Last Updated on June 10, 2022 by HodgePodgeDays
Family holidays allow you to make some of the best memories with your children. However, the process of saving for a getaway can be stressful. You may have a holiday destination in mind but have no idea how to afford it. Luckily, this guide is here to offer some top tips and tricks to help you make your dream holiday destination a reality. Whether you need to rely on bad credit loans – or track your spending, there is no denying that there are plenty of avenues that you can explore.
Use Price Comparison Sites
When planning a family holiday, it is important that you are flexible with the place you want to visit. For example, you might have your heart set on Disney World for one week, but you could get a much cheaper holiday by choosing a different location. Price comparison sites are a tool that you should heavily rely on. They allow you to compare holiday packages against several other travel agents so you can find the best deals to fit comfortably within your budget. You can use these sites to switch up travel dates to help you find even cheaper deals. You can find some of the best comparison sites online by conducting a quick search. They are free to use, so you have nothing to lose by giving them a go.
Minimise Your Spending
Could you minimise your weekly spending? Many of us do not realise that we spend too much money on unnecessary items. Sure, you might think your daily sandwich from your favourite café is only a couple of pounds, but this can soon add up. If you want to save for your family holiday, it is time to pay attention to your spending habits. Think carefully about what you spend your money on and look into ways to cut costs. Although you may only save a couple of pounds here and there, this is money that will go towards your future holiday, and it will be worth it. If you are struggling to minimise your spending, set yourself a weekly budget. Use cash instead of your card. It will help you understand how much money you have left. This will help you second-guess those unnecessary purchases.
Pay Off Your Debts
Unfortunately, debt is something that many families face in the UK. It can be easy to push your debt worries to one side. However, this will not make them go away. Before you plan to go on a family holiday, you must try to pay off any outstanding debts you may have. Not only will this be a huge weight off your shoulders, but it will mean you have more money left over each month to put towards your holiday fund. If you have bad credit and struggle to pay off your debts, it’s worthwhile looking into bad credit loans. If you have multiple debts with high-interest rates, pay them off in one go by taking out a bad credit loan with lower interest. This means you will only have one loan to pay off. You will have knowledge of the interest rate so you can have a clear plan and timeline to get out of debt.
Set A Savings Goal
Sometimes saving money can feel never-ending. You may start to feel like the idea of a family holiday is too unrealistic. If this is how you feel, motivate yourself by getting the whole family involved in the process. Set a savings goal and use a savings goal tracker to mark your progress. You can find free downloads of these online. This can give you all the motivation you need to keep saving. It is a gentle reminder that your dream holiday destination is on the horizon. It will also encourage your whole family to think carefully about their spending habits. To set your savings goal, you will need a clear idea of how much your holiday will cost. So, you will need to do your research before you do this.
Use Budgeting Apps
If you want to save up money for your future family holiday, budgeting needs to become your new best friend. Budgeting will allow you to identify ways to cut costs while also helping you save money to put towards your holiday fund. You can use budgeting apps to write down your monthly income alongside your expenditure like bills and food costs. Doing this will show you how much money you can save over the next couple of months. You can easily find budgeting apps by conducting a quick search. There are plenty of them to choose from, and most of them are free to use. Once you have a strict budget that you can stick to, you will find the prospect of saving money a lot easier.
Cancel Subscription Services
Subscription services have become hugely popular over the years. There are subscription services for sports, films, music, and kids’ TV channels; the list goes on! Although these subscription services can offer good deals from time to time, cancelling them can save you a lot of money in the long run. This doesn’t mean you have to cancel them forever – but put them on hold while trying to save for your holiday. If you have multiple subscriptions, have a discussion with your family and decide which ones you are happy to get rid of for the time being. Although they may only be a couple of pounds each month, this can certainly add up over the space of one year. Cancelling subscription services is often a straightforward process, and some companies may offer to put your payments on hold until you are ready to start your subscription again.
Pack Light
If you want to save money for your family holiday, planning ahead is crucial. You don’t want to go to the effort of finding a great deal on flights and accommodation only to be stung by high luggage costs. Therefore, you must consider packing light. One of the best things you can do is write a list of the items you need. Planning outfits is essential – so you don’t end up taking more clothing than you need. If you have a few children in your family, ask them to share suitcases between them, so you don’t have to pay for extra baggage. Toiletries can weigh your suitcase down. So, consider buying these once you are at your holiday destination. Take a look at some more packing tips online to help you shave money off baggage costs.
Be Realistic
Although this last tip may sound obvious, it can easily be forgotten. Once you start looking at numerous holiday destinations, it can be easy to get carried away. You might set your sights on a holiday that is way out of your budget, which can lead to disappointment. Instead, it would help if you were realistic about what you can afford. Before starting your holiday search, have a clear idea of your budget. This will help you avoid looking at holidays that are too expensive. If you book a holiday through a travel agent, this will become valuable information. Your travel agent will be able to find holiday packages within your budget and discuss your options with you.
This is a contributed post.