Will you be going on a summer holiday this year?

As soon as Christmas and New Year are out of the way, we are bombarded with adverts for summer holidays. In one way that’s great, because it provides the possibility of something to look forward to, particularly in the dark dreary days of winter. But in another way, it’s really bad timing because most of us are flat broke after the festive season and can’t even begin to think about paying for a holiday.

So, in this article we look at five ideas to help you find a bargain summer holiday, and five things you can do before you go to spend less money.

How to find a bargain summer holiday

It can seem an impossible ask, finding a bargain summer holiday – particularly abroad. But there are things that you can try. 

Here are five ideas to start with:

• Look for the best value package deal

Whilst there are advantages to booking your holiday early, such as a wider choice of dates and destinations, it’s often the case that you can pick up a bargain if you delay booking your holiday until nearer the time. 

Prices tend to start dropping within about 8 weeks of departure but may drop even further the closer to departure you get. So, if you are able to be a little flexible about departure dates and destinations, and just want somewhere hot and sunny, leaving it till the very last minute could enable you to grab a real bargain.

But to know if you are getting a good deal, it’s important to do research into the kind of price you would normally expect to pay for the kind of package you want. A good place to start is with the major tour operators, and then move onto holiday comparison sites such as TravelSupermarket or Kayak.

• Be prepared to haggle

It’s also important to do your research even if you don’t want to leave your booking until the last minute. Once you know the typical cost of the kind of holiday you want, you can then make it your mission to find it at the lowest possible cost. 

It’s always worth visiting local travel agents to see what kind of deal they may be able to find for you. They may also have access to some holidays that are not offered directly to the public. Take time to explore all the options and see if there may be any extras or upgrades they can add in to seal the deal.

You could also try contacting tour operators directly by phone, to see if they can beat agent or online prices.

By doing all the above, you may well be able to get the kind of holiday you want at a lower price than you initially expect.

• Create your own package

Another option for a good value holiday would be to arrange your own transport and accommodation separately. Check with major airlines and tour operators to see if they are selling unfilled seats on their flights. There are also many other websites such as Skyscanner, Opodo and Cheap Flights that claim to be able to find the best value flights for you.

For accommodation, try contacting the hotel(s) of your choice directly, as they may be able to offer good price deals and/or have some kind of loyalty scheme that you can sign up for. Another option is to look for self-catering accommodation on Airbnb, or other sites that offer property rental directly with the owners such as VRBO.

• Home swap

The idea behind home swapping is that you stay in someone else’s home for your holiday, and they stay in yours. 

All types of property are eligible for a home swap. The main purpose is not to stay in a luxury home but to be a good value way of being able to to explore a new area, either in this country or abroad. 

You can find out more about home swapping by taking a browse through websites such as Home Exchange and Love Home Swap.

• Camping

If you enjoy the great outdoors, camping can be a great option for a good value holiday. And there are so many ways to do it now, from taking your own tent, to caravans, motor homes or perhaps glamping.

There are hundreds of campsites, caravan parks and holiday parks in the UK and Europe. Websites such as Campsites UK , UK Campsite, Eurocampings and Pitch Up can help you to identify one that is just right for you. 

Five money saving tips before you go on holiday

Once you have your holiday booked, there are more things that you can do to make sure you don’t spend over the odds. This particularly applies if you are travelling abroad. 

Here are five tips to get you started:

• Travel light

You can save a lot of hassle and expense by travelling light. And let’s face it, when was the last time you really needed everything in your suitcase on holiday?

If you are flying, why not aim just to take carry-on luggage this time? You can take a small case onto the plane (dimensions up to 56/45/25 cm or 22/17.5/9.5 in) plus a handbag, tote bag or backpack. 

The advantages of this are that you don’t have to pay any extra for luggage to go into the hold, and there is no waiting around on arrival for your bags to come off the carousel. And, of course, no risk of your bags going missing on the journey. 

• Plan your airport transport

It always seems to cost a small fortune to get to the airport. But with a bit of advance planning you can get this sorted.

By far the best option is to find someone reliable to give you a lift, perhaps in return for you doing the same for them. But if you want to drive yourself, take time to hunt around for the best parking option as this can be very expensive. And if you are travelling some distance it may be worth investigating whether there are any airport hotels that offer parking if you book an overnight stay with them.

Also investigate public transport options. Many airports have trains and/or buses that connect from a range of hubs in all directions. This could be the best and cheapest option as long as the timings work out for you. 

So check out all the options well in advance, and make your plans. If you leave it till the last minute you may be faced with the most expensive options such as taxis or on-site airport parking.

• Check into an airport lounge

Another tip to be aware of is that if you have a long wait at the airport it may be worth booking into an airport lounge. You can do this online via sites such as Travel Supermarket. Prices are around £40 per person and typically include food and drink, WiFi, newspapers and showers.

You can usually check into an airport lounge 2-3 hours in advance of your flight, and when you think of the money you could spend in that time on food, drink, and airport shops, it could be more cost effective to book an airport lounge. 

• Organise your money

It’s important to research your destination before you go to find out what you will need in terms of money. For example, even if you use your card or phone all the time in the UK, it may be useful to have cash available for your holiday. If so, it can often be better value to get this in the UK before you go. But take time to research the experiences of other travellers who have been.

Also investigate whether it is possible to pay by phone in your destination, or whether it is better to have one or more cards. If you are using a credit card, check whether you will be charged for this. An easy card option is to get a specific travel card, for example from the Post Office, onto which you can preload money and then pay in any currency as needed.

• Get the best phone deal

If you are travelling abroad, it’s also important to check with your mobile phone company what is and is not included in your contract, so that you know what rates you will be charged for calls, texts and data. And if some things are not included it may be possible to purchase a travel bundle to help to keep costs down.

Also find out in advance the most up to date advice for your model of phone on which settings to enable and disable, such as data roaming. Bear in mind that as the UK is no longer part of the EU, UK mobile users are no longer able to ‘roam like you’re at home’. So it is usually cheaper to use local WiFi than your phone network, just make sure there are no hidden charges for this, for example if you are using hotel WiFi.

We hope that the above ideas help to get you thinking about potential summer holiday options for you and your family and ways to cut down the cost. If you need a small personal loan to help fund your holiday, remember that Loans 2 Go offers online loans that may be able to help. 

Do visit us here again soon for more lifestyle and financial tips from Loans 2 Go.