From shopping and waxing, to getting your hair and nails done – a holiday is no cheap feat.
And, as many of us have been unable to travel in the last few years, it can be tempting to go all out with a trip abroad – which, of course, means splashing the dosh.
In fact, Brits are forking out more than £300 per person of holiday extras increasing the overall cost of trips significantly.
Research reveals that one in ten Brits spend £1,200 on holiday extras for a family of four.
Additionally, more than two fifths (43%) of people find searching for the best deals to be the most time-consuming aspect of planning a holiday, meaning they may book this last minute and face surge prices.
Experts at Looking4.com have looked at spending habits when preparing for a holiday – including how long people spend doing it and how much money is spent on extras (such as clothes, toiletries, beauty treatments and accessories).
They found that the average adult coughs up an additional £127 per person, per trip, on holiday extras.
However, over one in 10 (15%) holiday makers spend more than £300, adding a huge amount in additional costs. Only one a third of Brits (34%) spend under £100 when going away.
Women pay only about £10 more (£133) than men on average and those aged 18-24 are spending the most on their holiday additions (£145).
It’s no surprise that London is the city that spends the most money, with an average of £152.02 compared to Edinburgh, which spends the least at £90.
A quarter of us (24%) take one month or longer to prepare for a holiday so you can imagine how prices add up.
It’s not just additional money our holidays are costing us – it’s time, too.
The average time we spend getting ready for a trip away is 10.5 days, but 20% of people claim it only takes take a day or two to get everything prepared.
Leeds was found to be the city that takes the longest to prepare for a holiday, with almost one in six of people (14%) spending more than two months preparing for their time in the sun.
So what should you do to save on costs?
Book parking beforehand
Book your parking in advance, say the experts.
You should organise your parking or transport to the airport in advance. For example, booking your transport – whether that be a bus or train – in advance will save you a significant amount of money.
Likewise, booking your airport parking in advance will also save you money on the overall cost.
Avoid taxi costs
When it comes to finding accommodation abroad, could you save by booking closer to the city centre/central area so everything is within walking distance and taxi/public transport costs won’t add up?
Use certain cards abroad
You can also use cards such as Monzo so you don’t get charged for pulling out money abroad. It’s best to speak to your bank if they allow usage abroad.
See if treatments are cheaper abroad
And if you’re a treatment fanatic, could you get your services (such as nails, waxing or hair) done cheaper abroad?
It’s worth looking into it. As long as it’s safe and legitimate, of course.
Check toiletries
Also, don’t forget to make sure all your products and toiletries are within the requirement for travelling in an aircraft.
Brits are throwing away millions of pounds worth of goods at the airport during the summer holiday, so best to pack accordingly.
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