30 ways to save money on your family holiday

Teletext Holidays has asked more than 1,000 parents throughout the UK for their best advice on how to save money on a peak season getaway.   

As a result, the firm has combined the results with some of its own insider knowledge from its own travel experts to create a list of the top 30 money saving tips for family holidays.

1. Hunt for vouchers: If holidaying in the UK, the internet can be a great place to search for money off and “two for one” vouchers to family restaurants. Sites like moneysavingexpert.co.uk are a good place to start.

2. Free child places: Every year holiday firms offer thousands of free kids places and they’re even available on some long-haul trips to Florida and The Caribbean.  You may have to book early, normally January or February to secure these.

3. Kids eat free:  For holidays in Florida or anywhere else in the US look at mykidseatfree.com which allows you to search for restaurants with special offers for little ones.

4. Make self catering fun:  The idea of cooking on holiday isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it can be fun and a great way to save money.   Celebrity food writer and television presenter Jo Pratt has come up with some delicious, easy and affordable recipes for self catering holidays at villarenters.com.

5. All-inclusive:  Families who don’t opt to go all-inclusive spend on average around £420 on holiday buying groceries, eating out, drinks, ice-creams  and attractions.  More hotels offer all-inclusive options now which means all food, drink and many activities are covered in the cost – so you don’t even need to take a purse out with you in the evening.

6. Peak season savings:  Some holiday companies do offer peak season savings on family holidays. Look out for their advertised exclusives and family savers.  For example Disneyland Paris is offering up to 40% off plus up to two children under the age of 7 “stay and play” for free, if you book before the end of June. (terms and conditions apply)

7. Eat where the locals eat: Not only will it be better value, you also get a chance to introduce the kids to the real local culture.  Ask reception staff at the hotel or holiday reps for advice.

8. Travel apps and emails: People spend hours trawling the net for cheap deals but let the holiday companies do the work for you.  For example, subscribe to the Teletext Holidays email newsletter at teletextholidays.co.uk to be sent hand-picked family offers by a team of travel experts.

9. Swimming pool complex:  It sounds simple, but they’re often the best! Make sure you pick a hotel with a good swimming pool complex with wave machines, water slides and games. The kids will love it and it costs nothing.

10. Family rooms:  Egypt and Turkey have invested in building lots of new family friendly resorts which have bigger bedrooms than some of the traditional Med resorts. These larger rooms have more beds but big balconies.  Best to book early if you want to secure one of these as they can be limited.

11. Keep it cool: Try and get a hotel room with a fridge. This means you can buy soft drinks for the kids in the local supermarket and keep them cool in the room, rather than paying the hotel prices.

12. Location, location, location: Make sure you know where your property is in relation to the beach and other attractions.  Being closer means you may not need to spend money on hiring a car.

13. Avoid buying food at the airports: Take your own sandwiches to eat in the terminals and on the plane rather than buying in flight food. Plan to have a meal before you go to the airport.  Always take a packed lunch for the journey both ways.

14. Cash in your rewards: Use reward schemes like Tesco Clubcard or Nectar which can be used to pay for European attraction tickets.

15. Be wary about excursions: Avoid booking excursions through your tour operator which can be more expensive.

16. Attractions in advance: Buying tickets for theme parks and other attractions before you travel can save a considerable amount.  Visit teletextholidays.co.uk to book.

17. Have a holiday plan: Draw up a schedule of what you are going to do each day with the kids. This helps you plan the days in advance and budget accordingly.

18. Picnic hamper:  Invest in a little rucksack with picnic gear in it and take it on holiday with you. It is much cheaper and more fun than eating in tourist trap cafes.

19. Pocket money allowance: Allow the children a daily spending money allowance and don’t go above it, once you they have spent it they get no more.

20. Tourist information office: visit the local Tourist Information Centre to see if there are any money off deals or “donation only” entrance fees.

21. Let the train take the strain: Using public transport around the area can save you a lot of money. Make sure you get a decent map of the area and don’t rely on the ones issued by the hotels if you do intend to travel around.

22. Free days out: If holidaying in the UK, joining an organisation like The National Trust can give you free days out.

23. Raise some cash: Ebay all the clothes and toys that your kids have grown out of or have a car boot sale and use that money towards your holiday spending money.

24. Holiday cash cards: Hard as it might be, leave the credit card in your wallet for emergencies only.  Instead take a holiday cash card and load it up with a budget before you go to make sure you don’t go over your limit.

25. Lucky dip:  Take envelopes with dates on them, one for each day. Work out your daily holiday spending money, put this into the envelopes and stick to it. Whatever is left at the end of the day put this into the final day’s envelope so you could have enough for an extra treat !

26. Save up: As soon as you return from your holiday, start saving for your next one by putting some regular savings in a separate “holiday” account.

27. Book early: People often ask us if it’s better to book earlier or later. The truth is that there’s no right or wrong answer.  But the only thing to consider is that holiday companies offer free child places for early booking to incentivise people to book early.  A lot of the family rooms and quality accommodation goes early, so it does give people peace of mind.

28. Book late: There will always be last minute bargains for anyone who is prepared to be flexible. All holiday companies have dynamic prices so they’ll reduce the cost on late deals closer to departure.  

29. Don’t assume a staycation is cheaper:  Holidays in the UK are great fun but they’re not necessarily cheaper.  

30. Buy annual travel insurance:  Rather than booking expensive single trip insurance with your holiday, buy an annual policy which will work out to be much cheaper if you're going on more than one trip.