The UK offers a whole range of attractions for visitors, there is plenty to see and do for both overseas visitors and people from the UK. However the UK has been criticised by visitors and locals within the UK for being a relatively expensive place to go on holiday and travel. Whilst there is no denying prices can be steep, there are many things travellers can do to ensure that their hard earned money lasts longer and with some time, research and flexibility it is possible to grab a good bargain.
The UK Money Saving Travellers Tips guide highlights many areas in which travellers can save on their trips and provides a useful starting point for travellers to become conscious of what can be saved and areas in which it may be possible.
UK Money Saving Tips for Travellers
Before You Begin Your Trip
Accommodation Saving Tips
Flight Saving Tips
Holiday Savings Tips
Whilst You Are On Your Holiday
Before You Begin Your Trip
Try to be as flexible as possible in your outlook on where you want to go, where you want to stay and when you want to go. This is of course not possible for some travellers who may have various restrictions and limitations but for those travellers that can be more flexible the extra flexibility gives you much more options and increases the chances of saving a decent amount.
Think about if you really need to go in peak season, while it is not usually possible for some i.e. those with children, you may have work holiday issues etc. others that can go away at off peak times i.e. not in school & public & bank holidays, peak summer etc, may find some good deals and less crowds. The cost differential can be substantial and you may well enjoy travelling with less traffic and crowds around.
Do your research on where in the UK you want to go, check the best time of year to go and check the prices at those times, then see if going a little bit before or after the 'best' time can save you money. Also research that tourist attractions and any other places of interest you wish to go to in the UK are actually open when you are planning on going to avoid disappointment.
Check online and in newspapers, publications and magazines if there are any cash back offers, discounted deals or any other types of offers & discounts to the places you wish to visit.
Try to ensure you give yourself enough time to research your holiday/trip properly and have time to check prices from several sources giving you the full picture before you book. When rushing or feeling stressed in getting everything booked, it is easy to miss something and end up paying more and not getting the most for your money.
Accommodation Saving Tips
Try to book the accommodation in off peak seasons to get good discounts. There are some good rates for hotel stays off peak when hotels offer reduced rates especially the quieter periods away from school & bank holidays.
If you do not have to stay on Friday Saturday & Sunday nights (often the busiest nights for hotels), see if you can stay on other weeknights & if this can reduce the cost.
Check the quoted prices of hotel & hostel stays on their own websites to get an idea of the going rate. Then check on other websites such as hotel price comparison websites and hotel aggregators.
Check the prices of different rooms before finalising your booking, sometimes a larger room can offer better value and always check between twin rooms & double rooms as there can be a price difference, if either is fine for you could get a good deal.
For those travelling with children, see if there are any discounts for them and see if family rooms work out cheaper.
For UK travellers use your mobile phone (or public call box if you do not have one) to make any calls and texts using your inclusive minutes, using the hotel phones are usually expensive & should use only in an emergency.
For overseas visitors to the UK, consider getting a calling card or a pay as you go mobile sim for making and receiving calls whilst in the UK. Making international or even local calls from your hotel room phone is a much more expensive option.
Check when booking your accommodation if there is a fee to pay by credit card, it is typically 1 or 2%, but often this can be avoided by either paying by cash or paying by debit card instead.
If you require internet access for your own laptop/PDA or wish to use the hotel's check beforehand a) whether the hotel offers internet access and b) the cost for using it & facilities provided. There are plenty of hotels now across the UK that offer internet access for free or a reasonable rate. If you like the hotel but have a problem with internet access/charges, use an internet cafe where you should have access at a reasonable cost.
Travellers can consider using holiday apartments as an alternative to hotels, these can often be booked directly from the landlord and can represent a tidy saving. It also offers the chance for self catering that again can save a lot in food bills, even having one of 3 meals a day, perhaps breakfast or lunch in the apartment and having dinner at a restaurant can represent a decent saving and mean more variety in food.
Flight Saving Tips
Check the flight ticket prices on the airlines own website (sometimes they may have special offers/sales that are not offered via agents) and compare these to deals offered online by Flight Aggregators and comparison sites.
If you do not have to take your flights on from Friday afternoon to Sunday, see if you can save by travelling on weekdays away from those 3 days. Prices may be lower on the other days and there could be less of a rush.
Check when booking the flight if there is a fee to pay by credit card, it is typically 1 to 2%, but often this can be avoided by either paying by cash or paying by debit card instead.
Holiday Savings Tips
If possible try to book your holidays in the off peak seasons and you could get good discounts. The summer especially from late June to early September is a busy period for UK Holidays & travel, you can get some good UK Holiday Deals if you book a bit earlier or a bit later than those times, meaning you get savings and hopefully some pleasant weather.
Do consider package deals, holiday packages offer some great value deals that can be cheaper than booking the flights and accommodation separately.
For those living in the UK & wishing to holiday in the UK, look for deals that can include extras, i.e. free or discounted extra hotel stays, cut price entertainment, cheap theatre package deals. The amounts you can save vary from modest to substantial.
For those travelling with children check to see if there are any child discounts or child places. Check to see if there is free or cheap childcare and children’s activities.
Check when booking the holiday if there is a fee to pay by credit card, it is typically 1 or 2%, but often this can be avoided by either paying by cash or paying by debit card instead.
Whilst You Are On Your Holiday
Do your research and find places to eat and stay near by where you want to go, the prices are likely to be lower than those quoted for the main tourist areas a short distance away.
Be a savvy traveller and beware of 'bargains' that appear too good to be true, they usually are. Take some time and consult with those travelling with you before making purchases (especially for more expensive items) on things you are unsure of.
Carry your water with you, buy your water in a larger bottle and refill in to a smaller one, this not only means you save on getting water at expensive rates you also have water with you when you want.
Take advantage of breakfasts offered by hotels, it is usually not too much more expensive to include breakfast in to your package. Buying breakfast outside may offer less choice of food and be more expensive.
Keep an eye out for a bargain, restaurants may have early evening sittings i.e. from 4.30 to 6pm, for dinner at reduced rates.
Make use of any good value children’s menus at restaurants.
Taxis and cabs can be expensive, consider using coaches and buses to get around, this is not suitable in all UK locations as there may be fewer coach and bus services in some areas, but there are plenty of areas across the UK where it is a viable option.
There are a number of areas in which travellers can benefit from savings as have been highlighted in the UK money saving travellers tips guide. Money saving and being economical does not have to conjure up negative connotations of being overly frugal, boring and spoiling your holidays. Being aware of what can be saved reasonably without impacting too much on the quality of your trip and experience can help travellers save money, grab a bargain and ensure they are not taken advantage of when they go travelling.
Disclaimer: The information given in on this website is given in good faith and to the best of our knowledge. If there are any discrepancies in no way do we intend to mislead. Important travel details and arrangements should be confirmed and verified with the relevant authorities.
