Many of us will be starting to look forward to our summer holiday. Looking forward to it, for many, means starting to save for that week or two in the sun. Holidays tend to be quite high as a one-off expense and many people do not budget for them, but there are some tricks and tips that can help bring the cost of yours down.
Search for deals
Perhaps the biggest instant impact can be seen when you use websites that specialise in holiday deals. This can be online-only travel agents or websites that link to bargains or voucher codes that you can use against holidays. Unless you are made of money it is never wise to accept face value for a holiday you have seen. By browsing and comparing you can usually find the same or similar cheaper elsewhere.
Be flexible
It might be that you only have a very specific week or two that you can take off work, in which case being flexible becomes more difficult. This is quite often not the case, however, and any flexibility regarding time off you have can really help save money when booking your holiday. Being flexible opens you up to last minute deals, and allows you to consider flights at awkward times, which are cheaper than their daytime counterparts. Even if your time isn’t flexible, it is worth looking for flights and hotels separately, as money can be saved this way.
Search outside school holidays
Unfortunately it is a fact that prices on deals always shoot up when families are taking holidays together. If you can possibly avoid travelling at the peak time of July and August then it is best to. Searching for off-peak deals goes for destinations that are out of season too – away from the busy period many places that are unaffordable can become available. If you must travel in peak time, a thorough search can still unearth some decent deals.
Borrowing for your holiday
Do not be tempted to opt for a payday loan when looking to finance your holiday. These loans are extremely high and risky forms of borrowing that can leave you in debt. Look for other lending options, for example. The big difference between unsecured loan specialists and payday loan lenders is that these quick decision loans typically have a minimum loan term of 13 months and far more favourable credit terms.
Remember though to make sure that you can afford to repay any money that you borrow. If you are in doubt about any specific loan, always seek independent financial advice.
Leave a Reply