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Are you getting ready to go off on holiday and you want a few freebies before you leave?

Or, are you interested in saving as much money as possible to make the trip affordable?

Money is a little tight for us this year as we are getting married! We also have a family holiday booked for the summer so are carefully budgeting our finances.

The good news is that there are a lot of ways to save money, as well as a number of different holiday freebies that you can obtain. Don’t put that trip off until later; you can make it happen now!

1. Book Ahead
Airfare costs a lot of money, and there isn’t a lot you can do about it. However, to save the most money possible, book as far ahead of time as you can. You will save money that way (we actually booked our holiday last year!) In addition, there are websites that will quickly compare different flight options for you, so that you can select the one with the most savings. Why pay full price when you can get a discount?

Prior to making your final decision, clear the cookies on your browser. Some sites raise prices when they “recognise” that you have been to the page often. Believe it or not, you may be able to score a flight and not pay any money out of pocket. You can actually get air miles without flying; you simply have to do a bit of research to learn how it is done (I collect mine on my credit card). See if there is anything available to you before you book your flight.

2. Compare Hotels

Did you know that the same room at a given hotel will cost you different amounts of money, depending on what site you book through? To get the most visibility possible, hotels list their rooms on a variety of sites. However, they are not consistent with the price, which is why it is important to look around and do your research. Don’t necessarily book through the hotel. Instead, visit a variety of sites and see what the best rate is for the room that you want. I have been doing this for my stay in Manchester for BlogOn in May!

Don’t forget about Airbnb, either. There may be an option for lodging that is affordable and nicer than you would expect. Spend a little time looking around the site. When you stay at an Airbnb property, you have access to a kitchen, which means that you can save money by cooking. If you are travelling to an area where the restaurants are quite pricey, you can cook most of your meals at your place and then splurge on a nice restaurant once in a while. The cost of going out for breakfast, lunch and dinner certainly adds up!

3. Get Free Samples

Keep an eye out for free samples. Gather together as many as you can and then take them with you on your trip. They are compact, so they don’t take up a lot of space, and they don’t cost you any money! You can collect free samples in store and online, so make sure you pay attention to what is being offered in your area.

4. Carry An Empty Bottle

If you’ve flown recently, you know that you can’t take any liquids with you through airport security. That means that you are not allowed to have a bottle of water with you. However, you can take an empty container with you. Don’t buy the expensive airport water. The prices are ridiculous and your money could better be spent elsewhere. Instead, ask one of the restaurants to fill your empty bottle for you. It won’t cost any money to do so.

5. Use Holiday Vouchers

There are a lot of holiday voucher codes out there and you should take advantage of them. For example, if you are using an app to help plan your trip, you will typically be offered a discount code the first time you sign up. For instance, you may get a certain amount off simply by opting in to an email list. You could get additional money if you recommend the app and one of your friends signs up. If you are travelling with someone, the two of you could coordinate to save money!

6. Watch For Photo Deals

While you may be anxious to get your holiday pictures after your trip, hold out for a deal. Photo printing companies run promotions all the time online, and you may be able to get all of your pictures printed for free! I have used the services advertised in newspapers to get prints at low cost.

So there you have it, a few tips to save a little money. I hope you have a great holiday wherever you decide to go!

*Collaborative post