Are you finding it hard to save up for your yearly holiday? If you’re trying to cut costs by cutting quality, think again. These top tips could help you get much more for your money and enjoy cheap holidays but still have a quality time.
Choose a good destination for the economic situation
Some travel destinations are definitely cheaper than others. It’s worth noting where’s cheap to go, if you really want to find a bargain. According to travel experts, prices to Spain and Portugal are down by about 15-20%. There are also some pretty good deals for Morocco, Tunisia and Bulgaria at the moment. Bulgaria, along with Greece and Turkey will also reduce your spending money while abroad, as the cost of living is much lower.
Identify which days are the cheapest
Studies have shown that if you can, book your flight 59-plus days in advance, you’re likely to get a much better deal. Also, don’t be scared to mix and match outbound and inbound flights to different airlines.
Believe it or not, the actual day you fly can also influence cost; flying on a Tuesday works out 35% cheaper than flying on a Friday. Flying back on a Sunday also tends to cost more. A great way to find the best possible flight prices is to decide what month you’d prefer to go, and select your destination on skyscanner. It will then show all the flight prices for that month, and you can choose the cheapest.
Always try to haggle when booking holidays in store
If you prefer booking holidays in store, that’s fair enough. We understand that speaking to a human about your holiday puts your mind at ease. However, that doesn’t mean you have to compromise on price. With many different travel agents usually situated within walking distance from each other, it’s pretty easy to negotiate a price.
Always try to haggle, and spend time acquiring different quotes from different companies, to see if they can beat the price you’ve been offered. It can be quite fun. These places want your custom so they’ll often try their best to beat their competition.
Book early….or late for the cheaper prices
The general rule of thumb is to either book early or book late. 11 months before you travel is a good time to book. At that point flights have just been released and the cheap seats are still available. But, for last minute bargains, it’s best to book eight weeks in advance.
Find the cheapest places to fly
Another great hack, if you’re not dead-set on location, is to get to know ‘Kayak explore’. It allows you to see where you can go, for how much. Just select your airport and month, and voila. There’s a map full of destinations, complete with average prices. Take your pick.
Keep your searches private by going incognito
One thing that many people don’t know, is how clever travel websites are. They know exactly what you’ve been looking at, and how many times you’ve looked at it. If they realise you’ve looked at a certain deal more than twice, they know you’re interested. So the next time you take a look at that deal, you’ll find the price has been increased.
It’s naughty on their part, but it’s true. To get passed this, there is an option on your internet browser, which lets you ‘go incognito’. This means the website won’t recognise you again, and therefore will offer you the same low price you found in the first place.
Consider private accommodation
You may be used to booking all inclusive holidays and package deals, but have you ever considered looking for private accommodation? These days people are flocking to the likes of Airbnb for cheap deals on private apartments. Airbnb is a place where home owners rent out their homes in places all around the world.
If you just want a place to crash, then why not consider renting a room in someone’s house, at a fraction of the price of a hotel. Alternatively, if you want something a bit more private and special, you can rent entire apartments and homes for a really good price.
Share the cost
Usually, with private accommodation, prices are per night not per person. So if there’s a group of you, the cost will come right down. If you go by the term, ‘the more, the merrier’ then this option would be great for you, and drastically reduce the cost of your holiday. Just remember – the more, the cheaper.