Saving money on holiday

Over-spending whilst on holiday and blowing your budget is easily done. Having to resort to plastic to pay for your expenses can cost you extra in the long run, but enjoying a holiday doesn't have to cost a small fortune. If you want to cut back, follow these helpful tips and you will be saving instead of spending. You can also get great deals and cashback savings when booking holiday extras with GetPaidTo.

Food and drink

Spending money on food and drink can eat up a large part of your budget on holiday, so if you don’t fancy an all-inclusive getaway but do want to control your costs, check out our holiday tips.

Make lunch the main meal of the day
If you are staying self-catering and are planning on eating out during your holiday, make lunch your main meal. Most restaurants have cheaper set lunch menus during the day so you could save money without going hungry. Alternatively, if you are staying half board, stock up on breakfast with a full English and take some fruit to snack on later in the day. This way you won’t have to bother with lunch.
Drink local wine and beer
The local alcoholic drinks are a lot cheaper than the imported brands so over the course of a week you can save yourself a lot of money just by switching what you drink.
Don’t eat in the first restaurant
If you want to make greater savings on your meals, don’t just go into the first restaurant you see. If you walk a bit further out of the resort you will find better priced restaurants with more authentic meals. If you do want to stay on the main strip or resort, you will almost definitely find yourself pestered by restaurant promotional staff trying to get you seated at a table but keep walking until you find the restaurant you want to eat at. Most of them have menus outside so you can easily locate the best deals.
Avoid the mini bar
Visit the local supermarkets if you want to buy food and drink for your room. Don’t be tempted by the lure of the minibar. It may seem obvious but don’t make the mistake of thinking it can’t be that expensive. It most definitely will be!
Find a local supermarket
If you have an onsite shop, try not to shop there unless you have to. You are paying for the convenience and will find better deals and cheaper prices if you visit the local supermarket instead.

Trips and excursions

Book before you go
If you want to make the most of your location and go on trips and tours, book before you go. You can take advantage of voucher codes and discounts when you book online rather than buying your trips from your resort reps.

If you want to save money on your trips and excursions, book through GetPaidTo to receive cashback on your purchases with any of the following merchants.

Pick up free travel guides
Pick up free travel guides from the airport or local tourist information. Not all trips have to cost money, you could find some free activities to do nearby. Speak to the locals, they may also be able to recommend some must-see places to visit.
Book car hire
This is also advisable to book before you travel. You can compare rates from different companies and find the right deal for your needs. If you are travelling in France, book a diesel car as this is cheaper to run than petrol. It would also be advisable to take out your own excess insurance rather than with the car hire company as they will charge you more.

To earn cashback on your car hire, book with GetPaidTo on any of the following merchants.

Buy city passes
If you’re visiting a city, it may be worth getting a city pass so you can travel around on public transport. This could save you money rather than buying a ticket every time you want to travel. Get cashback on your purchases if you book with any of these merchants.

Other travel tips

Turn off mobile 3G and data roaming
If you are using your phone abroad, turn off mobile 3G and data roaming or you may come home to find an extortionate bill waiting on your door mat. If you ring your provider prior to travelling and let them know of your plans, they may have special deals and tariffs for using your phone abroad. If you want to use your phone for free, make calls when connected to free WIFI with apps like Skype, Viber and Tango.
Book your own transfers
If your holiday isn’t part of a package deal, you will have to find your own way to and from the resort. Book your transfers in advance rather than ordering a taxi and you will save money. Ticket touts tend to operate more in European cities (Spain’s really bad for this). They hover around the arrivals gate looking for bemused tourists trying to find the official taxi queues. They can charge 5-10 times a normal taxi fare to a destination! Avoid this by booking your transfers in advance.

Book with any of our transfer merchants and you will also receive cashback.

Haggle at markets
When shopping at local souvenir shops and markets, always haggle. The worst they can say is no but most are prepared to haggle with you so don’t just immediately pay the asking price.
Leave space in your suitcase
If you are planning on taking home gifts, make sure to leave extra weight allowance in your suitcase. You don’t want to be hit with hefty charges on the way home if you have over packed.
Find alternative travel to the airport
If you can, try and find someone to drive you to the airport to avoid high taxi charges. If you are planning on parking at the airport, book your space in advance. If you just turn up on the day and park, the cost will be significantly higher. Book in advance with any of the GetPaidTo merchants and you can get great savings with cashback on your bookings.

Claim compensation on delayed flights
If your flight is delayed by more than three hours or it is cancelled, you can claim for compensation under EU law. Compensation pay outs can range from 250-600 euros.
If you want to find out about claiming compensation for delayed flights, visit Citizens Advice Bureau for more information.
Once you return from your holiday and want to print your photos, why not take advantage of cashback offers on our photo merchants and get your holiday prints delivered direct to your door.
A lot of photo companies offer you free prints for simply registering so take advantage of these offers and shop with GetPaidTo with any of the following merchants.