Going on holiday can be an expensive luxury, especially during a recession, which is why package holidays can seem appealing. Holidays can be expensive and although travel agents can seem the easiest option, it’s not always the cheapest. Booking holidays yourself online, has become easier over the years. Here are some tips on how to make your trip a little easier on the wallet:
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If you have pre-existing medical condition, get travel insurance first before booking a holiday. If you leave it until afterwards, you could find it’s far more expensive than you imagined and worst case scenario, you may not be able to afford to go away at all!
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When packing your case, roll up your clothing, as this ensures you use all room in your luggage. If you don’t think the luggage allowance will be enough, then make sure you prepay for extra before going to the airport as this is a lot cheaper than paying excess baggage at the airport. It’s embarrassing enough finding out when you get to the check-in desk that you are over your allowance, let alone finding out you can’t afford it!
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Decide how you are going to book your holiday carefully as this could save you a lot of money. If you book direct online, with no costly branch overheads, the savings go straight to you as the customer. It’s easier than you think too! For example search the destination which you want to visit for example ‘menorca holiday rentals’. This will bring up all the rentals available in that destination and then you can search for your flights online opting for a low budget airline.
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Always ensure you pay part of your holiday cost with a credit card. This means that should the company you are travelling with go bust, your credit card company has a responsibility to refund the total cost of your holiday. You may incur a small fee for paying on credit card (approximately £10) however, this is worth it should you not be able to travel.
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You should consider the exchange rate before picking your destination. It’s worth noting that the pound is holding its own in Turkey, Iceland and South Africa. Also in France the exchange rate is dreadful, but it is so cheap to get there and Northern France in particular offers some real bargains.
Sometimes it isn’t always about finding the cheapest holiday its making the most of the money you have set aside. If you are to book a package holiday, make sure you know exactly what is and isn’t included. Don’t always presume certain meals are included or that all different brands of alcohol is included in all inclusive packages, as this isn’t always the case. Just by being organised, booking early and reading deals correctly, can save you a whole lot of money.
Enjoy your holiday!
