Slash the price of this year's holiday

Find out how you can cut the costs of your summer holiday this year!

It seems that we're finally falling out of love with budget airlines.

New figures from the Civil Aviation Authority show that British airports handled 235 million passengers in 2008 - a 1.9% drop on 2007 numbers. That's only the fourth time since the WWII that there's been a year-on-year decline.

So what's causing the break-up?

Flying into financial turbulence

Well, when it comes to Britons flying out of the country, the credit crunch is certainly a huge factor. Many people (including me) decided to postpone holidays planned for the end of last year, as the economic situation nose-dived.

And the plunge in value of the pound against the Euro has also deterred Brits from venturing abroad.

Travel to a Eurozone destination now, and you'll probably find that food, goods and services are almost a third more expensive than they were at the beginning of 2008.

However, many British airports and the airlines that use them really aren't helping themselves. Here are just some of the rip-offs, scams and charges you have to contend with:

The usual suspects

If you're not careful, hundreds of your hard-earned could evaporate before your holiday even begins.

You'll end up paying through the nose for travel to the airport, eating and drinking at the airport, airport parking and exchanging your currency. And that's on top of huge amounts of tax on your air tickets, and various horrific baggage charges.

Worrying new developments

Just when you thought it couldn't get any worse - it is. Manchester is the latest airport to be accused of profiteering by charging £1 for those tiny plastic security bags. Arrgh!

Last month, Ryanair head honcho Michael O'Leary threatened to start charging people £1 'to spend a penny' using the in-flight toilets. Hilarious.

And the infamous Irish airline has just announced that it is to charge all passengers for checking in - no matter how they do it.

From May 1st, we'll have to fork out £5 when we check-in online - and a whopping £20 if we need to check-in at the airport instead.

Now in the interests of fairness, I should point out that my colleague Szu Ping Chan thinks that Ryanair still gives good value.

But if your budget airline break-up is about to turn into a divorce, what are the alternatives?

Affordable UK options

Thankfully, there are loads of ways you can have an enjoyable UK break at a reasonable price.

Camping: This is the ultimate bargain break. Many campsite pitches still only cost a few pounds a night - check out UK Campsite or the Camping and Caravanning Club to find out more.

Just make sure you pin down exactly what facilities a campsite has before you shell out - a pound or two extra is a small price to pay for warm, dry toilets!

And don't spend loads on camping equipment (particularly if you're not sure you'll like it). Check Freecycle and SnaffleUp for free camping stuff, or pick up cheap secondhand items on eBay or Gumtree.

Hostel accommodation: UK hostels aren't just for those under 26. Many now provide rooms suitable for families and couples - as well as traditional dormitory-style accommodation.

Have a look at the Youth Hostel Association (YHA) website to find out about the special offers running at the moment. For example, if you stay at YHA Jordans this August or September, you'll be able to hire a family room (for up to five people) for just £47.95 a night.

Alternatively, you can currently get 20% off at YHA Sheringham this April - and spend your holiday just ten minutes from the beach from just £15.95 per person, per night.

National Trust working holidays: You could take a break and help restore the nation's heritage at the same time - for as little as £60 a week.

You can choose to get involved in anything from hedge planting and goat herding to costume archiving and stately home stewarding. To find out more about working holidays with the National Trust, read Credit crunch holidays with a difference.

Particularly if you're taking kids, check out the discounts and deals being offered by holiday parks like Butlins, CenterParcs and Haven.

For example, in the Butlins Spring sale, you can currently get 20% off holidays during school vacations and weekends.

And at Haven, there are lots of short breaks in April for under £99 per family.

Squash those costs

Of course, you'll still need to spend money getting to your UK holiday destination. However, there are plenty of ways you can save cash on domestic travel.

Read How to cut the cost of a UK break for tips on how to find the cheapest petrol, how to bag the cheapest train and coach tickets, and lots more.

Earn as you spend

Finally, you might even be able to earn a bit of money back by purchasing your holiday on a cashback credit card.

The American Express Platinum credit card, for example, currently offers 5% cashback on all purchases (up to £2,000 spend) for the first three months, and up to 1.5% cashback after that.

Just make sure you pay the balance off in full every month - otherwise the interest you're charged will outweigh the cashback you earn.

I'm planning to go camping myself this summer - complete with a ridiculously large rucksack and a long-suffering boyfriend.

I'll let you know how I get on. But if it does all go horribly wrong and the tent collapses in the middle of the night, I'll be consoling myself with the thought that Michael O'Leary isn't getting a penny of my cash!

More: How to get cheaper train travel | How to get a bargain hotel room | Don't let the recession ruin your holiday