You don’t have to break the bank to have an amazing family vacation. Sometimes the costs can seem overwhelming, from flights to hotels, food to entertainment. But there are some easy tricks to saving a ton of money while providing your family with a vacation that they won’t forget. The key to having an affordable vacation is making doing your research and having a plan. Here are just a few ideas to help get you started.

First, look for cheap flights using one of the many online flight price aggregators, or consider an alternative means of travel, including train, RV, or bus. Next, look into options besides staying at an expensive hotel. For example, you may be able to get a great deal on some beautiful vacation rental homes in the United States from a company like Komfort Stay for a fraction of the cost of staying in a luxury hotel. This alone can save you hundreds of dollars, freeing up those funds to pay for all of your vacation adventures.

Next, find out about activities and locations that your family can visit an enjoy for a low price. Many cities have free or extremely low cost museums or exhibits, you just need to research them online. National and state parks are all wonderful options, and usually the cost to visit is negligible. You can also call the local chamber of commerce or tourist board for your destination and get advice for affordable activities. Finally, look online at forums dedicated to your travel destination and try to find the secret treasures that locals only know about.

Finally, don’t blow your budget eating out every day, which can be extremely expensive. If you’re staying in a hotel with a kitchenette or a vacation home, you can save a lot of money by simply going grocery shopping and cooking some of your meals yourself. When you do go out to eat, don’t just choose the most famous restaurant, which is probably crowded and overpriced. Instead, eat like a local and look for restaurants or cafes that enjoy popularity with regular people.

Of course, you don’t want to spend your vacation pinching pennies and passing up opportunities. Luckily, when you save money on the major purchases, it frees you up to spend more on things you really enjoy. Splurge on something fun, and have a great time!