Your smartphone can save you hundreds of pounds while on holiday, if you have the right apps downloaded.
The summer holiday season is here. Whether you're having a staycation or jetting off to sunnier climes, most people will have a trip away booked.
But summer holiday season can also be expensive, so before you start packing take a look at our pick of the best money-saving apps for your smartphone.
1. WhatsApp
This is a great app for keeping in touch with your friends and family across the world and it’s free to use. It allows you to speak and send photo messages and doesn’t cost any extra on top of your mobile internet plan or a Wi-Fi connection.
Therefore it's much better than a regular SMS message for contacting people. You can also create group chats and send video and audio messages.
2. MyVoucherCodes
Another free app, this one gives you access to the best local deals to save money on everything from clothes shops and supermarkets to restaurants and bars. It's a UK-only one but can be downloaded instantly and then used straight away, cutting out the hassle of printing vouchers off beforehand.
3. Trivago
If you end up in a new city without booking a room beforehand, Trivago is a handy free app which compares prices from more than 600,000 hotels worldwide. It also tells you the cheapest websites to book through so you can save even more money.
You can also search for hotels on a map, refine results with certain criteria - such as if you want somewhere pets are allowed or a hotel with parking spaces - and then it can connect you straight to the hotel on the phone.
4. JustBook
Expensive hotels aren't full every night. So if you’re booking last minute you can grab a bargain. The app JustBook lists three boutique hotels every day, all at a discount price.
You can choose from three budget options and book directly through the app.
5. Kayak
As you’ll need to book both hotels and transport, this free app is an easy way to compare the prices of both and even includes extras such as car rental.
You can do it all through the app, so it’s ideal for travellers on the go and it also includes photos and reviews to give you enough information to make the right booking.
6. Navfree
This is one of the only free satnav apps around and will give you street-by-street instructions, wherever you’re headed. It doesn’t need a data connection for navigation and works around the world using auto-rerouting and voice guidance.
As most satnavs cost around £60 each, this is a handy way to get some extra cash for holiday spending.
7. TripIt
Being organised is the number one way to cut down on unnecessary spending while you’re on holiday. Therefore this free app is handy as you can log every aspect of your holiday and keep it in one place.
The plan can be shared between other users and you can include all aspects of your trip such as flight, hotel and car rental details along with restaurant confirmation emails and recommendations.
8. Chowzter
Instead of forking out for over-priced food which doesn’t taste very good, the free Chowzter app will recommend the best local dishes through its free app.
Food bloggers around the globe vote for their favourite dishes, based on a number of factors including taste and price, and the best are listed on the app.
9. Skype
Stay in contact with friends and family back home with the free Skype app. Video calls are free between other Skype users and when calling a mobile phone you’ll pay substantially less than dialling from your phone.
To use Skype you’ll need a 3G or WiFi connection and you can also use its instant messaging service for free where you can send messages, video and photos.
10. Expedia
As well as a good place to store your trip itinerary, the Expedia app lists travel discounts which promise to save you up to 60% on hotel prices compared to other websites.
It’s a free app and works worldwide. As the itinerary is stored in real time you’ll also be alerted to any changes or delays as they happen.
Keeping mobile broadband costs down
Connecting to the internet while on holiday can cost a lot of money and if you don't turn your roaming off you could easily come home to a massive bill. Instead of "bill shock" be prepared and make sure you've bought the right tariff for your spending.
This could either be through using your normal tariff, buying a bolt-on service, using WiFi or getting pocket WiFi. For more information, check out our article Cheapest ways to use mobile broadband abroad.