6 Top tips for affordable breaks in school holidays

Anyone with school-aged children, or working in the public school system, is familiar with this problem: You want to go away, but travelling in the school holidays is much more expensive than going during term time. It is one of the most common complaints we hear in this industry. To make matters worse, schools are now fining parents who take their children on holiday outside of designated holidays.

Myself and Dav are all too familiar with this problem. As well as running our business as travel consultants, we work part-time in a school and are also restricted by designated term times. 

The unfortunate fact of the matter is that price increases during the peak season are an unavoidable part of the travel and tourism industry. However, they don't necessarily mean that you can't take amazing holidays, so don't despair!

Here are a few of our tips to try and make that dream holiday feel more achievable: 

Package holiday providers such as Jet2 and TUI offer some of their best discounts and perks as soon as the availability for the season is released. These often include free-child places and room upgrades. We always try to post on our social media platforms when these deals and other special promotions are announced. Make sure you are following to make the most out of special offers and early availability. The longer you wait - the more you will pay.

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I'm not often walking around with an abundance of disposable income - certainly not enough to pay for a peak season holiday. If you are the same, then small deposits allow you to secure your holiday well in advance, even if you haven't got vast amounts to put down right now. If you book with the right supplier, you can pay for a £5 - 10,000 holiday with as little as £75pp deposit. 

If you just went '£5000 holiday, I could never afford that!' then I am going to tell you a secret - I used to think that way too. My ultimate bucket-list holiday has always been a Nile cruise... and they aren't cheap! When I became a travel agent I discovered I could set up a direct debit to pay off my holiday balance. Eureka! 

Direct debit allows you to distribute your holiday payments evenly across a much longer period - In fact, your holiday balance only needs to be paid 6 weeks before you go!

All-inclusive breaks are increasingly popular, and let's face it - they are great! It is wonderful to have your every need taken care of and not to have to worry about how much you've budgeted for the day. However, the reality of the peak season is that the jump from half-board to full-board on selected resorts is going to make quite a dent in your wallet. Use the expertise of your travel consultant to find you a resort with plenty of local amenities and dining options. You'll save a lot of money in the long run by paying for a bit of local lunch, rather than paying more for your holiday to upgrade your meal plan.

We are personally dedicated to trying to alleviate the stress for teachers and families who want to travel affordably. We watch out for and create our own package breaks for during the school holiday periods. Any time we see a fantastic offer that falls during the peak holiday season, we will you know. Make sure you follow us on our social media platforms to make the most of these deals.

If you think you have left things too late, you don't have the time, or you simply can't afford to go away; give us the specification anyway! There is no fee to tell us what you want and you never know what we can put together for you. After all, its what we do best! 

Feel inspired to book your next holiday? Get in contact with us today!