COMMENT
Find The Best Deals For Your Holiday!

By Alison Hunt (TMFAlly)
March 16, 2005

Holidays – we certainly love them! I, for one, spend ages planning where to go each year and deciding which kind of holiday I fancy!

Norwich Union's recent study claims that we Brits fall into five categories – which type are you?

Cultural Connoisseur – Enjoys trips to cultural cities such as Florence or St Petersburg with an itinerary and guide book in hand.

Trend trekker – Enjoys discovering new destinations before they become trendy – Iceland and Croatia are currently in vogue.

Traditionalist – Likes to book through a travel agent for a resort they've been to before, where English is widely spoken – the Costa del Sol is popular.

Free Spirit – Likes to explore alternative destinations such as Cambodia

Luxury Lounger – Enjoys being pampered in high quality destinations such as Sorrento and the South of France.

Whichever type you are (and I suspect we're generally a mixture of at least three!) we all enjoy getting the best deals we can when booking our holidays. Here are some tips that may help you organise yours:

1. Don't just head to a High Street travel agent. Check out online sites such as Expedia, Lastminute, ebookers, and Travelocity for bargain breaks too – you can tailor holidays to the exact dates and places that you want to visit – and book car hire too.

2. Check out the bargain airlines such as Easyjet for cheap European flights. But make sure you check out the main operators too – you may find you can get a far better deal for just a few pounds more (as this article shows).

3. If you intend driving to the airport, consider booking the car parking online beforehand – you can save a fortune compared to the drive up price – take a look at BAA's website.

4. An alternative to parking at the airport is to stay at a nearby hotel or B&B the night before and leave your car there for the time you're away. Many offer a special rate including two weeks parking, and apart from effectively extending your holiday it could prove useful if you have very early flights the next day.

5. If you're planning to travel through a country but you don't have a plan (and so can't book accommodation beforehand), consider booking online as you go. If you can find an internet café you can use various hotel booking companies (such as Expedia) and book a few (often discounted) nights in a convenient hotel to where you find yourself! This is particularly useful if you don't speak the language very well – I successfully travelled through China using this idea!

6. Don't forget to ensure you have proper travel insurance – find out more in this article. Legal and General's recent survey identifies that over 50% us underestimate the value of our luggage when travelling!

7. Make sure if you're travelling to the European Economic Area (EAA) or Switzerland this year, that you have a new form E111, to be entitled to free or reduced cost emergency treatment. Many travel insurance policies demand it and you don't want to risk being caught out – medical bills can be hefty!

You can pick one up from the Post Office, or print the forms from this link (– but don't forget to get them stamped and signed at the Post Office or they won't be valid).

Note that the forms can only be used until 31st December 2005 as the new European Health Insurance card replaces it this year. But if you tick the correct box on your application form you won't need to apply for the card – it'll be issued automatically to you with the details given, later this year.

8. Travel money is always cheaper if you get it before you get to the airport. Find some best buy travel money suppliers here.

9. If you enjoy shopping duty free at the airport, consider becoming a BAA WorldPoints member. This free loyalty card gives a point for every pound you spend at a UK airport (even for just buying a coffee or car parking) and you can use them for discounted travel to the airport, access to VIP lounges or even trade them in for Airmiles (and you get 100 just for signing up!).

10. And finally, start saving! Holidays are much less painful when you get home if you've saved for them already in a high paying savings account. You could find extra money to save by following these tips! But if you don't have time, why not use a 0% credit card and at least effectively get an interest free loan.

So, follow these tips and you can cut the cost of your holiday – which means more money to spend when you're away – hurrah!

>> Find a better Savings Account | 0% Credit Card | Travel Insurance.