We have just been on our first family holiday to Whitby and it was absolutely a family holiday on a budget! We didn’t spend much money, about £80 in 3 days, and that included the beer for my partner during the Euro semi-final game!
We booked a lovely cottage in the centre of Whitby and it was all very child out.
There are many benefits of taking a family holiday. It can make you happier, healthier and more productive at work. However, when it comes to the budget, vacations and holidays are often one of the most expensive items in our lives. If you’re not careful.
So how can we take a nice holiday without going into debt? There are many tricks to do so!
- How to have a fun family holiday on a budget
- Consider using cashback apps
- What cheap Activities you can do on a family holiday
- What free activities can you do on a family holiday
- Create a Budget for Your Family Holiday Trip
- Eat at home to save money on restaurant costs
- Shopping cash back apps
- Conclusion: Saving Money On Holiday Doesn’t Have to be Difficult

How to have a fun family holiday on a budget
Consider using cashback apps
You can earn cashback on flights, package holidays, hotels and more using TopCashback and Quidco. Plus you can usually get a decent amount of cash back from your travel insurance!
What cheap Activities you can do on a family holiday
A family holiday is an excellent way to bond with your family. You can go on a family adventure that you will remember for the rest of your life and it doesn’t have to break the bank.
When you plan a trip, there are many things that you need to consider: the time, budget, the destination, and of course everyone in your family. You might even have different preferences depending on who you are or how old you are.
Some fun activities that you can do on a family vacation: hiking, swimming in lakes or rivers, going fishing or kayaking, renting bikes and exploring the environment around your destination.
What free activities can you do on a family holiday
There are many free activities that you can do with your family on a holiday. The most obvious one is going out and spending some time together.
Some other free activities include:
- card games
- board games
- picnic in the park
- walks on the beach
- walk around local attractions
Create a Budget for Your Family Holiday Trip
It is difficult to know how much you should spend on a holiday, here are some tips on how to come up with a budget for your family trip.
- what activities do you plan to pay for
- use online booking sites that will give you an idea of where you will stay and what your budget is
- find out what the “going rate” is for accommodations in that area and the activity that you have planned
- set aside a budget for treats (ice cream for the kids, money for the slot machines)
- do a food shop when you are arrive so you can take snacks/sandwiches with you
- factor petrol costs into the equation
Eat at home to save money on restaurant costs
One of the things that people often do to save money is eating at home more often.
Cooking doesn’t have to be a chore, you can always get pizzas for the oven which are a quick meal. Just serve with a bit of salad for an easy option!
Fish and chips or a takeaway meal are also a good option. It’s more expensive than cooking at home but it’s cheaper than eating out. Many seaside locations have budget and hotdog stands which also make a cheaper option. Plus the kids will love it!
It’s not the healthiest but you are on holiday so treat yourself!
Shopping cash back apps
Don’t forget to use shopping apps such as Shopmium or Green Jinn to get some cashback on your groceries. You can get a lot of free products using these and they often have free or half-price bottled drinks, which is always handy when out and about!

Conclusion: Saving Money On Holiday Doesn’t Have to be Difficult
It is not always easy figuring out how much you need to budget for your family trip. The trick is to balance having a budget with having fun. It’s not going to be a fun holiday if you are too strict and are unwilling to spend any money!
So hope you enjoyed these tips on having a fun family holiday on a budget!
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I am HOPELESS at budgeting and it always goes completely out the window on holiday – but these are really great ideas! I actually have such fond memories of working out how much we’d spent each day with my Dad on family holidays (although, thinking about it, that clearly hasn’t translated to me being good at budgeting!! ).
I like the idea of using shopping apps because it can help you to save money for sure. I just started using it.
Great tips! When my parents and I go on holiday, we don’t tend to spend much money. We mainly do frrree attractions like the beach or a nature reserve. x
I am so bad at budgeting and usually tend to splurge when on holiday, but will use all those tips to help out! When I used to go on holiday with my parents, my mum was super organised so we rarely overspent! Love all the pictures from Whitby and hope you had an amaizng time x
I’m not a mom yet but I grew up learning a lot about saving money. I definitely agree with these tips! Eat at home to avoid expensive restaurants. Bring water with you. Always think long and hard before buying anything you don’t need haha. Thanks for sharing! That place is amazinggggg.
http://www.lifebeginsattwenty.com
Great tips! I’m usually SO bad with budgeting on holiday – everything just goes out of the window! But I’m actually saving all my money from Matched Betting to book a holiday to Disneyland Paris, maybe next year! I feel like it’ll make me feel a lot better having a splurge if I know my money has come from something like that!
These are great tips! Planning ahead 8s super helpful to avoid splurging on a trip. Thanks!