Summer has arrived – sort of – and with the changing of the seasons, the thoughts of many will turn in earnest to their holidays overseas.
At least some of those thoughts are likely to be tinged with concern over what the conflict in the Middle East might mean for flights to and from Ireland while the enduring cost-of-living crisis is also likely to be front and centre in many people’s minds.
But even in troubled times there are ways to save a few bob when it comes to holidays.
The weeks before you go
1. The first thing you should do is sort out your travel documents and put copies of everything you might possibly need – from your passport to your travel insurance documentation – into one easy-to-access online folder.
RM Block
And how do you do this? It really couldn’t be easier. Take a photograph of your passport and email it to yourself – and store it in a dedicated folder. Having access to your passport details won’t actually save you money but it will make getting a replacement much easier if it is lost or stolen overseas. In the same folder in whatever email service you use, store your boarding passes, accommodation details and car-hire booking info, as well as your health and travel-insurance details and a picture of your European Health Insurance Card.
If you are travelling as part of a couple make sure both parties have access to the folder. There is little point in you having all the details of your travel insurance if you are the one who ends up in traction and unable to talk to anyone.
2. If you haven’t already, makes sure you sign up for a European Health Insurance Card (Ehic) before you go. And if you have signed up make sure to check the expiration date. And why would you do that? Because the card has to be renewed every five years. It allows you to be treated like a citizen of whatever EU member state you’re in if you need medical attention. It’s free but bear in mind that some sites that appear prominently on search engines try to attach a fee to the application. Only apply through ehic.ie.
3. Travel insurance is important in the best of times and even more important when times are not so good – and we are in those times now. If you haven’t got a policy yet, don’t delay; you won’t save yourself any money by waiting until closer to your date of departure and almost half the claims that Irish consumers make are filed before the departure date, with illness and death the most likely reasons for cancellations.
This is the year to get the best policy that is available to you as not all policies are equal. The key thing to have right now is travel disruption cover as it might offer some protection if your flight is cancelled for whatever reason, meaning you can’t get to your pre-booked accommodation or time. If you already have travel insurance it might be worth your while upgrading to a premium policy just in case fuel shortages disrupt travel this summer.
4. if you are booking a DIY package, try to book accommodation that allows you to cancel right up to the day before travel. It might cost you more but it could save you in the longer term. And it might be worth looking at holidays booked through tour operators. If you miss a part of your holiday or can’t get home as a result of flight disruption, then they will have to take care of you.
5. If you haven’t booked a flight to your chosen destination yet, what are you waiting for? This summer flights are hardly likely to get any cheaper than they are now and if flights are cancelled in the weeks ahead, airlines are first going to target busy routes and cut a number of flights from those. If an airline has eight flights going to a particular destination every day, they might cut it back to five; those who have already booked will be accommodated while those who have held off will miss out.
6. If you haven’t booked anything yet, make sure you pay close attention to school holidays – and not just the ones in Ireland. A trip booked for May or September can cost 30 per cent less than the same one booked for high season in family-friendly locations. English children have a weeklong half term starting on May 25th this year so expect a spike in prices then.
Their summer holidays don’t start until July 20th, mind you, and they run until August 28th, so if you are taking children away try to get away before then – any time in July is still high season for Ireland but accommodation will be in greater demand when other countries are off too.
7. If you are booking in the days ahead put in the legwork and don’t presume the DIY option is cheaper – it might be but at least have a look at what travel agents have on offer. If an hour’s work saves you 300 quid it will be time well spent. But it not always about the bottom line, and make sure that whoever you book with is legit and – if it is a tour operator – fully bonded.
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And if you are booking online or in-store or all-inclusive or camping, try to give your money to a local provider. Not only is it the decent thing to do, it might be easier to get redress from a local company should something go wrong.
8. If you’re going to hire a car, hire it early and ask yourself if you need one. Car hire can be a habit but if you’re not going to use it much, maybe don’t bother. There is wikivoyage.com to tell you what you need to know about your destination’s transport options. Apps make ordering cabs anywhere in Europe pretty painless. Even if you spend €30 a day on taxis, it still works out cheaper than car hire.
9. If you do hire a car pay close attention to the Ts&Cs to see how much extras – booster seats, additional drivers and the like – will set you back. And do a bit of research on the car-hire company you are considering: they are not all the same and a couple of minutes’ googling might help you avoid some of the real cowboys out there.
10. Always go for full-to-full fuel policies, and don’t fill up at the forecourt right beside the airport: they know where they are and charge a premium for it. And when booking a car, give the company your flight details and if the plane is delayed make sure to let them know as if you miss your collection window, some companies will just give your car away and refuse to return any of the money you paid.
The day before you go
11. Be the most ruthless packer you can be and bring less than you think you’ll need. Roll rather than fold your clothes, starting with long trousers and dresses and then T-shirts and tops. Squeeze underwear into the spaces left behind; socks can be wedged into shoes, if you are packing them.
Decant liquids into smaller plastic bottles, remembering that contact lens cases are excellent liquid and cream holders. If you don’t have any you can buy them for peanuts in an opticians. Be wise to the excess baggage charges the airlines have and at least weigh yourself on a scales with and without your bag.
12. You don’t need loads of adaptors when travelling elsewhere in the EU. All you need is one, and a multi-socket plug from home. This tip might not save you a bundle of cash but it does simplify the whole charging palaver when you are away from home.
13. Wear your heaviest clothes to the airport rather than packing them. If you are going somewhere hot, you might be slightly uncomfortable once you disembark but you will create more space in your case for lighter things.
