How to stretch your summer holiday budget

We all know the saying ‘travel broadens the mind’ – and I’m the first to jump up and down about the benefits of travelling, especially with kids. But sometimes what you want is the chance to relax in the sunshine, spend some quality time with family and just escape all the stresses of daily life.

A view across sun loungers to the pool at the Danna hotel in Langkawi - the chance to relax in the sunshine can be worth every penny of the holiday cost, but there are ways to stretch your holiday summer budget even further

And after a week in the Malaysian sunshine on Langkawi, where we spent half our time lying by the pool (almost unheard of for me!), it was worth every penny that I paid to chill out and indulge in a bit of luxury.

There’s no getting away from the fact that these holiday benefits do come at a price – even European family holidays are set to cost a fifth more this year compared to last.

But if you’re in the middle of planning your own summer holiday and worrying about how much it’s going to set you back, I’ve got some tips to ensure you still get a holiday to remember, but manage to squeeze the maximum value out of your summer holiday budget and save the pennies 

My top ways to stretch your summer holiday budget…

1. ALWAYS pay in the local currency

Unless your credit or debit card charges international transaction fees, it’s always best to pay in the local currency.

This is because you’ll have to pay ‘dynamic currency charges’ if you choose to pay in your home currency, and this could cost you up to 10 percent more than if you leave the currency conversion to your bank!

2. Opt for a city card to cut excursion costs

Almost every major city now has a city pass which can help you to save significantly whilst travelling! These budget travel cards usually give you free entry to a wide range of attractions, often free travel within the city and sometimes discounts to local restaurants and on sightseeing tours!

If you’re going on a city break, especially if you’re planning to hit all the major sights, it’s well worth checking to see if the destination you’re visiting has their own version – I’ve saved around £100 on trips before now having used them everywhere from Amsterdam and Copenhagen to Helsinki and Porto.

Summer piggy bank with sunglasses on the beach - tips on how to stretch your holiday summer budget

3. Make a picnic for your day

Buying lunch out every day is a lovely treat – but also a sure-fire way to eat away at your spending money. Even in the UK, I’ve found that grabbing a few sandwiches, drinks and maybe a holiday treat can cost as much as getting into an attraction in the first place.

So hit the local supermarkets, markets and delis and pack your own lunch – you’ll get a different taste of the destination, cater for any fussy eaters and still have money leftover for ice cream.

4. Consider a prepaid card

Instead of withdrawing your holiday spending money direct from your bank account, consider taking a prepaid card along instead – because you preload it with money, it also means you can’t accidentally get carried away and spend more than you meant to.

Shop around to find one with no or low fees to use it overseas, to save being hit by a charge every time you take cash out too.

Plus it stops you doing daft things like me, getting the exchange rate wrong and accidentally trying to withdraw 10 times as many ringgits as I meant to in Langkawi, it also helps budget and keep your holiday spending within the limits you’d planned before you left.

5. Book clever

It’s no surprise to suggest that if you book in advance, you’re more likely to find a bargain trip, as well as if you look to go away outside peak times – tricky when you’re restricted to school holidays.

But you could save money by going for a more unusual length of time – instead of the standard 7, 10 or 14 days, you might find you can save on average per day if you try a different duration.

Avoid travelling on Fridays and Saturdays too, if you can, and you could have a 14-day holiday for less simply by booking flights on another day of the week.

And pick your destination wisely too: Portugal and Malta are among the cheaper short-haul European destinations, for example – this holiday budget calculator is a great place to start.

 

Wondering if your low-cost holiday is really a bargain? Click here to check Or find more ways to save money on a city break

PIN FOR LATER: HOW TO STRETCH YOUR SUMMER HOLIDAY BUDGET

Tips on how to stretch your summer holiday budget - saving money, finding discounts and getting more travel for less. #holidaybudget #travelsaving #moneysavingtips #mummytravels

Main image copyright MummyTravels; piggy bank courtesy depositphotos

LIKED THIS? SIGN UP FOR MY EMAIL NEWSLETTER

 

2 Comments

  1. Really helpful post! We’ve recently discovered a preload Mastercard that doesn’t charge international fees to use, so that has been a big help on our last two trips to Europe. I would definitely recommend looking into getting one. It has an app that gives you instant notification of charges and allows you to easily see your balance. And yes to the picnic idea! I should look to that more often…. Love the infographic – Interesting and useful to see some of the airfare info.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.