We all crave a bit of downtime. A holiday somewhere out of the ordinary? A place we can truly relax, unwind and spend time with loved ones. All of this comes at a cost though, and that price is seemingly ever-increasing! In this post, we’re going to explore how you can save money on your vacation with some budget holiday tips.
Travel to alternative destinations
Tourist destinations are tourist destinations for a reason. There are perhaps amazing things to see, guaranteed great weather or beaches that are absolutely unrivalled. However, if you travel to these tourist traps, you will pay for them. The prices you pay for everything down to drinks will be over the top. In order to save money, have you considered holidaying in a different place? Somewhere that doesn’t quite have hotspot status or has been mentioned on the future holiday destination list. You will still be able to find amazing things to do and make memories as a family. The huge plus point though is that you won’t pay through the nose for your vacation. There are so many places in the world to visit, all with incredible sights to see. Why go where everyone else does just because it’s popular? Alternativ destinations can be spectacular and you might just discover them before the crowd does!
Holiday outside of the holidays
If you have children, you will notice that those vacations during the school holidays are more expensive than outside of those times. The companies know that there is a supply and demand issue here and that they can make more money from families wanting to spend time together somewhere special, during the summer, Easter and other half-term holidays. If you are willing to risk a fine from school, you can vacation during term time for a fraction of the price of going during those school holidays. It’s worth considering, although you will need to consider your child’s schooling. If they aren’t in the position of taking exams just yet, the fine you might get will likely be much less than the amount you can save. There is also the argument that seeing the world and embracing new cultures is part of learning in itself! Your kids will probably learn much more from a different country than that week’s spelling test. Of course, those without kids will be able to save money and enjoy a holiday without as many children running around the resort by travelling this way. Would you holiday outside of the holidays?
Don’t travel by air
One of the top budget holiday tips is to avoid travelling by air. Of course, this isn’t always possible and we’ll get onto what to do should you have to fly. However, if you can find a train or even a boat to get you to your destination, it can be much more affordable. Sure, it will probably take longer but as the saying goes, it’s the journey, not the destination! You might travel through some amazing places on the way to where you are holidaying. This isn’t for everyone as many of us want t get to where we want to be fast and are willing to pay for that. But if you are watching the pennies, it can be a great way to save! Would you travel to your holiday by bus?
Compare flight prices and choose odd days and times to save
If you are flying to your destination, there are still ways that you can save money! The first of these budget holiday tips for flying is to compare flights. There are online tools that will do this for you, but be sure to check those companies that are not on comparison sites. There are popular flights, perfectly suited for families to travel to their vacations abroad. These popular ones will be more expensive than unusual and slightly strange flight times. How about getting up at 11pm and being at the airport for a 3am flight? This will likely be cheaper than the 7am or 8am flight because it is less convenient. Sunday is often the cheapest day to fly as well. These flights are often between 5-20% cheaper than the same flights on a Friday or Saturday. Cheap flights are out there and available, you just need to know where to look and search well.
Split the cost
One of the best budget holiday tips is to split the cost of the holiday with another family or some friends. Of course, you won’t be able to split the cost of flights as they are done on a per-person basis. However, if you are heading somewhere and hiring a villa, why not opt for a slightly bigger one and split the cost in half? If you were looking at a villa for £2000 for the week, but can get one that fits two families in for £3000, you’ve saved £500 per family! There are saving to be had this way. Of course, a week with another family isn’t everyone’s cup of tea or idea of a holiday. So ensure you are splitting the cost with people you actually get along with. You don’t have to do everything together either. Maybe have a couple of days as a unit and then have other days where you go off as individual families before meeting up back at the villa for a BBQ? You will also be able to split the cost of the taxi from the airport to the villa, or even share a hire car throughout the week and figure out what days each of you can use it.
There are lots of budget holiday tips that can keep the cost of your travel down. Before paying for anything to do with your holiday, take some time to think of ways to save or alternatives that will be more affordable. In this time of high and spiralling costs, we can still enjoy holidays if we approach them in a slightly different manner with these top budget holiday tips.
