Families across Ireland are jetting off on their first holiday since the pandemic this summer.
However, the current cost of living might be eating into the holiday budget and causing stress for Irish families. Manchester mum Emma Stretton has some advice on how you can still enjoy your break away without spending a fortune. The Instagrammer has some tips for families on how to save money on your holiday.
Here are her seven money saving tips with Express.co.uk through Little Loans.
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Budgeting
This might seem like an obvious one, but how many of us actually prepare a budget for our holidays? Emma says planning a daily budget for your holiday will help you avoid overspending.
Emma said: "I have the Google Drive app on my phone, which has my various budgeting spreadsheets in. I'll make one before we go away with a rough idea of what to spend each day. Whilst there, I keep a note of what we've spent in the notes section of my phone and at the end of each day, I spend two minutes checking we're on budget."
Emma estimates that this budgeting technique saves her about €160 over the course of a week away.
Luggage
Packing for holidays is a pain, but if you are smart about it, you will save yourself some money on baggage costs with your airline.
Emma said: "Roll, don't fold! You can fit so many more clothes into a case when you roll them. Tuck underwear into shoes as well. That's a great space saver."
She pointed out that the real upside to this technique is avoiding extra baggage fees at the airport and said: "The point of this is that we only have to pay for one case and then take hand luggage. I'm not about to pay through the nose for the sake of an extra pair of shoes, and with my tiny toiletries as well, it's fairly easy to manage with one case."
"I also double up evening clothes as beachwear the following day and don't take a lot for the kids because they really don't care what they wear. We flew with Ryanair this time and paid €24.43 for one large case, then took rucksacks. A second case would have cost us another €24.43, which I'd much rather put towards a meal on the marina, overlooking the ocean as the sun sets."
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Avoid shopping at the airport
Marketing gurus show off their expertise at airports, enticing travellers to buy unnecessary items at exorbitant prices for convenience. Emma noted that planning ahead for this can save a good €23.
She explained: "I'll load my kindle with new books from the special offers before we go, so there's no need for the magazines, and take snacks in my bag for the boys."
Eating in
Emma advised: "Find a local market that sells basic things like bread and cereal, maybe some cheeses and fresh veg too. This saves money and means we can enjoy our evening meal even more. All told I reckon we save around €290-€350 eating in."
Eating out
Going out for nice meals is a huge part of holidays, but it is also a huge expense. Emma suggests a trick that could solve this - avoid cocktails and get ice cream for dessert.
She said: "I'll always have the local beer, and my husband has the house wine. It's less expensive, and I've actually found some of my favourite beers that way. If the kids insist on dessert, we'll just get them ice cream, which is often the least expensive option. By not buying expensive spirits or desserts, we probably keep back about €10 to €15 a night."
Avoid big day trips
You might be planning some big excursions for your holiday, but if you're travelling with kids, sitting by the pool and heading down to the beach is the only activity they need. Waterparks and boat trips sound like fun, but if you're trying to save money, hotel kids clubs and sand castles at the beach can be just as fun.
Emma says: "With kids, it's just easier to let them enjoy themselves and means we don't need car hire. Also, after three years stuck in the UK, I'm excited for some sun and a break from normal life, so lying around a pool all day, spending absolutely nothing but time together, sounds perfect."
"This holiday will be the first we've ever booked where the hotel has a free kids club. We'll also be going to the beach where we only have to pay for sun beds and, in the evening, will take advantage of the free cheesy entertainment. We won't be spending money on water parks, days out or boat trips."
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