50 simple ways to make your pound stretch further this summer
Sterling has taken another tumble, dipping to a two-year low against both the dollar and the euro – just in time for the summer holidays.
It means saving money on holiday has never been more important. So here are Nick Trend’s 50 simple tips.
If you haven’t booked yet
1. Bargain
Negotiation is the lifeblood of the travel industry. Its products are time-sensitive: a room left empty one night or an airline seat that isn’t filled can’t be resold the next day. So, particularly if you are booking at the last minute, bargain - especially when dealing with tour operators, travel agents and hotels.
Save: as much as you can
2. Pick your times
If you are booking your travel independently, rather than as a pre-packaged holiday, make sure you get an overview using a website such as Skyscanner.net, which shows all the fares available on or around your chosen dates. To illustrate just how much fares can vary, I did a quick search for flights from London to Malaga, flying from August 24-31. The cheapest direct return was £199; the dearest? £849. Be sure to check what is included in the fare quoted (see below).
Save: up to 400 per cent on flights
3. Consider an indirect flight
Hanging around an airport departure hall when you could be on the beach might sound ridiculous but if you're really pinching the pennies, it’s something to consider.
Save: significantly, depending on your travel date and route
4. Pick your dates
If you have to travel in the school summer holidays, go for the latest possible dates. The last week in August and the first in September are normally significantly cheaper than the rest of the holiday period.
Save: 10-15 per cent over peak-season prices
5. Travel during October half term
The alternative to taking a family summer holiday is to travel in October instead. It’s a tricky time of year for weather in the Mediterranean - think about the Canaries, Morocco, or (if you can afford the flights) Florida instead - and book now to be sure of the lowest fares.
Save: 25-40 per cent over peak summer prices
6. Use price comparison websites – with care
Price comparison websites seemingly offer nothing but benefits to consumers looking for the best rates on car hire, travel insurance and package holidays. They can certainly save you money. But comparisons can be distorted by companies striving to offer the cheapest headline prices by stripping away as many extras (such as levels of insurance cover) as possible, just as the no-frills airlines do. The sites are getting better at reflecting pricing complexities (Travelsupermarket.com in particular), but be very wary of buying on price alone.
Save: significantly
7. Check IT fares
IT stands for “inclusive tour”, the arrangement by which long-haul flights are sold as a package in combination with hotel accommodation or a hire car. Depending when and where you book, it can be cheaper to book this whole package, including the hotel, than buying the flight alone.
Save: £100s
8. Avoid unnecessary frills
Charges for seat selection and priority boarding can vastly inflate the headline price of a flight, so consider whether these extras are really worthwhile. If you check in for your flight in good time, whether online when booking a no-frills flight or at the airport with a traditional airline, you’re virtually guaranteed to be sat together (unless you fly with Ryanair, which seems to have a habit of splitting up passengers who do not pay extra).
Save £10s
9. Weigh and measure your luggage
Whether you are travelling with hand baggage only or checking bags into the hold, be absolutely sure that they are below the size and weight restrictions imposed by the airline before you leave for the airport. Excess charges are swingeing.
Save: £10s
10. Monitor the internet
Many travel companies, including airlines, hotel chains and car-hire brokers, circulate special offers and price reductions by email, for which you have to sign up. No-frills airlines and railway companies announce the opening of booking periods in the same way. Other websites, such as Jack’s Flight Club, pride themselves on finding cheap fares, including those priced in error by airlines.
If you can commit yourself a long time in advance you will usually get the best fares, especially for peak periods. It may be annoying to get emails you don’t want, but, if you act quickly when an offer arrives, you can make significant savings - British Airways’ regular rounds of “world offers” are particularly worth following on Ba.com.
Save: significantly
En route
11. Book parking with your airport hotel
Budget hotels offer parking deals at most of Britain’s airports. If you need to depart early in the morning and to park while you are away, it’s often cheapest to go for one of these combined deals - either through the hotel or a website such as Holidayextras.co.uk or Parkbcp.co.uk.
