Book a vacation cheaply — bargain hunting on holiday portals to save the travel budget
With holiday bargains, travel deals and a few tips and tricks, the vacation doesn't have to be expensive. Saving money on vacation is a lot more fun than you think! Comparing prices and booking last-minute bargain holidays from holiday portals is no longer an insider tip. But in addition to looking for travel deals on holiday portals, there is more you can do to make your vacation cheaper but not less beautiful. What exactly can you do to get yourself and your family a holiday bargain that goes with your Reisekasse That's right, we'll tell you here.
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Save money on vacation destinations: choose cheap travel destinations
There are true holiday paradises all over the world. Many of them are known for their great hotels, fantastic locations and fantastic play opportunities for the kids — and for their prices. Because getting a bargain in such a tourist hotspot is almost impossible. It is also completely unnecessary, because there are so many places beyond the top 10 that are even more beautiful.
By the way: Bargains on holiday portals are also often more expensive than a trip to a less well-known location. Because the bargains offered on holiday portals are often concentrated only on the most popular destinations.
When choosing a holiday destination, it is also worthwhile to explore new areas. So leave the well-known and expensive vacation spots behind and focus on places that hardly anyone has on their mind when looking for your summer vacation. This has two advantages: You save your travel budget and you don't fight with three other families for the last beach chair on a completely overcrowded beach. This means more relaxation for you and less burden on your travel budget!
If you want
If you want
Save money on vacation destinations: Choose cheap holiday destinations
There are true holiday paradises all over the world. Many of them are known for their great hotels, fantastic locations and fantastic play opportunities for the kids — and for their prices. Because getting a bargain in such a tourist hotspot is almost impossible. It is also completely unnecessary, because there are so many places beyond the top 10 that are even more beautiful.
By the way: Bargains on holiday portals are also often more expensive than a trip to a less well-known location. Because the bargains offered on holiday portals are often concentrated only on the most popular destinations.
When choosing a holiday destination, it is also worthwhile to explore new areas. So leave the well-known and expensive vacation spots behind and focus on places that hardly anyone has on their mind when looking for your summer vacation. This has two advantages: You save your travel budget and you don't fight with three other families for the last beach chair on a completely overcrowded beach. This means more relaxation for you and less burden on your travel budget!
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Saving on accommodation: Youth hostels are stupid? No way!
Youth hostels are just for school trips? Garbage can open, misconception in, trash can closed. The youth hostels of the German Youth Hostel Association DJH become real holiday palaces during school holidays — for parents and children! They are often close to popular holiday destinations and are winning the price war with hotels by far — ideal for saving travel expenses.
Not convinced yet? Alright Then we will now provide you with all the benefits at a glance. But be careful: It can happen that your lower jaw drops down.
Benefits of youth hostels
- Youth hostels have lots of playmates of the same age — so your kids will find new friends in no time at all.
- Your children are welcome in a youth hostel — even if they are noisy.
- Parents enjoy time together: In a youth hostel, your children are out and about with other children all day — and you also have time to read a good book. And if you're planning a trip for two, you'll definitely find another family that keeps an eye on your kids.
- Youth hostels are close to popular holiday destinations.
- They are cheaper than hotels and apartments (good for the travel budget!).
- Youth hostels also have family-friendly rooms — with endless space.
- Youth hostels have good food, so you don't have to go to expensive restaurants. At the same time, the chefs specialize in making a healthy dish even for meek eaters.
- Youth hostels are also well connected to exciting leisure activities: You can usually find endless information about activities nearby — sometimes even with discount campaigns.
- Youth hostels are everywhere — in Germany and all over the world
Okay, you've probably noticed that we're real fans of youth hostels. So before you start looking for bargains on holiday portals, maybe first find out about possible accommodation in a hostel.
But we also don't want to withhold the only snag from you, which in reality is not a snag at all. Because for your vacation in a youth hostel, you need a membership in a youth hostel association, in Germany in the DJH.
That can be expensive? Wrong again. DJH membership currently costs 22.50 euros per year. Yes, you read that correctly: Membership costs less than a visit to the cinema. So what are you waiting for?
Click here to go directly to the DJH
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Save on air travel: Book flights wisely
Do you want to discover the world during your summer vacation? Out of Germany, into the big wide world? Then the classic tips also apply here: Before you book a flight hastily, you should first compare carefully. Really pay attention to all the details:
- Extra costs for luggage
- Discounts for kids
- Airport parking fees, free parking in the area and airport transfers
- Flight times (flights are often cheaper during the week than on weekends)
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Money wise extra tip: Invest in a luggage scale
Avoid surprises when you check in because you will suddenly have to pay high extra costs for the much too heavy suitcases. A luggage scale is smaller than your smartphone and is available for less than 15 euros. You'll have the investment back after your first vacation if you can save fees this way.
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Flights and hotel nights: Don't waste time!
