UK holidays: the best ways to save, from discount codes to house-sitting
This is a great way to have a low-cost holiday. The simplest option is to house-sit for friends or relatives while they go away – you get cheap accommodation and they know their home is secure. Or, if you can find a mutually convenient weekend, arrange a swap.
Staying at a property you already know, or hosting people you know at yours, is likely to be more relaxing than swapping with a stranger, but there are websites dedicated to matching homeowners with house-sitters they might never meet. These often include homes abroad, too. They charge a fee – typically about £100 a year. The Guardian has a partnership with a site that lists lots of UK homes (guardianhomeexchange.co.uk).
Gemma Clough, who blogs at Help Save Money, recommends pet-sitting. She suggests using a site such as TrustedHousesitters.
She says: “Owner members include their personal details when registering, while sitter members go through a mandatory ID check, and all listings go through an approval process before they go live on the site.”
She has travelled the world looking after cats and small animals, and frequently stays in London, saving herself hundreds of pounds each time. She recently stayed in affluent Pimlico for two weeks at no cost.
Camping has become more expensive as sites add facilities but it is still one of the cheapest ways to see the UK.
Choose campsites that have access to lakes and rivers so you can swim. Picking one where you are allowed to make fires to cook on, or have barbecues, will keep children entertained and reduce costs.
Online platforms advertise places where you can stay, but you may get a better deal booking direct. (The same with holiday lets, car hire and so on.)
See if friends and family have equipment you can borrow. Or
Read more on theguardian.com
