With so many families in the UK struggling financially, people choosing to summer holiday here in the UK, rather than flying abroad is increasing. British holidays have never been so en vogue, but if you are following your pocket rather than trends then you may well be looking for ways to save money on your summer break.
From booking your holiday to what to take with you there are so many ways you can make your holiday budget go a little bit further, keeping a few pennies back for the good stuff!
Booking early and taking advantage of deals
There are two schools of thought on the how to get a cheap holiday, and they couldn’t be further apart on the scale. Often if you book your holiday very early, more than a year in advance you can get some cheap deals, but it’s also noted that leaving things until the very last minute can be the way to go. It’s true that there are some great deals to be had, but if you book early you do need to be very organised, and if you leave it until the last minute you may need to be flexible about where you go and the facilities you’re looking for.
Out of season and term time breaks
If you’re not tied by school age children then booking during term time can be an excellent way of getting a cheaper deal. It’s a well documented fact that prices go up during school holidays, and so booking the week before or after can be much cheaper, but still come with the chance of some summer weather too.
Another way to save cash is to go out of season, many parks are open until late November and some don’t close at all. If you’re not looking for the weather an out of season break can be both peaceful and cheap!
Supermarkets are the key
Many caravan parks come with their own shop but if you really want to save some cash stop off at the nearest big supermarket on your way to the park. You can stock up on everything from drinks to fruit and picnic food, and even without tying yourself to the caravan kitchen every evening you can actually save a fortune just on snacks!
Remember to pack everything
Make a list, start it weeks before and get completely organised! How many times have you gone away and realised you’ve forgotten the suncream? And isn’t it just the most expensive thing to buy in holiday resorts during the summer. This goes for lots of things, tourist areas know what you’ll forget and you can be sure it’ll be marked up in price because they know you’ll have to buy it!
Mind how you pay
If you have a budget, consider paying cash so you can see how much you’re spending. It’s easy to run away with yourself on holiday, especially when you’re paying with card, but by removing a daily budget from the bank each morning of your holiday it’s much easier to keep track.
Investigate free days out
It means getting organised before you go, but check out things to do in the area, the Internet is a great source for that and we have regional attractions at the bottom of the page. It’s almost guaranteed that each area will have many places you can visit for free and by incorporating these into your holiday, and utilising the supermarket and ensuring you already bought your picnic along the way you can really have a cheap and cheerful day out.
Take your fun with you
Everyone wants to go down the clubhouse and that’s going to mean lemonades all round and spending the pennies very quickly. No one wants to sit around the television, we all do that at home. That’s why it’s perfect to pack cards and games that you often don’t find time to play at home. No one minds staying in an evening midweek with a bottle of wine when you’re playing caravan charades!
By: Kath Cross
