What is the True Cost of a Holiday for Britons?
It’s nearly Christmas and as soon as 2020 comes around the corner, we all start to make out plans for next Summer holidays as well.
I’m lucky enough to have a husband that was born to be a holiday planner. He thinks about everything in advance. From accommodation to transport links, to places to visit.
He likes doing that and that’s what help me lots when finding better deals when travelling. Our holidays are planned with patience and accuracy.
Not to mention he loves maps. I can tell that I’m the total the opposite when it comes to direction. And even when we met for the first time in São Paulo, he was the one that helped me to find myself in the streets of the city.
When it comes to costs, we also try to find the best deals online without necessarily have to restrict budget or ideas about what kind of holiday we are looking for.
But besides being quite good in trying to reduce costs, there are extra factors that will still contribute to more expenses before, during and after travelling.
A survey conducted this year in June 2019 by Censuswide on behalf of TrustedHousesitters has revealed the true cost of a summer getaway for UK holidaymakers is actually £1,057 more than they had originally budgeted for.
Some other facts that contribute to this:
*On average Brits spend £691 on a summer holiday, but the true cost is actually £1,748 when you factor in things like insurance, clothes, transport and pet care
*Overlooked holiday costs include £141 on new holiday clothes, £109 on pet care, and even £83 on pre-holiday tanning.
Here’s the complete list o extra expenses according to same survey:
Sunbeds before you go away (£39.78)
Fake tan- spray tans and DIY options (£43.74)
New clothes for your holiday (£141.48)
New shoes for your holiday (£79.63)
New sunglasses for your holiday (£62.82)
New jewellery for your holiday (£51.62)
Teeth whitening (£39.93)
Toiletries (£81.24)
Getting your hair done – cutting, colouring, treatments etc. (£63.65)
Getting your nails done- manicure, pedicure, gels, acrylic etc. (£60.13)
Additional beauty treatments- facials, eyebrows, waxing, lashes, Botox etc. (£51.55)
Travel insurance (£93.38)
Car hire for when you’re away (£93.07)
Pet care- getting your pets looked after whilst you’re away (£109.16)
Other holiday costs that people often overlook are buying new books, selfie sticks, pre-holiday beauty treatments, new music speakers, camera equipment and the use of airport lounges.
My Money-saving Tips
Let’s be honest, teeth whitening. Seriously? C’mon! Who are those people? I understand we want to look well, and our health comes first. Hello, travel insurance! But there are some superfluous items checked on this list that can be cut off straight away.
On the other hands, one of the most expensive deals of any holiday is certainly the accommodation. I’m gobsmacked when I hear how much money people would pay for a room just avoid a little bit of research. It’s insane.
Holiday packages are also a puzzle for me. They’re expensive. Period. There is no reason to pay £.1345 for 3 days in Malta. No. It’s not a good deal. You can do better with a simple browser on google. Stop fooling yourself!
It’s important to say that staying in airbnbs almost 90% of the time we travel is also helpful. I can’t imagine having those fair prices if choosing to stay in hotels or guest houses, I’m afraid.
But it does make sense when you all know that holidays on Summer are way more expensive than in other seasons. We don’t usually travel in the Summer. I totally avoiding travelling in August and I see the benefits of it.
But these are the wonders of not being parents. With no kids, we don’t need to worry about half-terms. We travel when kids are at school. I can even number the benefits of it.
Tanning is definitely not in our list of expenses. Why would you be tanned way before reaching the beach? Britons have a weird relation with fake tanning that I don’t understand. I don’t want to break the news, but it doesn’t look natural, you know.
But pet care certainly does, as well as car parking at airport sometimes.
For pet care, we always use the cat sitter services of Kitty Angels that have looked after Dougal for many years now. It’s convenient, cheaper and also gives us the confidence to live him in good hands at his home when we are out.
I’ve also learnt stop buying before travelling. If I want or need something new, I will certainly look for it way before the actual day of my holiday. And unless it’s totally necessary, I won`t buy anything at all. Why do you need a new pair of sunglasses every year, anyway?
I do look at the duty free, though. And sometimes you will see the benefits of it. Most of the time. No. So, avoid it.
I would add costs with transport, museum and other tourist attractions, and food as essential costs to consider. Always. Even though, you can do better when choosing to walk (Hello, people visiting London, skip the tube!) sometimes. Cook at your accommodation and also using Uber. That all helps.
Some of those tips can be useful to some of you. And I certainly understand the costs of a trip are changing, as well the way we travel is also changing. So, being a bit of a researcher is always a good start.
Source | TrustedHousesitters
