Summer holiday money saving tips

According to a recent study, the latest casualty of the cooling economic climate are hot summer vacations. Mintel research indicates that one in every five people is putting off their annual holiday because of financial concerns.  For those that don’t want to postpone, however, there are a few things you can do to save money and still get a vacation.

Investigating the exchange rate before deciding where to go on vacation can have a big impact on your costs. Traveling outside Europe will make your pound last longer.

According to the Post Office’s head of travel, Helen Warburton: “Holidaymakers face a steep rise in the cost of trips to the eurozone this year because of the plummeting pound, but summer breaks elsewhere in Europe and in the USA should offer better value.”

Bulgaria has been rated the cheapest country in Europe, followed by Turkey, but for those that want to venture further afield, there are good deals to be found in Thailand, Egypt and South Africa.

Once you’ve decided on a location, locate cheap prices by using an online aggregator like Kayak.co.uk, travelsupermarket.com and opodo.co.uk.  Opodo recently added new technology to its website that allows travelers to monitor a route for the best time to buy, allowing travelers to get the lowest price possible for their ticket.

Book in advance as much as possible to save even more money and relax and enjoy your vacation once you’ve taken off.