Busy Parent's Vacation Planning System

Too time-starved and money-strapped to plan a family vacation, you say? Such is the lament of today's busy parents, not to mention their equally overscheduled prodigy. Stressed out Americans leave over 460 million vacation days on the table each year. Yet consider the irony: families too busy to plan a vacation are precisely the ones who need one the most. But if you're on a budget (and who isn't these days?) you don't just need inspiration, you need some great deals. Here's a no-brainer system for acquiring a repository of getaway ideas that won't break the bank.

Step 1:
Create a new e-mail account specifically for vacation ideas and deals. Or, if you prefer, set up a folder called "Vacations" in your primary e-mail account.

Step 2:
Sign up for e-mail alerts on travel deal-finding web sites that deliver the kind of vacation experiences you want. Start with our list of five essential travel sites, below. Later on, you can subscribe to alerts from your favorite resorts, airlines, cruise lines, and hotel chains. But keep it simple; too many alerts can be overwhelming.

Step 3:
Go through your new inbox or folder at least once or twice a month. At any given time, you'll be able to tap dozens of excellent travel deals.

Travel Ticker

Most travel deal-finding sites pay scant attention to the needs of families, but Hotwire's Travel Ticker is different. Check out the Family Travel page for a slew of hand-picked listings at kid-friendly properties. Then, for good measure, take a peek at Hotels Under a Hundred, a well-vetted compilation of lodging priced at under $100 a night, ranging from city boutique hotels to condo-style properties to all-inclusive beach resorts in the Caribbean and Mexico. You'll find the newsletter sign-up at the bottom of each page.

Airfarewatchdog.com

Airfarewatchdog.com is a budget traveler's best friend. You provide your e-mail address and home airport, and it sends you free fare alerts (you control how often) when low fares pop up. To optimize your savings, be open-minded about flying in and out of smaller regional airports. Let's say, for instance, that you live in Boston and want to go to Myrtle Beach, SC.  When we checked Expedia and Orbitz, the best summer fare we could find between Boston and Myrtle Beach was $324 roundtrip. But Airfarewatchdog.com dug up a fare between Boston and Florence, SC--just a 90-minute drive away--for only $124. The difference is a whopping $200 per ticket, or a savings of $800 for a family of four.
 

Travelzoo

With over 20 million subscribers, the Travelzoo Top 20 is a juggernaut of travel deal-finding newsletters, dispensing a weekly round-up of discounted travel opportunities at up to 75 percent off regular prices. Looking for a great deal within driving distance of home? Plug your zip code and a reasonable radius--say, 180 miles--into the Deal Locator and you'll be rewarded with a selection of great deals within a few hours' drive of your house.

FamilyGetaway.com

This family-focused resource is all about getting luxury for less, with savings to the tune of between 10 and 65 percent off upscale vacations around the globe. You can search for deals by destination, interest, or property type to find an option right for your own family. Sign up on the home page for the weekly newsletter, which features the top 15 deals of the week. Subscribers are also eligible to bid on the site's juicy travel auctions.

FareCompare.com

One of the most time-consuming and frustrating aspects of travel planning is knowing when to book your flights, because airfares are constantly fluctuating. So why not let someone else do the waiting and watching for you? FareCompare.com's real-time airfare alerts will keep tabs on a route for you and let you know when the airfare drops so you can swoop in and snag it.

What's your favorite resource for finding family vacation deals? Let us know below.

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Suzanne Rowan Kelleher is a family travel expert and mom of three. She is the co-founder and editor-in-chief of WeJustGotBack.com, an award-winning family vacation planning site and one-stop resource for traveling with kids.