5 ways to reduce the cost of holidays
Holidays are one of the biggest expenses of the year so it is important to do your research and make sure you are getting the most for your hard earned cash! There are lots of things to take into account including transport, accommodation, food, activities/ entertainment and shopping! Here are 5 tips to help you reduce the cost of your holiday.
When to go
Everyone knows that there are times during the year when it is very expensive to go away, usually during school holidays, and most seasoned travellers might decide to stay home during these times to avoid the extra costs. However, even during the school holidays, there are sometimes which are cheaper than others and are worth considering. In the last week of summer accommodation costs can be lower than beginning or middle of the holidays when demand is often higher. Alternatively, why not take a holiday in the October half term rather than the summer? This will save you a good deal of money!
Accommodation for free
I expect when you look at somewhere to stay when on holiday you usually turn to well-known hotels, smaller b&bs or use the popular AirBnB service. Have you considered trying something a bit different in order to save some money like a house swap? Reminiscent of the movie ‘The Holiday’ this involves people who live where you want to go on holiday, staying in your house, while you go and stay in theirs. This could provide you with free accommodation! Make sure you always use a reputable agency to ensure the safety of your home.
Plan your budget
It’s no fun spending the rest of the year worrying about money after going on a holiday you can’t afford. Spending some time considering funding options and budgets before buying your holiday can really pay off (pun intended!). There are lots of ways to fund a holiday such as a cashback credit card, payday loans in the UK are a popular option or perhaps a personal loan. Once you know how much you can afford to spend set yourself a daily spending cap so your money lasts for the whole holiday and plan out your activities in advance so you know how much you will be expecting to pay ahead of time. Check out the Money Advice Service holiday budget calculator to help you budget.
Avoid the extras
There are lots of added extras on offer when you book a holiday, most of which you won’t even need! Separating out your wants and needs. Charges for seat selection on aeroplanes and priority boarding can vastly inflate the headline price of a flight so consider carefully if you actually need to use them. Rather than splurging on pricey airport food prepare food at home and bring it with you. Remember you won’t be able to take liquids through security but buying a bottle of water on the other side is much cheaper than a full meal. Arrange your own excursions rather than paying for expensive tours which the travel company or hotel might offer. If you don’t plan to spend much time in the pool then book somewhere without one, it’s cheaper. Lastly, for goodness sake don’t touch the minibar!
Book at the best time
If you are flexible with dates and destinations booking late is the cheapest way to get a holiday. You can save a lot of money if you know exactly when to book your holiday. In fact, Kayak found that there may be savings to be made when booking 3 or 4-star hotels in Europe if you book at the right time, usually around one to two months before you intend to travel. If you want to go a little further afield you may want to book 4-6 months ahead for the best deals. Click here to see a guide from the Metro showing early you should book different types of holidays.
