Everyone loves a family holiday. It’s the chance for you to get away from work and cleaning. It’s a chance for your kids to see more of the world and maybe make some new friends around the resort. But, you’ve probably noticed how expensive things have become, and this expense means that the nature of a family holiday – especially abroad – is under threat.
So what are you to do? Are you to merely accept it and spend your whole year puttering around your house going to work, cleaning up, cooking dinner, and repeat, repeat, repeat? Or, could you find a solution that allows you to go on holiday without breaking the bank? There is indeed a solution, and here are some ideas to help you fund your trip.
Search For Cheap Destinations
The easiest way to find an affordable holiday is to look for budget-friendly travel destinations, especially those close by that don’t require too much time on a plane or ferry. While these destinations are not always as exciting as more exotic, they can still be full of fun for the whole family.
Still, it doesn’t need to be too close, and even if long-distance flights are affordable, you may be able to find a more luxurious place to stay, which is a fantastic opportunity for some much-needed relaxation without feeling like you’re pressured to go out and do other things that will cost even more money.
Consider a Staycation
The staycation has become increasingly popular amongst many families trying to save money while still enjoying some time away from home. However, some people still avoid a staycation as they want to enjoy a different culture, but this isn’t always necessary.
No matter where you’re from in the UK or even other parts of the world, you can find plenty of unique and exciting spots all over the country. You’ll need to drive there, but that’s all part of the fun, and you can discover a spot that you’d otherwise ignore because you were too focused on going abroad.
Research Credit Card Reward Points
Any holiday can be expensive, but they don’t need to be as expensive as they initially seem. You can cut the cash cost of your trip by researching credit cards with air miles that will reward you for spending money.
It can take a while to build up enough points that you can use on your next flight, so try to use your credit card as often as possible, just make sure you pay it all off at the end of the month to avoid interest charges. Any regular payments, such as your mortgage, car, or phone bill can build up your points, and even paying for one person’s flight can significantly reduce the overall cost of your holiday.
Ditch the Luxuries For Some Luxury
You might think you can’t live without certain luxuries, but that isn’t always true. Often, it only takes ditching these luxuries to realise you don’t need them as much as you thought you did. Unsubscribing from Netflix, Disney+ and other streaming services may not seem like you save too much, but it can equal around £200 worth of savings each year.
Furthermore, these subscriptions are non-committal, so you don’t have to pay for sign-up fees that end up down the drain once you cancel the subscription. This makes ditching the account low risk and means you can focus your savings on staying in a more comfortable and even luxurious villa or hotel on your trip.
Use Price Aggregator Sites
Price aggregators are ideal for finding the best deals on your next flight. The likes of Skyscanner and Kayak collect all the prices across the internet to show you which is the cheapest, giving you a good idea of how much you can expect to spend.
But there are some issues you’ll need to remember. The cheapest flights may not allow for checked baggage and you may not get a sufficient amount of coverage for insurance purposes. Additionally, booking through third-party sites can make it difficult to claim any money back if something goes awry. So, it’s better to use these sites and then book directly through the airline where possible.
Find Budget-Supporting Resources
Budget-supporting resources are another great option to help you save money on your holiday. Websites like NetVoucherCodes.co.uk provide a wide range of travel discounts and deals you can take advantage of to book your holiday and you might find family-friendly deals that you would not be able to find as easily with traditional booking methods.
These resources are also great if you’re just looking for somewhere to go but aren’t all that bothered about where you go. If you’re just looking for a holiday, you can find the best deal for you and your family at the cheapest rate and maybe visit somewhere you’ve never been before.
Set Up a Special Holiday Savings Account
While you may have booked a last-minute deal a lot back in the day, you have too many responsibilities to live like that anymore. So, you may as well set up a special holiday savings account so you at least have something to use to fund your holiday.
These accounts may not yield impressive interest, but they still mean you can put a little away each month to help pay for your flights and other essentials, such as your accommodation and any activities. The sooner you start this account, the more money you’ll have to work with, and then you’ll be able to pay for more extravagant things without feeling guilty for treating yourself.
Go At the Right Time
Funding your next holiday without breaking the bank is all about going at the right time of the year. If you’re in the UK, many people recommend late August for family holidays as it is just before school starts and areas aren’t as busy since everyone has already enjoyed their holiday.
But the problem is that, with kids in school, you might struggle to find the cheapest deals at other times of the year, you don’t want to take your kids out of school, but that means you have no choice but to pay premium prices for the most popular destinations.
Find Holiday Clothes Out Of Season
You can’t go on holiday with the clothes you wear every day, at least not if your usual outfit is anything clean and dry. This issue is crucial if you’re doing an active holiday like snowboarding or hiking.
If you want to enjoy these adventure holidays properly, you need the right gear. You can rent boots and snowboards from the resort, but you will also need warm clothes and other essentials. Likewise, a hiking holiday will be safer with proper boots and a backpack that can carry everything you need. Buying out-of-season items are cheaper than getting brand new, so search sales racks for something you can rely on.
Be Realistic
As excited as you are about your holiday, you must be realistic. No matter how careful you are with your savings, it’s still unlikely that you’ll be able to get a private villa in the Maldives. So, as attractive as luxury destinations are, staying realistic and only saving what you can afford will help you and your family enjoy a holiday without feeling like you need to buy the cheapest things. But there’s one way around this. By exploring innovative options like entering contests or sweepstakes, you might just find the opportunity to win Maldives holiday. It will allow you to experience the luxury you dream of without straining your budget.
Understand How Much You’ll Need When You’re There
Your holiday cost is not just the flights and accommodation. You also need to think about how much money you will spend while you are there. Checking the cost of living statistics on your destination can help you get a good idea of what the average meal, public transport, or activity will cost, and you can factor this into your budget.
Of course, you also need to think about what you want to do. If you’re looking for a relaxing holiday, an all-inclusive resort could be ideal as you only need to pay for what you want, which can save you a lot of money during your week or two away.
Embrace Cheaper Accommodation
As nice as high-end resorts and hotels are, they are not your only option and cheaper accommodation is a good option. Depending on your destination, you can find house swaps or even camping holidays that are a fraction of the cost you’d spend in a hotel.
The likes of Airbnb are also possible, but the policies have changed recently and while the stay seems cheap on the surface, you may also need to deal with expensive cleaning and maintenance fees tacked on at the end. When booking accommodation like this, make sure you check all charges before confirming.
Well-Deserved Relaxation
Holidays give you the chance to relax after a year of hard graft and plenty of stress. It may seem a long time before you get to enjoy your next holiday, but that’s why now is the perfect time to think about where you want to go next. You don’t want to go through a mad dash to save before next summer, so planning your trip now and putting saving plans in place will help you reach your preferred destination so you can get the rest you deserve.
