We all love a good long, relaxing holiday every now and then. It is even better when you vacation to a different country because you can leave all your worries behind along with bills, taxes, work and social media, which so often governs our daily lives nowadays. However it can be hard to get a good deal on a holiday, particularly at the time when you most need it.

Arranging holidays during the school holidays can be a hassle and can often be more expensive as that is the time when all the families with school age kids are away too! However there are a few top tips from veteran holiday goers that might make booking and flying a little less stressful and a little less painful on your wallet!

Book WELL in advance

In general the further you book a holiday in advance the more likely you are to get a better deal. By booking 9 months or more in advance you can save more money than trying to wing it on a last minute deal. Plus by using a price comparison site or by signing up for coupons you can also add further savings to your booking price. Perfect!

Try holidaying out of season

Depending on where you are going there will be always sun somewhere throughout the year. If you want to follow the sun, perhaps try booking a holiday out of season. Many places are hot throughout the year and only actually get cooler or wetter in the summer months. By booking out of season, hotels are in lower demand and you can save around 40%, also using mix and match airlines can help. Another bonus of booking out of season is that, if you’re not much of a people person, there will be less families filling up the dining hall!

Book on odd days

Strangely enough if you book your holiday in the middle of the week and aim to fly out on a Wednesday you could save up to 50% on the flight costs, which ends up being a massive saving on your holiday. Many members of the public prefer to go on a Monday to Monday basis, however if you’re self employed or are entitled to a certain number of days holiday per year, there should really be no problem in switching this to a Wednesday as you will get a far better deal on prices this way.

Set up Price alerts

There is a huge list of comparison websites and individual travel company websites, so cast your net wide! By subscribing to holiday websites and setting up price alerts on specific holidays, you’ll receive emails of the latest deals and updates available. This is incredibly helpful if you are flexible about where and when you plan on holidaying and will also help you to find some great deals for family members as well.

Subscribing to price comparison sites as well as individual sites can be just as important as, in some cases an individual subscription may give you access to certain deals not available to the general public, however receiving emails on a price comparison site will normally give you a fair idea of what you would normally pay for a certain type of holiday.

Do the Research

As with anything that takes a little planning and a bit of cash, it is important to do a lot of research about where you want to go, what you want to do when you get there, travel arrangements such as flights, travel from the airport, hired cars while you are out there and more. There may be some instances where booking the flights and the hotel in one deal is beneficial whereas in other situations it may be cheaper – although slightly more complicated – to book and pay for everything separately.

Make sure you browse the market thoroughly before making your decision; a holiday should be a trip to a place that you care about or would like to learn more about. If you are holidaying with the family, try to take into account the individual needs of each family member and weigh up the pros and cons of particular countries if you are having trouble deciding where to go.

In the end if you plan far enough ahead and do significant research while being subscribed to price comparison websites, specific deals, offers and price alerts it will be a lot easier to find ways to book your favourite holiday destinations without having to break the bank. So why not try it today? Be it a week away in the Caribbean sun, an adventurers Egyptian paradise holiday getaway or a hitchhiking trip through Hong Kong, take the plunge and get searching for your next big holiday!