Summer holidays can cost a fortune. Save money with these 20 holiday hacks…
1. The best way to save money and still enjoy a summer holiday on a budget is to go camping. But the annoying thing is that even this option can be expensive during the school summer holidays. Check out Pitchup. I found this five-night break in Devon, for two adults and two children for £48 from next Monday July 30.
2. If you’re holidaying in a UK city, check out your destination’s student area. Clifton in Bristol is an upmarket part of my city but because it also has a huge student population there are often meal deals and drinks promotions running at the local bars and restaurants. And, of course, you don’t have to be a student to take advantage of them!
3. The key to saving money is research, research, research! Book meals and days out in advance through Groupon, Wowcher and LivingSocial. Or send me an email to find out how you can get a free Gourmet Card which offers up to 50% off the bill at a number of popular restaurant chains.
4. Taking a trip to one of the UK’s cities or seaside towns this summer? It’s well worth investing in a Friends & Family railcard. which will give you 1/3 off adult fares and 60% off kids’ fares. Use your Tesco vouchers to bag it for £15 instead of the usual £30. You should also check out offers from train companies like South West Trains. Little Miss Diva and I tend to take a day trip to London during the school holidays where you can get 2 for 1 entry on Shreks Adventure, London Eye, London Dungeon and London Zoo.
5. Stock up on your summer essentials like sun cream and mosquito repellent by paying your local pound shop a visit. Yes the sizes are smaller than the supermarkets (30ml compared to 100ml) but they still tend to work out cheaper.
6. If you can afford to go abroad, the golden rule is to book your flight 56 days in advance with some hotels also offering discounts on early reservations. If you’ve left it too late for this but don’t mind where you go, check out last minute bargains instead. Try travelrepublic.co.uk, directline-holidays.co.uk, travelzoo.co.uk and lastminute.com
7. Switch on private browsing when you’re searching for a holiday. Cookies know what you’re looking for because you’ve searched for similar flights before. Beat them at their own game!
8. Get yourself a cashback card if you’re spending a lot of money on a holiday. Even with just 1% cash back you could save £10 on a trip costing £1,000. I have a Utility Warehouse cash back card which offers me fantastic savings and the money comes straight off my bills. Send me an email if you’d like to find out how you can get your hands on one.
9. Unfortunately the weakened pound means UK holidaymakers are having to fork out extra money if they are going abroad this summer. Save money where you can by applying for a credit card that’s great for overseas spending. The best credit cards according to moneysupermarket.com include those from Santander and Nationwide.
10. The price of food and drink at airports is nothing short of daylight robbery! Take your own lunch and an empty water bottle (or two) to fill up at drinking fountains after you’ve passed through check in. They’re not usually well sign posted (funny that!) so get the kids to see who can be the first to spot them.
11. Many of the affordable airlines make money on baggage costs. Pay for less luggage by learning how to pack like a pro! Watch this video for some useful tips…
