1) Timing Is Everything: Consider the travel before booking the flights for that bucket list trip. Prices can vary hugely based on time of year, whether you are travelling midweek or on bank holidays. Using an overview website like skyscanner.net can save you serious money when choosing the correct flight.
2) Don’t Be Schooled: Identify school holidays when choosing travel dates, both to avoid the cacophony of a million children running through your resort, and to save some money. Holidays are generally more expensive during holiday time, so be aware.
3) Don’t Be A Frillseeker: Try not to get sucked in by offers of priority boarding and seat selection when booking flights. They add cost for no reason, and should be avoided unless you really need it to house your child or extremely tall frame.
4) Be Weight Aware: The ever-tightening baggage rules seem to be changing at a near constant weight. It is no longer sufficient to weigh your bags, now you must also measure them. This is essential if you wish to avoid the crippling baggage costs at the airport.
5) Park Right: Book airport parkingalways in advance and do your research – almost every airport has low cost parking available with a shuttle bus to the terminal. This is always great value, so avail of it.
6) Bag It: Some airports are charging for the tiny plastic bags you have to decant your liquids into, so be smart and pack your own before you travel.
7) Network Ready: Check in advance whether your airport charges for wifi. For me, it’s a deal breaker, but it is essential either way to know in advance.
8) Go Public: Buy a travel pass when on a city break and use it to check out all of the tourist hotspots. Not only will you save on taxis, but also you’ll get a better feel for the city and its charm.
9) Drive Down Cost: Make sure you are aware of any hidden costs with the car hire company you choose in advance of your holiday. With so many ‘extra’ charges on pick up, it can add major stress to the beginning of your holiday, make sure you know the real cost before you book.
10) Eat Breakfast Like A Local: Often, a hotel breakfast is an extremely costly let down. Do not pay for the b in your B&b and head out to a local café for the most important meal of the day. You’ll save money and it’ll taste great.
11) Time Your Dinner: As a rule, it’s cheaper to eat at lunchtime than in the evening, so eat your multi-course meal earlier to save on the bill.
12) Drink Your Country In: Pour local wine and local draught beer while out and you will pay reasonably for your drinks. Often, the local brew is nicer too.
13) A Taste Of Home: You might have laughed at your mother with her bag of Barry’s tea bags, but if you bring your own essentials to your self-catering holiday you will save yourself a fortune
of stocking a new kitchen with salt and pepper and tea and coffee when you get there.
14) Book Direct: Lots of hotels offer a discount for booking direct. It takes a bit more effort, and you have to add up
the costs of flights, transfers and hotel against a package deal, but it’s worth checking out.
15) Snack On The Go: Carry snacks with you at all times to avoid unnecessary spending along the way. Carry your own water and a few bits to eat during the day and then you won’t mind splurging on ice cream every once in a while.
16) Home From Home: If you’re travelling as a family, consider renting an apartment rather than multiple hotel rooms, which can rack up a fairly hefty bill.
17) Grab A Deal: Before travelling, check out discount websites like Groupon and search for deals where you’ll be holidaying. This is a great way of sourcing cut-price meals in particular.
18) Travel En Masse: Get to know your fellow travellers. Group rates are often significantly cheaper when visiting tourist destinations, so if you can put together a group, you can ask for a group rate.
19) Become A Water Carrier: Try not to pay for infinite bottles of water while you’re travelling. Carry a reusable water bottle with you and fill up at hotels and stops with filtered, drinkable water.
20) Consider A Tourism Card: Lots of tourist authorities sell tourist cards, particularly in European cities. They can work out to be really good value, providing free entry to major tourist sites as well as discounts in some restaurants and shops.
21) Be Blog Aware: Read up on blog posts about the area you are travelling to. It is an invaluable way to brush up on your money saving skills, as well as get an insight into the potential expensive pitfalls.
22) Sign Up: If time is on your hands, sign up for travel deals newsletters. While you may think of it as spam right now, you’ll thank your lucky stars when the holiday deal of the week turns out to be your dream getaway.
23) Busman’s Holiday: If you are taking in a number of countries on your trip, consider travelling by coach rather than by train. You’ll save a heap of money, and if you stagger your travel times to bus by night, you’ll save on accommodation too.
24) Don’t Shun The Ibis: You might want character in your holiday home, but for stopovers, there is no better value than in budget chains. Expect to pay around €30 a night in mainland Europe for a sizable room with a decent shower.
25) Be Smart With Your Phone: Don’t be confused by all the new data usage regulations and use phone data with caution. Try to use it in wifi zones only to avoid extra charges.