If we’re honest, the festive season kicked in as soon as we hit the first of October. That’s when we started dreaming (somewhat vividly) about the December break. The trouble is, many of us can’t ignore the niggling feeling that our bank balances might not be able to cover all the things we want to enjoy during our time off. Especially with the rise in fuel prices having the tragic effect of making everything else in life all that much more expensive.

Instead of bemoaning the fact that you can’t take delight in this time of year that we’ve waited months for just because money is tight, let’s focus on a few tips. Tips that will help you avoid overspending and even save money while you’re off escaping the daily stress and tensions, and reconnecting with your dear ones.   

Plan In Advance

The best way to cut back on expenses is to plan ahead. The biggest costs are travel and accommodation, but you can rack up significant savings by making reservations for travel and lodging well in advance.

If you’re flying, we recommend that you stick to the luggage allowances, because that bargain flight could double in cost if you don’t stick to the weight and size limits.

So, what are you waiting for? Go online now to secure early-bird discounts and better deals (and pack light).

Be Flexible

Barring an exceptionally good reason, be flexible when choosing your trip dates. You never know what the price difference could be for travel or accommodation if you just allow for one or two days on either side.

Make A Fuel Budget

With our Fuel Consumption Calculator and Trip Fuel Cost Calculator you can get a very real look at what kind of money you need to spend in order to get from A to B. For starters, you can use our Trip Fuel Cost Calculator to work out how much it’ll cost you in fuel over a set distance. And then with our Fuel Consumption Calculator, this tool will help make it easier for you to estimate how much fuel your car will use at difference distances in kilometers. 

Between the two, you’ll know how much you need to keep aside for fuel. Not only will this help you create an accurate fuel budget, but it’ll also prevent you from eating into this stash of cash with unnecessary purchases.

Get Your Car Checked Out

Let’s say you’re not flying but driving. Do you realise how much money you can ‘waste’ on small car-related issues over the festive period? Genuinely, it’s often something as small as driving around with a few minor repairs that you should have attended to, which then turned into something far more expensive because of the highway speeds and longer driving times incurred during a road trip.

To avoid anything happening that could wipe out your entire holiday budget, we recommend that you get your car checked out before you hit the road. We’re talking about the brakes, fluids, wipers, types, etc.

Book Self-Catering Options

We love dining out, but this really eats into your budget. Rather book lovely little self-catering options and enjoy some tea and toast in the morning instead of an expensive fry-up. Save your money for something else, like the next tollgate or museum entry.

We’re not saying that you shouldn’t experience local eateries or delicious treats… but instead of willynilly opting to eat out all the time, be intentional and make eating out an experience.

Pack What You Need

It’s amazing how much money you can waste on things that you could have packed. If only you’d created a packing checklist that includes all the essentials (and extras) you might need! We’re talking about things like chargers, toiletries, and medications. These items add up and it’s particularly annoying to spend money on something you already have instead of some holiday treat you had your eye on.

Treasure Experience over Souvenirs

Curios and keepsakes can deplete your budget a lot faster than you think, so prioritise experiences. Trust us, these are worth so much more than an expensive trinket. Obviously you don’t want to be a bummer and say no to every- and anything. Just make sure you really want what you’re buying. Be circumspect about your holiday purchases and take as many photos as possible to capture the moments instead of buying something to represent where you went or what you did.

Use Your Extra Savings

Lastly, don’t forget about all those loyalty benefits, rewards, and cashback points you’ve been stockpiling. Use these for their intended purpose instead of your own cash and you could end up saving money during your holiday. Hey, stranger things have happened.

Feeling informed?

We trust that this advice is helpful, and that by following these tips, you can enjoy an affordable and memorable holiday getaway during the festive season.

Don’t forget that AA Inform is home to a range of useful tools and resources – including a personal loan calculator, access to multiple car and home insurance quotes from the AA Insurance Supermarket, and much more.