When planning your family beach vacation, costs can add up quickly. You and your family need a place to stay, food to eat, things to do, and the list keeps growing. In today’s economy, people are always looking for small ways to save a lot of money, and it’s possible to do this while making the most of your family beach vacation. Here are some tips to save money for your next trip to the beach.

-Manage your meals: Most portion sizes in restaurants are much larger than you can comfortably finish. Try splitting a meal or finding a restaurant where children under a certain age can eat for free. Be sure to do some research and take advantage of coupons or restaurants that offer certain specials on certain days. If you’re going to be at the beach for a week, it’s easy to plan your dinners around nights when specials are on offer at specific restaurants you’d like to try.

-Prepare your own food: consider going to the supermarket on your first day at the beach and buying a few items for lunch. By making your own sandwiches and having your own snacks, you’ll not only save money, but you’ll also save time. If you have a packable lunch, you can spend the day enjoying the beach and ocean without having to get dressed and spend time looking for a place to eat lunch.

– Get what you pay for: Instead of paying for your whole family to spend the day at the water park, use the resources you’ve already paid for. In other words, use the pool at your hotel or condo. It is most likely less crowded than a water park pool and you can pack your own lunch to take with you.

-Find the best deals for attractions: Many attractions have deals when you buy multi-day or multi-attraction passes. Find a deal where passes can be used at any time or on any day, so your days aren’t dictated by attraction or pass limits and you and your family are free to do what you want when you want.

-Don’t buy junk: If you’re traveling with kids, you might run into the problem that the kids want to own every item from the boardwalk store they can get their hands on. Set a limit before you go and tell each child how much they can spend that week. Stick to the limits, and not only will you teach your child the value of money, but you won’t end up coming home with a car full of beach toys either.

By following these tips and doing a little research before your trip, you can go a long way for your money. By taking a little more time to prepare, you’ll have a great beach vacation experience without burning a hole in your pocket.