It’s that time of year again and one thing that is on most people’s minds is the holidays. In order to make the most of your holidays, Ahmed from World of Deals has given us some tips on how you can save money so that you can enjoy your holiday even more.

Book your holiday in advance

If you know when and where you want to go this summer for your holidays, book your time off work and start planning ahead. If you book your holidays in advance, you will save a considerable amount of money on flights and hotels. Leave it late and the prices of flights and hotels may increase dramatically. Not only that, but you may miss out on some great bargains.

Book your holiday during the off-peak periods

It may sound obvious but booking your holidays during peak season is much more expensive than the off-peak seasons. Most travel agencies, hotels and airlines are aware of that and they hike the prices up during the holidays such as Christmas and Easter. The summer holiday is also the peak season but you can also think about booking your holiday at the end of August or September where the weather will still be beautiful yet it may work out cheaper than during June and July.

Be aware of the holidays at your destination

If there is a major holiday or special occasion at your holiday destination, prices tend to be higher. If your intention is to book your holiday and get involved during these special occasions, go ahead and enjoy yourself. But if you are not planning or intending to take part on those events, you may find the prices cheaper if you book before or after those special events.

Avoid shopping and eating at the airports

Resist the temptation and buy all of your toiletries and food in the high street. If you find yourself bored and the kids are becoming restless, make sure you pack toys and colouring books for them and join in. Or you can buy a book (at a charity shop, online or high street), eat a sandwich (which you made at home) and keep yourself occupied until you get on the plane.

Check and compare the various currency conversion rates

If you have an idea of how much money you are planning to spend at your holiday destination, consider the conversion rates before you acquire the local currency. You may not see much of a saving if you  just spend a few hundred pounds, but if you are planning to spend much more, it is a good idea to compare the conversion rates in banks, buildings societies, travel agents, Post Office, etc. and get the local currency there.

Keep your phone off

Do you really need to use your phone abroad? Unless it’s an emergency, keep your outgoing calls to an absolute minimum. Roaming calls are incredibly expensive from your UK mobile phone so it may be a good idea if you keep it off, leave it in the hotel or even leave it at home. Don’t forget, you will be charged for the call even if you receive calls from another person.

Going on holiday this summer? Make sure you check out Alex’s post on saving money on air travel, Britney’s guide to living large for less on your perfect getaway, FruGal’s tips for cheap international travel and Harri’s top travel insurance tips.

Any other tips for saving money on holiday? Let us know!

{Photo: Sharon D. Pruitt, Pink Sherbert Photography}