Following the last couple of years and finally getting through Covid, we are all now extremely excited about getting our holidays booked and getting away for a much-needed break with our loved ones!
However, with the rising costs of living, you might be on a budget and be feeling slightly worried about the cost of jetting off for a romantic holiday, or city break.
You’ve probably spent hours scouring the internet trying to find deals for flights and accommodation. And when it comes to thinking about budgeting for spending money, too you may be finding that the costs are mounting up.
To ensure you can still have a great time as a couple this summer, we've come up with a few ways that you can make the most of your budget.
Look for Cheap Days Out
If you've managed to find a location for your city break or holiday, a great way to try and keep your daily spending budget down is to try and find out what the locals do in the area.
There may be things that you can do for absolutely free such as visiting local historical sites, museums, investigating local culture, or exploring national parks or a local zoo for example.
Or if you've found a day out that you need to pay for such as tickets for an event or activity, then simply make sure you're prepared by looking online at sites like Ticketmaster to see if there are any discount codes or vouchers to help keep the costs down.
Enjoy the Simple Things
We can all be guilty from time to time of not taking the time to enjoy the simple things together as a couple.
With hectic schedules and social demands, more often than not we simply just don’t appreciate the simple things that are already around us. Not everything has to cost lots of money and spending time with your other half doesn't always need to involve an “activity“ or something that will make good pics for 'the gram'.
Why not just take a stroll through a park, have a picnic, sit outside a café, have a drink and just chat? Or if you're booking a nice hotel somewhere, then make the most of your time together there with no outside disturbances. Before you book your hotel check out sites like Marriott to see if you can find a luxury room at a discount price.
Appreciate some time away from work and quality time together just enjoying each other’s company. Isn't that the point of holidays, after all?
Share Luggage
A great tip for your city break if you’re planning on flying, is to only check one bag. If you’re only going away for a few days you really don’t need to be checking a bag in each - even if your airline company tries to tell you differently.
Save yourself some money, minimise what you’re taking and share that suitcase from TJ Hughes! Yes, a lot of us overpack, But do we really need six pairs of shoes for a 4-day mini break?
So, when you’re about to start your packing, you’ve piled up and covered the floor with clothes, shoes, makeup, hair accessories (and the kitchen sink)... maybe take five minutes to go back through the piles and take out the things that you really don’t need. Every penny counts, and every bit of space counts!
Share Toiletries
Another great space-saving exercise when travelling as a couple is to share toiletries.
Yes, we all have certain products that we absolutely cannot live without. However, if you’re only going away for a few days does it really matter If you both use the same shower gel or shampoo? Probably not! So why not pop down to Boots before your trip and pick up some miniature personal care products that you can both use.
Not only is it a great way to save some money by not buying new and extra products just to take away on holiday. But you’ll have extra space in your suitcase. So, more room for duty-free and souvenirs!
Cook Together
A great way to ensure that you keep within your budget for your holiday is to arrange a couple of nights in cooking together, rather than spending money at restaurants whilst you’re away.
We’re not saying don’t go out at all. Of course, you want to experience the local cuisine. However, if you have an apartment, or a villa then why not treat your other half to a “home-cooked” romantic meal in?
Just pop to the local supermarket or farmers market and pick up some great local produce which you can cook at your accommodation and enjoy some quality time with your significant other. Not only is this a lovely romantic treat, but it also doesn’t have to cost a lot.
Consider Cheaper Transport
If you're thinking about a staycation this year, then with rising fuel costs it may actually be cheaper if you go by train and booking your tickets in advance with Trainline, if it’s still within the UK. As a couple, you can also take advantage of offers such as a 'Two Together Railcard' that will save you money on every train journey you take together.
Or if you’re going a little further afield but flights are looking expensive, then have a look to see if there’s a ferry that you can take instead.
It is also worth looking online to see whether there are any offers or discount codes available on transport, you can often bag some absolute
Get Couple Travel Insurance
If you’re heading overseas with your partner, it can actually be a lot cheaper to take out joint travel insurance, rather than individual.
You may not actually realise this but a joint travel insurance policy also covers you both if you need to travel independently without your significant other.
The only requirement for this kind of insurance is that you’re both over the age of 18, in a relationship and living together at the same address. Take a look online as there are numerous comparative sites which can give you some great cheap quotes.
Travel with Other Couples
Don't worry, when we say travel with other couples we don’t mean a “couples retreat”! Yes, you can share the costs of travel without it meaning that you have to spend every waking minute with another couple.
Have a chat with your friends and see if there's another couple that would also like to go away on a holiday who are also on a similar budget to you, then check out what holidays and discounts are available at Summer France for example, to see what’s on offer. It may be more cost-effective for you both to go away together to share the cost of accommodation and transport, but whilst still respecting that each couple wants to have their own time together.
Anyway, let’s face it. Sometimes when you go away with your significant other, after a couple of days you could maybe do with a break from them! So having a friend on hand could be a very welcome break....
Travel Off-Season
One of the best tips that we can offer when you are looking for your next city break, (if you don’t have children)!
Book your break around the school holidays. You will never get a cheap holiday during school holidays, this is just a well-known fact. Most accommodation and flights all go up during term holidays and the summer holiday break. So if you can, try and book around these times.
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