Summer is just around the corner so it’s time to book that family escape to the sun. If money is tight, you may be wondering if you can afford to jet off to sunnier climes, but with a little know-how you can!
There are plenty of ways to massively cut the cost of going abroad, follow these steps to make it as affordable as it is enjoyable to get away.
1. Book Early and Save
That’s what the adverts tell you to do, but you may not have the funds to splash out on a holiday right now. This is where low deposits come in handy, with some holiday companies offering holidays with a deposit as low as £1!
It’s a little bit like paying finance on a car; you pay your deposit upfront, then another instalment closer to your holiday, and then a final payment about 6 weeks before. This allows you to grab the fantastic early booking deals now but gives you time to save up to pay the final amount. There are some great deals to be had by booking early, including free kids places as well as early booking discounts.
2. Monitor Exchange Rates
Sun cream? Check! Swimsuit? Check! With so many things on your holiday packing list, it can be easy to forget to pre-order foreign currency. It may be tempting to just pick up your holiday money at the airport before your flight, but you may pay a premium for it.
By shopping around for the best rates in advance, you can make really good savings on your holiday pennies. Visit a comparison site such as Money.co.uk where you can select your currency and see which company is offering the best rates. Also, look out for commission free deals, free home delivery services and cashback offers to make your deal on holiday currency even better.
3. Cut The Cost of The Holiday Shop
Suitcases, holiday clothes, sunglasses…by the time you’ve kitted yourself out for your fortnight in the sun, you could have spent all of the money you’d saved for your holiday! You can make huge savings on suitcases by buying second hand. A large suitcase costs on average £50 – you can pick one up from classified websites such as Gumtree.com or in charity shops for as little as £5 – ka-ching! As many people only go away once a year, you are likely to pick up a bargain on a suitcase that has only been used once or twice.
Also, take a look at eBay for holiday clothes and sunglasses to make a big saving. If you’re not keen on the idea of second hand, you can select ‘new’ in the condition option to find items that haven’t been worn. Many online clothing retailers don’t re-sell the clothes that are returned via their home delivery service. There are businesses that acquire these and sell them on eBay – keep your eyes peeled for a bargain!
4. Sign Up for Great Deals
Although you may not want to fill your inbox with deals emails, it’s worth signing up for newsletters from holiday companies so you don’t miss a bargain. As prices are usually determined on the amount of rooms left in a hotel, or the amount of seats to fill on a plane, they change very quickly. By signing up for emails, you’ll be the first to know about the latest sizzling savings and snap the deals up before anyone else does. Holiday companies sometimes offer exclusive discounts to email subscribers too, which is another reason to stay registered.
5. Go All Inclusive
If you’re looking for a cheap and cheerful holiday, this may seem like the last thing you should do, but it can actually work out to be the cheaper option. Think about how much you spent on your last holiday on drinks, meals and snacks for the whole family. By booking an All Inclusive holiday, the cost of these purchases is covered up front in the holiday price, meaning you’ll need less spending money in resort. The kids can fill up on drinks and you can raid the pool bar until your heart’s content, without having to worry about how many Euros you have left to last the week. Consider how much time you plan to spend around the hotel before booking All Inclusive to make sure it will be worth your while.
As well as saving on food and drink, save on the cost of keeping the kids entertained by packing some playing cards or light kids games such as Snap, Connect 4 and Dominoes. When you’ve had too much sun and are waiting for the resort’s evening bingo game, cabaret or band to warm up, enjoy a few family games on the balcony – it’s also a great way to avoid those ‘I’m bored’ moments whilst you’re taking it in turns to have showers and get ready for dinner in the evening.
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