We all reach a point in the year when we need a holiday to relax and spend time with the family, but when your daily finances are getting you down, you think a holiday is the last thing you can afford. But don’t throw away the brochures just yet because you can have that perfect family getaway without breaking your budget.
Book in Advance or Last Minute
If you want to get the cheapest deals then you should plan to book your holiday either well in advance or in the last couple of days before flying out. If you book around a year before your desired holiday time you should be able to get cheaper flights as they would have only just been released. But on the flip side, if you leave it to the last minute then you may be able to nab some unsold hotel rooms or plane seats at a bargain.
Get a Group Involved
Why not organise a full blown group holiday by getting the whole family involved (that’s if you can put up with them for that long!) If you decide on this option then you can rent a large holiday home or villa which will spread the price across the number of people traveling. So the more holiday-goers you can drum up, the lower the cost will be for you.
Use a Travel Money Card
Taking your credit card or simply using cash can sometimes rack up the amount of money you spend on holiday, however if you use a prepaid travel money card then you can control your spending. You won’t have to worry about charges when using this card abroad and you can put as much or as little money as you want on it before you jet off.
Save on Transport
Admit it; most of us assume that we’ll need a car to get around when we’re abroad but take a minute to ask yourself, is it really necessary? Wherever you go, there’s likely to be some form of public transport which will save you a lot of money on rental and petrol. You may even be able to get around easily enough on foot. That means you’ll be able to take in your surroundings without sitting in a stuffy car.
Take in the Local Cuisine
Speaking of dining out, when you and your family choose a restaurant for your evening meal, try and stay away from the tourist spots. Of course you’ll have more to choose from in the central areas but you may also be paying over the odds simply for the location. Venture out into the local area and you may find some quaint restaurants that will offer traditional cuisine for a much cheaper price.
Set a Budget
We all know how easy it is to get carried away on holiday in terms of spending. The headache and stress we tend to experience when we get back from our travels shocks us into reality. But you can stop this headache if you set yourself a daily budget. Before you fly out, decide how much you’re going to take for spending money and sit down and allocate a daily budget. This means you can relax and enjoy your holiday without worrying about overspending.
I know the current economic situation is not ideal and most of us think we should put off holidays because we simply can’t afford the luxury. But there are ways around it and if you follow those tips and search for the best deals, you can have an enjoyable holiday in paradise with your family.
Adriano Comegna writes for First Choice holidays, a leading travel operator specialising in package holidays.