There are many fantastic low-cost holiday providers out there, but there are a few sure-fire ways to get a cheaper holiday. Here are 6 easy ways to cut the costs on your next getaway.
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1. Book flights early, but not too early. Experts believe that the golden booking date is 53 days before departure. Also, on that note try and keep your bookings to a Tuesday or a Wednesday, avoiding weekends and bank holidays where possible.
2. While hotels can often be the lap of luxury, you might end up paying the price for the preference. For example, rather than booking an expensive hotel in Spain, try checking out Spain holiday lettings instead. Although the perk of some hotels is the all you can eat bars, the cost when pitched against a self-service apartment is steep. For larger groups, you can all pitch in and book a gorgeous fancy villa, for smaller groups, couples or solo travellers check apartments. Sometimes there are perks like private pools, private beaches, and fantastic friendly neighbours.
3. Could you get a refund on your ticket price? Some airlines have a refund policy if the price drops between when you purchased and when you fly. After you have purchased your flights, set up a price alert to get updates sent to your phone. Then, if the price appears cheaper – without being on sale – you can call to claim a voucher for the difference in price. Check with your airline upon booking to see what options you have.
4. Decided on a package holiday? Spend some time on comparison websites. If you can be a bit more flexible on your departure dates and times, you’ll be able to trim some of the cost with ease. Set up accounts with a few, and opt to get offers, sales, and discounts sent to your email address. You’ll need to be quick to snap these up though!
5. Don’t be afraid to haggle. The aim of the game here is to be armed with all the information you need, to get the bargain you want.
The trick here is to make sure you have noted the total cost for:
• Hotel
• Meals
• Transfers
• Tour operator
• Extras – kids go free / activities
Now, it is time to drop a polite and friendly call to travel agents, to give them the opportunity to beat the quote. In general, it’s better to ask for a discount per person, rather than overall – the reduction will seem smaller when broken down.
6. Don’t think of travel insurance as a luxury or unnecessary item. There are some simple tips you can follow to keep you and your friends and family safe while travelling. One of those is to purchase the correct travel insurance for your trip. Millions of people don’t book travel insurance in quite the right way. For a start, book it the moment you book your holiday. Why? It can help protect your money if someone due to go on the holiday falls ill or you need to cancel. Check out money saving expert for the lowdown on getting excellent travel insurance.
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Happy Travels
