs can be one of the largest expenses you have when you travel. Creating a travel food budget can save you money as well as time when you travel. If you happen to be traveling with children, it’s even more important to have a budget for this purpose. Having a food budget while on vacation will also ensure you get to enjoy the things that truly matter to your individual family unit.

Travel Food Budget Tips and Tricks:

Pack Your Own Food

Pack your own food whenever you can. If you have children, let them help pack the cooler or pick the snacks. They may be excited by the idea of eating at restaurants on the road. You will have a much more relaxing trip if you can get them excited about what is in the cooler. You might even put them in charge of giving out what is in the cooler, so that they feel important when you want something to eat or drink. The money you save will make it easier to afford it when you do want to enjoy a nice restaurant or night out.

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How to Plan a Thrifty Road Trip

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Road trip! Are you planning a getaway with the family, a trip back home from college or just some fun with friends? If so, you might want to plan a thrifty road trip to help you save during your travels. Gas prices are higher than ever and this makes many people afraid to get into their cars and travel out for visiting friends and family.  Don’t let the high price of gas and expensive of travel keep your from enjoying the world.

So what are some things you can do to have a thrifty road trip? I have 5 tips to get you started.

How to Plan a Thrifty Road Trip:

Get a tune-up: Doing some simple maintenance on your vehicle can make a big difference when it comes to traveling long distances in it. For example, keeping the tires properly inflated, using the right kind of gas and replacing air filters and other parts regularly will help you get more gas mileage from your vehicle, reduce wear and tear and get the most from your car.

Rent a car: Depending on the make, model and year of your vehicle, it might be best for you to just rent a vehicle to make your road trip in. Most rentals today come with unlimited miles and you can just pay by the day. You don’t have to worry so much about how far you’re going, what damage or extra mileage you might be putting on your vehicle.

Slow down: Driving slower can make your vehicle more fuel-efficient. This means you can save a lot of money on gas by driving slower. But how slow? According to www.fueleconomy.gov, for every five miles per hour you drive over the rate of 60 miles per hour, you will pay 25 cents or more for each gallon of gas. Rapid acceleration and sudden braking can make you lose more on your gas mileage.

Bring things with you: Another way to have a thrifty road trip is to pack up the ice chest and bring as many things with you as you can. You can bring snacks and drinks and avoid buying things on the road. It’s really easy to do some pre-trip shopping and pack your car up with snacks and goodies before heading out on the road.

Bring a friend: Next, remember to bring a friend or family member along with you. You can’t have a thrifty road trip without bringing along a great friend and some rocking car tunes. The best part of a road trip is blasting your favorite songs and singing along at the top of your lungs with your bestie.

Do you have any tips to add for taking a thrifty road trip? Who would you bring along? How would you save money on the trip?

*The picture above is from a road trip my family took a few years ago up through the Blue Ridge Mountains.  There are so many stops you can make on the way to get gorgeous views like this one!

You might also like 7 Tips for Family Travel on a Budget or 8 Simple Tips to Plan Road Trip & Pack Smart!

7 Tips for Family Travel on a Budget

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Disclosure: This post may contain an affiliate link & I may have been compensated for my time writing this article.

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Family travel on a budget is not the easiest thing to do if you don’t plan ahead. Vacation spots are not exactly set up to be inexpensive after all. They want your dollars and the system is set up against you if you go to a tourist type area. Fortunately, there are ways of having your vacation cake and eating it too.

If you plan ahead, saving money is possible. In fact, you can vacation like royalty.

7 Family Travel on a Budget Tips:

Try to Purchase Everything in Advance – This is the one tip that is relatively universal in the travel industry. If you want to save money, you will need to purchase things ahead of time. This includes reservations, tickets to theme parks, museums, concerts, water parks, and countless other things that you might do on vacation. If you can buy ahead, you will be well on your way towards saving on your vacation.

Stay Outside the Tourist Area – Some people avoid tourist sites like the plague. If you are one of those families that enjoy the bigger tourism sites, you can save a ton of cash by sleeping just outside the center of activity. You may have to travel just a little to get to the “main attraction” but you will save a ton of money.

Rent a Home Instead of Hotel – If you can possibly do so, renting from an individual will be much cheaper. Homes are usually much more comfortable as well.  We’ve used VRBO several times and have always stayed in great locations within our budget.

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