Although holidays are considered a luxury, a well-planned vacation does not have to break the bank. Thinking outside the box can often pay dividends, providing a great vacation for little more than the cost of staying at home.

Accommodation often takes a big chunk out of the holiday budget but where and when you stay can make a huge difference. School summer holidays are high season, but taking a break in the shoulder seasons or in the low season often provides the same accommodation at a significant saving. Cutting down on the length of the stay can also save money, so look for 10 day holidays rather than two weeks or take a mid-week break rather than a whole week.

Self catering is ideal for families and saves a fortune on hotel meals and drinks. Stock the refrigerator with convenience food, soft drinks and beers and plan to cook for the family rather than eating out. The cost can be exactly the same as staying at home. Consider choosing a larger holiday home rental and share it with family and friends. The price per head can be surprisingly affordable when shared between two families or several couples.

Although beach front and city centre accommodation may save money on travel and parking costs, it can be much more economical to stay in an area which is less in demand. There are always some great places to stay in the countryside just 30 minutes drive from any destination. Returning to the peace and tranquility of your own holiday accommodation after a day of sightseeing can actually be a big plus.

Consider travelling to one of the up-and-coming destinations rather than the better known resorts. Eastern Europe has some beautiful Mediterranean beaches and the cost of living is low making places like Croatia and Montenegro or the Black Sea resorts of Romania great value for money compared to better known resorts in Italy or Greece.

When you choose to travel can drastically affect the price of air tickets. For example, flights in the ten days preceding Christmas are some of the most expensive, but travel on Christmas Day is much cheaper. Flights have to keep to their schedule but demand on some dates is understandably low, so take advantage and look for those less popular dates. Days of the week can also affect flight prices. Run a few searches online with different outward and return flight dates and save a bunch by being flexible. Using alternative airports such as Sanford rather than Orlando Airport will also save on taxes making the overall flight costs lower. Best of all, start saving air miles on everything you spend and every now and then your flight will be free!
 

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