Getting away doesn’t need to be expensive – whether it’s just the two of you or the whole family, there are many ways of keeping the cost of going on holiday down and having a great time without breaking the budget. Here are our favourite cheap holiday ideas:
Camping
Before you sigh and look away, camping should not instantly be rejected! There are many companies throughout Europe who take all the hard work out of camping for you – all you do is turn up. You will find a large, spacious tent complete with separate bedrooms, double and single beds with mattress, a cooking area with a grill and gas hob, electric sockets, barbeque for outdoor cooking, fridge/freezer, dining area…this is camping but not as you know it! Best of all, you can stay in the most stunning parts of France, Italy, Spain, Croatia plus many more. The campsites usually have a range of sports facilities, child-friendly activities plus entertainment for the adults in the evening.
As always, booking ahead will guarantee you the best prices. When we checked, prices for a family of two adults and three children for a week in the Loire Valley in France started from around £150 for the entire package.
Last minute deals
Although it does usually pay to book in advance, sometimes you can snap up last minute deals if the urge to go on holiday suddenly takes over. Package holiday operators sometimes don’t sell all of their deals so heavily discount holidays the closer it gets to the departure date to fill up their books. Pop into your local travel agent to see their best late deals or have a look online for cheap sun holidays – We found deals as cheap as a week’s holiday for two in Costa Brava in a four star hotel, including all meals, drinks and flights for £349 per person.
Join forces
If you have a family or a group of friends you get on particularly well with, going on holiday together can not only be a lot of fun, but it is one of the best very cheap holiday ideas. For instance, if a week in a cottage in Cornwall by the beach has always seemed out of reach, party of eight can work out as inexpensive as £100 per head for a week for accommodation. Stock up on picnic ingredients at the supermarket, buy a couple of buckets and spades from the pound shop for the kids and head out for a bargain day out by the sea.
Home swapping
It does involve a degree of trust but home swapping could save you thousands on accommodation: you pick the home and location you would like to stay in on one of the many home swapping sites online, and contact the owner. If they like the look of your place, you literally do a swap – they stay in your house whilst you stay in theirs, making it one of the most affordable holidays as you save on hotel bills. The UK is a major tourist destination so you do not have to live in a grand house or a ‘tourist hotspot’ – as long as it is clean, tidy and has links to the transport network, you may find yourself jetting off to the USA, Thailand, New Zealand or even Honduras for a minimal joining fee.