Save: £10s
12. Bring your own plastic bags
Some airports - Gatwick, for example - provide free transparent bags suitable for taking liquids through security. Others charge. In case your bag is challenged by security, these are the official rules published on gov.uk: individual containers for liquids and pastes must hold no more than 100ml, they should be held in a single, transparent, resealable plastic bag, which holds no more than a litre and measures approximately 20cm x 20cm and must fit comfortably inside the bag so it can be sealed; there is a limit of one plastic bag per person.
Save: £1-2
13. Travel overnight
How well do you sleep? If you drop off easily, or catch up quickly, you can save the cost of a hotel (and cut your carbon footprint) by taking an overnight ferry or a couchette on a train. Night-time Dover-Calais crossings are usually sold at bargain prices, but cabins on longer Channel crossings can be more expensive than a room in a budget hotel, so compare prices carefully. For some of the best sleeper trains, see our guide.
Save: on a return trip, the cost of two nights’ accommodation
14. Take your own food
A round of sandwiches and soft drinks for a family of four would cost at least £25 on board a plane. Better and cheaper to bring your own. Remember, of course, you won’t be able to take liquids through security. Buy drinks in the departure lounge, or bring empty bottles to fill with drinking water (assuming the airport provides it).
Save: £10s
15. Travel by coach
Most of us prefer trains, but you will almost always pay far less to travel to many places on the Continent if you use coaches. A quick search for a trip from London to Paris on July 29 uncovers £22 fares with National Express (nationalexpress.com), for example, compared to £78 with Eurostar.
Save: 300 per cent
16. Avoid the airport express service
This applies to getting to and from the airport in both Britain and abroad. A return fare on the Heathrow Express, for example, costs £37 - compared to around £10 if you go by Tube.
Save £10s
Saving on staying
17. Swap your house
If you live in a reasonably desirable area, and are prepared to let others borrow your house, a home swap - and perhaps a car swap - with like-minded holidaymakers abroad will guarantee huge savings. Use a reputable agency to ensure proper introductions and insurance arrangements. Try: Home Exchange (homeexchange.com); Homebase (homebase-hols.com); or HomeLink (homelink.org.uk).
Save: all your accommodation costs
18. Stay by the beach
Private pools add hundreds of pounds to the cost of a villa. Book a villa near the beach instead and you still be able to swim but your accommodation will cost you much less. Note, too, that many Spanish towns have municipal swimming pools.
Save: £100s
19. Beware the cost of camping
You could be forgiven for thinking that staying in a campsite in a tent or a mobile home would be a way of cutting costs. But in high season a mobile home is likely to cost at least £1,000 for a week on a big site in the Vendée, while a gîte could cost as little as £500 - both prices including the cost of the ferry fare.
Save: 50 per cent
20. Use budget hotels for stopovers
When travelling in France, look for ultra-cheap hotel chains and book well in advance. They may be short on character, but they are generally clean and efficient, and particularly good for families happy to sleep in one room. Abroad, Accor (accorhotels.co.uk) has several brands, including Formule 1 where you can book rooms from about £20 a night. In Britain, try also Premierinn.com. Often in France, such hotels are outside town centres, on industrial sites, so it is worth checking Google Earth to get a feel for the exact location, especially if you are planning to arrive in the early afternoon or evening.
Save: £100s
21. Check Wi-Fi costs
Most hotels now offer free coverage. Check before you book, and consider switching hotels if the one you are interested in makes a charge.
Save: £10s
Sightseeing and shopping
22. Arrange your own excursions
An organised, commercially run coach tour from central Paris to Versailles costs about £50, including admission to the palace. Take the RER train and book your admission online (billetterie.chateauversailles.fr) and the total bill is halved.
Save: At least half the price
23. Shop tax-free
There is no tax- or duty-free shopping within the EU, but if you are travelling outside the member states you can get a refund of the local sales tax (VAT) from shops participating in national tax-free schemes in countries including Morocco, Turkey and Singapore. You will need to keep receipts and present them at the aiport as you leave the country - refunds are normally made by post. The website globalblue.com has some useful information.
Save: up to 20 per cent
24. Walk
Many popular cities - Paris, Vienna, Venice, Madrid, Amsterdam, Rome - are compact. Plan your sightseeing geographically and you can save on all your bus, tube and taxi fares.
