One of the big perks of going on a camping holiday is how cheaply it can be done. Food, drink and activities are all areas which can be financed on a budget, so with a little planning in advance it’s possible to spend very little next time you stay at a camping holiday park. Here are our tips on how to get a lot from relatively little.
Food
Camping holidays offer the advantage of ultimate freedom in what you do and how you do it, and in no other area is this more the case than it is with food. It’s an often over-looked area in this regard, frankly, as any meal-time squabbling can be easily nipped in the bud by just cooking on-site. What this means is that people can choose what they want to eat from a local supermarket, and everybody’s meals can all be cooked together. This saves on quarrels over which restaurants to eat at, and is also cost-effective.
Drink
The same economy applies to drinking, both in the recreational sense and in keeping hydrated. Long hikes through the countryside can be complemented with bottles of water picked up at local shops beforehand, rather than paying larger prices at stops along the way.
When it comes to more recreational drinking, it’s a great idea to sample the local product. Scour markets for the most exotic drinks available – not just those you can also get back at home – and take yourself on a beverage adventure!
ActivitiesGetting back to nature with a camping holiday opens up all kinds of possibilities when it comes to activities. The open environment is perfect for sport or exercise, as the more active in your party can get down to action at the drop of a hat. Another trip to the local shop can reap rewards in the form of cricket sets, a football or a skipping rope. Be sure to pick games that are easy to play and that the whole party can get involved with – there’s loads of fun to be had!
Camping holidays can easily be enjoyed without breaking the bank. Simply put, the key to making the most of your holiday is to plan ahead. You’re on holiday in order to have fun with people you get on with – there’s no need for it to be an expensive trip that leaves your wallet sore for months afterwards!
About the author: Laura is an experienced travel writer based in the UK and works with family holiday specialists Al Fresco Holidays. These offer camping holidays throughout Europe and share her passion for the great outdoors.
About the author: Laura is an experienced travel writer based in the UK and works with family holiday specialists Al Fresco Holidays. These offer camping holidays throughout Europe and share her passion for the great outdoors.
Photos by SteveD & Zach Dischner via Flickr Creative Commons
The UK certainly isn’t renowned for being a budget destination, but there are ways that you can make backpacking through this corner of Europe slightly easier on your pocket.
Tip One: Never be afraid to ask about discounts or coupons from hotels or restaurants. Also, be sure to check online for discount vouchers. VoucherCodes.com is a great website that offers discounts on anything from supermarkets and high street retailers to restaurants. Even airport parking like Heathrow airport parking now comes with a website that offers discounted rates.
Tip Two: Book hotels and flights as far in advance as possible, most airlines offer discounts for booking early. On the other hand, LastMinute.com is a really useful site for booking hotels at a short notice, at discounted rates. Also, if you like a good show, there are plenty of musicals running in the UK's capital and you can find great London hotel and show deals anytime.
Tip Three: Pick the right restaurants; small local pubs and restaurants are likely to offer better prices than some five-star, fine dining places, with food that is just as good, if not better.
Tip Four: Utilize public transportation. Most airports offer easy access to local Tubes, Trains and Buses and some even offer shuttles to the transport hubs. Stansted airport parking is an easy distance from local bus stations and local airport hotels. If you’re travelling around London, make sure you purchase an Oyster card. It makes transport on London buses, the Underground system, and most overground trains far cheaper.
Tip Five: Don’t be afraid to stop at local markets and grocery stores for meals and skip the whole restaurant thing all together. There are plenty of hostels and hotels that will let you use their kitchen to fix a meal.
Tip Six: Hostels are the best and sometimes safest places to bunk down for a night or two while backpacking across the country and were specifically created for that purpose. Hostels are generally a great deal more affordable than a standard hotel or Bed & Breakfast would be. And you get the bonus of meeting some fellow backpackers to trade advice with.
Tip Seven: Avoid Tourist Traps. Nothing says dollar signs like the typical spots tourists are expected to go. Avoid those and you will save a fortune. But don't avoid touristy place all together. A Giant's Causeway tour for example can be a memory you will hold on to till a very old age.
