With the school holidays just days away, I’ve been left thinking I should have booked a little getaway for the family. The trouble is, I’m a holiday novice and things feel very expensive these days. Not to mention, with kids aged 17, 11, and 6, it might be hard to entertain everyone at all times (without a big budget).
So I’ve been doing some research and checking what sort of things I can plan. What I’m looking for is the best value for money. That includes the price to go, the things to do when I get there and the weather. Obviously weather isn’t a guarantee, but I’m also not planning to pay a big chunk of cash to go on a snowy summer holiday when all I want is sunshine.
Here are my tips for if you’re planning to get away this summer.
Think about your accommodation
Lots of people rave about all-inclusive holidays and pretty much plan to spend a week in the hotel, where all their needs are catered to. For me, I like a bit of variety. I prefer the chance to explore and something to motivate me to get out and see the sites. I’ve been looking at holiday rentals as a way of getting a bit more for my money.
My family has 5 people in it, and that tends to push up the price of hotel stays but means we get good value out of holiday rentals. Of course, we would save even more in a caravan or camping, but I’m really not so good any of that outdoorsy stuff.
Research prices thoroughly
This might seem obvious, but when I say thoroughly, I mean thoroughly. You’re not just looking at the price of the place, but what you’re getting for that price too. A shack on the outskirts of a town with no public transport for a cheap price isn’t a bargain – it’s an inconvenience. In fact, it’s probably a waste of your paid time off and the money you spent.
I took a little peek at this article by Holidu, who have put together some research on how much is the average price to stay in a holiday rental in the most Googled holiday locations. The most Googled was Albufeira, where it cost an average of £246 per night for a holiday rental. The second most Googled destination was Malaga, and that was a surprisingly cheap £194 per night.
If you’re looking at keeping things in the UK, you’re looking at spending around £451 per night to stay in Edinburgh.
Figure out what there is to do for free
If you’re into exploration, or even just a little beach trip, you need to see what will entertain you for free. It’s alright saving up to go away on holiday, but if you’re limited when you get there, you might regret not putting more money aside.
If you can go on some sight-seeing walks or head to free or cheap-to-visit attractions, you’ll be entertained the whole time but you’ll stretch your budget well. It’s handy to get good at planning and even make a list of possible ways to spend your days. You don’t have to do everything on your list – but it helps to have one.