Planning your holiday is exciting, but it’s also very expensive.  Luckily, there are a number of ways you can make your budget stretch even further by shopping savvy online.

Here are some top tips on saving money when booking a holiday, and they all add up.

Check Out Voucher Sites

These days, it seems like no one pays full price for anything any more.  Beauty treatments, meals out, trips to the theatre, there’s great deals to be had on almost anything.  Start your holiday planning journey by heading to some voucher sites like NetVoucherCodes.co.uk who have a range of hotels and flights with up to 70% off standard prices.  You’re bound to find something you’ll like.

Visit A Price Comparison Site

Don’t forget to check on some of the major price comparison sites for the best deals on flights and hotels.  Some of the most popular are Trivago and Booking.Com. You could make a great saving on a hotel or upgrade to an even better one for the same amount of money.

Don’t Travel At Peak Times

For some, travelling at peak holiday times is unavoidable, especially if you have school-age children who can only travel during the school holidays, or you’re heading to a specific event.

If you do have some flexibility on when you can travel, take advantage of it. Hotels and airlines increase their prices massively over the summer and during school holidays because they know that people don’t have a choice. In an article by The Guardian, the cost of a holiday for a family of four can cost up to £3000 more when taken in August, than it would have in June.

Make the most of your money and consider some winter travel destinations too.

Fly Mid Week

Most people prefer to fly on a Friday or a Weekend, which is why prices are typically higher on those days.  By looking for flights outside of these days, you’re more likely to get a good deal.

Sign Up For Price Alerts

Try as you might, trying to predict the algorithms airlines use to set their pricing, is almost impossible.  Prices can change daily so get signed up to an online tracking site such as Kayak, Google Flights, or Yapta. They’ll track the flights you’re interested in, and send you an email alert when they drop in price.

Fly Indirectly

Indirect flights can be a nightmare to organize, and they aren’t great for your carbon footprint either.  But, if you’re really looking to save as much money as possible, then it’s something you can look at.

Don’t Go For The Optional Extras

When booking flights, there are so many little extras you end up paying for.  Some of these are unavoidable, but some you can consider doing without.

Extras such as priority boarding, paying extra for sitting together, extra legroom or cutting the security check-in queue.

Unless you’re on a long haul, don’t book a meal or get overpriced snack and drinks on board.  Though you won’t be able to take food and drink through security, you will be able to pick something up at the airport before you board.

Don’t Get Charged Extra For Your Luggage

If you’re only going away for a few days, learn to pack light.  You’ll save on extra baggage charges each way and that can add up to big savings.

If you do need the extra luggage allowance, make sure you weigh and measure your luggage before you go.  If you’re found to be over the weight limit, you can be fined a pretty hefty amount per kilo of luggage, in each direction.  If you’re planning on doing some shopping while you’re on holiday, this will mean your luggage will be heavier on the return flight, so take this into account when you’re packing and leave some room.

Book Your Airport Parking In Advance

Pre-booking your parking before go on holiday is a great idea.  It’s often up to 30% cheaper to do this than just paying for it when you get there. Do a Google search for the latest deals of check out some of the voucher sites, who often have good deals on airport parking.

By following these tips, you’ll be able to make great savings on your holiday.  Some of the savings might look small, but when taken together, you could save hundreds on pounds on your trip, giving you some extra spending money to make memories while you’re there.