{"id":14236,"date":"2025-04-28T06:13:15","date_gmt":"2025-04-28T06:13:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/?p=14236"},"modified":"2025-04-28T06:13:15","modified_gmt":"2025-04-28T06:13:15","slug":"smart-spending-how-not-to-make-false-economies-on-holiday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/finderica.com\/?p=14236","title":{"rendered":"Smart spending: how not to make false economies on holiday"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\t\tJasmine Birtles<\/small><\/p>\n

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\n\t\t<\/i> 28th Apr 2025<\/small>
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\t\t\t\t\t\tReading Time:<\/span> 6<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/span>\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

Holidays are full of false economies, from travel insurance (or rather, the lack of) to currency exchange to mobile phone costs\u2026we all do it and then kick ourselves afterwards! It is important you take care with smart spending on holiday, to ensure you aren\u2019t overpaying or being ripped-off!<\/p>\n

So take a deep breath, step back and think about your holiday of a lifetime. We have everything you need when it comes to smart spending for your holiday. With a bit of thought you won\u2019t make false economies on holiday, particularly if you take up the tips below\u2026<\/p>\n

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<\/a>Saving on Flights<\/h2>\n

This is an area where you can make great savings if you time it right and do a bit of research. However, you can also get caught out with annoying extras and end up kicking yourself for being so cheap! In fact, a survey by Sainsbury\u2019s Bank Travel Insurance<\/a> found that 15% of people regretted buying cheap plane seats but then paying more for allocated seating. Men were more likely to regret this (17%) compared to women (14%) and 18-34 year olds more likely to regret this (23%) compared to 35-54 year olds (14%) or those aged 55+ (10%)<\/p>\n

They also found that 11% of people regretted not buying enough baggage allowance for a flight and then paying for additional allowance at the airport. Men were more likely to regret this (13%) compared to women (8%) and 18-34 year olds more likely to regret this (20%) compared to 35-54 year olds (9%) or those aged 55+ (4%)<\/p>\n

So here are tips for not paying extra:<\/p>\n

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  1. Weigh and measure your luggage if you\u2019re taking a low-cost airline<\/strong>. It\u2019s boring but they do mean it when they give weight and size restrictions.<\/li>\n
  2. If you need a lot of luggage, pay the extra before or go with a non-budget airline.<\/strong> Quite often the \u2018cheap\u2019 airline with extra luggage and nice seating can end up being more expensive than the normal airline \u2013 particularly if you have to travel miles to get to their out-of-town airport too.<\/li>\n
  3. Get clever with your packing.<\/strong> There are lots of ways you can condense your packing. Think about the clothes you can mix and match. Also buying a few temporary bits of toiletries at your destination this can be the cheapest and lightest way to travel.<\/li>\n
  4. Take light luggage.<\/strong> You\u2019d be amazed at how much wasted weight there is in many suitcases, especially those with wheels or expansion sides or fancy handles. Ultra-lightweight luggage like Gomatic Method, Samsonite, and Antler might be costly but will last a lifetime \u2013 and save you on excess luggage weight every time.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

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    Book Direct With the Airline<\/h3>\n

    We are all, rightly, excited by the flight comparison sites. There seem to be so many ways to get cheaper flights through them. Now that Google has got in on the act we have a huge choice of ways to compare.<\/p>\n

    However, these comparison sites don\u2019t always give you the best deal.<\/p>\n

    You could be better off going direct to an airline\u2019s own website. Feel free to use the comparison site to compare prices, but once you find a journey you like the look of, try checking out the airline\u2019s own site to buy it. If your journey is complex you may be better doing it over the phone or in person in a travel agency.<\/p>\n

    Travel expert Simon Calder says: \u201cI am constantly being contacted by people who have made false economies by going for what\u2019s cheapest online. The number of complaints and requests for advice coming in to me would be halved if people didn\u2019t book the cheapest flight they find on fare-comparison websites, only to discover they\u2019re dealing with a firm in Sweden or Switzerland or Bangalore that really doesn\u2019t have customer service at its heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

    \"Plane\"\"Plane\"<\/p>\n

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    Save on Travel from the Airport<\/h2>\n

    Don\u2019t rely on finding a taxi when you arrive at the airport! While it seems like the easiest thing to do, it will almost guarantee a rip-off fare \u2013 and that\u2019s if you can even get a taxi.<\/p>\n

    If you\u2019re planning on a full-on sightseeing holiday, it could be more efficient to rent a car than get taxis everywhere. If your driving licence allows it, book a rental car (and if you\u2019re going somewhere hot, make sure it has air con!). This will give you plenty of freedom while you\u2019re away and means you know the set price of all travelling while you\u2019re away.<\/p>\n

    If you don\u2019t want to rent a car, book a taxi service in advance. Look online for good deals. Alternatively, you could look into train and bus routes from the airport. Booking in advance will slash your costs and guarantee you a seat, too. Remember that transport could be unreliable, so leave plenty of time when you\u2019re returning to the airport at the end of your holiday! You could also ask your hotel if they have a recommended transfer service \u2013 some will even bundle in the price into your accommodation booking for an extra discount.<\/p>\n

    <\/a>Saving on Hotels<\/h2>\n

    You would think that using one of the many hotel comparison sites would get you the best deal around.<\/p>\n

    Not always so.<\/p>\n

    You may get a cheap deal but what regular travellers know is that when hotels see you\u2019ve come through one of those sites, they can sometimes give you the worst rooms. You could find yourself overlooking the bins or with a room right next to the main reception. So your \u2018deal\u2019 isn\u2019t nearly as good as you thought.<\/p>\n

    Having said that, it\u2019s worth seeing what is available on these sites and then contacting hotels direct to see if you can get the same or a better price. If you book directly on the hotel\u2019s website, or on the phone, you are likely to get a better room for your money.<\/p>\n

    Quite often you are also better off avoiding hotels altogether and using one of the peer-to-peer sites like Airbnb instead. However, be careful here. Airbnb can be good, particularly if you book well ahead, but in very busy and popular places like London and New York you can find yourself in a poky and noisy room with traffic, people, and even nightclubs right outside. Read the reviews very carefully before booking.<\/p>\n

    <\/a>Saving on Insurance<\/h2>\n

    Travelling abroad without insurance has to be the daftest of false economies, particularly if you\u2019re in America. Smart spending on a holiday abroad certainly includes travel insurance.<\/p>\n

    Sadly, though, many of us still do it.\u00a0Travel insurers do pay out, too. In 2023, there was an astonishing \u00a3511m in claims just from British travellers<\/a> \u2013 with \u00a3291m of that being for medical expenses. The average non-medical claim was \u00a3518 (rising to \u00a31830 for travellers aged 70-75), with medical expense claim averages of \u00a31724, but this was as high as \u00a325,000 for medical repatriation.<\/p>\n

    So, you can see how sensible it is to have some sort of travel insurance when you travel abroad.<\/p>\n

    Even if you are over 65 or you have pre-existing medical conditions you can still get reasonably-priced insurance.\u00a0 If you travel abroad more than once a year you would be better off getting a well-priced annual multi-trip policy. Check whether your bank account or home insurance offers travel cover, too.<\/p>\n

    <\/a>Saving on Currency<\/h2>\n

    Smart spending is imperative for your holiday when it comes to currencies. There are a few mantras to remember when it comes to travel money:<\/p>\n