Take a bargain break

Save cash on your vacations with our five easy tips

The recession might mean we have to watch the cents, but you don’t have to sacrifice your well-deserved vacation. Use our tips and you can get a great break for less.

1 Look for discounts at hotels during their “off-peak” time of the week. Business hotels offer great deals at the weekend, and fancy weekend-break country hotels are often cheaper during the week. For example, the room rate at London’s trendy Andaz hotel is $478 during week and just $243 on weekends. Avoid peak times in general – flights, hotels and packages are always more expensive during the school holidays.

2 Take a ‘staycation’. Holiday in your own country and you’ll save on the cost of a flight, money you can then spend on a nicer hotel, a new holiday wardrobe or lots of fancy dinners.

3 Book budget airline flights far in advance and you’ll get the best prices. Look out for sales and snap up bargain seats, or use flight comparison sites including skyscanner.net and momondo.com to find the cheapest deals.

4 Live like a local. Eat in local cafes rather than tourist-oriented restaurants, and you’ll get to try more authentic cuisine as well as save cash. Use a local SIM card so you don’t pay extortionate mobile phone rates.

5 Watch out for false economies. Your ultra-cheap flight can cost a fortune if you have to take a taxi to or from the airport if you fly or land at crazy times, or if you find yourself at a remote airport. The upfront price of booking a hotel rather than all-inclusive might be cheaper, but if your resort is far away from local restaurants you will find yourself paying for expensive hotel drinks, meals and extras. In the end, all-inclusive is the cheaper option.