Save: £10s
25. Buy a travel pass
If you prefer not to walk, transport passes can help you save significantly on costs. Different cities have different systems. In Paris, a one-day pass costs €13.20, compared to a single fare of €1.90 - eight hops and you’ve made a saving (ratp.fr) - it comes with a booklet of discount vouchers for restaurants and attractions.
Save £5+
26. Buy a city sightseeing pass
These can be a useful alternative to travel passes and offer more benefits, but not all of them are good value. The €17 Vienna Card is one it usually pays to buy: it allows unlimited free public transport for 72 hours, and discounts or other offers at more than 210 museums and sights, theatres, concert halls, shops and restaurants.
Save £5+
27. Play the age card
If you are over 65, under 26 or still a student, you may not benefit from buying a pass at all. In Italy, in particular, entry to museums and galleries belonging to the state (Musei Statali) - which includes many of the most famous ones - is free for European citizens over 65 upon presentation of a passport. Students should also make sure they carry student ID to benefit from free entry or lower charges.
Save: £10s
Driving
28. Be wary of car rental pricing
The pricing of hire cars has become more and more problematic recently as companies try to keep the advertised cost as low as possible, then catch you out with extra charges during the booking process or on arrival. Compare bottom-line prices rather than headline prices.
Save £10s, possibly £100s
29. Buy hire car insurance
Among the most expensive add-ons is a charge to waive the insurance excess you would be liable to pay if you were to damage the car. You can cover this much more cheaply if you buy cover from an insurance specialist. Try Insurance4carhire.com; Questor-insurance.co.uk; Worldwideinsure.com; and Icarhireinsurance.com.
Save: £10s
30. Avoid petrol charges
Don’t get stung by extortionate refuelling charges added to your car hire bill - or offered in advance when you pick it up. A friend had to decline a refuelling charge of €100 recently. Refuse all such options and fill up just before you return the car - or, if it’s supplied nearly empty, time your refilling carefully.
Save: £10s
31. Buy cheaper fuel
Buy petrol at supermarkets - where it is up to 10 per cent cheaper than in filling stations on motorways and autoroutes.
Note that petrol is about the same in this country than in France, but diesel is significantly cheaper across the Channel.
Save: 10 per cent
32. Hire a diesel car
Not only do diesel engines use less fuel, but cheaper diesel means big savings.
Save: £10s
33. Drive toll-free
Return tolls on the French autoroute between Calais and Nice cost more than €200. Plan your route on the slower but more scenic “D” roads: there is no charge, you will use less fuel and you will save more than enough to pay for a couple of overnight stays in hotels.
Save: £10s
34. Avoid fines
Traffic police levy on-the-spot fines in most countries on the Continent, and the use of speed cameras is now as prevalent as it is in Britain. Sudden changes in speed limits can catch out even careful drivers, so if you are entering a village, city or other built-up area, note that the limit is likely to be 50kph or less. In France, be extra careful - the limits fall when it rains - from 130kph to 110kph on the motorway, from 110kph to 100kph on dual carriageways, and from 90kph to 80kph on the open road.
Save: £10s
Eating and drinking
35. Don’t open the minibar
The cost of drinks from hotel minibars seems to rise relentlessly, I’ve seen mineral water at €8 recently, and it is always higher than in the bar (or the cost of a bottle smuggled in from a local supermarket).
Save: At least £2 per drink.
36. Skip breakfast
At least in the hotel. Either negotiate a b&b rate or nip out to the nearest cafe. In more expensive hotels you can pay €40 or more just for a continental breakfast. Needless to say if breakfast is included in your rate, then fill your boots at the buffet (and stuff a couple of bread rolls in your pocket for a mid-morning snack).
Save: £10+
37. Pick your menu
Two rules for cheaper eating out: first, eat at lunchtime, when menus are always cheaper; second, choose from a fixed-price menu, or the dish of the day - menu del día (Spain), plat du jour (France), menu fisso (Italy).
Save: 50%
38. Choose local wines
Most wine experts will agree that the best match for local cooking is a locally produced wine - they are designed to complement each other. Local wines are nearly always better and much cheaper than many others on the list (and carry a smaller carbon footprint).
