Money Saving Tips for Travelling Tribes
Here in the hallowed halls of Insuremore we love what we do for families; our family travel insurance not only gives you peace of mind when holidaying at home or away, it also leaves you with far more coin in your wallet! Here’s how to save even more money when you’re travelling…
If you’re a Kardashian, there’s probably no need to read on any further; but for everyone else, there are plenty of ways to reduce the costs of your family holiday. There are endless options for cheap family cover, budget flights and inexpensive accommodation. Below are just a few quick tips to have you enjoying a champagne holiday on a milkshake budget.
Get Your Family Cover Online
Well naturally we’re going to say this – but it’s for good reason! The reason we’re able to stay so competitive and comprehensive is because you’re not paying for any middle men or travel agents when you book online. You want cheap family travel insurance? We’ve got cheap family travel insurance! Next!
Pick Your Times
We can’t overstate the benefits of travelling in what’s termed the “low” or “shoulder” seasons. Not only will you save shedloads on transportation and accommodation, you’ll also see a place in an entirely different light – free of thronging crowds and massive queues. If it’s just a short break, try to avoid a weekend: staying Sunday to Thursday instead of Friday to Monday can slash your costs.
Go It Alone
While colourful posters jumping out of travel agents’ windows declaring incredibly cheap holidays with “free family holiday insurance included” can be tempting, once you’re inside sitting in a warm office it’s easy to get carried away and book something in haste. (And by the way, make no mistake, you’ll be paying for many of their “free offers” cleverly built-in to the price.) If you research flights and accommodation online, you’ll be able to compare prices in your own time and, as a consequence, you’ll save plenty. Invest a little time and save a lot of money.
Choose Self-contained Apartments Instead of Hotels
When you have a family along for the ride, there’s a huge difference between a hotel room and a self-contained apartment. And in terms of price, apartments can often be much cheaper – go figure! You’ll have room to move, the kids can keep their mess contained to a bedroom, you’ll have a lounge area to relax in instead of huddling on a bed with your luggage, but perhaps best of all, and you’ll save tons by being able to prepare meals in your own kitchen.
There are countless other ways to save money on a holiday, so take heart that your family adventure could well be within reach. And if you are a Kardashian, well done for getting all the way to the end!
How to Feed Picky Eaters Abroad
You think our job is easy at Insuremore don’t you? Give great advice on the right family holiday insurance policies – end of story? Well, our team certainly does do that, and they do it better than anyone else out there – end of story! But we also enjoy telling you about the fun stuff – like how to feed those picky eaters in a foreign country.
We’ve all encountered the Brit abroad who loudly asks, “Where’s the full English?” when perusing the offerings of a cosy café in Tuscany; but bad manners aside, there are many people, especially children, who simply don’t have the stomach for some of the more exotic cuisine. And when it comes to a family holiday, insurance against stomach upsets is important – the last thing you want is to be making a claim after a midnight trip to a hospital for a little person’s tummy troubles.
However, if it’s not a matter of health and your young companions simply need a little encouragement to broaden their culinary horizons, try these tips.
Do Some Research
Do your research and try to get the kids excited about the food beforehand. Take them to the international section of the supermarket at home and ask them to guess some of the ingredients specific to the cuisine where they’re going. It’s also a great idea to have a pre-holiday dinner with some of your children’s friends and cook up a feast of food similar to what they may encounter. Soon your child will be boasting to their little mates about the wonderful tastes in store!
Make Your Own
If, when you’re abroad, you can’t convince your kids to try new things on the menus of cafes and restaurants, try making your own – with a local twist of course! Go on a family outing to the local markets and purchase the ingredients to make your own version of exotic dishes. Often, when children are made aware of the ingredients, the apprehension of trying new tastes is eased. They may even be tempted to compare your version to the “real” thing next time!
Make It Fun
Travel is meant to inspire and delight, not fill children with terror – so they shouldn’t be forced into eating something they really don’t want to. But if you make the experience as fun as possible, children often naturally grow in culinary confidence. Have competitions, play games, make bets – anything to encourage them to eat something new.
If these tips fail, don’t worry; nobody’s going to starve. You’ll never have trouble getting a bowl of plain rice, pasta or some bread and cheese pretty much anywhere in the world!
Making Museum Visits Fun for the Whole Family
Ok, you know Insuremore is your one stop destination for cheap family travel insurance, but did you know our team members are passionate travellers themselves? They’re also very generous when it comes to sharing their extensive (and sometimes obscure) knowledge. Like how to make museum visits a lot more fun!
There’s no doubt children are a tough audience. There is no harsher critic of a priceless piece of Renaissance art than a five year straining at his enraptured parent’s hand whining the phrase that sets a million neck hairs on edge: “I’m booooooored”. When it comes to family travel, measures against the dreaded state of boredom is paramount. So how to you expose your child to a bit of cultural cuisine? Dress it up like a hotdog of course!
Location, Location, Location
The first rule of introducing young people to galleries or museums is to manage expectations – yours that is. There are some places that will have no redeeming features for children, and so many more that can be utterly fascinating. Pick your battles. The Natural History Museum in London is heaven on Earth for kids, the Salt and Pepper Shaker Museum in Tennessee not so much.
