Travel within your means during school holidays

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I constantly hear from other teachers that it’s “too hard to travel during school holidays” due to the large crowds and inflated prices. Let me tell you though, as long as you’re savvy about it, you most certainly can travel to new places with each new holiday.

I would not have seen even half of the countries I have, if it weren’t for those wonderful school holiday breaks. Every chance I got, I made sure I was out there experiencing as many different cultures (and food…) as I could.

While it can be intimidating, planning a trip at peak times, there are things you can do to ensure you are not breaking the bank.

Plan, plan, plan!

Don’t get me wrong, a sporadic trip away can be the best kind of trip, but if you’re wanting to make sure you are getting your monies work, you’ll want to plan ahead!

Understand your needs and plan accordingly

Are you traveling solo or in a group? On a girls trip or a romantic getaway? Depending on what your main travel goal/focus is, you’ll need to plan your trip accordingly.

Decide whether it’s going to be a long or short getaway

To make sure you have the budget, think about whether you are able to take a long or short holiday. If it’s a long trip, you may need to look at whether you book cheaper hotels or hostels, so you can stay longer.

Plan the major parts ahead of time

I try to book airfares and accommodation well in advance as prices usually seem to be cheaper. I have however been lucky enough to find those last minute super deals!

Do your research!

This is one of the most important things to do, to make sure you are getting your monies worth and are not getting ripped off.

Airlines

I tend to use SkyScanner to search for the best deals. If you are able to be flexible you’re your travel dates, you can usually pick up cheaper tickets at different times during the week.

Be careful not to make the mistake I have when it comes to luggage. Check the ticket inclusions. If you need to take luggage, make sure it is included, otherwise it can be an expensive surprise when you get to the airport.

Hotels or hostels?

When I started solo travel, I always booked into cheap hotel accommodation. I found that this got super lonely though. Now, on longer travel stints, I book into hostels so I can meet other travelers. Booking.com is a site I always use to book my accommodation. I can set parameters on location, price and accommodation type.

Accommodation location

Inner city is obviously going to be more expensive but if you’re solo, this might be the best option for transport/accessibility which can save some money. Again, if you are on a limited budget, there are always hostels in major cities.

Tours/attractions

I always do some quick searches on tours I plan on taking and note the prices so I’m not getting ripped off by different companies. I usually wait until I get to my destination before I purchase tickets, however this can work both ways – it can be more expensive if you wait.

Budget!

Make sure you work out a budget or you could find you’re spending more than your means. I use travel card – I only load a reasonable amount to have fun and see the sites (I don’t just want to sit in my hostel all day) but stay within my budget. A holiday is fantastic but you don’t want to chew too much into your savings, or take out a loan.
Have you thought about getting extra income? For a teacher you could:

o Tutor children

o Make and sell resources

o Teach online

Example budget for Croatia in the Summertime:

While I was living in the UK, I would always travel during school holidays, without having to spend too much money. Over a week of holidays, I decided to go on a spontaneous trip to Croatia. The following is an outline of the costs involved in this 5 day trip.