As the doom and gloom continues, a winter holiday can become more desirable even as it seems further out of reach. But there are ways to cut the cost of a winter break.
First, consider when you want to go. If you are prepared to fly on Christmas Day or New Year’s Eve you can save yourself a fortune, says Which? Money. When the magazine compared flights to Buenos Aires flying on December 25 and 31 on Expedia.com, it was £490 cheaper to fly on December 20 or 27.
You can also cut the cost of accommodation by house swapping. Swap your house with a New Yorker and you can save £1,000 on a week’s trip to the Big Apple, compared with staying in a three-star hotel. Which? Money recommends joining homelink.org.uk to find fellow house swappers. Finally, enjoy the financial protection of paying by credit card, without paying the surcharge levied by many travel firms, by paying with a Visa debit card. “Visa cards are covered by a chargeback scheme, which lets you claim compensation from your card provider,” should something go wrong, says Which? Money.
Holiday with friends
Whether you are going abroad or staying in the UK, you can often get reduced rates for party bookings, says Stephen Ellis in The Sunday Telegraph. For example, cross-channel ferry companies offer deals that cover all those in a car, so fill the car up and dilute the cost.
Cash in on your china
Chinasearch.co.uk buys and sells second-hand and discontinued china, pottery, glassware and cutlery. “So if you have a tea or dinner service getting dusty in the back of a cupboard, it may be worth getting in touch for a quote,” says Melanie Wright in The Sunday Telegraph.
Get the best shopping deals
Find the best bargains of the day at offeroftheday.co.uk. The site updates prices and stock levels eight times a day, so what you see is what you can get. “You can browse through reductions on goods from a massive range of high street shops and online-only vendors,” says Jasmine Birtles in the Daily Express.