Money saving tips for your holidays

Desperately want to go on holiday but strapped for cash? Here are our tips and tricks on how to save those extra pennies and go on that dream holiday without robbing the bank.

1. Make your own lunch

It might sound obvious, but don’t spend money buying sandwiches at the supermarket for a speedy lunch or dinner! Cook an extra portion at dinner and use it for lunch the next day, or make a bulk load of meals for the week and put them in your freezer. The saved pounds will pile up before you know it.

2. Go old school with a piggy jar

You know the saying Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves. What better way to do it than with a piggy jar. Don’t have one? Use an old plastic container or wash out a can and use that instead.

3. Cash in hand

Going out and know you will spend more than you want to? Leave your card behind and only take the cash you want to spend. Then you don’t have to worry about sticking it on your card and overspending!

4. Be inventive with your free time

We’ve become very good at spending money to pass the time but there are loads of things we can do for free. Play ball games with your friends in the park or take the dog for a nice long walk in the countryside. Check out what free things there are in your area, maybe there are free museums or events you can go to.

5. Make presents

It’s always better to make personal gifts for friends, but it’s also better for your bank balance than buying something from the shop. You can make a cake or brownies, cook them their favourite dinner or make a collage of their best (or most embarrassing) photos. Money saved and bonus friendship points.

6. Start a countdown

Need to save a certain amount? Put two sticky notes on the wall, one with your target and one with how much you already have. This will motivate you to get to your goal and book that dream holiday. Even better, add in a photo of your dream destination to give you that extra encouragement.

7. Sell those forgotten treasures

We all have unused and sometime valuable things left lying around the house that could definitely be sold and added to the holiday money.

8. Check your expenses

Know roughly what your monthly expenses are but aren’t 100% sure? Go through your expenses like a detective and see what you can cut out. Maybe you will have a few surprises lurking in your expenditures that can get the chop.