AD|collaborative post.
You don’t have to be an economist to understand the impact of inflation. In truth, you only have to read the news.
Prices are rising and are expected to touch everything in our lives. Unfortunately, travel is unlikely to be immune from this. However, there are ways and means to approach travel on a budget and piece together the ultimate savvy getaway. Let’s now jump into a few ideas to show you how to make it happen.
You’ve got to be flexible with your dates
Are you thinking of travelling at the peak of the school holidays? That’s a tall order. While it’s not out of the question, it’s a well-known fact that travel during this period of the year is significantly more expensive. Every year we read reports of prices rising, and never the other way.
Of course, there are ways around this. The first option is to target one of the lesser-popular destinations, such as a city break, that generally doesn’t appeal to families. While this might appear to be utterly off-putting, try and think of how you could perhaps travel to a nearby ‘family’ destination once you arrive. In other words, think outside the box.
The other alternative is to just play with your dates. A seven day stretch across the school holidays isn’t going to be cheap, but what about a six-day one? Strangely enough, it’s in these sorts of timeframes where better deals can be had.
Could day trips be the answer?
Following on from the above, do you need to make a “true” holiday, or could you play with a week of domestic day trips?
In the UK, we are blessed with all kinds of things things to do this Spring, and if prices are too high abroad, you can consider piecing together your own, at-home itinerary. It certainly doesn’t have to be boring and will offset those horrific travel costs.
Location, location, location
The golden rule of real estate is also one of the most important when it comes to travel. Consider this – a hotel in the heart of the city will be a lot more expensive than one on the outskirts.
The same goes for restaurants and other activities. It pays to do your research and see what’s on offer a little further afield. It’ll be cheaper and, in many cases, just as good.
Know when to book
It’s a little-known fact, but booking your flights in advance isn’t always the best way to get a deal. In fact, according to some studies, the best time to book is actually around six weeks before you travel. This is because airlines will have a good idea of how full their flights are likely to be and will price accordingly.
Is it a risky strategy? Of course, there might not be any availability. However, it might be the next best thing you can do apart from spending a small fortune on your trip. As you’ve probably already gathered, savvy getaways are all about thinking outside the box and making compromises.
This is a collaborative post.