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8 Ways To Save Money On Your Next
Holiday
Ok, so there are endless ways to save money on most things these days -
the credit crunch has meant that retailers are crying out for us to spend
our cash. Sales in the High Street used to be an occasion, and escape from
the Christmas claustrophobia, or a time in late spring when remaindered
summer clothes would make way for the Autumn collections. Now it seems,
every day is a sales day - and looking at the range of specialist TV
travel channels and the myriad offers in Travel Agents' windows, this is
also true in the world of travel and holidays. Every day seems a good time
to grab a bargain.
And yet we still seem to find that the dates we really want, the hotels we
really need, and the departure airport which is a must for convenience and
minimum hassle - all these are hard to find in the right combination to
create the headline "bargain". So, sometimes, a little creative thinking
is needed - and this creative thinking might start with the golden rule -
be flexible, and you will save a heap of money. Here are a few tips
towards creative thinking, a great holiday, and cash remaining firmly in
the bank:
1) Book Early: How obvious! And yet it is absolutely true in the world of
low cost holidays as with any other business affected by the basic
economics of supply and demand. The best time to book, according to most
reputable travel agents and flight brokers, is 11 months before you are
due to travel. Seats on the key scheduled airlines are released for sale
through agency outlets - including web suppliers - and there's usually a
mass of cheaper seats available.
2) Book Late: Now there's a thing - equally obvious. But lest we forget,
the laws of supply and demand favour the most flexible of holidaymakers,
and a few clicks of a mouse or a short trawl through the TV text listings
will always yield some superb bargains.
3) Buy a Package: Now, this is getting less than creative, I hear you say!
Yes, the web has been revolutionary for people who wish to cut out the
travel agent and arrange their own trips. But it is most definitely still
the case if you are booking a flight and a car, or flight and
accommodation, an agent can often offer a much better deal than if you
were to book separately, even online. This is especially true of a
multi-sector long haul trip.
But, if this is not creative enough, we can look at some other options.
How about:
4) Visit countries which cost less: Sounds obvious as well, but make sure
you get the knowledge. Many people, for example, see Greece as a low cost
option, but recent inflation following the change of currency to the Euro
it has become relatively expensive. This is less true of Turkey, which
remains outside of the European community. Some online research might also
lead you to Italy, or the Dominican Republic, or even Kerala. But perhaps,
for UK travellers, not America, where the dollar is finding it feet again
against to pound.
5) Stay at home: Why not just swap rooms with the kids for a couple of
weeks, and spend time out and about visiting those local landmark -
churches, parks, bowling alleys ... kids at a young age they enjoy simple
pleasures like farms and pet shops, and just the extra attention they get
when parents are not out working. A change is good as a rest. It's free
and can be great fun.
6) Share the cost: If you are the sociable type, enjoy being in a group
and can manage to share with friends or family you can save a lot of
money. A holiday home that sleeps ten people is never five times more
expensive than one that sleeps two.
Or, just by ensuring that the "extras" involved in any holiday - airport
parking, insurance, travelling to the airport, currency exchange and so on
- are given close attention, you can make sure that all the good work
researching the best holiday price is not undone by paying more than
necessary for those. Thus
7) Watch the "Commission Free" Currency: Commission-free doesn't mean
profit-free. Make sure you study the actual exchange rate before
exchanging currency. No two providers are alike, and some can be less than
generous.
8) Book your airport parking in advance: Turn up on the day with your car
and you'll very likely be staggered at the price to park your car for a
week or two at any holiday airport. So do your research, go-online and
check the possibilities of booking ahead - even on the day of travel - and
save up to 60% on such costs. Or, you can check your insurance or
car-breakdown membership for special tie-in offers, or you can check
hotels that offer one-night, pre-flight stays that include long-term
parking, or you can look for off-site parking offers. Whatever you do, do
not simply turn up with you car - it is likely to cost almost as much, if
not more, than you paid for the flight!
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In collaboration with Penny Church, Jimi St. Pierre writes for several
Travel Companies in the UK, including Luton Airport parking specialist
http://www.holiday-parking.co.uk who offer a wide variety of airport
parking and hotel arrangements.Source:
http://packyoursuitcase.co.uk
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