Our travel consulants have provided their expert tips on how to save money while on your holidays; before you book, when you book and while you are there! So why not read below to discover the best ways to save your money while having a fantastic trip! 

Save money before you make your booking: 

1. Consider booking a sun holiday at off-peak times. You can save a lot of money if you choose to travel abroad while children are still in school.

2. Consider visiting destinations with a low cost of living, as you will find cheap accommodation as well as bars and restaurants. Currently the cheapest city break locations include Budapest, Barcelona, Prague and Berlin, with breaks available for as little as €82 per person for a 2/3 night stay. Other affordable city break destinations include Sofia, Cologne, Malaga and Krakow.

3. Try to be flexible with your travel dates. For example, flights on a Wednesday are much better value than if you book to fly on a Friday or Saturday.

4. Avoid paying for unnecessary extras. Options that airlines provide, such as flight seat selection is unnecessary, so don’t fall for the trap! Weigh and measure your luggage before you leave to ensure you don’t pay extra baggage handling fees. Make sure that you also factor in leaving space for your return trip, as you are almost certain to buy some items while on your travels. Why not click here to read our post on how to your bag effectively.

5. Save with a package holiday. Package holidays can save you money, as tours operators often make deals with partners, resulting in cheaper accommodation and flights. Also, tour operators protect themselves against exchange rate fluctuations, by fixing rates with suppliers in advance. This means that if you book now, you may be receiving a holiday costed at a more favourable exchange rate.

6. Pre-book you parking at the airport to save yourself some money, or alternatively park at an airport hotel nearby, as prices are usually much cheaper.

7. Consider all-inclusive. By booking all inclusive, you can be surer of your costings up front, and you will be better able to stick to a budget. If you get a good deal, you can always eat out locally without the guilt! Sometimes it is worth paying a little more to get a lot more.

8. Commit and book your holidays far in advance to get special early bird offers and discounts such as free and reduced child places and meal deals. As you wait, the number of accommodation and flight options diminish, so if you know that you want it, secure it! This is especially important if you are looking for a family holiday in August, as the demand for holidays is always greater than what is available at this point in the season.

9. Search online for prices comparisons, to ensure that you get the best deal at a price that you are happy with.

10. Why not book accommodation near a beach rather than with a pool if swimming is an important factor in your summer sun holiday. Having a pool alone can drive prices up. Many Spanish towns have public swimming pools open during the summer, so you are sure not to feel left out, even if you are without a pool.

11. Check the price of Wi-Fi before you book. You may be planning a digital detox while on holidays, but despite your best intentions you will still need internet access. As a result, you could end up paying extortionate prices for quick access to the internet.

12. While there are plenty of great last minute deals to be found when it comes to cruise holidays, the best offers are found if you book months in advance.  In the future, the cruise industry will are working towards changing their booking system, with prices increasing before departure. If you are looking for a cruise holiday in the future it is best to book in advance, but for now, an affordable last minute cruise break is still an option!

Save money before you go:

1. Do your research. Check out the local attractions and sites and decide which ones you want to experience. If you plan your excursions in advance, you may be able to pre-book your tickets and save yourself some money.

2. Invest in public transport travel passes. If you are on a city break, it is definitely worthwhile considering daily or weekly travel passes, as these can save you a lot of money in the long run. For a single fare on the NYC subway it will cost you $2.75, but for a 7-day card it will cost you just $32 for unlimited transport. You will save yourself a small fortune, and with so many global cities now having incredible transport systems, you will be able to get out and explore with ease.

3. Many cities now have walking tours that you can participate in for free. These are a great way to see the city and save money!

4. Bring the basics with you. Take enough of the daily necessities with you, to avoid buying larger volumes of expensive alternatives locally. Items such as teabags, salt, pepper, bin bags and dishwasher tablets are some of the essentials that you should bring.

Currency and Insurance:

1. If you are a somewhat frequent traveller, it is more cost effective to take out annual travel insurance, than to buy travel insurance for a each trip. You can speak to one of our travel experts today to organise your travel insurance.

2. You should also consider purchasing cancellation cover on the day you book your holiday. This will give you peace of mind should anything go wrong.

3. If you need to change money while abroad, it is more cost effective to remove money from your account using a debit card, rather than using a credit card.

4.  Never change your currency at the airport, as charges are often much higher.

5. Watch your phone usage wile abroad as roaming charges, while they are decreasing, they still apply when using your phone abroad. The good news though, is that the European Union is in the process of banning roaming fees!

6. Pay in the local currency. Shops and restaurants may ask you if you would prefer to pay in your own currency rather than the local currency, and if you do so, not only will you get charged a rate to convert to your currency, but you will also be charged a percentage for the privilege.

7. The Civil Aviation Authority has financial protection for package holidays that include flights, through the Air Travel Organiser’s licencing scheme. If something occurs before your departure date, the ATOL can provide you with cover. This can be ranging from a full refund to replacement travel or new dates of travel, depending on your personal situation. So when browsing for your trip make sure it is ATOL approved, as this can save you money if anything goes wrong.

Save money while on your trip:

1. Unless you have settled on a Bed & Breakfast rate for your stay, skip breakfast at the hotel as it is often overpriced.

2. Eat lunch as your main meal each day, as the food will be pretty similar to dinner sittings, except without the price increase. 

3. Opt to drink tap water (if safe) as if you ask for water from your server, you are likely to get bottled water.

4. Eat like a local. This will save you money and will help you to become better immersed in the local culture.

5. Local draft beer will always be cheaper than bottles, so save some money and become a local!

6. Don’t open the minibar. The price of items in hotel minibars is ever-increasing, and the prices of beverages sold are always higher than those of a hotel bar. So buy at the bar, or better yet, buy at the local supermarket and smuggle it in!

7. Cafés and restaurants are just minutes from the big sights are invariably cheaper than those aimed at tourists. Simply, a five minute walk can cut your bill in half, and you are likely to have a much greater experience.

8. If you are travelling outside of the EU, why not shop tax free! You can get a refund of the local sales tax (VAT) from shop participating in national tax-free schemes in countries including Turkey and Morocco. Just keep the receipts from your purchases and present them at the airport as you leave the country.