We all love a break once in a while whether it be somewhere in the UK or somewhere a little further away.
The team here at Your Money Saving love a bargain and our experts at getting one whether it be a weekly food shop or looking ahead to our next getaway.
As there are several things that can be considered during the process whether it be finding the cheapest flights, the best value travel insurance or even old-fashioned bartering.
Travel
- Book early/Book late – Don’t be taken aback by people who book 12 months in advance or one month in advance. It’s all about supply & demand so the key is to keep an eye on prices on a week to week basis and jump at the chance when a cheap price pops up. As well as the supply/demand factor many experts have claimed that on average, it’s best to book around 4 months in advance for the best prices.
- Consider other forms of transport – Depending on where you are going, other forms of transport can be much cheaper than flying. Although perhaps not ideal for families, getting a coach or even a ferry in some circumstances can be a lot cheaper and more convenient for some than getting onto a plane.
- Getting to the airport – If you are flying, don’t spend £50+ on getting a taxi. It’s easy to get a coach/train to airports or to even get public transport half the way to the airport and getting a taxi the rest of the way.
Accommodation
- Don’t go for 5* hotels: Consider an Airbnb or a cheap and cheerful hotel which will be considerably cheaper than a luxurious hotel. Many countries have their version of Travelodge or Holiday Inn and they are worth taking advantage of. However, depending on the type of holiday that you’re after, it may be worth reconsidering this point depending on how much time you wish to spend at your hotel.
- Haggle a Hotel: If you’re booking late, try emailing a hotel for availability. If they have rooms, available perhaps try again in a week’s time. If there is still availability, then feel free to try and barter for a cheaper price as the hotel may struggle to sell the room for the period that you are enquiring about. We understand that not everybody will feel comfortable doing this, so we’d recommend communication via email rather than telephone for a more pleasant haggling experience.
- Skip expensive Hotel breakfasts: Don’t be put off by cheap hotels that don’t offer a free breakfast. A hotel that does provide breakfast can automatically be more expensive whereas hotels that don’t can quite easily be in a location where a cheap breakfast can be easily accessible.
Whilst you’re there
- Free tours – Many major cities provide free tours around the city and ask for a small tip in return. Beats paying £50 for a tour of the same quality.
- Packed lunches – It’s still possible to make a packed lunch the night before rather than pay for an overpriced sandwich. All you need is a local supermarket and access to a fridge. This tip is ideal for families of 4 or more who could save over £100 for a weekly holiday.
- Find local restaurants – Avoid touristy restaurants and do some research on more genuine places to eat that won’t only be cheaper but will quite possibly be a nicer place to spend an evening.