14. If you’re driving to the airport – and you might be better off taking a cab – make sure you pay for parking in advance. It will make a massive difference to the final cost and you might find there are no spaces if you don’t.
In the airport and on the plane
15. If possible, check in your heaviest bags with a human being. There is a chance a real person might be more forgiving if you are a couple of kilos over your allowance. In our experience, machines tend to be a lot less forgiving.
16. Never change money at an airport – there is no value to be found.
17. Be a mindful shopper once you have got through security. In airports we are easy pickings for retailers because we tend to be bored and captive. Before you hand over any cash ask yourself if you need it and if it’s good value.
18. Do not mindlessly wander through airport retail halls – you will be tempted and the temptation will cost you money. Bring a good book or download movies and television programmes to your phone or tablet or find a seat and listen to a good podcast.
19. The food on planes is a modern marvel in the sense that you can find yourself being served fried breakfast, a panini or a bag of salty pretzels and a cup of coffee while eight miles high and travelling at more than 400 miles an hour. But marvels aside, the food is rarely brilliant and often expensive. We eat and drink on planes because we are bored and it can be a useful distraction. But if you are going to be on the plane for two or so hours you can probably get by without three glasses of wine served in a dinky little bottle.
When you arrive
20. Time is money, right? So once your plane lands and you have been allowed off, race like the clappers. Every person you manage to overtake is a person less you have to stand behind in a queue at passport control. If you’re travelling as part of a family, once you’re through security, designate one adult to get the bags and the other to race to the car-hire place. You could add hours to your holiday – and to your life – by following this advice.
21. When collecting a car – if you have hired one - you’ll be asked if you want extra insurance. It might suit, but super collision damage waiver insurance can cost up to €30 a day. Instead, take out an annual policy at home with an Irish insurance company. Make sure you have enough on your credit card to stand a hefty deposit. Ask about breakdown procedures and put the emergency number into your phone.
22. Buy tickets for the attractions you plan to see ahead of time. It may save you money but it will definitely save you time as you won’t have to queue. It is worth looking at the online prices even if you are in a queue: they are frequently cheaper.
23. If you are booking tickets online make sure you are booking on the official website. A lot of online businesses make money by pretending to be the official websites and selling tickets at inflated prices, sometimes promoting fast-track entrance and all the rest. Don’t give them either the time of day or your money.
24. Do some research about freebies. Many cities offer free access to museums on certain days and after certain times. Don’t leave it to chance, and do your homework before you make your visiting plans.
25. Always pay in local currency, not your home currency and decline “conversion” at ATMs or card machines. By accepting the rate being offered by the ATM you are all but guaranteeing you will be screwed.
Heading home
26. Return the car when the rental company is open and have it inspected carefully. If you do have to return the car outside working hours, be sure to take pictures and a video of it when it has been parked in the designated area. Mail the pictures to yourself.
27. Keep an eye on your credit card to ensure that no sneaky charges are added in the days and weeks after you get home.
Apps and maps
28. It has never been easier to travel than it is now, with all manner of apps available to help you navigate new places and unfamiliar menus. But while apps do make it easier, they can also drain a little of the excitement out of travel as they make the chances of you exploring and getting lost and finding hidden gems somewhat slim. Here are some to help you get the most out of your holidays:
- It is hard to top Google maps. It will get you from A to B no matter how you are travelling and will point you to good restaurants and attractions near where you happen to be at any given time. We’d recommend you downloading all the maps of wherever you are planning to be so you can explore even if you have no coverage or don’t want to see the roaming costs climb.
- Citymapper is a good choice for navigating public transport in many cities across Europe. It has easy-to-follow directions covering metro lines, buses, trams, ferries, bike-sharing, and walking routes. It also has real-time departure boards, delays and platform information,
- Hailing a cab in many places is grand, but you do leave yourself open to being ripped off. It’s worth doing a small bit of research to see what apps are available wherever you are going. FreeNow works in many countries across Europe and is a very handy way to get a cab in the likes of Spain, Italy, France and the UK. There is also Bolt, which is used in many European countries while uber is the default option for travelling in the US.
- Getyourguide is a very handy app, covering many countries, that basically acts as an online concierge if you want to do something in a particular place and might struggle to do it independently. It is not always the cheapest option but it might help you sometimes.
- When it comes to reviews, it’s hard to top Trip Advisor, with its billion reviews. It’s handy to get a sense of what others think of attractions and restaurants where you are, but take glowing and really negative reviews with a grain of salt: Pricewatch went to a restaurant in Portugal a couple of years ago based solely on Trip Advisor reviews and it was honestly one of the worst meals we’ve ever had.
- Instagram is surprisingly handy when it comes to finding the viral sensations in a particular location. The only thing is, because Instagram is quite popular, its viral sensations tend to be seen by other people too so the queues outside the best fast-food truck selling the most amazing tacos might be long.
- When it comes to booking restaurants overseas you will struggle to beat The Fork and OpenTable. They do have limitations and sometimes will tell you a restaurant is booked when you can still get a walk-in. Book early on them if you want to get the most out of them. More and more restaurants are using WhatsApp for reservations and that is certainly worth trying, particularly if there is a language barrier.
- And speaking of which, Google translate works with more than 100 languages and has camera translation for menus and signs, and can offer Voice conversations in real time; it is also completely free.
- XE currency offers live exchange rates and Works offline once rates are downloaded. It has an easy-to-use calculator-style interface and can be good when you’re standing in a shop and want to quickly check out how much 100 dirhams is.
