It’s nearly the summer holidays, which means we all need to find things to do with our children. I am not one of those who dread holiday times. I actually love going out as a family but travel costs often prevent us going very far. With petrol going up all the time and money needing to go further, what can be done to help explore exciting new places on a budget? Here are some ideas to help with travelling further afield on a budget.
Ticket Splitting
Taking the train is very exciting my three year old loves it. However, tickets are extortionate and certainly not for everyday travel! That’s where ticket splitting can help. Instead of taking a direct route and buying a simple return you can buy multiple tickets and it can be cheaper. There are a few things to bear in mind e.g. you must go to all the stations on your tickets. Others can be found here. But it can be worth it, especially if the very act of going on and off trains is part of the excitement.
Using Contactless
I recently had to travel to St Paul’s Cathedral and was horrified to find out I had to spend £10 on a daily ticket. I just wanted to go from one side of London to the other and adding an extra £10 to each of us (there was 2 of us travelling) was just that bit too much. After a bit of investigating I was delighted to have found contactless. You can easily travel on the underground by using your contactless bank card like an oyster card. It was great – quick, easy, and saved us £12 between us. This is only worth it if you only want on stop so check prices, but it certainly made a difference to us.
Book Early
I know it is hard to book early when you have children and the weather is so variable. However, it can make a huge difference if you can book up to 12 weeks early. These tickets are non refundable but there are huge savings to be had.
National Express
If train fare is just too expensive but you still want something different from the car then go by coach! The National Express goes all over the country and is very reasonable. Yes entertain the children may be a challenge but with a bit of planning that should be no problem.
Travelling by car
Sometimes travelling by car is by far the cheapest option. This is particularly true if there are lots of you travelling. It also means you have the flexibility to stop when you need to, pack as much as you want and you are not on a timetable.
I can’t wait for the summer holidays. We won’t be stuck to the preschool/school times and with a bit of luck the weather will be lovely! By using some of these ideas I’m hoping to get out and about on many adventures! What are your favourite ways of saving money on travel? Please share them below.
If you decide to go abroad then have a look at some family ideas here.