My toxic trait is that whether or not I am planning a trip, I always have my ear to the ground for deals! Blame it on the wanderlust, or the deal-seeker in me, or probably both. This pastime of mine, though, has gotten my family, friends, and me great deals on more than one occasion! As a matter of fact, 3 trips I planned this year all started because of a flight deal I found- not because we necessarily had a plan to take those trips. 

I try my best to pack light to make moving around and travel easier. Also if we are renting a car we cannot have too many bags. Bigger cars = WAY more money.

As parents we are taught to not diverge from our routine, we have this innate need for structure. But sometime mixing things up isn't the worst. Being flexible is an important part of being a travel family. You always need to have a plan B in the back of your mind. Maybe you have to cut the museum short and find a playground, and that's ok! Maybe your train got cancelled and now you're on a long bus ride- enter tablets!