To me, vacation is about indulgence, whereas travel is about seeing the world. How many times have you bought something or ordered something more extravagant than you normally would, saying, “Well, we are on vacation.” Staying at a luxury hotel, eating gourmet meals and buying up souvenirs can add up to thousands of dollars in just a few days. I can see why many families can only afford to take one vacation a year.

But it doesn’t have to be that way if you just change your mindset a little. I think especially when you have young children, a luxury vacation just doesn’t make sense. Children aren’t going to care if you eat or sleep at the nicest place in town. Plus, they might throw a fit or decide not to sleep and you’ll probably regret spending the money. Not to mention that part of a vacation is relaxation, which is nearly impossible with children.

If you concentrate instead on showing your children the world, you can turn a budget for one vacation into tons of trips throughout the year. Shop around for cheap destinations, travel during off-peak times and get groceries instead of eating out for every meal. There are a million little ways to save on a vacation and it adds up quick.

When shopping around for hotels, if you find a good rate with a good cancelation policy, book it! If you find a better deal later on, just cancel the booking. Also consider trying Hotwire. They are able to have the very lowest rates by not telling you what hotel you’re getting until after you check out. That way, the hotel can offer a price much, much lower than it’s cheapest advertised price. You can pick the star rating and even the neighborhood. I think it’s kind of a fun adventure to let fate decide your hotel for you. The only downside is that it’s completely nonrefundable. I still think it’s often worth the risk.

Do the math to see if it really makes sense to get a rental car. I find it’s often cheaper to take a shuttle to and from the airport and use a taxi to get around town, especially if the hotel charges for parking. Don’t forget to add in parking fees from the attractions you plan to visit and gas as well.

While things like getting cheap accommodation and flights make a huge difference, remember the small things add up. Before you buy something on your trip, ask yourself if it’s really worth spending the money, lugging it home and taking up space in your house. I think you will find you don’t really want that keychain or mug or snow globe. If your kids want something, try asking them if they would rather buy that now or use the money to do an activity later.

If they’re old enough, I highly recommend giving your kids control over the entire vacation budget, as seen on the Travel Channel’s The Kids Are In Charge: Family Vacation. What an excellent opportunity to teach kids about money, budgeting and planning! If you have three kids and you’re going for three days, you give each kid 1/3 of the money and have them each be in charge of one day. You might be surprised how much more aware they are of how the money is being spent.

I think you will find it even more fun and rewarding when you decide to travel with this mindset. Traveling is a great time to bond with your family and teach them about the world around them. Make the most of it while you can.