Involve Them
While there are certain aspects of your holiday children should not be involved in – advice on the family holiday insurance policy comes to mind – if you involve them in the route around the gallery or museum, you’ll give them ownership of their own entertainment, and education. (Shh, keep that last bit to yourself!)
Look For the Familiar
If you’re visiting a gallery without child friendly activities, try this: set them a task to find the likenesses of friends and family in the faces of the artworks. It’s said we all have at least six doppelgangers in the world, so it’s odds on it won’t be long before they discover Uncle Pete in a Picasso or Cousin Maddie in a Monet!
Break Up the Fun
Designing your day around a child’s attention span can be a pretty tricky (not to mention erratic) task. But if you temper your itinerary with breaks for snacks, toilet breaks and visits to the gift shop, there’ll be enough variety to keep them in “museum mode” that little bit longer, without them noticing!
The key to your children enjoying a trip to a gallery or museum is in you allowing them a little bit of fun and freedom within the experience. But all within reason, of course, because it’s not likely your cheap family holiday insurance would cover your six-year-old side swiping the Mona Lisa!
Travelling Long Haul with the Family
While Insuremore’s team are definintely the “go to” experts when it comes to setting you up for all your holiday insurance needs, they also know a thing or two about travelling. So when it comes to taking a long haul flight, you can guaratee their tips are tried, tested and true.
Your friends have all told you you’re crazy but you’ve snapped up a deal on some cheap family travel cover and you’re doing it anyhow! Take heart, though, contrary to popular belief, long haul travel with children doesn’t have to be the hell on wheels it’s made out to be. The rewards of being able to explore the world and delight in the joy of your children’s experiences hugely outweigh the minor hiccups that may occur.
Get Family Travel Insurance
You know you’ve got to have it, but make sure you get it in its most affordable and appropriate form. Don’t insure everyone in your party under a separate policy; family holiday insurance works out far cheaper and you’ll often get a whole bunch of freebies thrown in.
Pre-Book Airport Assistance
Many airlines allow you to prebook assistance when boarding and disembarking with younger children. Take advantage of it: you’ll get help with hand luggage and strollers, and you’ll be invited to board before the crowds start pushing and shoving. It will go a long way to setting the scene for a calm and trouble free flight.
Take a Favourite Toy or Two
We all hate change; children even more so than adults find comfort in the familiar in times of stress or anxiety. Pack a couple of favourite toys in your hand luggage for very young children, and for the older ones, an iPad with their favourite games will take their minds off the flight. (Do remember that any expensive electronic equipment you’re taking along needs to be covered under your family holiday insurance.)
Pack Ear Plugs
Take-off and landing can be the most stressful times for young children as they may experience ear pain due to the pressure change. Pharmacies stock specially designed earplugs that not only cut down on engine noise, but also regulate air pressure.
Pack Your Hand Luggage Wisely
Make sure your hand luggage contains anything your family might possibly need in case of lost luggage or delays: medicines, nappies, change of clothes, diversionary toys and books and a few snacks. Sounds like a lot, but remember children have carry on allowances too.
When you’re travelling with a family in tow it’s definitely a case of preparing for the worst but hoping for the best. Follow these simple tips, take a deep breath, and dive headlong into a family fun adventure!
Three Unexpectedly Family Friendly Destinations
At Insuremore, we stay at the top of our game by doing what we do better than anyone else. And what we do is insurance. Our family holiday insurance experts not only know everything there is to know about their speciality, they are also seasoned travellers themselves. So when they say they know family friendly destinations, they know ’em!
Travelling with children can be hell. There, we’ve said it. However, travelling with children will also be among the most rewarding and memorable times of your life. It’s all in choosing the right destination – after all, you really can’t expect your eight and five year olds to enjoy Chanel shopping in Paris, can you?
When it comes to a family holiday, insurance against boredom and its ramifications is part of your planning process. The itinerary needs to be appealing to every member of the family, and that’s no easy task. But we’re here to help! Freshen up your travel policy and head off to one of these three family-friendly destinations.
Kerala, India
India? With children? Well actually, yes! Kerala, in Southern India is a world away from the intense and overwhelming cities like Delhi and Mumbai. This is a region of palm-fringed beaches, lush jungles, fascinating wildlife parks and friendly, laidback locals. You’ll get all the exoticism of India in a far more diluted and digestible form. (Do make sure your family travel insurance policy includes India before you leave, though.)
Iceland
What child wouldn’t want to stay in an ice hotel and explore a land of gurgling geysers, grumbling volcanoes and slow moving glaciers? Iceland is just like one big, fun science experiment and is entirely fascinating to young people – whale watching, kayaking, horse riding and endless other outdoor pursuits abound. It’s also extremely affordable.
New York City
New York: if you can make it there with kids, you’ll make it anywhere! Actually, this imposing city is a fabulously family friendly destination. Thanks to television and movies, so much of the city is somehow familiar to children and they’ll be able to immerse in such iconic attractions as Central Park, the Statue of Liberty, Ground Zero, and go for a ride in one of the ubiquitous yellow cabs. The Big Apple will make children see fruit in a whole new light!
So don’t be afraid of taking your own children on holiday. Sign up for a travel protection policy, stick a pin in the map of one of these excellent family friendly destinations and off you go!
