How to Find Budget Breaks

For many of us, finding a holiday that’s affordable and within budget is a top priority. Sometimes the hotel, the resort or even your choice of destination can be compromised, so long as the price is right. But how do you find those elusive bargains?

Searching for holidays online is usually the best place to start. It might seem like a minefield, but it often presents the best possible array of choice as well as the cheapest prices. Depending on the website, you can amend your search criteria and try different departure dates, destinations and hotels, then sort by price. This is essential as it presents you with the lowest prices and prevents those cheeky bargains from hiding away further down the list of search results. By sorting by price, you may also notice cheaper holidays in destinations that you hadn’t previously considered.

Tour operators such as Direct Holidays are one of the cheapest - which is partly due to the direct nature of their business which cuts out the agent. But they are also in competition with some of the other big players in the holiday industry, which means they have to offer comparable value for money to stay in business. The best cheap holiday deals at Direct Holidays are usually those last-minute getaways, typically leaving within the next few weeks. You can usually save a significant amount off the original cost of the holiday by booking late. Availability will be limited and you might not get your first choice of resort, hotel or even destination, so it’s best to keep an open mind and be prepared to compromise here or there.

Alternatively you can often find a great deal by booking ahead. Search for holidays leaving six or nine months or even a year in advance, and in most cases you’ll see numerous discounts advertised - plus you’ll have that little bit longer to pay off the cost of the holiday.