Tips on How To Save Money

🏠 Stay in an Airbnb Instead of a Hotel

Hotels in Switzerland can be pricey and small — especially for families. We found that Airbnbs gave us more space for less money, the option to cook simple meals, and a better shot at the kids sleeping in (or at least not waking each other up).
It also made it easier to do a laundry reset mid-trip and have slower mornings without rushing to a breakfast buffet... or do quick breakfasts to catch an early gondola ride and skip the crowds.
✅ Bonus: Many Airbnbs in towns like Lauterbrunnen and Zurich are within walking distance of train stations.

🔁 Try Homeswapping for Free Stays

We’ve started using HomeExchange and Live Kindred: two amazing ways to stay in beautiful homes around the world for free (or for a small service fee).
It’s a game-changer for families: more space, real kitchens, laundry, and often kid gear already on-site.
Use my links below for a discount:

• 250 GP with HomeExchange https://www.homeexchange.com/?sponsorkey=kiersten-b2cca (my code is kiersten-b2cca)

• 5 FREE nights with kindred just by signing up! https://livekindred.com?invite_code=KIE.DEC (code KIE.DEC)

🧺 Pack a Picnic for Day Trips

Restaurants in Switzerland are expensive, especially for a full family. We packed lunches in our bags nearly every day. Coop and Migros have fresh sandwiches, salads, and pastries you can pick up!

✅ Coop and Migros have great grab-and-go options.
✅ Many scenic trains allow you to eat onboard.

🚆 Use the Swiss Travel Pass (It’s Worth It!)

Yes, it’s an upfront cost, but it ended up saving us hundreds. The Swiss Travel Pass includes:

• Unlimited trains, buses, and boats

• Tons of scenic routes (like GoldenPass + Glacier Express)

• Free entry to over 500 museums

• 50% off most mountain cable cars and funiculars

• Free travel for kids under 6

• Free Swiss Family Card for kids 6–15

✅ Plus, it takes away the hassle of buying individual tickets every time, which we really appreciated with two little kids in tow.

👩‍🍳 Cook Simple Meals a Few Nights a Week

Even just making breakfast and a few easy dinners saved us big.

• Oatmeal, fruit, cereal, peanut butter and honey toast, or eggs in the morning

• Pasta, frozen rösti, or even taco night one night in the evening
  Kids are usually tired by dinner anyway, and we loved winding down at "home" without spending 100+ CHF on a meal (though we splurged a couple times)

🛒 Grocery Shop Like a Local

Instead of grabbing snacks from cafes or touristy shops, we often stopped at Coop, Migros, and even Lidl.

• Pre-packed snacks, yogurts, and local cheese were surprisingly affordable

• We’d stock up daily and always snacks on hand when we were out!

✅ Bonus tip: Check out the bakery section in the evenings — they sometimes mark things down before closing.

👟 Choose Walkable Bases (and Avoid Taxis)

We stayed in areas like Lauterbrunnen and Zurich where everything we needed was walkable or accessible by train.
✅ Taxis are expensive and rarely necessary
✅ No car rental means no gas, no parking, no stress

🧒 Skip the Overpriced “Kid Attractions”

The best part? Most of the things our kids loved were free or included in the pass:

• Riding the scenic trains

• Feeding ducks at the lake

• Running through tunnels and wildflower fields

• Alpine playgrounds with insane views

• Watching cows with bells in the pastures

You don’t have to spend money on big-ticket attractions to make amazing family memories here.