Money saving holiday hacks for Unify

Monday 05th Jun, 2017

Are you planning to go away this summer? A week of R and R is rarely cheap but we have put together five holiday hacks to help our credit union members keep control of their summer sun budgets.

 

Pick your time carefully

If you do not have children then you are not tied to the traditional school holiday periods. Prices will be much cheaper if you avoid the end of July and most of August. However, if you are going away with young offspring the last week of August - especially if it runs into September - is better value if it doesn't clash with school reopening. It can work quite well to distract children dreading the end of the summer break.

 

European Health Insurance Card

Check you have an EHIC if you are going to an EU country. You can use a state GP or hospital for the same price as a local possibly saving you thousands of pounds if you fall ill. It is not known how the reciprical agreement will work after the UK leaves the EU but until then it is free and valuable extra protection alongside travel insurance.

 

Go half board.

People rarely eat three full meals a day when they aren't on holiday and when it is hot the thought of a three-course lunch just a couple of hours after stuffing your face at the all-you-can eat buffet can be a bit much. Not to mention the difficulty in trying to wrangle the kids back into hotel when they are mid-sandcastle building. Save your money and bring a snack to the beach.

 

Buy currency wisely

Shop around when you are looking for foreign currency. Check out online options as well as traditional bureau de change but whatever you do, do NOT change your money at the airport. The rate will be atrocious and you will already have added tens of pounds to your holiday spending budget.

 

On the subject of foreign money...

How many times have you returned from a trip abroad with a bunch of euros or a couple of dollars? It costs to have it changed back to pounds so the cash just sits there unused. A better idea is to keep it with your passport so you remember to take it with you next time or even better, carefully budget the last few days of the holiday so you don't withdraw more local currency than you need. Although how you resisting spending all on an over-priced toblerone at the airport, I don't know.

 And of course- if you're saving or borrowing for your next holidat, make sure you check out the reasons to turn to us rather thna your high street bank. 

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