Holidays and travel

We spend all year looking forward to our holidays, so make sure you're getting the best deal you can.

Before you go

Save save save, if you know you are going on holiday well in advance you can put a little cash aside each pay cheque for your hols. If you are off in a rush make sure you have a plan on how you will pay for it all when you get back, and no, not eating for a month does not count.

Flight-only

There are many budget airlines now that offer cheap flights at the cost of all the frills (in-flight movies, meals). Take a book and a sandwich, or sleep your way through and you could save vast sums of cash. The airports you fly from are often further away from the cities though; so do remember to include the train/ bus fare to and from the airport as well as the flights when working out which way is cheaper. Mostly you'll get the best deals by booking way in advance or travelling mid week, however more expensive airlines may offer better deals at the last minute for long-haul destinations.

Look at TheSite.org's guide to cheap flights. STA travel is also always worth a look for cheap deals on flights and accommodation for those under 26 years old.

Once you have the flights sorted you'll need to find some accommodation. Look in guidebooks for budget hotels, stay in hostels, with friends or go camping. There are lots of links on cheap European places to stay on the Guardian Travel site.

Package deals

These are basically holidays where you buy the accommodation and flights as one. You can save money this way but don't always know what you are getting for your cash. Always check the firm is reputable when booking with them and make sure they have an ATOL license.

Most package deals will insist you have travel insurance, so make sure you buy the best one for your needs. Going away at the last minute? Often you can find cheap package deals for flight and accommodation, rushing you off somewhere suitably sun-drenched in a matter of days. Try websites like Expedia and Lastminute.com, as well as travel shops and Teletext.

UK-based

Can't stretch to an overseas trip? You could always have a local holiday for local people, pile yourself and some mates into a car with a tent or two and head off to the coast to build sandcastles.

Saving money when travelling

Whether you choose to stay in hostels, save on food costs and accommodation bills, hitch, or take a road trip; there are plenty of ways to cut costs on your holiday without limiting your fun. If you are going for a longer trip you may even want to consider working for part of the time.

Changing money

When changing money into another currency or travellers cheques you should look for commission free exchanges wherever possible to save money. Several places offer this now, from high street banks to supermarkets, however many others still charge up to 2% so always check before you buy. Guardian Money has plenty of tips for avoiding charges when taking money abroad.