During school vacations, two things tend to run low: time and money. If you’re here looking for time-saving tips, this isn’t that kind of blog. But if you're trying to stretch your dollars while your kids are home for weeks on end—we've got you covered. Here’s how to budget smartly for school breaks. Spoiler alert: The real magic happens when you get your kids involved in the process. Yes, really.
We get it—“budgeting” doesn’t sound like summer fun. But hear us out. Not only is it essential to plan your spending during school breaks, it’s also a great way to teach your kids the basics of money management. That’s why we say budgeting is for all ages. When kids help create the vacation budget, they’re more invested in the goals—and they might even get excited about planning (fingers crossed).
Sit down as a family and list all the activities everyone would like to do. Include free activities like inviting friends over or going to the local park, and paid ones like museum visits, movies, or that overpriced trampoline place your kids love.
Ask your kids to look up local events, free fairs, city festivals, or museum days. You’d be surprised how many free or low-cost activities are happening nearby—and how excited they’ll be to “discover” them.
Not everything fun has to involve leaving the house (or spending money). Plan at-home activities like themed dinners, baking challenges, movie nights, backyard picnics, or even a mini DIY project. Bonus points if it doubles as help around the house.
From the big list, choose which activities make the cut and estimate the total cost. Think of everything you'll need: tickets, transportation, snacks (so many snacks), and supplies. Don’t forget to budget for some unplanned ice cream runs too—those are basically inevitable.
Add your chosen activities to a calendar. If you can’t set exact dates, at least estimate the week or weekend. Having a visual plan helps spread out the expenses and avoid last-minute “We’re bored!” crises.
Make a list of extra (mostly free) activities for rainy days, change-of-plans days, or days when everyone is just... over it. This list is your lifeline.
Budgeting during school breaks isn’t about saying “no” to fun—it’s about saying “yes” to the right things, at the right time, without blowing your entire paycheck. And the best part? You’re showing your kids how to be thoughtful, resourceful, and financially savvy—even if they think they’re just choosing what movie to watch.
And that, dear reader, is what we call a win-win.