Saving Money while Traveling with Kids

You don't want to miss out on any of the top attractions when visiting another city. But with kids (especially a large family) costs of entertainment add up quickly. Luckily. There are lots of deals out there for those who are willing to look. Here are my top places for finding deals while traveling.

Entertainment Book

Enchanted Island in Phoenix, AZ
BOGO Discount with Entertainment Book

This is a book of huge coupons that kids used to sell for fundraisers. You buy it for a certain location and your coupons are for that metro area. There are restaurant deals, attraction coupons, and deals for services. Thanks to the wonder of technology, your Entertainment book now gets your deals all over that nation. After you buy a book (watch for deals, mine only cost $5!) you register on their website, entertainment.com. You now have access to digital and printable coupons all the Entertainment Book locations. There is also an Entertainment Book app you can use to look up and use coupons while you are out, no printer needed. We love the app for dining out.

Groupon & Living Social Deals

Scuba Diving in Hawaii
Over 50% off with Groupon

I always check our vacation destinations for Groupon and LivingSocial deals. The best time to look is
when there is a discount code for the deal sites. I was able to go scuba diving in Hawaii for under $50. Search under Things to Do and Restaurants. Make sure to check expiration dates to make sure your deal doesn't end before your vacation starts.

ASTC Passport Program & AZA Reciprocity Program

Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah
Free admission with ASTC Passport Program

If you have a membership to a museum of zoo, check if it belongs to one of these, or another reciprocal program. Your local membership many allow you free or discounted admission to hundreds of other museum's and zoos. I bought a family membership to our local Arizona Science Center for over 50% off on Groupon. I've used it to get into to Thanksgiving Point in Lehi, Utah, Fleet Science a Center in San Diego, California, The Discovery Museum in Reno, Nevada, and so much more! 

Flyers, Pamphlets, and Discount Days

Don't forget to keep your eyes open for potential deals. Look through the flyers and pamphlets in your hotel lobby or ask the concierge if she has any coupons. Look at the flyers sitting on restaurants check-out stands or in racks by the doors. Do an Internet search for discounts to the paces you want to visit while on vacation. Museums often have free or discount days. Many amusement parks have discounted admission after a certain time.

Meals during Summer Vacation

Stressing about meals is the worst. But meal prep can be fun and easy, especially in the summertime.

Free Summer Lunch in Rexburg, Idaho

Breakfast

Making Crepes with the Velata Crepe Maker

You don't have to hurry the kids off to school in the summer! If you don't have something planned early in the day, you can take time to make those longer breakfasts that you never have a chance to make during the school year. Let the kids make their own crepes. Make a big batch of muffins together and freeze some for a morning then you are in a hurry to get out and have an adventure. 

Lunch

Free Summer Lunch in Gilbert, AZ

This is where my kids get most of their pre-packaged/ less nutritious food. We are rarely home for lunch during the summer so I throw together some PB&J's, put some cuties, apple sauce pouches, fruit leather, and carrot sticks in a cooler bag, and bring them with us on our day's adventure. If we are staying at a hotel that offers free breakfast, I usually snag some extras to throw in our lunch bag.

Another great lunch option is the free lunch program offered through many school districts. Free lunch is available for children ages 1-18 years at some schools and parks. Adults are able to purchase a lunch for a small fee (ours is $2.75). The little ones who aren't in school yet think it's really fun to go through the lunch line and get their food. Do an internet search or check with your local school district to find a free lunch location near you.

Dinner

Crock pots are my favorite kitchen gadget in the summer. I can get dinner ready in the morning and have it ready and waiting when we are home from our day's adventure. There is the added benefit of not heating up the kitchen with the oven. And crock pot meals usually freeze well, so if you make extra, you have a meal for another day, too.

Make-Your-Own-Pizza Night

On the subject of making extra, we usually have a big, meaty meal on Sunday (like a whole marinated chicken or a roast). This provides lots of extra meat to use for meals during the week. I love turning Sunday's pot roast into Tuesday's beef burritos. Or we just eat the leftovers without the transformation. Either way, it makes for a quick meal.

The other great option for dinner is to make it your fun activity of the day. Our kids love "Make-Your-Own-Pizza Night." They've recently enjoyed making creative burritos as well. 