You and your family can sleep just about anywhere? A clear advantage for your vacation: Book a flight that will take you to your holiday destination in the morning. This saves you an expensive hotel night and starts your first day of vacation feeling well rested. After all, you slept on the plane.
Of course, this also applies to the way back: Enjoy your last day of vacation to the fullest and start your flight home in the evening. In total, you saved two hotel nights and relieved your travel budget once again. If you then also search for bargain flights on flight portals or via holiday portals, you can save even more money.
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Saving on insurance: Don't get carried away
Many tour operators offer you additional insurance for your vacation right when you book: travel cancellation, health insurance, luggage insurance and everything else. International travel health insurance in particular is undoubtedly important. Travel cancellation insurance can also be useful. However, the organizers' prices are often unnecessarily expensive — so don't let yourself be put under pressure, but compare calmly. There are plenty of offers! Try not to empty the piggy bank for the vacation fund for overpriced insurance.
By the way: Many credit cards already include a comprehensive insurance package for the whole family. Before you take out insurance, you should therefore first take a look at the contract details of your card provider.
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Good planning means half savings: How to avoid expensive surprises and save your travel budget
Book and you're done? Sure, you can do it this way. But it won't save you money. And our little extra tips will only cost you a few minutes — but save you lots of expensive surprises. Keep these things in mind to do something good for your vacation money box or travel fund:
- Book your rental car in advance
Rental cars are particularly scarce at the moment — and therefore particularly expensive. If you get off the plane at your holiday destination and hope to get a bargain on the spot, you're unfortunately losing out. It can even happen that you come off completely empty and have to switch to an expensive taxi with your family.
So search the usual comparison portals beforehand for a suitable rental car, which you then just have to pick up. You might even find particularly cheap vacation deals.
If you want - Check documents to avoid extra costs
Are your passports still valid? Has the first-aid kit in the car expired? Does your dog have all the necessary vaccinations?
These are just a few examples of real mood killers when it comes to a check. So take a few minutes and check all the hard facts again before you think about packing your suitcase. This saves time, extra fees and hassle.
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Save on site: Save money on your travel budget
The cheap vacation is booked, the bags are packed — it's ready to go! However, there are still opportunities to save your travel budget. It would be a shame if you found particularly cheap travel deals only to use up the entire travel budget while on vacation. Here are some tips for bargains on vacation and how you can also save money at your destination.
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Snacks, snacks!
Save money when snacking? That sounds like a “slim-in-sleep” promise: kind of too good to be true. But we mean it seriously: snacks save your holiday budget.
Why It's simple: If you have enough snacks in your luggage, you don't have to rely on expensive rest areas, restaurants or street stands. You decide for yourself what and when you eat. Even the bad mood when blood sugar levels fall is absent. Snacking can be so nice!
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Picnic instead of restaurant
We'll stick to the topic of food: Visiting restaurants with the whole family is a worthy final boss for the travel fund. But what should you do if dinner is not included? Our tip: Try a leisurely picnic.
You buy the drinks in the supermarket, the food to go in the pizzeria around the corner. The one where the locals also get their pizza, of course. Because it tastes the best and is often cheaper. You can then simply enjoy your picnic wherever you like: on the beach, in the park or on the lakeside.
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Use what you've already paid for
Have you ever been annoyed about the tourist tax at the holiday destination? That is the end now. Because from now on, you can make full use of this fee. In almost all places, this tax is combined with some inclusive services. These include, for example:
- free use of public transport
- free or discounted admission to museums, parks, swimming pools, etc.
- free or discounted use of local features such as chairlifts
- free participation in city tours
Your host will certainly be happy to tell you which services are included at your holiday destination. There is also plenty of information about this on the tourism portals on the Internet.
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Withdraw and pay money? — Watch out for fees to save travel expenses!
Have you ever withdrawn money from an ATM and then been annoyed by the high fees? Admittedly, you're not safe from that even on vacation. However, if you do it the right way, you'll keep the fees as low as possible.
Numerous credit card providers offer unlimited or at least a certain number of free withdrawals abroad. So first, take a look at your provider's current contract terms. If you find high fees here, it might be time for a change anyway, right?
By the way: Credit card providers often combine these benefits with inclusive insurance benefits. So you're killing two saving tips with one stone.
If you are in a holiday destination with a different currency, more trap doors will be added. Both when withdrawing and paying with a card, you are often offered to convert into euros directly on site. At a great exchange rate, of course. However, the bottom line is that this supposed bargain is often much more expensive than the exchange rate of your house bank.
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So that kids can also save their travel expenses: use bling on vacation
Did you know that with the Bling Card, you can also always keep an eye on your kids' holiday allowance? Your kids can enjoy their freedom and learn how to handle money properly along the way. All the benefits of Bling Card You can find it here.
Are you still unsure how to handle your vacation allowance? Good news: We have a few tips and tricks for you in our post”Pocket money on vacation: How useful is it?“.
By the way: You can also Save money at home during the holidays.
