I grew up with a mom devoted to travel. In fact she's in Prague with friends as I write this. She wasn't raised traveling the world and she also wasn't raised to budget. From the time she could leave the house, post high school, she set out to see the world. She moved to London, traveled east to India with a girlfriend and hitch-hiked the whole way. She spent over a year on the road, worked odd jobs for money or a place to sleep and/or eat throughout Europe. She still has friends she met while picking grapes in Spain all those years ago.
I was born in 1980 and we have many pictures of road trips and camping trips all growing up. The wanderlust didn't fade for her just because kids came along. Mom was typically at home with the kids but did work from time to time to help out, and Dad was a high school teacher. So fortunately, vacation time came easy for him, even if the cashflow to make big trips happen, wasn't amazing.
The big trips started when I was 9 and my brother was 13 and I'm forever grateful my parents made those vacations happen. But of course, I didn't realize it then. I specifically remember complaining on a summer road trip to Alaska and the Yukon Territory (at 10 years old), that I wanted to be home having sleep overs with my friends, going to the mall and the roller skating rink! So dumb... what a spoiled brat. I had no idea, the priceless memories I would be able to have all these years later. And I can't even remember the name of my 4th grade teacher so I'm sure another day at the mall would've been just as unforgettable.
Step 1: Budget
I remember my parents would only let us get water when going out to dinner. They wouldn't spend on the frivolous soft drinks, etc. We washed our car, because for $5, and if you have kids at home, a free hour during the week, why should you pay someone else your hard earned money to do basic simple jobs a 9 year old could do? Look at your credit card statements or receipts. What are you spending money on that really isn't worth the payout? Do you have a gardener yet have room to store a lawnmower yourself? Teach your kids to work and work with them. It's time well spent and money well saved, which you can use for specific fun later.
I can remember friends in our church congregation saying, "Well you only have 2 kids so it's affordable for you, we have 4 so it just can't be done." I'm an adult now and my Husband and I have 5 kids. Some of the vacations we go on are simply camping at the beach, a family favorite. But some include flights for 7, and hotel rooms to boot. Im telling you, skip the coffee or afternoon Diet Coke, save those pennies and do something awesome at least once a year that includes your kids. Not every vacation needs to include them but you'll be doing the next generation a great service if you get them out to see the world!
Step 2: Earn Rewards
Depending on the Credit Card you have or if one or both parents travel for work, you can earn points for everything. I have extended family who won't use credit cards because they know they'll end up buying too much. It's a safety thing for them. But if you don't have the temptation to overspend, I highly recommend making every purchase possible on a credit card. I have an American Airlines MasterCard. Every dollar spent gives me a dollar of reward, some give 2 dollars and so on. They also email links. So if you're planning to make a purchase at somewhere like Old Navy or something, you can your cards' "shopping mall" connection, make the same purchase you would've, and can earn 4-10 points per dollar rather than just one or two. EARN THOSE POINTS!
My husband travels a decent amount so he has a Marriott Credit Card and tries his best to only stay in their hotels for work. By paying with the card and staying there, the points multiply allowing us to often have points we can use worldwide. Lastly, since we are currently living in Mexico, when he travels he uses AeroMexico. He has a reward account so he can earn miles for future trips either on AeroMexico or their partner airlines, thus making family travel cheaper as well.
My husband travels a decent amount so he has a Marriott Credit Card and tries his best to only stay in their hotels for work. By paying with the card and staying there, the points multiply allowing us to often have points we can use worldwide. Lastly, since we are currently living in Mexico, when he travels he uses AeroMexico. He has a reward account so he can earn miles for future trips either on AeroMexico or their partner airlines, thus making family travel cheaper as well.
Chase has many credit cards which give great options for those who want to vacation. Specifically the Chase Sapphire Preferred. Do a Google search and see if there is something better out there which may give you great rewards. Right now I'm hoarding my credit card points to get all 7 of us to Alaska. I looked up how many points I'll need and I'm still about 80,000 off. I'll be saving for a couple years, but if simply buying groceries and gas can earn us those tickets, it'll be worth the wait!
