#1 Book early
It might has no more sense anymore but, perhaps it could be useful for your next vacation. If you would like to go to Greece or if you’re limited because of school holidays it could save you some money when you book your vacation early. Many tour operators offer discounts and great offers for booking early in January and February for summer holidays. Definitely do some research before booking to get the best deals. Deals and discounts may vary per tour operator and travel destination.#2 Avoid popular destinations
If you do not care so much about where you are going you can opt for the less some popular travel destinations. Not going to popular destinations can save you a lot of money. Destinations such as Croatia or Tunisia are simply less popular as the South of France and the Greek islands. These not so popular destinations are also great for last-minute summer holiday.#3 Avoid the peak season
Just as the choice of destination also the choice of period can cost or save you money. If you are not tied to school holidays it's best to go after or before the school holidays. This can save a huge amount of the costs. Often, it is also less crowded on the road or at the airport, so it can also be a lot more relaxed.#4 Book during the week
Book your holiday always on a weekday. The prices are often slightly lower because most holidays are booked in weekends. The Consumentenbond has done research into this. They revealed that Tuesday is the cheapest time to book a holiday. When you book sort by date of departure, especially for a weekday. Often people want to go on holiday at the end of their workweek on Fridays to be back for Monday.#5 Last minute booking
Did you missed out on all the early booking deals? Then you can choose to book extremely last minute. Do this two or three days before your desired departure date. No tour operator or hotel is waiting for empty rooms and empty airline seats so they want to offer this a lot cheaper too. Don’t forget you have to pay your vacation all at once so make sure you have enough money left to bring alongJ.
#6 Paying abroad
If you go on holiday it is useful to check if your debit card is accepted. In addition always carry a credit card. Don’t like applying for a credit card just for your holiday? Then choose a Prepaid MasterCard. You can use a Prepaid MasterCard worldwide at over 35 million acceptance points. Before using the card you have to charge the card with iDEAL. Put example 100 euros on your card before you go on holiday. So when you're in an emergency you always have 100 euros. If you're going to pay make sure you always pay in the local currency. If you pay in euros the additional storage rate will be charged extra.
#7 Walk a little further
Think about what you eat. Those nice restaurants on boulevards and places near the Eiffel Tower are often more expensive than restaurants a little further across the street. You may miss out on the view but it can save you some money. There’s even a chance that you will be better served because more attention can be paid to you because it is less crowded.
#8 Tour guides and maps
If you want to discover the area of your destination, you can book a tour with a tour guide. This may cost some money that can be better spent actually. Many countries have such good tourist brochures and maps that a guid is unnecessary. Especially in France, the Office de Tourisme is very generous with fine leaflets.#9 Museums
In several cities, museums are one day a week or a month free or cheaper. Madrid's Reina Sofia (with Picasso's Guernica), for example on Sundays and weekday evenings is free from 18 to 21 hours and the Louvre in Paris is from October until March free on the first Sunday of the month (normal price € 12 ). Also in Brussels and Munich, some museums have days with free admission. Students can often go anywhere with discount or free entry if they show their student card.As you can read a vacation does not have to be expensive. Put on some investigation beforehand for some nice budget hotspots and make the most of your holiday. Don’t forget to bring a credit card or our Prepaid MasterCard so you are sure that you can pay everywhere you go. Still looking for one? Get one here or read here about our alternative: the Prepaid MasterCard. Indispensable for any holiday!
Happy holidays!