From £9.50 vacations in holiday parks to bargain breaks in luxury cottages. Ally Hunt shows you how to have a UK holiday no matter what your budget.
I don't think there can be many families who haven't been affected in some way by the credit crunch. Even those with tracker mortgages benefitting from reduced monthly payments are feeling the bite of the hefty cost of living in the UK.
But Sainsbury's Travel Insurance has found that while we're willing to cut back on many luxuries, holidays are not one of them. According to their recent survey, around 13 million of us intend to book a holiday between Christmas and the end of February. And while the average spend is £881 per person, nearly 1.5 million intend to spend £2k+!
But what about those who'd like a holiday but simply don't have that kind of cash to spare? Fear not, I'm going to show you there's a UK break out for you no matter what your budget.
£9.50 Sun Holidays (but be quick!)
Probably the cheapest holiday available is from The Sun - it's been running its popular bargain breaks offer to holiday parks all over the UK. A group of four can have a week's holiday for just £38 (£9.50 per person).
You do need to collect 10 tokens and as the promotion ends this Saturday you may have to beg, borrow or steal some old copies of the Sun! (You can download one token for free from the website.)
Camping
A great option for those on a budget. If it's your first time you may wish to borrow a tent, or buy a second hand one cheaply. (I found a 2-3 man tent on sale for £18 on Gumtree London.) You may even be able to pick one up for free on Freecycle. Alternatively, cheap tents are available from retailers such as Millets.
Campsites pitches can cost just a few pounds per night and you can book places all over the country from sites such as the Camping and Caravanning Club and UK Campsite.
Hostels
If camping seems too uncomfortable, you can currently book places at Youth Hostels all over the country from just £8 per night.
Families shouldn't rule hostelling out either, as most offer family rooms and facilities for kids at rock bottom prices. You can currently book half price bed and breakfast breaks during the February half term at the Broadhaven Youth Hostel in Wales.
Home Swap
Home swaps can be a great option for anyone who fancies a cheap holiday but likes their home comforts. Sign up to an agency such as www.homelink.org (it costs £115 for basic membership) and you can advertise your home and see what's on offer. Contact the home owner directly and arrange your swap!
What you can swap for will largely depend on how desirable your property (and its location) is. Good properties in London, Oxford, Bath and Edinburgh will always be popular.
Holiday Parks
Families looking for a budget break will probably find holiday parks, with their numerous activities for kids, very appealing.
Butlins currently has a half-price sale, plus it's offering at least £20 off all breaks if you book before midnight on Monday. If you've got pre-schoolers you can currently book 4-night breaks in March and May from as little as £29 per person (normally £74).
Haven Caravan Holiday Parks also have 50% off spring and early summer breaks if you book before 31 January. You can currently book a 7-night break in March in a superior caravan (which sleeps 8) at one of its welsh parks for £187.50 (saving £172.50).
And Centerparcs is offering £100 off a number of its 3-night breaks, with prices starting at £199.
Group holidays
A surprising way to save money is to go away with a group of friends. Booking a house that sleeps ten or more typically works out to be great value per person and you could find yourself in very salubrious surroundings.
Cottages can vary from very basic Youth Hostel style accommodation to utterly amazing five star luxury. Here are a few examples:
No frills
If you don't mind sleeping in bunks in dormitory-style rooms prices can be really cheap.
These National Trust cottages in Hindhead, Surrey sleep 14, or this stone house in Derbyshire that sleeps 18 can each be booked for just £529 for two nights -- that's less than £15 per person, per night!
Traditional cottages
You can currently book the half term week in February at the 4-star Tides Reach and Waves End cottages in Polzeath, Cornwall (which each sleep 4) for just £375 (reduced from £425). And the Stonechat cottage which also sleeps four can be booked until 20 March for just £99 for one week stays.
Luxury Houses
Your group can have a little more luxury but still keep costs down. Not only can you have a beautiful house with stunning grounds all to yourselves, many have exceptional facilities too, with swimming pools, saunas, home cinemas and gyms often included.
What's more, if you're able to book with little notice the prices are slashed even further as homeowners struggle to fill their properties.
Lynher barn in Cornwall, for example, is a lovely 4 bedroom cottage that sleeps 8+cot. Seven-night stays from 24 January to 14 February are currently available at the reduced rate of £415.20 (normally £519) which is just £52 per person.
Half term
You'll obviously pay more if you need to go away in the school holidays. But if you're looking for a half term break, a week's stay at the contemporary Burggraaf in Dorset, with its indoor Roman bath style swimming pool, sauna, hot tub and games room (and sleeps 12) has been reduced from £4,500 to £3,750.
And Aveton, just a few miles from the Devon coast, sleeps 10 and boasts an indoor heated swimming pool, home cinema and a fully equipped kitchen, complete with Aga. Booking a week in the summer holidays (high season) will cost £3,876 (or £55 per person per day).
So there you have it, a UK break for every budget. Happy holidays!
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