Congratulations on beginning your family vacation planning! If you’re looking for where to begin when planning am all-inclusive family vacation, you chose a great place to start. The Bucket List Mom is a family travel blog driven by a couple of bargain-hunting travel-a-holics. I (Cristen) am a luxury-travel-on-a-budget kind of girl but I like to vacation without feeling like I’m pinching pennies. Here, I’ll lay out some of the ways to afford a family vacation, even to a pricey all-inclusive resort like Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort Villages and Spa.
Plan Ahead
This might sound obvious, but I can’t emphasize this enough. Planning ahead for a family vacation is a great idea no matter what your budget is. I recommend planning one year ahead and paying it off month-by-month.
Flights: You can’t typically book a plane flight one year in advance so I recommend that you research the best/cheapest times to fly to your destination. I do this for every trip and I’ve learned some great tips along the way. Another option is to go with a company like Jettly to book a private charter plane.
Example Vacation to Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort Villages and Spa
Vacation Dates: 11/5/16 – 11/12/16
Example Quotes for a 7-night stay from the Beaches website
Cheapest Option
My quote for a family of four for November 5th – November 12th, 2016 varied depending on the type of room I want. The cheapest room they offered me on the Beaches website was $6442.00 for a Caribbean Deluxe Double room which includes 50% off, $35 resort credit and $355 air credit.
Most Expensive Option
The most expensive room option is the Key West Beachfront Four Bedroom Butler Villa Residence with Private Pool for $29,196. This includes 65% off, $35 resort credit and $355 air credit.
Having personally stayed in a couple of different rooms in the Caribbean Village, I recommend that you at least upgrade to a Concierge Suite if you choose to stay in the Caribbean Village. Of the four villages that Beaches Turks and Caicos has to offer, though, my favorite village was the Key West Village. So, let’s pretend we’re booking the Key West Grande Luxe Concierge Room.
Price for our Pretend Vacation: $23,562.00 $7856.70 after 65% off (promo that Beaches is offering right now).
How to Pay for a $7856.70 Vacation to Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort Villages and Spa
Since we’re starting one year in advance, let’s split the total hotel cost into twelve payments, minus the $400 deposit you already had to make.
$7856.70 – $400 (down payment) = $7456.70
$7456.70/12 = $621.40 (this is how much you will need to pay each month)
Ways to Scrounge Up Extra Money Each Month
Okay, so $621.40 extra each month is a ton of money for the average consumer (like me). I get it. But let’s look at how much we’re spending on:
- Dining Out
- Coffee
- Extras like clothes, shoes, makeup, etc.
For us, a huge chunk of our monthly “play money” goes to dining out. In October, we spent $384.67 just on morning coffee and dining out, after we had already gone grocery shopping. We enjoy eating out as a family but we also have no problem staying home and cooking, if it means saving for a family vacation. Is this something you can cut out, as well? Will it save you a small amount of money each month or a LOT?
So let’s take about $385 each month from our $621.40 payment to Beaches. That means we’re only paying around $236.40 each month instead of $621.40. It’s looking more reachable, right?
Another quick and easy way to earn vacation money is:
- Yard Sale – I earned $600 at my last yard sale. When’s the last time you went through your old clothes, shoes, baby gear, kitchen junk, etc.?
How much spending money do you need for your stay at Beaches Turks and Caicos Resort Villages and Spa?
Well, this is easy. NONE!
Beaches is an all-inclusive resort which means your food, drinks and tips are included. It’s so nice to wander around the resort without having to worry about how much things cost.
What are some of the ways you save money/afford a family vacation? Share them in the comments below. We just might add it to our article.
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