Tips

Involve the kids as much as possible - during the school year they learn facts from their teachers. During they summer, they learn practical skills from you. Now is a great time to teach the fundamentals off cooking.

Make extras and freeze them - if you are making a meal that freezes well, double it, then freeze what you don't eat for another day. Freezer meals are real time savers for busy days and keep you from buying fast food.

80/20 rule - My amazing friend and neighbor has a philosophy when it comes to feeding your family. You feed them healthy, real food 80% of the time, and 20% of the time you allow prepacked, full of sugar & preservative food. We all want our kids to eat healthy, but having Little Caesars for dinner once a week won't hurt anybody.

Free and Cheap Fun for Families Around Town

It is easy to blow the budget in the summertime. There are so many great theme parks, museums, and camps to try. But spending a bundle isn't necessary for having a great time. 

Lowe's Build-and-Grow 

In the summertime, there are so many free and cheap programs for kids. The best was to find out about these activities are tips I mentioned in the article for finding local events. Some programs have to be signed-up for, and in a family-friendly area like Gilbert, AZ, those fill up fast. My advice is to register as soon as possible, even if you aren't sure you can make it or that it's something your kids will want to do. You can always cancel later.

Some of our favorite free summer programs include:

• Disney Play Days-Stop by the Disney Store for activities including Art of Animation, Storytime, Trivia, and Showtime. Last year, kids got a different button to put on a lanyard each

  

  Disney Play Days - Art of Animation

  week that they attended an event. These events are happening June, July, and August. Times and activities vary weekly so call ahead to find out what time to attend.
• Storytime at bookstores-Barnes & Noble stores frequently have story times and family-friendly events. You can find them on your local stores website. Some BN stores offer more programs than others so if you have more than one in your area, check both. They also have a summer reading program that let's kids earn a free book. Local bookstores love to get families in there and often have reading stories or programs, too.
• library programs-The summer reading program at the Maricopa County Libraries was pretty lame last year, with no weekly incentives or goals beyond digital badges. BUT there are still some fun programs going on. We have both county and city libraries. The county library's activities have a limit of attendees and fill up quickly. I love Chandler City libraries. They also have some events that have to be registered for, but they offer lots of free programs for all ages and don't seem to be as crowded. They also offer the Culture Pass which allows you to "check out" 2 free passes to local museums, gardens, and zoos. Many libraries have similar programs so check yours.
• free summer lunch programs-Certain schools offer free lunches (and breakfasts) to kids ages 1-18 years throughout the summer. These aren't just for poor families. The schools want you to attend because they get funded based on the number of people that attend. To find free lunch in your area just do a quick internet search.   
• Bass Pro Family Summer Camp-for about a month in the summer (usually around July), families can participate in free activities and crafts. Check your local Bass Pro for specific times and dates.
• Home Depot & Lowe's Kids Workshops-These are offered year-round but get pretty busy in the summer. Be sure to register early for Lowe's and show up early for Home Depot (registration is not required but they do like to have an idea how many people are going to show up). My kids love collecting new project patches for their Lowe's aprons. Their favorite things about Home Depot that you get to paint your project. They do have recommended ages for these programs, but they let any age kids participate with their parents. 

  

  San Tan Village Splash Pad

Parks and splash pads are also a great, free summer option. Since it gets so hot here, we sometimes head to the park right when we wake up, which is between 6 and 7 A.M. If we're wanting to play at a park later in the day, you better bet it will have a splash pad and Mama will be right in there with the kids. Here is my list of splash pads in the Greater Phoenix area.

Cow Appreciation Day

To find cheap activities, check Groupon, Living Social, and local mailers. They often have discount tickets, or even better, museum/zoo memberships. The Arizona Science Center recently had a Groupon for a family pass. Not only will that let us enjoy the Science Center all summer, they are also part of the ASTC Passport program that allows members to get in free to museums all over the country. 

Most movie theaters offer a kids summer movie program. Here they show previously released movies for $1 and also offer concession deals. Check your local theater for details.

Make sure to take advantage of free days at local museums, zoos, and gardens. The Desert Botanical Garden in Phoenix is free the 2nd Tuesday of every month. Some restaurants also offer free days. One of our favorites is Cow Appreciation Day at Chick-Fil-A. Dress like a cow for a free meal.

What are your free and cheap activities around town? Share your favorites in a comment.