Controlling the budget depends on how much you can afford to spend on the holiday and what the family members enjoy doing. It also depends on where in the world you are as what is expensive in one country might not be in another. The preparations and investigation necessary to get the information for the vacation can be part of the anticipation of the break.

A budget

After deciding on what money is available, the next stage is thinking about what the family likes to do. This might involve sporting activities like walking, canoeing or rock climbing, beach lazing times, historic visits, town visits, country stays or boating of some sort. If different members of the family want to do different things this is an important factor to take into account.

Knowing what everyone likes will give you some idea of the costs of these activities and for new places, the net is excellent at offering opening times of museums and activity parks and what there charges are likely to be.

Accommodation

The type of accommodation you chose will be a big factor. While it is pleasant staying in a hotel with the housework done for you, camping in a tent or using a motor caravan might be a cheaper option. If you are flying to a foreign country, choosing a budget airline ahead of time to get the best price is a cost-cutting practice.

Often these airlines have contracts or contacts with hotels at the destination which will offer budget prices for booking early. Again the net is helpful in supplying information about bed and breakfast availability, family-run hotels and youth hostels in Europe. Youth hostels take any age. A self-catering option is always cheaper because you can try local food and cater to the tastes of the family at the same time.

Restaurants

Most countries have information about restaurants available on line. Just look up the town and find what other visitors think about each one. To cut the cost of eating, it is worth considering having a picnic each day for lunch and having a meal in a restaurant in the evening.

These can be varied from somewhere special to a place that serves pizza type of food. As drinks and snacks are a surprisingly expensive option it’s worth visiting the local supermarkets for supplies. Children always seem to want things at curious times and if you have them on hand there are likely to be fewer grumbles from the young.

Careful planning wins it

Part of the success of any vacation is careful planning and if you can stay within the budget this is satisfying.