Step 3: Plan it, Do it
Vacation CAN happen with the kids AND it should. There are so many coupon codes and deal websites nowadays that some sort of a trip CAN happen! I love Travelzoo. It has a weekly Top 20 which shops the best travel deals worldwide. I get a weekly email (you can adjust how often you'd like to receive updates) with amazing deals. Now I just need the time to enjoy them all!
Turn off the XBox, Playstation and laptops and ask your kids individually some place they'd like to see. My oldest for whatever reason is interested in the Bahamas. We haven't gone yet, but I'm determined to make it happen before he graduates high school. Ask what your kids are interested in. Google places together. See how many credit card points it takes to get a ticket somewhere and then start hoarding your points until you have enough to go. I'm sure you could do the Washington D.C. trip as a family for the same price it would be to send one kid with the school. ( And your child probably won't be as exposed to as many questionable things with their parents and siblings, as they would with just their friends in the hotel room!)
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The things I've seen in my life (thanks to parents who lived on a budget) and lessons I've learned have made me a person open to others. Open to other philosophies and knowledge that just because someone eats or cooks differently than I do, doesn't mean it's "wrong". It doesn't mean we have to swoop in and give them what we have because we think it works better. I've been blessed to learn about the differences that exist in this world and appreciate them for just that.
We currently live in Mexico City and before coming I wondered if I'd want to adopt every little kid I saw begging on the street corner. But again I'm reminded that "Our way" isn't the only way. I'm American. Born in Texas and raised in California. I've driven across the country and back about 4 times and America as a whole has a general way of life. What we as Americans view as acceptable or unacceptable, is different. At first glance, what you see in Mexico would typically not be acceptable to most Americans. But guess what America? Mexico has been surviving a lot longer than we have. Different? Yes. Seemingly a harder life to us? Yes. But they don't have school shootings either. So something about what they're doing may be better than how we're doing it.
When I see little kids begging I don't think, "Oh I need to take them home and clean them up and give them a cute bedroom and clothes, etc..." They have their needs. I give them money or food depending on what's in my car. They are laughing and smiling in the medians with their siblings or friends, and I realize, they're happy where they are. Who am I to tell them it's wrong and there is something we "think" to be better?
I'm telling you, my exposure to the world has influenced the way I see others, and your children and yourselves would benefit from the same exposure. Whether it's different people in a campground 15 miles from your house or different people in a small village in the mountains of southern Mexico. I could only hope for a more understanding and accepting generation to follow mine. Enough "selfies" and more caring and interest in others would be great and so beneficial. Go on a trip. Take your kids. It will be priceless exposure to the world they live on and not just the small world they are currently living in.
Our Family of 7 - Aguas Azules, Chiapas, Mexico
Locals in their typically clothing, carrying things how they've learned to do so. There were many tiny mountain villages with women on the side of the road hand stitching tops and weaving the skirts by hand. For anywhere from $3-10 USD, we were able to pay for a few tops of our own. Handmade, hand embroidered dress shirts and blouses for $10 and under! Chiapas is very affordable to travelers!
outside Ocosingo, Chiapas, Mexico
We rented ATVs on the beach and went for a ride to see some local Crocodiles and Caimans/Alligators at a local reserve. The entrance fee was $1 USD and the ATVs, if memory serves were $10 USD for 30 minutes. Puerto Arista, Chiapas, Mexico
Our middle child atop one of the pyramids in Palenque, Chiapas, Mexico. The grounds here are amazing! I highly recommend it and the kids didn't get bored like has happened at many other archeological locales. It is vast so it didn't feel crowded at all. Just to give you an idea, this was on a Sunday during spring break (Semana Santa) and the crowds in the background aren't bad at all. There are also jungles surrounding you and we could hear howler monkeys in the distance which is always awesome.