Tip Eight: Don’t buy tourist keepsakes. If you want something unique to remember your visit by, wander through local villages and markets with your camera and a notebook so you can jot down all the quirky sights, smells and snippets of conversation that you come across. It’ll make for a higher quality and more affordable keepsake.
Tip Nine: BYOS (Bring Your Own Shampoo) - don’t get stuck buying toiletries at the airport that are way over-priced, plan your toiletries around the length of your trip instead. Or, if you’re worried about the weight of your luggage, buy them at shops rather than at the airport. Big supermarkets such as Tesco and Asda are the market leaders, and are great value.
Tip Ten: Map your routes in advance. The easiest way to save money is to make sure you know where you are going, how to get there and how to find local buses, etc.
Above all, talk to people. Communication and interaction with people has to be one of the greatest treasures of travelling. In just a few minutes you can learn helpful hints and tips about the area you’re visiting, and you may even be so lucky as to pick up a bit of local dialect too! But above all, conversation is an opportunity to share cultural wisdom and exchange a few moments of personal, cross-cultural understanding and appreciation. Happy travels.
About the Author: This post was written by Sophie James who has enjoyed travelling for more than four years. Having travelled around the world on a budget she is a firm believer in economical travel. Her favourite international destination is Equador.
Photos via Flickr Creative Commons (source 1, 2, 3)
Photos via Flickr Creative Commons (source 1, 2, 3)
In France and Italy it’s bread and cheese, in Germany it’s sausages, but what are your best bets for cheap eats when travelling in the notoriously expensive UK? Once you’ve tired of squished Nutella sandwiches pulled out of your backpack while on the go, why not consider a few of the locals favourite fast foods. Not only are these options cheap and tasty, but they offer a cultural experience as well!
Cream Tea
A visitor to England could be forgiven for thinking that a cream tea is a cup of tea with cream, but don’t be fooled by the name; this is in fact a snack fit for a queen! Every tea room in the land serves their own version of this delicacy and regional battles rage over the proper order for toppings to be added. The Cornish Cream Tea is probably the most famous and includes your cup of tea with milk and sugar, along with a warm scone, topped first with jam and then a healthy measure of clotted cream. Just across the border in Devon however, a Devonshire Cream Tea requires the clotted cream to be added first, and then followed by jam. Either way it’s a delicious afternoon snack and feels luxurious without breaking the bank. It’s really doesn’t get much more British than this.
The Great British Pie
What was once simply a used as a means of preserving meat is today an iconic British dish. The variety is endless and varies from the cheap and cheerful version served up on football terraces across the land, to the gourmet varieties offered by the top bakers. It is the perfect portable food – they are self contained, require no cutlery, and can be eaten hot or cold. The most iconic of British pies has to be The Melton Mowbray pork pie, which now has Protected Geographical Status from the European Union to guard its unique recipe. The British pie industry is said to be worth £230 million – the pie is certainly humble no more!
Fish and Chips
This quintessentially British dish has been carried the world over, but it still holds pride of place in the English psyche as one of the most beloved dish. Every fast food outlet, or ‘chippy’ as they are colloquially known in the UK, serves up their own version of the delicacy and many guard their secret recipes and techniques fastidiously. Your best bet for top quality fish and chips will be along the coast, where the fish will be at its most fresh. For the hungry traveller this is a great lunch or dinner option, it’s inexpensive, filling, and the busy shops offer a great place to chat with the locals. If you want to make this a truly British cultural experience be sure to order a side of mushy peas, a lurid green concoction of boiled marrow fat peas that divides the nation. Sounds tasty, doesn’t it?
One of the best parts of travelling is experiencing new things, and food is one of the best! Heading out the restaurants for three meals a day can really add up, but you can save a bundle by making your own meals with local ingredients yourself. This is one of the major benefits to staying in a self catering holiday cottage; you have everything you need to make yourself a cheap and cheerful meal for a fraction of the cost. You can save even more by looking for last minute UK cottage deals online.
About the Author: Amanda is a Canadian writer and traveller who is currently based in the UK. She has travelled extensively through Europe, North America, and Australia and takes every opportunity to discover new and exciting places. Amanda is currently writing about great UK experiences for Sykes Cottages, who offer great holiday cottages across the UK and Ireland.
Photos via Flickr Creative Commons (source 1, 2, 3)
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