7 Tips for a Cheaper Winter Holiday

As the rain and cold weather begins to arrive in the UK, you’re bound to be dreaming of your winter holidays already. Yet with the economic situation, budgeting your holiday is becoming more and more difficult. In an attempt to get you to the beach, we’ve assembled our top tips for a cheap holiday!


1. Have a look for cash back, or voucher websites which offer free and easy ways to use discounts. You can often get deals on food, hotels, clothes and holidays that will slash the price of your holiday. Voucher Codes and offers are available from most good UK travel retailers who currently offer a limited number of kids go free holidays.


2. There is a stigma that surrounds hostels, a stereotype that suggests smelly dorms full of strangers and uncomfortable beds. However, over the past few years the lay out and workings of hostels have changed dramatically, with many offering single, double and triple private rooms like a hotel, yet at cut down prices. Of course the rooms are often reasonably basic, and you can’t return during certain hours of the day but if you’re planning a sightseeing holiday in a city, a hostel might just save you some money!


3. Avoiding tourist spots will always make your holiday cheaper, as popular destinations will have more expensive accommodation, food and attractions, so head off the beaten track. The village a couple of miles down the coast might have just as nice a beach, just without the masses of people and overpriced resort.


4. If you’re planning to head off abroad make sure you shop around for flights, comparison websites don’t always include all the options, for instance going a more indirect route can slash flight prices. Flying at inconvenient times of day is also cheaper as fewer people are prepared to get up for a 3am flight.


5. If you’re only heading out for a weekend, or a few days don’t bother putting luggage in the hold. The hand luggage limit is bigger that you think, and will certainly fit a weekend bag.


6. Make sure you turn your mobile off. Depending on where you are, receiving calls from friends who’ve forgotten your away can cost you, as well as any calls or texts you make. If you have a smart phone ensure you turn the 3G internet connection off too, as many check emails and social networking sites automatically. Whilst this will keep you in touch with those at home, it could also run up a large bill so make sure you check with your service provider.


7. Once you’re abroad you can spend hundreds on dinners out and ice creams on the beach, so it may be worth considering going all inclusive. This will of course make the initial cost of your holiday more expensive, but once your away food and drink could cost you nothing.