How to save a bit of cash

[mightyducks]

Hi all, just recently been on a European city break, absolutely loved it and got the bug for another holiday abroad however looking for next May half term an all inclusive looks about £3.5 to £4 k for the 4 of us for a week, looked at the Algarve and Turkey . Is this what people pay? I had no idea these holidays were so expensive! Or do people have some secret ways of doing it cheaper … tell me please your best tips and tricks!

Half term, 4 people all inclusive, yes that’s about right (and on the cheap side)

Really? What do you think is the average then if that’s on the cheap side?

I always book flights and accommodation separately. Sometimes flight indirect, or from airports further away. You can often halve the price by going 5/11 days instead of 7/14. Don't fly at weekends. Depends on what you want too, of course - all inclusive means you don't need to shop even for breakfast items once there.

Term time holidays.

There aren't any tips and tricks anymore,

Self cater. Book villa/house and flights independently. To be fair a nice place at May half term or summer holidays for a week is likely to be north of 3.5k plus travel plus food. If I were short of money I think I would chose something like Eurocamp or book directly through one of the better providers like Castels rather than go on an AI holiday.

I think average for four all inclusive during school holidays is about £5k nowadays

I've just been to Spain AI for 4 for £1600 - we did take the dc out of school 2 days early to take advantage of the lower price though, 2 days later was £2600.

I rarely book more than a few weeks in advance and get a good deal, although I also follow a travel agent page on FB which often has deals, £2500 for 4 AI or thereabouts. I'm talking 3/4*, not high luxury, but it is definitely doable for less than 3.5/4k. Try Jet2

Tiktok can have good tips

Thanks all, husband is a teacher so unfortunately absolutely stuck with school holidays

Depending where you live flying the last week of August from
Scotland maybe cheaper.

Don’t go all inclusive or package. We have a holiday for 5 adults for later this year. The identical holiday as a package is £2000 dearer. Absolute rip off

If your AI is much cheaper than that in school hols, you won't want to be eating it! And will spend more eating out on top!

Term time for us - just eating into beginning or end of a term. But that's not an option for you

Or self catering? Holidays are really expensive when you're booking for a family. I mourn the days when I was just paying for me and it felt reasonable!

You don't say how long the holiday is, but just £400 per adult for food & drink is not very much - unless it's a long weekend.

It’s like for like self catering! I never do AI

Don't go AI for starters.
Research, research.
Look at separate flights and hotels. Keep tabs on Expedia, Booking etc.
Flights are almost always cheaper direct with the airline, hotels not necessarily.
I look at hotels on sites like Tui, Jet2, BA etc then look at them on Booking, Expedia etc. You'll get cashback from them as well via Quidco etc, which when you're booking a hotel can be substantial (I just got £60 from Quidco from a 5 night stay in Florence) If you sign up to the sites you "unlock" deals etc.
I'm researching Lisbon for August and the hotel I'm interested in has 20% off for members if you book with Expedia for example.
I'm a teacher but tbh, you can still travel fairly cheaply and well in school holidays, you just need to research. And a package AI to a touristy hotspot will always cost loads more.

Keep in mind the recent travel chaos and the fact that you have limited protection if you book eveything separately

Thanks, am looking at booking flights separately but they are are not released yet, are they cheapest on day of release? And how will I know when they go on sale?

I think you’ll find the saving you make is minimal at that price.

we are currently abroad on a holiday we have booked ourselves because what we wanted to do wasn’t available as a package. We do this regularly and it enables you to have a very tailored holiday. We’ve done it to south Africa, Egypt,Cambodia, Vietnam and various other places. We’ve also done it with Disney world trips where it can result in a saving if you combine it with offers such as free Disney dining and pounce on the cheap flights as soon as they come out.

however, if you are talking about a standard beach pool holiday to the med then in most cases packages will be cheaper and far less hassle. By the time you’ve taken into account the cost of food and drink including things like ice creams etc, the cost of transfers to and from the airport, the flights and the accommodation the saving will be minimal if you’re trying to do like for like. The tour operators put a mark up in the flights which they don’t charge themselves when they put the packages together and they get a bulk discount on the accommodation. I’ve priced up loads of beach/pool holidays separately and found them more expensive once you add in food drink and transfers.

The only way to get meaningful savings really is to pick different dates or to go self catering or to take indirect flights which are exhausting and eat into your holiday time.

I'm with you. We just had one the week away before the half term but go back but we ds is starting his gcse years from September, so not sure if I want to take him out for a week. The prices though mean its either that or we don't go.

Don't do AI, it is very expensive.

cheaper to book a villa with private pool. Self catered, add flights. Eat out sometimes

Somewhere like France or Germany cheaper as you can avoid flights, and currently car hire is super expensive ( like 3-5 times usual price).

Look on booking.com for a private apartment or villa/gite/house

Look for countries where schools go back earlier than the UK. Then go in the last week of the school holidays to one of those countries.

Agree that AI is more expensive

We are the same. Husband teacher so we are stuck paying a premium. We have always gone with 'onthebeach' or booked Eurocamp type holidays or got flights then booked accommodation separately.

I usually book separate flights and hotel, but with things the way they are now I’d be booking it all as a package.