Summer is on its way! Money saving Tips…

Yes that’s right; money saving ideas for your summer holiday!

January can feel like a very flat month. Christmas and New Year are well behind us and it seems like there is nothing much to look forward to. So why not change all that?

Summer may seem like a long time away but it will be here before you know it. If you are hoping to have a summer holiday this year then booking early can mean that you get a good deal. If you book early you are likely to have a wider choice of options, including tour operators’ brand new destinations. There will also be more chance of getting extra benefits such as free kids’ places which obviously get snapped up quickly.

Booking early gives you time to save money both to pay for your holiday and for holiday spending money. Usually when you book early you only need to pay a deposit, with the balance being due a few weeks before you leave.

Another benefit of booking early is that it gives you time to make plans and do shopping for your holiday so that you don’t end up in a last minute rush. You will be ready to enjoy every minute rather than worrying about all the arrangements.

So where can you find good holiday deals?

Word of mouth
This is excellent place to start. Ask friends and family for their ideas and experiences. You are likely to get recommendations for lovely places that you may not have thought of. If you’re really lucky you may even discover that someone knows someone who either has a cheap holiday home, or one that they only let out to friends of friends. So do ask around – and you may end up with more than you expected!

Travel agents
As your next port of call, your local travel agent is well worth a visit. Our default expectation always tends to be to go online but it can be incredibly helpful to discuss your ideas with a travel expert first. They can provide invaluable information about potential destinations you may not have been aware of, and may also have access to excellent deals that may not be available online.

Websites
When you do go online where do you start? There are so many websites to look at: how can you be sure that you are getting the best deal?

Well, there are many websites from well-known travel companies such as

Thomas Cook
Tui (was Thomson)
First Choice

There are also travel searching websites such as:

The above lists are by no means exhaustive and once you have narrowed down the destinations in which you are interested, it can be well worthwhile using Google to search for those destinations and find out a range of available options.

You could also put together your own holiday rather than taking a package deal. For example you could use websites such as TripAdvisor and Booking.com to book accommodation and make travel arrangements separately.

Airbnb
If you are happy to arrange your own accommodation and travel separately then another good place to look for accommodation is Airbnb. This website enables you to rent holiday accommodation direct from property owners. Accommodation ranges from holiday homes to Bed and Breakfast accommodation in private homes, usually at a very reasonable rate.

Home from home
If you prefer to stay in a home rather than a hotel when you are away then have a look at the idea of home swapping. There are many websites that enable you to swap homes with someone else for an agreed short term period. This is a cost-effective opportunity to try a new area, whether in the UK or abroad.

Some home swapping websites to look through are:

House sitting
One step removed from an official home swapping holiday is to arrange your own with someone that you know. This can be an extremely cheap holiday so is definitely something to consider if money is tight. So sit and have a think about the family or friends that you have in either a different part of the UK or abroad. See whether it might be possible for you to either swap homes for a couple of weeks this summer or for you to house sit for them if they have already made plans to go away.

Camping
If you are keen on the outdoors then there are many opportunities for fantastic camping holidays both in the UK and abroad.

Browse through websites such as Camping Info, Alan Rogers and Suncamp to get an idea of the range of European camping holidays available. For UK campsites, caravan parks and holiday parks check out websites such as Campsites UK and UK Campsite to track one down that is just right for you.

If camping holidays are something you plan to do on a regular basis then it may be worth joining an organisation like the Camping and Caravanning Club UK to get good deals available to members.

We hope that the above ideas help get you started on the journey to your best summer holiday yet!

Check back here soon for more financial and lifestyle tips from Loans 2 Go.