There’s no doubt that many of us love to travel and holiday. Whether it’s taking a warm beach vacation, visiting the snow, hiking mountains or becoming immersed in culture, it’s a great feeling being able to take a break and relax. Most of us wish we could take holidays more often, but the costs of going on heading away is what prevents many of us from doing so. Whilst going on holidays is no cheap activity, there are always ways around spending big and still having a good time. Here, we explore how to cut costs during your holiday whilst still making the most of it.

Create A Budget

Once you have an idea of where you want to go and a rough idea of the costs, it’s a great time to start creating a budget. Not only will this turn your holiday into a reality, it will allow you to recognize how much you need to save and budget. The earlier you create a budget, the more time and space you have to start saving. It’s often a good idea to set up a savings account specifically for your holiday fund. This way, you can physically see how much money you have saved and will encourage you to not touch any of your holiday funds.

Book Flights Early

Booking in your flights early is a great hack to save money when trying to cut holiday costs. Studies show that when travelling domestically, you should book your flights at least 3 months in advance and when travelling internationally, it is best to book minimum 6 months in advance. The later you book your flights, the higher the prices will surge. Thus, whenever you’re planning a holiday, make sure to book your flights early in advance to avoid all the high price surges.

Travel Outside Peak Times

Alongside with booking flights early, travelling outside peak times can be a great way to cut holiday costs. Pending on where you want to travel, going in the off-peak seasons will allow you to save money on travel, accommodation and activities. December is notorious for the most expensive time of the year to travel and thus if you are wanting to visit a destination in December, book in advance to avoid those extra surcharges.

Consider Alternative Accommodation Options

Something to consider when wanting to cut down on holiday costs is alternative accommodation options. From hostels, Airbnb’s, camping, RV’s, there are many alternative options to staying in a hotel. Not only will staying in alternative accommodation help cut holiday costs, there are many advantages to staying in these alternative accommodations including, meeting new people and being able to explore more of the destination you are travelling to.

Eat Locally

One of the biggest reasons why many individuals end up spending big on holiday is due to being sucked into tourist targeted restaurants, commonly referred to as “tourist traps”. Here, the prices of food have been significantly increased due to the mass amounts of tourists in their area and additionally, the food is usually not authentic. To cut costs during your holiday, eat at local places. Not only will these restaurants often be cheaper, the food will be more authentic and delicious.

Exchange Money at Its Highest Value

The exchange rate is continuously changing and changes every day. Thus. it is a great idea to monitor the exchange rate months in advance to your holiday. Although by doing this, you’re not guaranteed the highest exchange rate, it will allow you to recognize whether your currency has decreased or increased. In turn, this will allow you to make a better judgement on when to exchange your currency.

Arrange Your Own Activities

Although going on tours is a great way to see and learn more about the destination, you’re in, it can also be quite expensive. Thus, a great way to minimize these costs is to organize your own tours. Whilst you may not get the entire experience, you still are able to enjoy it without spending an excessive amount of money. Further, most cities often have free walking tours, thus, with enough research, these could be a great alternative to paid tours.

Going on holiday is a huge expense for anybody and is often one of the big reasons why people don’t go on holiday as much as they’d like. However, not all holidays have to be expensive. Whilst implementing these tips above can seem mundane and time consuming, it also cuts costs and allows holidays to occur more.