How To Go On Holiday Free Of Charge!
This is absolutely the best time to consider going on holiday! With the credit squeeze in Europe getting worse by the day and its effect on household income, hotels, airlines and car hires at most holiday destinations are jostling to give the best offers to all travelers. While in the past frugal travelers have had to depend on public transport, you can now hire cars in Ibiza for example at a cost that is almost equivalent to what you would have spent on a bus a year or two ago.
This post looks at things you can do to have a fantastic holiday, and still make savings. You could even get to holiday free of charge:
Consider a group holiday: Did you know that most hotels will give you free accommodation if you bring a group of up to 10 people with you? Consider organizing a holiday with a couple of friends, where you take care of all arrangements, and you won’t pay a thing for your accommodation! I believe that’s a winner right there, and who knows, this could open up an opportunity to start a holiday planning service.
Use your online influence to get a free holiday: In the past, hotels relied on online advertising to drive traffic to their websites and get clients. Today, experience sharing is the best form of advertising. If you have built an online reputation as an influencer, you can partner with a hotel or travel service for a subsidised or free service, in exchange for a review on your blog, website or Twitter profile. Ethics however dictate disclosure of incentive received.
Holiday off season: Most people take their vacation over summer, or the Christmas holiday. Most service providers will hike their prices during holiday seasons to maximise on revenue. Consider taking your vacation when everyone isn’t. That way you get the best service because they’re not busy serving everyone, and you get a great bargain.
Also consider destinations that are no longer popular to travelers for other reasons. For example, there are reports that Greece, a top holiday destination is experiencing a massive tourist migration in anticipation of their exit from the Eurozone. This would make Greece a great place to visit this year.
Heavy lunches, light dinner: Most towns have eateries and food joints that offer better and cheaper food than what is in hotels. Consider eating your breakfast and lunch away from the Hotel you’re staying in, then buying snacks for dinner. This will not only save you money, it will also offer you an opportunity to experience local cuisine and interact with the locals, as most tourist hotels serve international cuisine.
Book your flight early: You can make significant savings by booking your flight 4 to 5 months before the anticipated travel date, especially if it is off season. In addition to this, it helps to register with airline companies’ mailing lists, so they can send you travel offers. Finally, if you have accumulated travel miles, the best time to use them is off peak, as airline companies offer great deals for travel then.
Pack light: If you are a frugal person, this should be obvious, you don’t want to spend on extra baggage payments. Pack light when leaving home to allow for souvenirs and some shopping while on holiday.
Happy Holidaying!
