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Thanks to the Mom It Forward Blogger Network and our sponsor, Wet Ones® for partnering with me today for this great giveaway!
Our family LOVES going to amusement parks! We go often and if we ever travel to different areas, we try to find a park close to where we will be, to try out new ones. The problem is that they are so expensive. Why is it so expensive? We would need two hotel rooms, plus food, ticket costs… you get the point.
Here are 5 ways to beat the cost & go for less:
1- Find better tickets! Look for promotions!
Right now Six Flags has a great deal going on.
- If you Buy: A participating Wet Ones® Antibacterial Hand Wipes product (Canisters, Singles and Big Ones®; excluding 15ct & 20ct Travel Pack Sizes) between 5/1/16 and 7/15/16.
- And then you Visit: www.WetOnesSixFlags.com and follow the directions to complete your request by 11:59:59 AM ET on 7/15/16
- You will Receive: A discount coupon for a FREE Six Flags® weekday kids ticket (up to a $51.99 value) with the purchase of a full price general admission ticket on weekdays (Monday-Friday) OR $10 off one (1) full price general admission ticket on weekends (Saturday-Sunday).
- Don’t forget you must make the qualifying purchase 5/1-7/15/16. Offer expires 11:59:59 AM ET on 7/15/16. It is void outside of the 50 United States and DC and where prohibited. Printer required. Subject to full Terms and Conditions. www.wetonessixflags.com.
2. Book a house instead of a hotel room!
You see, hotels are usually set up for families of 4. It is very hard to find a hotel that can fit our family of 6, without costing a fortune (and if you have kids, you can understand how expensive raising a family can be!) We have tried to get two rooms, but that means that our family is split up and then it sort of contradicts the reason for the vacation- togetherness.
Now, we just book a house using VBRO or a similar site, for less than 1/2 the cost of a hotel, and we usually have enough room for a few other families to join us (my parents and my brother’s family). We do this when we go to the beach, too!
3. Make your own meals:
If you rent a house, go to the grocery store when you get there. We found a grocery store right near our house and just went shopping when we got there. We grabbed everything that we needed for the week and we took our leftovers home in our cooler at the end of the trip. With a house, you have your own kitchen right there with you, so just take what you need every day. You can come back home for dinner and a little rest before going back (or staying home & swimming in your pool!) No need to spend money on food just because it is prepared by someone else.
Lunch works the same way: Just grab your sandwiches, keep them in a cooler and take them to the park. We throw some Wet Ones® Antibacterial Hand Wipes into our bag so we can clean our hands before and after we eat. Wet Ones® Antibacterial Hand Wipes are the 2-in-1 way to wipe out dirt and messes and kill 99.99% of germs when soap and water aren’t available. Our older kids like to take their own backpacks, so they each take a pack, too.
4. IF you eat MEALS at the park...
If you DO want to eat at the parks, eat your biggest meal for lunch, when the prices are cheaper. Save your snacking or smaller meals for dinner. (Also- the kids portion of food is a lot bigger at amusement parks when you buy them at the concession stands, so an adult could get away with ordering a kid-sized portion). Plus, if you get them at concession stands, they are quicker, so you are back on the ride in no time…
5. SNACKS:
Also, you could just split the snacks for your kids. We bought one ice cream cup and split it into two cups. Or… if we are only eating one thing at the park, but having our other meals at home, we will let the kids get one snack (usually ice cream) before we leave to head home.
We did this for double cheeseburgers too. You can buy an extra bun for a fraction of the cost and turn one cheeseburger into two. Be sure to take Wet Ones® Antibacterial Hand Wipes in case a sink is out of reach to clean your hands before you eat. You can keep some in your purse or pocket. We keep a 40 count canister in the car (like this one…)
Plus I keep travel packs in my purse (they feature a new Wet Lock™ seal technology that is proven to help the wipes retain 15% more moisture) and a few of the individually wrapped single wipes in our pockets. We just ordered Wet Ones® hand wipes from the grocery store when we shopped ahead of time (you can pick them up at most stores).
Giveaway: 4 TICKETS TO SIX FLAGS!
You will receive four (4) tickets for a reader giveaway that are valid for the 2016 operating season only. In your blog post, please include a giveaway. Here are the details:
- Prize: One winner will will tickets to Six Flags tickets.
- Entry Requirements: Please leave a comment of your best money-saving tip.
- Duration: Giveaway ends on Thursday the 21st.
I love using Ibotta and combining it with other apps like Cartwheel to save money.
I chop and freeze what I can! That is my money saving tip. Meat, vegetables. It totally helps when I can’t eat something before it goes bad in the fridge. If it can freeze fairly well, I will do it! That way, I’m not wasting food throwing like a whole head of onion away.
We save money on trips by packing our own snacks, always drinking water instead of pricey drinks, and when we are going somewhere that we’ll be eating a meal, we usually stay at a hotel with free breakfast so I have the kids fill up so they aren’t super hungry right away!
Even though we are on a budget, I still love to surprise my kids with treats! So, I always have a local coupon book with me and any flyers that come in the mail or newspaper! As we are driving along running errands, I can pull in to Dairy Queen or McDonalds or Dunkin Donuts and use a BIGI coupon and surprise them all with an ice cream or donut for only only a few dollars!
Thank you for the chance to win tickets to Six Flags! My family goes to St Louis every summer to take my son to the Shriner’s Hospital for a check up and we would live to take him to the Six Flags in St Louis! My money savings tip would be to research hotels when you travel to make sure they offer a breakfast and we have found one chain that offers dinner during the week for free! And of course an indoor pool for the kids because if the weather is not great for an outdoor pool, at least we know they can always swim indoors.
I would like to be entered to win six flags tickets! My money saving tip is COUPONS!!!!!!!
I never knew about renting a house. That sounds more fun then a hotel. Thanks!!
We haven’t been to an amusement park yet because it’s so expensive. My kids are 6 and 9. You have some great tips. I’d love to win the free Six Flags tickets! Thank you!
I like to buy big bags of snacks (chips, crackers etc) and split them into individual size servings in ziploc bags instead of buying pre-packaged individual snacks. We keep a basket on our island in the kitchen so grabbing something quick is easy.
I love gaining new ways of saving for my family!! Add in fun and who could ask for anything more!?! Six Flags would be a great getaway for me and my kids! It’s been awhile and we definitely need a break!
My best money tip is always pay yourself first even before bills for emergency fund and after bills are paid a vacation fund
Tip: Go on vacation right before school starts. Often much smaller crowds and therefore better ticket deals.
I have found that purchasing Six Flags tickets online can save up $18-$20. You can purchase a set date ticket for around $52, or an any day ticket (used by end of season) for about $55. We used his option recently on a trip to Six Flags Over Texas.
Book a hotel room that includes breakfast!
Thank you all for sharing everything. I don;t always get to all the comments, but am truly inspired by all of your ideas and comments. I received a pack of Wet Ones in my mailbox at school (I am a teacher). It was the end of the year, and we had a ton of already opened sanitizing wipes to use. I packed them up on the last day and brought them home. While I know hand washing is the best for hands, I have used the Wet Ones on surfaced where my kiddos will eat, sit on an airplane, on toys after the sand box at the park, etc. These travel Wet Ones have been amazing so far this summer, and I will always keep some handy in the diaper bag!