On a budget

[Hadagutsful]

We would like to take our 3 DC somewhere on a plane (maybe Balearics or Greek islands?) for the first time next year. We will be looking to do it on a budget though - does anyone have any tips for where to start looking?

Thanks!

what budget?

Ermmmm... I'm not sure really? £2000? We don't mind springing them out of school for a week to take advantage of lower season prices.

The advice on here is generally go self catering and book flights and accommodation separately rather than via a package. To do that you need to book flights and accommodation as early as possible (10-18 months in advance). Check airlines for when they release flights as it varies.

Alternatively, if you need to stick to a strict budget, a package holiday with a main tour operator may work out easier in terms of paying off the holiday monthly. Many tour operators are already offering free child places for 2019. All inclusive could work out better value but may not there's many variables unfortunately.

If you're willing to take them out of school, that should be doable but check liability for fines. Agree with spending a long time searching tour operators' websites.

We're going to Crete this year in August and have got flights and hotel for just less than £2k (2 bedroom family room on a room-only basis) for a family of 5. I booked the hotel via booking.com (where you can cancel without charge) about 15 months in advance, then got Easyjet flights the day they were released (you can register so you get details of the release dates). If the flights had been too expensive i could have cancelled the accommodation. We've hired a car (£250 for the 10 days) and food obviously on top. I think the key is doing it well in advance.

Balerics are expensive for eating out. Greece might be cheaper or mainland Spain or Canaries even though it's much further.

Look in the deals Section of jet2holidays and see what comes up.

Flights to the Canaries tend to be expensive and we found eating out there to be more much more expensive than the Spanish mainland - the Balearics are also expensive for eating out and doing things and I've heard that prices in Greece have gone up a lot since the depths of their financial crisis a few years ago.

OP if your budget is tight I would head to mainland Spain. The Costa del Sol is much nicer these days than it used to be and if you SC you should be able to get budget flights and an apartment for a week on your budget with money left over for eating out and doing things.

Skyscanner is good for comparing flights, although if you book when the flights are released it's usuaally cheapest to book direct with the budget airline.
Airbnb is good for cheap accommodation, but be sure to do all your communication through their website to keep yourselves safe.
And use 'incognito browsing' when searching, as this prevents your computer from sending cookies to the search engines/holiday providers, as the prices will go up each time you search otherwise.

Mainland Spain is very doable on that budget. We went to torremolinos couple of years back. Self catering apartment right in the beech front. Absolutely stunning and the food was delicious but reasonably good prices. Kids loved it too.

Article in the Guardian today about the cheapest holiday destinations in Europe this summer: www.theguardian.com/travel/2018/jul/21/holidays-europes-cheapest-and-priciest-destinations-revealed

Next summer? You should be good to get a cheap holiday if you book from now until November. Ryanair flights, air B and B or decent hotel deal. Travel republic is good as you can pay as you go.

You could definitely do it for €2000 if you book in the next few months

Don't forget to factor in the cost of your post Brexit visas 😁

I'd recommend either Airbnb or an Italian agriturismo. Montenegro is beautiful and cheap if you want a coastal holiday. Portugal is generally pretty cheap for accommodation and meals.

Wow thank you everyone! Hadn't realised we'd need to book so early to get the best deals, I'm such a novice at all this! Better get looking!

If booking with a budget airline definitely book as early as possible. They work on the basis the fuller the flight gets the more the ticket price increases. I am currently waiting on easyJet to release their flights for April/May next year. They release them sometime in October and I will book them as soon as they are released.
Skyscanner is also good for comparing flights as you can look at wholes months to see what days are cheaper etc.
We also use websites like trivago for hotels which compare all the different websites.

Ok I've found a package that is a week in June 2019 for 5 of us in Fuengirola for £1419. That's flights, s/c apartment, 2 lots of baggage (which is enough for us) and transfers.

Does this sound good?

Sounds very cheap. Have you researched Fuengirola and the accommodation?

Yes, tripadvisor seems to suggest it's good for families, very clean and decent location.

DH is reeling me in and making us "sleep on it".