My family stays on farms instead of hotels to cut our accommodation costs in half while traveling through Europe

• My family saved money on our European travels by choosing farm stays over hotels.
• Staying on farms has been cheaper than hotels, and our kids love interacting with the animals.

Picture waking up to stunning views of nature just outside your window while eating just-laid eggs, homemade bread, and fresh honey from a nearby beehive. Instead of running amok in a tiny hotel room, the kids are outside already, playing on swings and checking out goats and rabbits.

This has been my family's reality during farm stays in Europe.

They're a popular option in many parts of Europe where you stay in a property located on a working farm. Sometimes, with this form of agritourism, you can complete chores instead of payment or complete some to get a discounted rate on your stay.

Fortunately, this type of stay is quite budget-friendly, and it can directly benefit small-scale farmers and local economies.

Farm stays come with many perks — we save money and get to enjoy fresh produce

At one farm stay in Germany, our family of four paid 564 euros for a six-night stay. A nearby hotel would've cost us 924 euros minimum.

We had even bigger savings on our farm stays in Italy's South Tyrol region this past summer. For a week's stay at a farm, our family of four (and baby, who didn't cost extra) paid 595 euros. In comparison, a stay of the same length at a nearby hotel would've been a minimum of 1,300 euros.

The savings don't stop there. At most farm stays, you bring your own groceries and have access to a kitchen stocked with cutlery and essential cookware. Some stays also offer breakfast at an additional charge or a service where you get fresh bread delivered to you each morning.

This isn't as convenient as having all your meals provided by a resort or hotel, but not having to dine out has saved us a lot of money on trips. Plus, these self-catering accommodations are great for picky eaters since you can buy and prepare foods you know they like.

On some farms, you can even purchase fresh groceries from the property for a price far lower than what you'd see in a supermarket.

At a recent farm stay, we bought a liter of fresh milk daily for just 1 euro and 10 eggs from free-range farm chickens and quails for less than 3 euros. And, of course, all of these things taste better fresh.

Farm stays have also saved us on entertainment costs, from show tickets to museum passes, because a lot of entertainment can come from the farm and its surroundings.

My children love interacting with farm animals and helping out with tasks on the property. Some farm stays have playground areas, where our kids have played with other guests. And many farms have nearby hiking trails, lakes, or nature areas that my whole family can all enjoy together.

Overall, farm stays have helped us save money on family vacations, and they've been a huge highlight of many trips. I recommend trying them if the place you're visiting has any available.