Low-cost flight options, budget cuts and the realisation that the best things in life can come for free... Jo Caruana looks at cheap and cheerful options for your next holiday.
As the end of summer rolls around, you’re forgiven for wanting to cram in one last trip away. After all, it’s a way of successfully clinging on to that holiday feeling before the inevitability of autumn kicks in.
This may even leave you enough dosh for a blow-out final-night dinner at a lavish eatery
But with the high price of Christmas ahead and a season of indulgence behind, how can you holiday while keeping prices low?
Well, the desire to travel to as many places as possible, as cheaply as possible, has provided me with lots of cost-cutting inspiration in recent years.
As a result I have couch-surfed in London, market-shopped in Sicily and gone self-catering in Edinburgh – to name but a few.
So, with a little experience from me and plenty of advice from other travel professionals, here are some useful tips on how you too can holiday on a shoestring.
Book early or late
As everyone knows, Malta now has plenty of low-cost airline options – but even these can rack up huge bills if you’re not careful. Your best bet is always to book as early as possible, or to look out for special last-minute deals.
Sign up to airline newsletters, as their e-mails will advise you when offers are made available. With low-cost it’s also important be wary of charges along the way, including for food, luggage and late check-in.
Read all the terms and conditions so as to be sure you haven’t missed something that could cost you an arm and a leg at the last minute.
Don’t follow the crowd
By going somewhere different and less popular, you may be onto something. Often it is the obvious destinations that cost the most to get to, so you’ll be rewarded for your desire to try something new.
Don’t limit yourself by destination, but instead log on to an airline website and check out all the options. You may be surprised by how cheaply you can get somewhere if it’s not quite as in demand.
Visit friends... or strangers
Hotels may be lovely and luxurious, but they can send your holiday allowance soaring at the click of a button. If you are planning a trip, why not head somewhere where you can stay with friends or family? Everyone loves having visitors, especially for short bursts of time, and you can always offer to reciprocate the favour by way of payment.
Alternatively, there are now great value-accommodation options available to you online, especially if you take things into your own hands. Airbnb.com finds available rooms in people’s homes, so you are essentially staying in their spare bedroom. Even though you may be sceptical, the reviews system means you get a good idea of who you’ll be staying with and what room you’ll be sleeping in, and you could save a fortune.
Meanwhile, if you don’t want to pay at all, try couchsurfing.org where you can bunk on a sofa for free, or house swap on sites like homexchangevacation.com. Just be sure to screen your hosts well before travelling to meet them.
Go picnicking
Restaurants are a great way of experiencing local culture, but they can quickly push budgets up – so why not get into picnic mode instead? Visit a low-cost supermarket on your first day and stock up on typical foods – as eaten by locals – as these are likely to be the cheapest. You can prepare a packed lunch before heading off each day, and cook dinner too.
Best of all? This may even leave you enough dosh for a blow-out final-night dinner at a lavish eatery to make up for all that scrimping.
Search for discount deals
A little extra planning can also be well-worth the effort involved. Ahead of traveling, Google your destination along with the word ‘offers’ or ‘discounts’. Most big cities give last minute deals that could include anything from theatre tickets and excursions to drinks offers, shopping vouchers and money-off club nights.
Find the freebies
Instead of picking high-cost options like theme parks and private museums to keep you entertained, make the most of what your destination offers for free. This could include beautiful parks and stunning countryside spots, free exhibitions, performances, public festivals and open days.
Choose markets over malls
It’s easy to get carried away and blow the shopping budget while on holiday – after all, don’t we all need a little retail therapy? Try to beat those urges by avoiding malls and designer spots, and heading to local markets instead. You find great bargains on food, as well as on authentic items you can bring back as gifts.
Wildcard travel tip:
If you’ve got a large group of friends or family eager to travel with you, then you could save loads on your own costs. Most travel companies – including airlines, hotels and excursion organisers – will offer discounts to the group leader.
You’ll need quite a few people (at least 15) to make an impact, but by booking en masse you’ll all get a good deal. It may turn out to be quite a lot of work for you, but just think of the pay off!