If you have a tight budget this doesn’t mean you can’t travel abroad. It does however mean you need to be frugal and try to find the cheapest possible options to get the best holiday for your money. Hopefully, these frugal travel tips will give you some ideas.
Consider when you travel
Do you need to go on a holiday from Saturday to Saturday? It is usually much cheaper to fly on a Tuesday so could this work for you? Also consider this when booking return flights.
The time of day can make a difference too, check different flight times for different costs.
Once you know the hotel is available for your selected few weeks of travel look at the flights and see when it is cheaper to travel. Hotels very rarely cost much different from one day to the next but flights can change massively. By booking the flights first, you know you have the best deal.
Reconsider your destination
Do you need to go to the tourist capital or would you enjoy somewhere nearby just as much? Some areas are much more expensive than others for no reason other than that they are popular.
A town further up the coast may be much cheaper for a very similar beach holiday. Also, consider towns that have a history in themselves like Stratford upon Avon for a day out. If you are going somewhere with free museums like London it can provide lots to do with little spending!
Research the area you are staying in
Before you travel research the area you are staying in looking for value supermarkets and charity shops. In busy tourist area, there are often more expensive supermarkets aimed at the tourists who do not know where else to go.
A simple bit of research means you can find the places the locals go which invariably are cheaper.
Charity shops in these areas are great too as they often have parasols and inflatable toys others have bought and don’t want to take home for a fraction of the price!
Reconsider where you fly from
Some airports seem to cost significantly more to fly from than others. I would highly recommend looking at all the countries airports and considering a cheap Travelodge or similar if needed the night before.
Many rooms can be booked for around £29 in advance and if you flying from Stanstead instead of East Midlands airport, for example, saves you £300 as a family then really the travel cost and hotel cost is still outweighed by the saving!
Consider Air B&B instead of a hotel
Instead of a hotel why not stay self-catering in an Air B&B, this way you can still enjoy many meals out but also make some easy budget meals in the apartment or house.
Think about how much cheaper it is to make your own sandwiches for a day at the beach compared to buying them or having to return to a hotel as you feel you should because your food is included?
Order essentials in advance from the airport to collect
Rather than pay for extra luggage if you need nappies, suncream etc why not order it from a Boots store or similar in the duty-free area of the airport.
If you check the prices it could be the same as elsewhere but by buying it here you do not need to check it in with your luggage and can just carry it onboard!
Do you have any frugal holiday tips to enjoy a family holiday abroad? Be sure to teach your kids about money too and get them to help you find ways to save money!
Love these tips! I don’t travel that much but always prefer to go in the week as I hate busy places 🙂 Love the idea of checking for charity shops – I’ve never considered that before but I love them so much x
Caroline | https://envirolineblog.com/