6 ways to save money on your holiday

The beginning of the summer vacation period is approaching, and thus more and more people start to think about their holiday destination. Naturally, not everybody can afford to travel abroad, which can be mainly attributed to economic reasons, but even if you have a limited budget, you can find a way on how to plan a cheap, yet good enough summer vacation, bien.hu reported.

Here are some advice on how to start planning.

1. Book your travel independently

The best way of saving money is to avoid travel agents and operators, to whom you would pay a considerable amount of money even before the holiday has started. Arranging the holiday according to your own ideas gives you the opportunity to negotiate – or even to bargain – about the prices, since products are time-sensitive: a room left empty one night or an airline seat that is not filled cannot be resold the next day.

In addition to calculating the holiday budget on your own, independent planning also makes you more aware of the show-places, landmarks, museums, and other sights worth visiting in the given destination.

2. Package holidays can be advantageous

In spite of the fact that you can save money with independent vacation planning, you may also benefit from consulting with a travel agency.

Although holiday packages are not economic friendly, many, in particular those who prefer having a holiday in a community, make use of the option these agencies provide. Nonetheless, these provide travellers with maximum convenience and take the responsibility for the quality of the programmes offered.

3. Travel with your friends

It is a good idea to travel with someone who has the same or similar approach to travel expenses as you have. You can support each other without having any arguments and it’s easier to meet half-way in terms of compromises.

Often times, travel expenses make up a considerable percentage of the total holiday budget. If you travel between places with your friends, you can split the travels expenses up. Apart from enjoying the companionship of people you like, you will also pay much less for motorway toll stickers, and for the ferry.

Moreover, travelling with friends also brings the potential of cheaper accommodation and food. In this case, the more is definitely the better.

4. Book at the appropriate time

In given cases, we can book our apartments and flight tickets one year in advance, thus having access to notable price reduction. However, there are options to save money for those who only come to know their possible days off in the last minute.

The last week in August and the first in September are normally significantly cheaper than the rest of the holiday period. The alternative to taking a family summer holiday is to travel in October instead. It’s a tricky time of year for weather in the Mediterranean – think about the Canaries, Morocco, or (if you can afford the flights) Florida instead – and book now to be sure of the lowest fares.

5. Consider coupons

Many of us are suspicious about using coupons for holiday planning purposes, but coupons are worth considering when we think about how to cut the holiday budget.

It is advisable to visit the website of the hotel which offers the price reduction, thus getting extra information about extra costs that the coupon does not include, and avoiding later inconvenience.

If you devote some time on going after the background information, coupons will not disappoint you.

6. Availability of free Wi-Fi

Availability of internet in hotel rooms is essential for many travellers, therefore checking wireless access costs could also mean big savings on the cost. Most hotels now offer free coverage, but check before you book, and consider switching hotels if the one you are interested in makes a charge.

based on the article of bien.hu
translated by Gábor Hajnal

Source: bien.hu