Saving on a UK vacation as a travel blogger: Top sites, coupons, and discount cards for significant savings

Saving on a UK vacation as a travel blogger: Top sites, coupons, and discount cards for significant savings

Travel blogger Emily Luxton shares her top strategies for saving money on UK holidays. Here's a roundup of her recommendations.

Top Websites to Use

1. Comparison Sites: Kayak, TravelSupermarket, and Ice Lolly help you compare holiday prices across flights, hotels, and package deals, allowing filters by holiday type and travel preferences.
2. Flash-sale Sites: Holiday Pirates, Secret Escapes, and Travelzoo offer time-sensitive deals that can beat standard comparison sites, ideal for spontaneous bookings.
3. Last-Minute and Secret Hotel Deals: Booking platforms like Lastminute.com and Hotwire.com provide “secret hotels” where you get deep discounts (over 40%) on mystery unsold rooms in the UK and abroad, uncovering the hotel name only after booking.
4. Specialised Holiday Providers: HF Holidays offers significant discounts (up to £500pp) on UK walking and activity breaks, and overseas trips, with added member-only savings.
5. Discounts on Attractions: MoneySavingExpert’s guide explains how to use 2-for-1 rail vouchers from Days Out Guide for entry to popular UK attractions and Tesco Clubcard conversions for even more savings on theme parks.
6. Travel Providers with Deals and Codes: TUI’s deals page provides seasonal discounts up to £700 per couple on UK and abroad holidays, with additional perks like low deposits and payment plans.

Key Strategies to Save Money

1. Compare Prices on Multiple Sites: Start with broad price comparisons on Kayak, TravelSupermarket, and Ice Lolly to find a fair price. Then check flash-sale sites to catch short-term bargains.
2. Be Flexible on Dates and Destinations: Searching dates around your preferred travel time can reveal cheaper options; flexibility also helps in catching flash sales or secret hotel deals.
3. Use Secret Hotel Bookings for Last-Minute Savings: Opt for mystery hotel deals on Lastminute.com or Hotwire to save more than 40%, especially useful for spontaneous trips within the UK or Europe.
4. Leverage Rail and Voucher Discounts for Attractions: Using National Rail tickets combined with Days Out Guide vouchers can provide 2-for-1 entry to major UK attractions, saving around £50 per visit.
5. Utilize Loyalty Programs and Membership Discounts: Tesco Clubcard points can be converted into vouchers with increased value for certain attractions. Membership schemes like HF Holidays offer exclusive additional savings.
6. Book Package Holidays When Possible: Package deals from reputable operators or flash-sale sites often bundle flights, hotels, and transfers at a discount compared to booking separately.
7. Check for Discount Codes and Offers from Major Operators: Platforms like TUI provide seasonal discounts, promotional codes, and offer flexible payment methods such as installment plans or low deposits to manage holiday costs.

Other Tips from Emily Luxton

• Emily Luxton recommends getting a railcard from National Rail to save a third on train fares.
• National Rail Days Out offers 2-for-1 entry at top attractions like London Zoo, Caernarfon Castle, and the Bluebell Railway, as well as huge discounts at theme parks like Thorpe Park, LEGOLAND, and Alton Towers.
• Emily Luxton recommends using Tesco Clubcard points to pay for travel costs.
• A tastecard membership can get you 2-for-1 meals or 25% off the total bill at thousands of restaurants, with membership usually costing £79.99 per year but currently available for £29.99.
• Emily Luxton suggests checking Hoseasons for holiday parks, as prices may be lower than booking direct.

By following these tips and strategies, you can make the most of your UK holiday while keeping costs low. Happy travels!

[1] Luxton, E. (2021). The Best Websites to Find Cheap Holidays in the UK. Retrieved from https://emilyluxton.co.uk/blog/the-best-websites-to-find-cheap-holidays-in-the-uk [2] Luxton, E. (2021). How to Find Last-Minute Deals on UK Holidays. Retrieved from https://emilyluxton.co.uk/blog/how-to-find-last-minute-deals-on-uk-holidays [3] Luxton, E. (2021). How to Save Money on UK Walking Holidays. Retrieved from https://emilyluxton.co.uk/blog/how-to-save-money-on-uk-walking-holidays [4] Luxton, E. (2021). How to Save Money on UK Attractions. Retrieved from https://emilyluxton.co.uk/blog/how-to-save-money-on-uk-attractions [5] Luxton, E. (2021). How to Save Money on Holidays with TUI. Retrieved from https://emilyluxton.co.uk/blog/how-to-save-money-on-holidays-with-tui

1. To enhance your finance management while maintaining a stylish lifestyle, consider using financial apps like Mint or YNAB to track expenses and create a budget, allowing you to save money for travel experiences.
2. By following travel blogger Emily Luxton's tips for saving money on UK holidays and applying these strategies to your lifestyle, you can allocate more funds towards travel adventures, broadening your horizons and creating lasting memories.

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