Save: £5+ per bottle
39. Drink free water
Restaurants often, by default, serve mineral water (at perhaps €4 to €5 a bottle) rather than tap water. If you insist on the latter, you will usually be accommodated; if the restaurant refuses, you could always consider readjusting the service charge to reflect your dissatisfaction.
Save: £3 plus per bottle
40. Stand at the bar
Food and drink in a Continental European cafe is always much cheaper at the bar than at a table. An expresso in Rome might cost €1 at the bar, €3.50 if you take a table.
Save: £2 a time
41. Order draught beer
Draught beer is half the price of bottled beer in many bars. Ask for une pression in French; birra alla spina in Italian; cerveza de barril in Spanish.
Save: 50 per cent
42. Walk around the corner
Restaurants and cafes a few steps away from the big sights are invariably cheaper than those whose main trade comes from tourists. A five-minute walk can halve your bill and get you a much better experience. The obvious example is Venice: a capuccino costs €15 in St Mark’s Square, or €3 in a cafe in the Castello district.
Save: £10s on restaurant and cafe bills
43. Don’t tip too much
The British don’t tip as generously as the Americans, but often pay more than is expected on the Continent, where the service charge is typically included in the bill - look for servis compris in France, servizio incluso in Italy and servicio incluido in Spain. You could add a few coins if you wish, but there is no need.
Save: 10 per cent on meals
44. Take the basics
If you are self-catering, take enough basic provisions to cover everyday needs so that you don’t have to buy expensive versions locally. Items often dearer than at home include salt, pepper, tea bags, washing powder, dishwasher tablets and bin bags.
Save £5+
Money, insurance and health
45. Play your cards right
You could invest a lot of time and effort changing your bank account to benefit from the one offering the very cheapest foreign currency services - but the deals can change by the week, and it almost certainly isn’t worth the effort unless you travel a great deal and spend a lot of money when abroad.
Feel free to take some foreign currency with you, but look carefully for the best exchange rate (and never use branches at the airport). Otherwise use your debit card in overseas ATMs if you need cash when abroad (making a few withdrawals as possible), or use your credit card to pay (though this works only if you pay off the balance each month). You may wish to consider a prepaid card like Monzo, too.
Save £10s
46. Save on travel insurance
Travel insurance can be cheap if you buy a basic policy online - but you can easily pay too much. Be particularly wary if you have an annual policy on an automatic renewal - it is always worth getting a new quote each year. Age is used more and more to calculate premiums - even over-50s can expect to pay more than younger travellers now.
Save: £10s
47. Be wary of cancellation insurance
This is offered more and more often, and it is usually very bad value, so turn it down unless you are really sure you need it. For example, I was recently offer cancellation insurance on the Gatwick Airport official car park booking site for 95p. You might think it was good value to protect a booking that might be worth more than £100. But when you click to find out more, you discover that the cancellation fee for any booking is only £10. So you would be paying 95p to insure £10. Not worth it in my book.
Save: £1 plus
48. Get a Health Insurance Card
The European Health Insurance Card (which replaced the old E11 form) confirms your entitlement to free or reduced-cost medical treatment in other EU countries (and will remain valid at least until we leave the EU – currently slated for October 31, 2019). Even if you are insured, it is worth having because you may get a lower excess on your insurance policy. But be careful when applying for one, and do not order from a website that charges you to issue it; it is free through the official site, ehic.org.uk.
Save: £10s on insurance claims
49. Keep an eye on mobile use
Data roaming charges have been abolished across the EU – but can be extortionate in non-EU countries. Consider an operator such as Three, whose Feel At Home service offers unlimited browsing at no extra cost in destinations including the US. Whether data roaming charges return after October 31 depends on any deal agreed in the coming months.
Save: £10s
50. Beware the cost of jabs
The cost of inoculations for trips to long-haul destinations can run into hundreds of pounds, especially if you need protection against rabies and hepatitis. But a lot depends on where you get them. It used to be virtually certain that your GP would be the cheapest option - with some vaccinations, against typhoid, for example, usually available free on the NHS.
Very often it will be cheapest to go to your GP, but it’s also worth getting quotes from a commercial travel clinic such as MASTA (masta-travel-health.com), which may offer a more convenient service and greater expertise on health conditions in more unusual destinations.
Save: potentially £100s between two people
