You have been thinking about going to holiday for months now, but also busting your head because of your tight budget. But do not get hectic about it, because there are ways to take trips to your favorite destinations, and save money at the same time. No matter if you wish to go to Europe, Asia or South America, with these valuable tips on finding cheap flights, accommodations, and insurance, you can manage to go to your dream destination with no problem.
Find A Cheap Flight
Browse the internet for the right flight reservation website, do not take the first offer you run in to. If you have decided where and when you want to, via scheduled airlines, the try sites like TravelSupermarket or Skyscanner. These online tools scan airlines’ websites for the cheapest prices on a given date, and provide info about the cheapest times to fly. However, if you have decided to book a charter flight to your holiday destination, use FlightsDirect or Supermarket to find the best bet. And if you want to go really cheap, use FlightChecker for budgeting an airline sale on time. Set the filter to, let’s say, “all sub–£80 flights in September”, to a specific or “I’ll go anywhere” destination.
Early Bird Reservations
Booking an “early bird” reservation means that you pay less money for booking accommodation weeks or months in advance. Making reservations months before your vacations will get you considerable discounts, during the holiday season. However, if you decide to cancel or change the reservation, a certain fee will probably be charged to you. Certain companies and payments and prepaid card providers, like like Travel Pay, offer deferred, interest free payment options, and locking in the current exchange rate.
Late Reservations
Discounts come into the game when business runs slow, when tour operators do not manage to fill their apartments and rooms. It requires patience and flexibility on your side though, for you have to be ready to accept the tour operators’ last-minute offers to destinations of their choice. For booking insurance, find a specialist travel insurance company with a cheaper, but more comprehensive insurance plan than the one your tour operators has to offer.
All-Inclusive Reservations
An expensive solution for an on-season vacation, but it is a great way to save money when traveling in the off season. They are very popular with groups and families, and you can get a substantial discount in the off season period.
Larger Travel Groups
If you are planning a trip with a group of friends or a family vacation, you can get a discount for a large group accommodation. Check out apartments, houses, condos, or country cottages to let.
Car Hire & insurance
Make sure you check out available international car hire companies. Your tour operators may offer you a discounted car hire (if you book your vacation with them), but big vehicle hire companies usually have better offers, with discounts for out of season pre-booking. If you confident about your driving skills, and feel free about driving abroad, you can pass on the excess waiver insurance. Otherwise, choose an independent excess waiver policy as a cheaper insurance option.
The “Perfect Trip” Trap
Travel marketing may lead you into a spending trap, by using emotive phrases like “magical moments” or “precious memories for you and your loved ones”. It is up to you to make your holiday a dreamlike one. Plan your trip according to your budget. If you spend more money than you have, you will then spend the rest of the following year trying to repay all the “holiday debts”.
Before you go on your long awaited holiday travel, get as more info as you can. Apps like TripAdvisor can provide you a list with things to see and do when on your vacations (recreational and fun activities, local attractions, shopping tours, nightlife). There are apps which you can use to find fantastic and cheap local cuisine restaurants.