7 tips to saving money on your Summer Holiday

We understand that Summer holidays can be expensive, which is why we’ve put together 7 tips to save yourself money on your summer holiday. Of course, you can choose a staycation to reduce costs, especially for families. We hope you find our tips useful, and if you need to access your savings or require a loan to help with the cost of your holiday, contact us.

1. Pack light

With baggage costs on the increase, a simple way to save money is to pack lighter. Think, if you’re going to a hot country, do you need hold luggage if you’re packing shorts, bikinis and flip flops?

Or if you’re going with friends or family you could even share a case to save on luggage allowances.

You can view the luggage sizes and allowances here

2. Research before you spend

Before you visit restaurants, attractions and jump in taxis, do your research online using websites such as TripAdvisor to read reviews before you incur extra costs. This will make sure you are spending your time and money wisely while you are on holiday, plus you’ll have a better time as you’ve picked your visits based on recommendations.

3. Buy your currency in advance

When it comes to getting your travel money, don’t wait until you’re at the airport as this can be very costly! Give yourself plenty of time to buy your foreign currency in advance. Always visit a few currency providers to make sure you get the best deal or visit comparison sites such as Money.co.ukor Money Supermarket.

Buy how much you need, as it’s going to cost you to exchange this back to British Pounds if you buy too much. Although bear in mind that, withdrawing money abroad can prove costly because of charges. Although using a debit card can be cheaper than a credit card, most banks will charge for each cash withdrawal on top of a commission fee.

4. Don’t have a set time in mind

The more flexible you are with the dates you’re searching for, the more likely it is you can find cheaper flights and hotels.
By selecting a specific date or weekend, you then have far less options available for your budget. By opening your search and being prepared to book last minute this will result in cheaper holidays, if of course you can get the time off.

5. Don’t be #influenced

We get it, a footballer on Instagram has posted that they’re in a resort in the Caribbean, and you’d love to go. For them, that’s not a hit on their budget, for the rest of us, that’s not always possible! Plan your trip based on your budget, and don’t be influenced by your friends or celebrities on social media. By choosing a destination that isn’t as trendy, you can save some money and have a great time in the process!

6. Self-catering saves

By choosing a villa or accommodation with a kitchen, you can save lots of money on food on your holiday. This will also give you the chance to shop like a local and experience new food in a different way. Restaurants can be expensive, and sometimes you can pay a lot up front for All-Inclusive which can work out costly in the long run.

So why not have a mixture of meals out and self-catered food to extend your budget which can go towards activities or the accommodation itself.

7. Change your Transport & End up with Change

When you jump into a taxi in another country, sometimes you can get overcharged if you get into an unlicensed cab.
To avoid this risk and cost, make the change to public transport such as trains and buses to reduce the impact on your budget. By looking into which transport you can catch nearby your hotel or accommodation, you’ll be able to prepare your itinerary and save yourself some money.

If you’re physically able, its always recommended to take a stroll around your surroundings too as you’ll be able to take in the culture of where you are and find key points of interest as chances are, a lot of those could be in walking distance.