Looking for the cheapest holiday possible? Take a look my ten cheap holiday hacks which should help you save money when finding a holiday.
10 Cheap Holiday Hacks
1. Buy A Tent
Camping is one of the cheapest ways to go on holiday and while there is the initial cost of the equipment to consider, once purchased you can use it over and over again.
Nightly pitch fees can vary depending on the season, facilities on offer and where in the country you are located, but can be as little £5 per night. You could also try wild camping which is completely free although of course it depends whether you can do without amenities such as a toilet and shower.
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2. Travel Out Of Season
Travelling out of season can save you a small fortune and allow you to see places that might be out of your budget during peak season. While you might have to contend with cooler weather and darker evenings, there is still plenty you could explore.
January is one of the cheapest months to go on holiday and can give you something nice to look forward during that post Christmas slump.
3. Pay For An Airport Lounge
While it might seem counter intuitive to pay for an airport longue, it could save you money in the long run, depending on how much you would usually spend while wondering around the airport.
Lounge passes often include unlimited food and drinks, WIFI access, magazines and somewhere to relax which is completely away from all of the other shops where you might be tempted to spend money.
While we’re on the subject of airports, it’s worth checking the prices of things you want to buy before you leave home. Special offers in Superdrug, Boots and the supermarkets often now match or even beat the prices you’ll find on perfume and make-up at duty free.
4. Fly Midweek
Midweek flight are almost always cheaper, especially if you opt for one in the very early morning. If you can be flexible with your flight times and days then it’s much more likely you’ll be able to pick up a bargain flight.
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5. Find Free Things To Do
If you can’t find a cheaper hotel or accommodation, you could instead find as many things to do for free as you can while at your destination to dramatically cut the cost of your holiday.
For example, in London, many of the museums and galleries are completely free to visit although you do need to book in advance due to Covid restrictions.
6. Find A Cheaper Alternative
If you have your heart set on a particular holiday or destination, see if you can find a cheaper alternative. For example, I’ve previously written about five different places that are very similar to Center Parcs but are considerably cheaper.
When it comes to finding cheaper travel, research is key, so get googling for similar hotels and resorts that cost less.
7. Choose All Inclusive
All-inclusive holidays often provide excellent value for money and save the hassle of having to book everything yourself.
While it does mean spending most of your time at the resort to get the best value for money, most all-inclusive hotels will have a few different restaurant options for you to choose from so you don’t get too bored.
Having the cost of all your food and drink already covered can also be reassuring – you don’t need to take much spending money and even if you do run our you know you’ll be able to grab a bite to eat right up until the end of your holiday.
It’s also perfect if you have kids. Try to find a resort that offers snacks all day, so whenever the kids want an ice cream, drink, or snack, you don’t have to pay for it!
8. Book Through Sun Holidays
The Sun offers cheap holidays when booked through the uk holidays in the sun website using codes found in the newspaper. Thankfully, the codes are usually shared online so there’s no need to actually buy the paper yourself.
Have a look on Facebook for ‘Sun £9.50 Holidays’ and you should find some groups that provide lots of handy information about the process and how to book your holiday.
While holidays are from £9.50pppn there are often lots of added extras which make them more expensive and sometimes it’s cheaper just to book direct with the holiday park. The cheapest holidays through this scheme are usually mid-week during the winter months and you may need to take your own bed linen.
We did one of these holidays last year and really enjoyed it for what we paid. You can read about our experience in my post Sun £9.50 Holiday Dawlish Golden Sands Review.
9. Try A Surprise Holiday
Are you brave enough to book a holiday without knowing where you’re going? Some holiday companies provide a trip where you give them a budget and they arrange everything for your including accommodation and excursions.
Any money leftover is returned to you and you don’t find out where you’re going until you arrive at the airport.
This is great way to have a budget break, where someone else does the planning and you get to explore a city or country you’d might never have thought of going to before. Definitely one for the adventurers out there!
10. Take Advantage of Cheap Hotel Rooms
Sunday night is one of the cheapest nights of the week to book a hotel room. You could book something super budget or use this to book something luxurious for a much better price than any other time of the week.
Many of the big U.K hotel chains (such as Travelodge and Premier Inn) have sales throughout the year and will have rooms from as little as £19. Sign up to newsletters and follow them on social media so you know when these sales are happening.
I find these offers are great for booking little weekend breaks throughout the year or if you’re planning on visiting somewhere and just need a one night stopover.
As we have a National Trust Pass we will often book a room if the property we’re visiting is more than two hours away as it makes more of a weekend of it. This is something we did when we visited Lacock Abby back in the summer.
Have you got any cheap holiday hacks you would add to these?
